New Releases by Jeanne M. Dams

Who killed the reclusive Agatha Dobbs? Newly married Elizabeth Wilkins is determined to prove Agatha’s niece’s innocence in this compelling 1920s mystery. July, 1926. Now happily married to lawyer Fred, Elizabeth Wilkins is ready for whatever married life throws at her. So when Fred comes home anxious about his new client, Caroline Dobbs, who’s suspected of murdering her elderly Aunt Agatha, Elizabeth can’t help getting involved. Caroline was seen arguing with her aunt at Agatha’s farm on the outskirts of town the day she died by neighbour and local gossip-monger, Miss Edwards, but Fred is convinced of Caroline’s innocence. Elizabeth joins the influential local Nineteenth-Century Women’s club as she attempts to find out more about the Dobbs family, uncovering dark secrets and a potential link to her new ‘contact’, notorious mobster, Al Capone. Can she unravel the mystery in time to save Caroline from an unjust death sentence? A page-turning and warm-hearted 1920s mystery featuring a strong-willed and courageous heroine, perfect for fans of Frances Brody and Victoria Thompson.

A trip to the Lake District proves to be anything but idyllic when Dorothy and Alan investigate a mysterious death. Dorothy Martin and her husband, retired chief constable Alan Nesbitt, jump at the chance to holiday in the beautiful Lake District when Alan''s old friend, Christopher Prideaux, invites them to visit him in Grasmere. A party at Christopher''s cottage is the perfect way to meet the locals, but one stands out - accountant Donald Atkinson, an egoist hoping to become a politician, clearly isn''t popular among his fellow villagers. When he''s found mysteriously dead during the Fell Race, could his demise be due to a sudden, fatal medical emergency, or was it murder? Dorothy and Alan find themselves catapulted into a disturbing case that will lead them back in time, and to a terrible, scandalous secret that someone is determined to keep hidden.

Spirited female sleuth Elizabeth Fairchild is drawn into Chicago''s growing jazz scene - and murder - in this compelling 1920s mystery. July, 1926. When Elizabeth Fairchild''s beau, Fred Wilkins, suggests going to Chicago''s Sunset Club to see Louis Armstrong, the world''s best trumpeter, in action, she faces a dilemma. The burgeoning jazz scene in the city is proving to be controversial, associated with gangsters and scandal. Even her dear friend Susannah refers to jazz as ''the devil''s music''. Intrigued, Elizabeth brushes her fears aside and visits the club with Fred, but an explosion causes panic - the Ku Klux Klan are intent on blowing up the club as part of a race war being waged in the city, and murder soon follows. Elizabeth has made herself a target, but she has a plan to save the club. The only problem is it involves jazz afficionado and the Sunset Club''s owner, the country''s most notorious criminal, Al Capone . . .

When an ''unofficial'' relative of Alan''s arrives from the States, Dorothy and Alan are drawn into a tangled web of murder and lies. Dorothy Martin is more than capable of dozing during a raging storm in her snug house in Sherebury, but the loud ping of an unexpected text on her husband Alan''s phone quickly wakes her up. Alan''s unofficial great-niece, Lucy Bowman, is coming over from the States for a conference. When Lucy arrives, she gushes about her fiance, Iain. But Alan makes a disturbing discovery about Lucy''s engagement ring, and no sooner has Iain set foot on UK soil when he''s the victim of a mysterious hit-and-run. Was it an accident, or murder? Drawn into the police investigation, Dorothy learns that Iain was not all he seemed to be, and uncovers a shocking trail of deceit. Can she separate fact from fiction to untangle a deadly web of lies?

Introducing spirited female sleuth Elizabeth Fairchild in the first of the brilliant new Oak Park village mystery series, set in 1920s Illinois. June, 1925. Having been widowed in the First World War, Elizabeth Fairchild lives a quiet life at the home of her wealthy parents in genteel Oak Park village, Illinois. Although she does her best to avoid emotional entanglements, determined never to be hurt again, Elizabeth forms a close friendship with gentle Mr Anthony, who owns the local antiques store. But tragedy strikes when Mr Anthony is found stabbed to death in the alley behind his shop. Why would anyone murder a mild-mannered antiques dealer who simply loved beautiful things? A robbery gone wrong? A gangland execution? Or could it have something to do with the mysterious customer who bought a gold pocket watch from Mr Anthony on the day he died? When one of her father''s oldest friends is accused of the crime, Elizabeth determines to expose the real killer. But her investigations soon attract unwelcome attention. With gangsters moving into the neighbourhood from nearby Chicago, Oak Park is no longer the safe haven it once was. Could Elizabeth be seriously out of her depth?

American Anglophile Dorothy Martin is celebrating her birthday in the historic city of Bath, but the discovery of a number of stolen artefacts throws her plans awry. Retired chief constable Alan Nesbit and his wife Dorothy Martin are in the beautiful historic city of Bath to celebrate Dorothy''s birthday, enjoying the city''s elegant surroundings, sightseeing, shopping - and champagne. But the celebrations are curtailed when they discover a curious assortment of loot in their car boot during a trip to Stonehenge - from precious artefacts to cheap jumble sale trinkets. The stolen items are linked to various historic sites in Bath, but how did they end up in the Martins'' car? As Dorothy and Alan seek to prove their innocence and catch a thief, they are soon swept into a conspiracy that runs much deeper and darker . . .

How can Dorothy Martin clear an elderly woman of murder, when she can''t remember if she did it or not? American Anglophile Dorothy Martin and her husband, retired chief constable Alan Nesbit, are enjoying a pleasant, albeit rain-soaked, stay in the historic university city of Durham with their old friend David Tregarth. Castle tours and cathedral services fill their days as they wander up and down the steep, cobbled lanes of the medieval city. But the holiday comes to an abrupt halt when David''s elderly great-aunt is accused of the murder of a fellow patient at her nursing home. How could a frail dementia sufferer commit such a terrible deed? Dorothy is determined to prove Aunt Amanda''s innocence, and launches into an unofficial investigation. But as she and David navigate their way amongst reckless students, inefficient police work and witnesses who have lost the ability to remember, the investigation soon becomes as twisty, slippery and treacherous as the damp cobblestones outside . . .

American Anglophile Dorothy Martin heads to the picturesque city of Victoria on Vancouver Island to investigate a series of petty crimes – that soon turn deadly. When Dorothy Martin and her ex-policeman husband Alan are asked by some good friends to look into a series of petty crimes that are perplexing the local Mounties in the picturesque Canadian city of Victoria, they immediately jump on a plane to British Columbia and settle themselves into the heart of the local community. Drinking champagne with the local businessman and would-be politician as well as cups of tea with the local recluse, they infiltrate all ranks of Victoria society. But when a young woman goes missing and a body is discovered, it would appear that the petty crimes have turned deadly. With their ability to get to the root of a crime and dig out the culprit, it’s not long before Dorothy and Alan realize they have embarked on a trip that will become far more dangerous than they ever envisaged...

American Anglophile Dorothy Martin uncovers strange goings-on when she attends the christening of an English aristocrat. Dorothy Martin and her husband Alan have been invited to rural Suffolk to take part in the christening of the newest member of the aristocratic Montcalm family. But on arriving at Dunham Manor, they discover the household in turmoil as the ceremonial dagger used in Montcalm family christenings for generations past, has gone missing. Dorothy and Alan offer their help in locating the ancient heirloom, but when a stranger is murdered in the village – stabbed in the back with an ornate dagger – Sir Edwin Montcalm finds himself the prime suspect in a very puzzling murder. It will take all Dorothy and Alan’s well-honed investigative skills to untangle a web of long-buried secrets, historic conflicts and murderous inclinations which threaten to destroy the traditions and the very existence of the Montcalms’ way of life for ever.

When a wealthy Iraqi couple disappear following a concert at Sherebury Cathedral, American Anglophile Dorothy Martin investigates. When Dorothy Martin and her husband Alan meet the wealthy Ahmad family, they are charmed by their courtesy, their perfect English, their delightful children and their commitment to peace. Following a concert at Sherebury Cathedral, the Ahmads offer to host a party afterwards at the Rose and Crown pub. But Mr and Mrs Ahmad don’t show up. Their children are asleep upstairs at the inn, but the parents are nowhere to be found . . . With suspicions of kidnap and even murder being raised, Dorothy and Alan feel compelled to assist the police and MI5 in their efforts to find their new friends, a search that will take them to London and the murky world of big business, politics and even terrorism . . .

Quelle horreur! A French holiday leads to disaster for American Anglophile Dorothy Martin in this engaging new cozy mystery. When Dorothy Martin goes to France – alone because Alan is stuck back home in Sherebury with a broken ankle – she worries about her ability to get along in a language she barely speaks, and in a country she hasn’t seen for over fifty years. But by the time Alan joins her a week later, Dorothy has found herself embroiled in one mystery after another: a woman drowning in quicksand; a man suffering a near-fatal fall in the abbey at Mont Saint Michel; and a missing American archaeologist – all seemingly connected to a monk named Abelard who has been dead for almost nine hundred years. It isn’t until another body is discovered that Dorothy’s ability to ‘think outside the box’ finally unravels the threads of a despicable scheme.

A holiday on the picturesque island of Alderney leads to a case of cold-blooded murder for American Anglophile Dorothy Martin. When Dorothy Martin and her husband, retired police detective Alan Nesbitt, decide to visit the beautiful island of Alderney in the English Channel, they hope for a pleasant, peaceful holiday. It’s not to be. Taking a walk on their very first day, they discover a body, apparently the victim of an unfortunate accident, on a precipitous hill path. The dead man, they learn, is an American named Abercrombie who had made himself both loved and hated during his few weeks on the island. Although there is no concrete evidence of foul play, both Dorothy and Alan are uneasy about the death and decide to delve further. And then they unearth some most disquieting revelations . . .

American Anglophile Dorothy Martin tackles a tricky puzzle in the historic university town of Cambridge Dorothy Martin isn’t overly enthusiastic when her husband, retired police detective Alan Nesbitt, invites her to accompany him to a conference in Cambridge, picturing cramped student accommodation. But St Stephen’s turns out to be recently renovated, and, bolstered by en suite facilities, Dorothy is looking forward to exploring the historic and beautiful city. It is not long, though, before disaster strikes: lost in the maze of college buildings, Dorothy stumbles into a laboratory . . . and is shocked to find what looks like a pool of blood on the floor. She flees, to fetch help, but when Alan checks it out, there is nothing to be found. Was she mistaken? Or has a terrible crime been committed? Dorothy, who can never resist a puzzle, determines to find out.

Murder threatens to disturb the creativeness of Sherebury’s art college One late-summer’s evening, before the beginning of the new term, Dorothy Martin and her husband, retired police detective Alan Nesbitt, are guests at Sherebury University art department’s drinks party to introduce the new teaching assistant, sculptress Gillian Roberts However, tragedy strikes on a tour of the sculpture department, when the lift breaks down and a corpse is discovered at the bottom of the lift shaft. Dorothy and Alan become involved in the ensuing investigation, putting their local knowledge and sleuthing skills to good use once again. But when another member of the art faculty goes missing and someone receives threatening phone calls, it seems the killer still has something to hide and may very well strike again . . .

The new compelling mystery featuring Anglophile Dorothy Martin and her husband, retired policeman Alan Nesbitt . . . Dorothy Martin’s husband, Alan Nesbitt, is heavily involved in the complex and lengthy process of choosing a new bishop for Sherebury Cathedral. The very day that the short list is announced publicly, one of the candidates is found murdered in his own church. With a long list of possible suspects, including Alan himself, Dorothy and Alan start to delve into the history of the victim, hoping to find some clue to a motive for murder. Then a second candidate is found dead, and the case becomes very complicated indeed. Who is murdering England’s clergymen and why . . .?

Dorothy Martin and her husband, retired Chief Constable Alan Nesbitt, go on a trip to Orkney in Scotland to visit an old friend and see some intriguing Stone Age excavations. They realize there’s considerable dissension between the archaeologists and the principal donor for the newest dig, a wealthy and abrasive American. When a more recent corpse is found at the dig, various suspects are named, but there’s not enough evidence to bring a case against anyone. Dorothy, always sensitive to atmosphere and the undercurrent of tension pervading the project, has become fascinated by the strong aura of the ancient past that pervades Orkney, and she and Alan launch an unofficial investigation into the murder.

A stunning global thriller, "Foolproof" exposes a terrorist plot intended to topple democracies worldwide. D''Amato''s stories are hard-hitting, gritty, witty, and wise.--"Booklist."

She was about twenty, with long blond hair, and her body was found a few days after she fell from the cliffs to her death on the rocks below. No one identified her; no one reported a missing girl. All the police knew was her rough age, that she’d had a child recently, and that she was very underweight. Her death was a mystery that had haunted Alan Nesbitt, Dorothy Martin’s now-retired chief constable husband, since 1968. It didn’t matter that the incident had happened more than thirty years earlier; under the pretence of a ‘vacation’ to Cornwall, Dorothy was going to get to the bottom of the mystery for Alan . . . and uncover a new one while she was at it.

Dorothy Martin wanted to have a traditional Thanksgiving dinner for her husband, Alan and some of her friends – a real taste of home. Then came the call from the school, asking Dorothy to fill in because teacher Amanda Doyle hadn’t shown up. Three days later, on Thanksgiving, the second call came: John Doyle had been murdered and Amanda was the suspect. Would Dorothy mind caring for their daughter Miriam for the day? Dorothy had already sensed that something was not right in the Doyle household: John was clearly emotionally abusive, and the church they belonged to held some very strange ideas about sin and punishment. Now Amanda and Miriam need her to prove Amanda’s innocence, and Dorothy unravels a nasty knot of family secrets.

Dorothy Martin is in Wales for an opera full of passion, drama . . . and murder. Dorothy Martin and her husband, retired Chief Constable Alan Nesbitt, are invited to join their close friends Nigel and Inga Evans at a Welsh music festival where both Nigel and Inga will be performing with the world-renowned conductor Sir John Warner. Amid the glorious surroundings of Welsh castles and the history of long-ago battles, the stage is set for a most enjoyable festival. However, when a tragic accident takes the life of one of the choir, and the same fate befalls another performer, Dorothy and Alan find themselves in the midst of an investigation as tumultuous, passionate and complicated as any opera.

Dorothy Martin is fitting in comfortably in her new English home, and now that her policeman husband, Alan, has retired, she’s looking forward to some quiet time with him. But then the letter arrives: an old acquaintance in Indiana has died and left her a small inheritance. It seems an excuse to travel back to the States and take a well-deserved vacation. Dorothy should have known better. As well as the money, Kevin Cassidy has left a note predicting his own murder. It seems absurd; the beloved professor was ninety-six when he died, apparently from pneumonia. But Alan and Dorothy know about innocent facades. As Dorothy begins to investigate, Alan discovers that his wife’s sleuthing is hard work . . . and that here, Dorothy is very much in charge.

A charming, quick-witted woman of a certain age, Dorothy Martin once more finds herself embroiled in a most puzzling crime . . . and a saga of greed, jealousy and murder. The victim: a fellow American, her seat companion on a commuter train to London. Dorothy is convinced he was poisoned, yet the authorities’ response to her interest is emphatic denial: there was no man, no body, no crime. Undaunted, Dorothy discovers not only the victim’s shocking identity, but also a deadly game of corporate rivalry. She takes a job in a London software company, boldly entering the hornet’s nest where a cold and calculating killer is waiting.

When Dorothy Martin gets a call from her friend Ada Finch, whose gardener son has been arrested for the attempted theft of an antique dolls’ tea set from the Miniatures Museum at the imposing Brocklesby Hall, she doesn’t hesitate to offer her services to clear his name. But when theft leads to murder, Dorothy discovers there are big secrets hidden in the rooms filled with miniatures.

Spending a peaceful vacation on the charming Scottish island of Iona, Dorothy Martin’s enjoyment is marred only by her fellow travelling companions, a bickering American church tour. When one of the group suffers a fatal fall from a cliff, everyone believes it to be an accident. Everyone except Dorothy, that is. With the police about to close the case, Dorothy feels bound to investigate. It’s a decision she may regret.

Vacationing in the village of Broadway with her husband when they discover the body of a local farmer in a disused quarry, Dorothy Martin cannot resist getting involved after the police are unable to determine a motive for the crime.

For Dorothy Martin, a widowed American who’s moved to the England she so loves, the Christmas service is painful enough. It is her first holiday without Frank. And stumbling over the body of Canon Billings does nothing to improve her mood. Of course, she does get to meet Chief Constable Alan Nesbitt, and a good mystery on a chilly English night does have some appeal . . .

iu003eFans of Agatha Christie and Dorothy L. Sayers will enjoy this very traditional British cozy Booklist Dorothy Martin and her husband, retired Chief Constable Alan Nesbitt, have just visited Buckingham Palace, where Alan was awarded the George Cross, when they and a friend, retired Chief Inspector Jonathan Quinn, stumble across the body of a young girl hidden in St James'' Park. Wondering what led to the unfortunate girl''s demise, Dorothy can''t help but get involved in the case when Jonathan calls the next day and admits he knew who the victim was . . .

A Dorothy Martin mystery Dorothy Martin and her husband, retired Chief Constable Alan Nesbitt, are on holiday in the idyllic English village of Broadway when they stumble across the body of a man who appears to have fallen down a disused quarry. When it is revealed that the man, a local farmer, was probably pushed over the edge, and that the police have failed to find any suspects or motives for the murder, Dorothy can''t help but get involved . . .

Hilda Johansson, expecting her first child and miserable in the summer heat, turns to crime investigation to occupy her mind. It’s a heat wave in more ways than one in the summer of 1905, as strikes, arson, and train wrecks threaten the fabric of civilized society in South Bend, Indiana. In the tumultuous first years of the twentieth century, anarchy seems to rule, with the assassination of an American president and labor unrest like the Anthracite Coal Strike bringing misery to millions. From St. Petersburg, Russia, to Chicago, U.S.A., the army, police, and strike-breakers battle workers in the streets, resulting in many deaths. How can a Swedish immigrant like Hilda Johansson, formerly a housemaid, possibly affect these conditions? Making deductions worthy of Sherlock Holmes-and using her own “Baker Street Irregulars”-Hilda recognizes a pattern to the disturbing events. Even though confined to her home by pregnancy, she draws from the town’s varied social strata and enlists allies to try to put an end to disruption and find justice for all. “Absorbing. . . . Well-portrayed characters and a final surprise sure to please series fans make this a winner.” -Publishers Weekly

Hilda Johansson, a Swedish maid in South Bend Indiana, is asked by her brother to investigate the murder of his sixth-grade teacher.