A Fatal Secret

Don't miss A Dangerous Train of Thought, the thrilling latest installment in the Ryder & Loveday series! Pre-order now.

‘The pairing of Ryder and Loveday is a stroke of genius.’ Clare Chase, author of the Eve Mallow and Tara Thorpe mysteries

Oxford, 1961. A family day out at Briar’s Hall ends in tragedy when a young boy goes missing – and his body is found at the bottom of a disused well in the orchard.

It looks like a simple case of an eleven-year-old exploring where he shouldn’t: a tragic accident. But Coroner Clement Ryder and Probationary WPC Trudy Loveday aren’t convinced. If Eddie had been climbing and fallen, why were there no cuts or dirt on his hands? Why would a boy terrified of heights be around a well at all?

Clement and Trudy are determined to get to the truth, but the more they dig into Briar’s Hall and the mysterious de Lacey family who live there, the murkier things become.

Could it be that poor Eddie’s death was murder? There are rumours of blackmail in the village, and Clement and Trudy have a horrible feeling that Eddie stumbled on a secret that someone was willing to kill for…

Fans of Richard Osman, Agatha Christie and Faith Martin’s DI Hillary Greene series will not want to miss this!

‘Absolutely loved it… The characters were some of the best I’ve read in a long time.’ Angela Marsons, no. 1 bestselling author of the Kim Stone series

Readers LOVE A Fatal Secret!

‘Absolutely perfect! This is the book I have been craving since I last read the Thursday Murder Club series!’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘Very entertaining… Full of red herrings, plot twists and turns. I thought I knew who was the killer but I was wrong.’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

'Have become an addict of Faith Martin – love her novels.' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

'This author's books are soothing to the soul. Her characters are likable, and the plots always keep me guessing. Excellent fun.'⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘A brilliant book! This is Faith Martin at her scintillating best!… A cracking good read… Highly recommend this book and I give it a delighted 5 stars!’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘Gripping suspense that will have you on the edge of your seat. I was hooked from page one.’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘Great plot, excellent main characters and I read it in one sitting! I would highly recommend this book.’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘Gripping… Crime-busting nostalgia at its very best.’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

The Ryder and Loveday Series
Book 1: A FATAL OBSESSION
Book 2: A FATAL MISTAKE
Book 3: A FATAL FLAW
Book 4: A FATAL SECRET
Book 5: A FATAL TRUTH
Book 6: A FATAL AFFAIR
Book 7: A FATAL NIGHT
Book 8: A FATAL END

About the author

Faith Martin has been writing for thirty years and has published over fifty novels. She began writing romantic thrillers as Maxine Barry, but quickly turned to crime! It was when she turned to writing detective stories as Faith Martin that she became more widely known. Having lived in Oxfordshire all her life, both the city and the countryside often feature in her novels. The fauna and wildlife of a farming landscape has always played a big part in her life – and often sneaks its way onto the pages of her books.