Robert Barnard Book order (chronological)

After a twenty-year absence, Merlyn Cantelo returns to Leeds to attend his late aunt Clarissa's funeral. Far from being welcomed back into the fold of his large and quarrelsome family, he is viewed by many with suspicion and distrust ? especially since his timely reappearance has thwarted the prospect of a tidy inheritance. However, all is more complex than it seems. The teenage Merlyn only fled his home at the vehement insistence of his sometimes clairvoyant aunt, who foresaw for him a life blighted by violence and death. Moreover, the root of this danger supposedly lies somewhere within the family? Merlyn knows that if he is to discover whether his aunt's fears were justified, he must come to terms with his tragic past ? and delve into the murky history of the Cantelo family.

Bettina Whitelaw is a grand dame of the English literary scene. Approaching eighty, with a beautiful flat in Holland Park and a comfortable income, her life is not dissimilar to that of her wealthy, elegant neighbours. But her background most certainly is. Brought up in Bundaroo, a small town in the Australian outback, Bettina's childhood was dominated by the relentlessly blazing sun, the long daily walk to school, and by the simmering animosities of smalltown life. Aged sixteen, Bettina managed to escape to begin her literary career in Europe. But now, more than sixty years later, her past is coming back to haunt her. As she embarks upon the painful process of writing her memoirs, images from her childhood begin to re-surface. And when her former housekeeper is the victim of a violent attack, Bettina begins to realise that she herself is in serious danger, a danger that has its roots in a small, dusty outback town.

Caroline Fawley is living in the Yorkshire village of Alderley. Her wealthy boyfriend keeps her in the lap of luxury. Life couldn't get much better. Then her boyfriend Marius goes missing and later a body turns up and that idyllic life is completely shattered. Originally published: 2002.

England's celebrated, multiple-award-winning master crime novelist returns with a witty and poignant chiller about the evil of gossip and the sin of indifference. Father Christopher Pardoe is a good priest who genuinely cares for his parishioners but is also burdened by human weaknesses. His frequent visits to a young single mother, Julie Norris, raise eyebrows, especially as her bedroom curtains remain closed during these visits. Rumors swirl when it appears Julie may be pregnant again, leading to Father Pardoe's suspension from St. Catherine's. Meanwhile, Cosmo Horrocks, a sensational journalist, seizes the opportunity to exploit the scandal, stirring up a narrative filled with sex and intrigue. As questions arise about Julie's past and her estrangement from her parents, the tension escalates. When murder strikes, Inspector Mike Oddie and Sergeant Charlie Peace uncover raw emotions—hate and fear—beneath the town's surface. The investigation reveals that while there may be one killer, many share in the town's guilt. Rich with eccentric characters, crisp dialogue, and perceptive insights into human nature, this story delves into the complexities of morality and the consequences of indifference.

Colin Pinnock, on top of the world when he is selected as a junior minister to the new Prime Minister, receives a mysterious note that sends him into a world of mystery and murder.

In einem kleinen Dorf in Yorkshire kommt Perry Trethowan, ein Beamter von Scotland Yard, im Pub mit einer älteren Dame ins Gespräch. Diese erzählt ihm, daß sie sich im Besitz eines Manuskripts aus dem Nachlaß Emily Brontes befindet. Kurz darauf wird die alte Dame in ihrem Cottage niedergeschlagen, und von dem Manuskript fehlt jede Spur. Perry Trethowan nimmt die Ermittlungen auf und macht dabei die Bekanntschaft höchst unliebsamer Gestalten.

The MP for Bootham East was something of a fish out of water - a Tory with a conscience. When he was actually fished out of water, the Thames to be precise, it looked like a clear case of suicide or accident. But as Superintendent Sutcliffe's investigations got under way, and as the by-election campaign to elect his successor hotted up, some very murky political waters were dredged and made to reveal their secrets.The local Labour Party had been hijacked by the extreme left, the Tory Party had had an unattractive young man with dubious City connections foisted on it, and the Alliance candidate had something nasty in his past he would prefer to forget. In fact, by the time of the declaration poll, all the parties wished the by-election had never had to happen, and that the dirt had remained brushed away under the carpet.