Mrs Hudson must step into action once more.It's summer in London, and things are quiet. But while Holmes and Watson chafe at their inactivity, a train, carrying a vital encoded communication, is entering a tunnel in an obscure region of the Balkans – never to be seen again.The case of the disappearing train is only the beginning of the nation’s difficulties. The missing message must be found and decoded, and a diplomat’s wife must be rescued from the clutches of a pernicious blackmailer.The nation is in danger, and if a diplomatic scandal of disastrous proportions is to be avoided, Sherlock Holmes’ brilliance may not be enough…From the Richard & Judy-featured author of The Conjuror’s Bird, back by popular demand, the first new Holmes & Hudson novel for several years.
Martin Davies Books






This is the definitive guide to successful study as an international postgraduate student. Chapters cover all the core academic skills, including time management, reading, referencing, critical thinking, doing research, and writing and speaking for assessment. The book features a wealth of examples, activities and checklists to help students hone their skills. The 2nd edition features: - New content on writing critical reviews and case study reports, managing digital sources and using electronic databases - Additional activities on referencing and critical thinking - Practical pointers to help students hit the ground running and quickly get to grips with the expectations and conventions of postgraduate study
Havana Sleeping
- 416 pages
- 15 hours of reading
Havana in the 1850s is a city as dangerous as it is exotic. The murder of a humble night watchman at the British Consulate seems to worry neither the Consul nor the police. But one person cared for the old man. The enigmatic courtesan Leonarda will not rest until she understands the mystery of his death. In wintry England, George Backhouse is plucked from obscurity in the Foreign Office and given an unexpected promotion. His task: to travel to Cuba and take a stand against the illegal slave trade still flourishing there. But Havana is a tinderbox of intrigue. As the great powers of the region conspire against each other with increasing ruthlessness for control of the island, Backhouse comes to see that the most innocent of actions could spark a devastating war. To protect their interests, the powers-that-be in Whitehall are prepared to turn a blind eye to many things. Leonarda will not. But what of George Backhouse?
'Conceal, Create, Confuse': Deception as a British Battlefield Tactic in the First World War
- 256 pages
- 9 hours of reading
The book details the British Army's strategic use of deception during the Great War, highlighting the efforts of leaders like Sir John French and Sir Douglas Haig to surprise the enemy. It explores innovative tactics such as creating dummy military assets and geographically dispersed plans that misled opponents about actual attack locations. Some methods, like disguising mules as tanks, were almost humorous yet proved effective. The narrative challenges the stereotype of ineffective leadership by showcasing the Army's successful use of deception across various battlefronts.
This successful guide to social work theory and practice has now been fully revised and a substantial amount of new material has been added in order to make it even more comprehensive.
Mrs Hudson and the Malabar Rose
- 346 pages
- 13 hours of reading
Even Sherlock Holmes needs help sometimes... Londoners are turning out for the unveiling of the Malabar Rose-a rare and remarkable ruby-and the British debut of the Great Salmanazar. A magician and illusionist extraordinaire, Salmanazar is the talk of Europe-since whenever he appears abroad, daring thefts of famous jewelry coincide with his performances. But after a special representative of the Home Secretary begs Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson to help guard the Malabar Rose, it vanishes under the most baffling of circumstances. Suspecting that the Great Salmanazar has used smoke-and-mirrors on Scotland Yard, the formidable Mrs. Hudson is called upon to give a lesson in criminal deduction to that most logical of minds-the great Sherlock Holmes.
"September in London, and the city basks in a glorious Indian summer. Sherlock Holmes has more work than he can handle, and when the Home Office asks him to sniff out a plot by Russian assassins on radical politician George Dashing, Holmes and Watson find themselves distracted by more pressing cases. Meanwhile, there is scandal at the home of Dashing's great political rival, Sir Henry Catanache. When Sir Henry's housemaid goes missing, leaving only a pool of blood behind, his son is the prime suspect. Can Sherlock discover the truth? Or will the Catanache family be rescued by Laurence Martin, a detective newly arrived in London who is dazzling society with some remarkable triumphs? Martin proves a surprising and enigmatic figure, and Mrs Hudson and Flotsam, her intrepid helper, soon find themselves as intrigued by the detective as they are by the crime..."--Publisher
The Blackwell Encyclopedia of Social Work provides a concise guide to 400 topics relevant to the practice of social work in the 21st Century. It brings together 250 top authors and covers all service user groups.
Doing a successful research project : using qualitative or quantitative methods
- 292 pages
- 11 hours of reading
This text provides students with step-by-step guidance on all aspects of the research process. Both qualitative and quantitative methods of research are discussed with real life examples demonstrating good and bad practice.
Mrs Hudson and the Spirits Curse
- 320 pages
- 12 hours of reading
What if Baker Street’s most gifted resident wasn’t called Sherlock Holmes? An evil stalks London, blown in from the tropics. Stories of cursed giant rats and malign spirits haunt the garrets of Limehouse. A group of merchants are, one by one, dying. The elementary choice to investigate these mysterious deaths is, of course, Holmes and Dr Watson. Yet the unique gifts of their housekeeper, Mrs Hudson, and her orphaned assistant Flotsam, will be needed to solve the case. Can she do it all under the nose of Sherlock himself? From the coal fire at Baker Street to the smog of Whitechapel and the jungles of Sumatra, from snake bites in grand hotels to midnight carriage chases at the docks, it’s time for Mrs Hudson to step out of the shadows. Playfully breaking with convention, Martin Davies brings a fresh twist to classic Victorian mystery. Martin Davies grew up in north-west England. All his writing is done in cafes, on buses or on trains, and all his first drafts are written in longhand. He has travelled widely, including in the Middle East, India and Sicily. In addition to the Holmes & Hudson Mysteries, he is the author of four other novels, including The Conjurer’s Bird, which sold over 150,000 copies and was selected for the Richard & Judy Book Club and Havana Sleeping, which was shortlisted for the 2015 CWA Historical Dagger award. He works as a consultant in the broadcasting industry.