A Fatal Obsession (Ryder and Loveday, Book 1)

Name: A Fatal Obsession (Ryder and Loveday, Book 1)
Rating: 4.833333492279053 (6 reviews)

Faith Martin

Jun 2018 · Ryder and Loveday Book 1 · HarperCollins UK

4.8

6 reviews

Ebook

384

Pages

Eligible

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About this ebook

Don’t miss Faith Martin’s fiendishly clever new novel, Murder by Candlelight, set in the 1920s and described as ‘the perfect village mystery’ by J.M. Hall

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

Oxford, 1960. There's a murderer on the loose and two unlikely heroes are poised to solve the case.

Meet Probationary WPC Trudy Loveday – smart, enthusiastic and always underestimated.

In the hope of getting her out of the way, Trudy’s senior officer assigns her to help coroner Clement Ryder as he re-opens the case of a young woman's death. She can't believe her luck – she is actually going to be working on a real murder case.

Meanwhile, the rest of the police force are busy investigating a series of threats and murders in the local community, and Clement can't help but feel it's all linked.

As Trudy and Clement form an unlikely partnership, are they going to be the ones to solve these crimes before the murderer strikes again?

A gripping, twisty cozy crime novel that you won't be able to put down. Perfect for fans of Agatha Christie, Richard Osman and M.C. Beaton.

‘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 Faith Martin:

‘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.'⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

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

Ratings and reviews

4.8

6 reviews

Beth F

January 17, 2024

Nice little mystery. A young female constable is taken into the investigation of a previous case that an old coroner isn't happy with. It's a nice relationship and a well done mystery with a bit of misdirection.

Linda Strong

May 19, 2018

4.5 Stars Hang onto your socks! This is the first in a new series by Faith Martin, the author of the DI Hillary Greene series. The time is 1960 ... no cellphones, no DNA, no CSI. WPC Trudy Loveday is on probation. She's young and smart and the only woman in her team. She's mostly relegated to the files and making coffee. Her boss has 'let' her out to patrol the streets on occasion and she's done well. She's arrested a couple of pickpockets and a flasher. But her supervisor doesn't seem to know what to do with her. Clement Ryder is a coroner. He started out as a medical physician. When he was diagnosed with Parkinsons', he stopped practicing and took up the law. Now he holds court over possible murder cases and he consults with the police quite often. He has a sharp mind and a natural determination to find the truth. Ryder demands that he be given an officer who can question suspects, make arrests, etc.... since he doesn't have that authority. In the hope of getting her out of the way, Trudy’s senior officer assigns her to help coroner Clement Ryder as he re-opens the case of a young woman's death. She can't believe her luck – she is actually going to be working on a real murder case. The author has never disappointed me in her other series ... and this one is also not disappointing. This is a gripping, twisty crime novel with complex characters, suspects that are not what they seem to be, and an interesting plot. Many thanks to the author / HQ Digital / Netgalley for the advanced digital copy of this British Crime Fiction. Opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.

2 people found this review helpful

Kim Grattage

May 3, 2020

1960s law and order where female police officers were frowned upon by their male counterparts who believed their place was in the home chained to the kitchen sink with half a dozen kids to care for. This is far from true for WPC Trudy Loveday, an enthusiastic new recruit in The City of The Dreaming Spires, Oxford. Along with County Coroner Clement Ryder they both seem and find justice for the crimes against the innocent.

1 person found this review helpful

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.

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