The Mystery of Yew Tree House

'Always a treat reading Lesley Thomson.' Ian Rankin

Eighty years of secrets. A body that reveals them all.

1941. Rupert and Adelaide Stride are raising their two daughters, Clare and Rosa, in the midst of war. When Rupert is called to fight, he dies on the beaches of Dunkirk, leaving his family to fend for themselves.

2023. Decades later, Clare and Rosa have retreated to the annex, trapped in the place where they were raised: Yew Tree House.

When the rooms are put up for rent, Jack Harmon sees the perfect spot for a family holiday with his twins and detective Stella Darnell. But then the children discover a skeleton with a hole in its skull hidden in the brambles of a decommissioned WWII pill box.

This home has always been a complicated one, but Stella and Jack will need to confront a history of revenge, desperation, and wartime tragedy to uncover the truth of what happened at Yew Tree House...

The new must-read psychological procedural in the Detective's Daughter series from critically acclaimed author, Lesley Thomson, for fans of Elly Griffiths, Val McDermid and Mari Hannah.

Praise for The Detective's Daughter series:

'Cunningly plotted.' Mick Herron
'One of the most original characters in British crime fiction.' Sunday Times
'In the best traditions of the classic whodunnit, this is Midsomer Murders for grown-ups.' Sunday Express

PRAISE FOR LESLEY THOMSON:

'This modern take on the country house mystery shocks from the off... A whodunnit that is both creepy and very funny. Anyone who appreciates clever plotting and lively writing will have a ball reading it' The Times, on The Companion.

PRAISE FOR THE DETECTIVE'S DAUGHTER SERIES:

'In the best traditions of the classic Whodunnit, this is Midsomer Murders for grownups' Sunday Express.

'A perfect blend of Agatha Christie and Barbara Pym' Elliy Griffiths.

'A unique take on classic crime' Mick Herron.

'Stella Darnell is one of the most orginial characters in British crime fiction'

Lesley Thomson grew up in west London. Her first novel, A Kind of Vanishing, won the People's Book Prize in 2010. Her second novel, The Detective's Daughter, was a #1 bestseller and the resulting series has sold over 750,000 copies. Lesley divides her time between Sussex and Gloucestershire. She lives with her partner and her dog.

Visit her website at

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