Set against the backdrop of World War II, the narrative unfolds in Cambridge during the spring of 1941, where the public bomb shelters serve as a refuge for the city's residents. The story begins with the discovery of a young man's body in the Trinity Shelter, highlighting the grim realities of wartime life. The crowded and chaotic atmosphere of the shelters reflects the struggles faced by the poor, as they navigate the dangers and uncertainties of their daily existence amidst the ongoing conflict.
Jim Kelly Book order (chronological)






The Skeleton Man
- 416 pages
- 15 hours of reading
Following on from Allison & Busby's extremely popular Nighthawk series of Jim Kelly crime novels set in Cambridge during World War II.
Granny's Special Delivery
- 28 pages
- 1 hour of reading
Aisling's journey takes her from the vibrant streets of London to the serene landscapes of rural Ireland, promising an exciting and whimsical adventure. Along the way, she encounters new experiences and challenges that shape her character and perspective. The narrative explores themes of discovery and the joy of travel, highlighting the contrast between urban life and the tranquility of the countryside.
Cambridge, 1939. Wieder einmal zieht Detective Inspector Eden Brooke ruhelos durch die nächtliche Stadt. Seitdem er in Gefangenschaft gefoltert wurde, findet er keinen Schlaf mehr und leidet unter extremer Lichtempfindlichkeit. Nur in den verdunkelten Straßen fühlt er sich noch wohl - bis sich mehrere Sperrballons losreißen und eine Explosion im Stellwerk auslösen. Am nächsten Morgen wird eine Leiche am Fluss gefunden - auseinandergerissen von einer unglaublichen Kraft. Ist einer der Sperrballons daran schuld oder steckt mehr dahinter?
The Fire Baby
- 352 pages
- 13 hours of reading
Philip Dryden is witness to Maggie Beck's deathbed confession, and a tragic plane crash 27 year previously, suddenly becomes the focus of a murder investigation.
The Night Raids
- 352 pages
- 13 hours of reading
After a bombing in Cambridge, D I Eden Brooke finds the body of Nora Wylde, two fingers on her left hand severed. When Nora's granddaughter goes missing, Brooke's suspicions are aroused.
The Mathematical Bridge
- 352 pages
- 13 hours of reading
Cambridge, 1940. It is the first winter of the war, and snow is falling. When an evacuee drowns in the river, his body swept away, Detective Inspector Eden Brooke sets out to investigate what seems to be a deliberate attack. As more riddles come to light, can Brooke solve the mystery before a second attack claims a famous victim?
Journalist Philip Dryden is shocked to be informed by police that his father has been killed in a car accident – he drowned during the fenland floods of 1977, 35 years before. At the same time, two unrelated cases are demanding Dryden’s professional a body riddled with bullets found hanging in the middle of a lettuce field, and a couple protesting that the local council has buried their baby daughter in a pauper’s grave without permission. As Dryden pieces the clues together, he realizes that the three cases may be related after all . . .
The Funeral Owl
- 256 pages
- 9 hours of reading
When a reader contacts local newspaper The Crow to report a rare sighting of the Boreal, or 'Funeral' Owl, journalist Philip Dryden has a sense of foreboding. For the Funeral Owl is said to be an omen of death. In the violent and terrible week that follows, the sighting of the owl proves prophetic in more ways than one.

