Showing results by author "Hilary Pugh" in All Categories

An early morning dog walk along the river ends with a shocking discovery. When the body of a man is fished out the River Thames near Windsor, it looks like a straightforward accidental death from drowning following an excess of alcohol. The only problem is that this man died eighteen months ago in a train crash. Was the first death just a case of mistaken identity or was it more complex than that? The Breakfast Club Detectives set out to discover where the victim spent the last year and a half and why his nearest and dearest thought he had died.

All five Ian Skair novels in one volume. Meet Ian Skair—private investigator, dog lover, and the most determined sleuth the Scottish banks of the River Tay have ever seen. With his loyal canine companion Lottie by his side, Ian has an uncanny knack for seeing through the fog of the most puzzling crimes. Whether it's a missing heirloom, strange happenings in a country house, protecting an opera singer from murder or delving into the world of stolen artworks, nothing escapes his sharp mind and relentless curiosity.

Jonny Cardew is bored. He’s worked hard all his life at a financially rewarding but dull job when all he ever wanted to do was to solve murders. Now he has time on his hands, but is it too late to be a detective? A chance meeting over breakfast with three quirky characters and a dog in need of rehoming could change his life.

An evening out leads to a gruesome surprise. When Jasmine accepts an invitation to visit a vintage circus and funfair she doesn’t expect to be confronted with a dead body. And yet here she is, watching the carousel while innocently munching a hot dog, when a dead man lands at her feet. The police solve the case in double quick time and a suspect is arrested. However, his nearest and dearest believe he has been wrongly accused and enlist the help of the Breakfast Club Detectives to investigate and clear his name. But the more they discover the more guilty the suspect appears.

A simple case of a missing sister. Or is it? When Ian Skair is invited to an ancient castle perched on a rocky promontory of the Angus coast, he expects to find a routine missing person case. Little does he know, the Laird of Drumlychtoun and his family have more secrets and black sheep than Ian could have ever anticipated. As Ian uncovers secrets and intrigues, thefts and legends, he finds himself and the family in a dangerous situation. Can he reunite the laird with his sister and discover the truth behind her disappearance? Or will the family's secrets be too much for them to handle?

Ian’s detective agency has hit a dull spot. Until a mysterious woman visits him, a body is found under the Tay Bridge and a French PI arrives on his doorstep. Ian and Molly become embroiled in the world of art theft when a second rate nineteenth century Scottish portrait painter suddenly becomes inexplicably popular. Can they unravel the mystery before any more bodies are found?

Accident or Murder? Jonny Cardew expected a restful few days at the Reimagine the Light Festival listening to enlightening discussions and enjoying good wholesome food.

She is going to be murdered on stage every night. All Ian has to do is make sure she is safe off stage. No one would want to murder the leading lady, would they? Don’t be too sure. After a few days at the Dundas Farm opera camp, Ian is beginning to think that everyone the diva meets would be more than pleased to see the back of her. Two weeks listening to music on a Scottish alpaca farm is twisting and turning in a distinctly sinister direction. And if she continues to treat him like a servant, refusing to tell him anything about her fears, how on earth is Ian going to prevent a tragedy?

A sinister discovery in the garden of Murriemuir House leads Ian to a chain of weird events. Scotland is gradually getting back to normal after lockdown. As people get out and about once more Ian finds his case load increasing and to his surprise one of his new clients is his own brother, Stewart. Stewart and his wife have bought an old farmhouse and are planning to open a wellness centre, when they make a sinister discovery in an area set aside for forest bathing. This is followed by a series of unexplained and possibly supernatural happenings.

World famous concert pianist Felix Lansman has a collection of postcards sent to him anonymously. He is sure they are from the love of his life, Jamie McLeash. But Jamie disappeared six years ago - the night Felix’s father was murdered. Police failed to make any arrests and the case was closed. Was Jamie a suspect and if so, why is he sending the postcards? Felix wants Ian to find out.