Fifty-five-year-old Jim Lapsford makes an unusually healthy-looking corpse. A lifelong devotee of vitamin pills and herbal remedies, it seems almost ironic that he has succumbed to a heart attack, but his doctor is convinced that this is the case.Trainee undertaker Drew Slocombe isn't so sure. As an ex-nurse, Drew is convinced that there is enough conflicting medical evidence to merit a coroner's inquest at least. And then there's Jim's personal life: In addition to a long-suffering wife, two sons, and a grieving terrier, Jim appears to have left behind a series of scorned mistresses.Everyone else seems happy to accept the doctor's verdict, and Drew knows he shouldn't rock the boat. But can he really turn his back on murder? With plenty of suspects, zero proof, and Jim's cremation just days away, Drew sure has his work cut out for him
Drew SlocombeSeries
This series follows the life journey of a former nurse who transitions into the role of an undertaker in a quaint English town. The narratives delve into human destinies, the process of grieving, and the search for peace in unexpected professions. Explore profound emotional moments and the resilience of the human spirit when confronting mortality.




Recommended Reading Order
- 1
- 2
Grave Concerns
- 352 pages
- 13 hours of reading
Drew Slocombe is determined to make ecologically sound burials popular. Unfortunately, his gravedigger has just discovered that their cemetery has one too many corpses - that of an elderly woman. When Genevieve Slater asks for help proving that the body is that of her missing mother, the mystery deepens.
- 3
The Sting of Death
- 352 pages
- 13 hours of reading
Karen Slocombe's cousin Penn, asks for Drew's help in tracking down a missing relative, Justine. But why has Penn come to him, and why is she reluctant to get the police involved?
- 4
A Market For Murder
- 448 pages
- 16 hours of reading
The peace of a small village is shattered by a bomb explosion and Karen Slocombe and her daughter are nearly caught up in the carnage. When Karen also witnesses a murder at the local farmer's market she begins to wonder who is committing these seemingly motiveless crimes and why does she keep finding herself in the middle of the crime scene?