Dead Before Morning

#1 of 18 in the Rafferty & Llewellyn British Mystery Series

'This often comic tale sharpens the appetite for more.' PUBLISHERS WEEKLY

Newly-promoted British Detective Joe Rafferty really should have expected that his first case since his promotion would encourage the mischievous fates to have some fun and games at his expense.

But, even though he is imbued with enough Irish superstition to use up the nation's salt stocks, he never anticipated that he would be landed with the case of the 'Faceless Lady'. At least, not at the same time that his wily Ma involves him in the latest Rafferty family law-bending drama.

Cursed by coming from a large Irish Catholic clan who believe obeying the Laws of the Land is optional, Ma has temporarily put aside her determined match-making ambitions for long enough to extract Rafferty's promise that he would get her niece's fiancé out of poky in time for their wedding. Rafferty has no idea how he is to organise this Great Escape so that it goes more smoothly than most things in the Rafferty experience.

All he does know is that, between his fire-breathing Superintendent, his Ma's emotional blackmail, an ever-critical media who has latched on to the case of the Faceless Lady with relish, and a chief suspect who's not only a bosom buddy of the Chief Constable, but who also seems to believe that a little bribery and corruption will ensure this latest blip in the crime statistics is solved to his satisfaction, Rafferty’s not a happy bunny.

But did the fates really have to saddle him with an educationally-superior new partner in the shape of stiff, more moral than the Pope, Welsh Methodist Dafyd Llewellyn, too?

'Evans' humor seriously added to my enjoyment of her book. The series has standout central characters and clever plots. AUNT AGATHA’S BOOKSHOP, ANN ARBOR

In this first book in the quirky, not quite so Traditional British mystery series, there is humor in plenty, more family drama than you can shake a stick at and not a little mayhem. At its heart, a murder mystery with enough twists and turns to test a Boy Scout's knot skills to the limit.

For lovers of Detective novels with a touch of humour.

18 Novels in the Rafferty & Llewellyn British Mystery Series

Dead Before Morning #1

Down Among the Dead Men #2

Death Line #3

The Hanging Tree #4

Absolute Poison #5

Dying For You #6

Bad Blood #7

Love Lies Bleeding #8

Blood on the Bones #9

A Thrust to the Vitals #10

Death Dues #11

All the Lonely People #12

Death Dance #13

Deadly Reunion #14

Kith and Kill #15

Asking For It #16

The Spanish Connection #17

Game of Bones #18