New wartime murder mystery published

Britain was at war and, in May 1940, Winston Churchill became Prime Minister delivering his ‘Blood, toil, tears and sweat’ speech when he first addressed the House of Commons in his new role. Rumours abounded that refugees from abroad were, in fact, German agents and creeping anti-semitism was frequently orchestrated by the British Union of Fascists. Later that month, Oswald Mosley was detained and the BUF banned.

It is against this backdrop that the action of the novel unfolds. Lizzie is one of eight recruits undergoing initial training at White Waltham air base near Maidenhead which is still in use as a civilian airfield. The wealthy Edward Melford is found dead and suspicion falls on a number of the recruits as well as others.

Inspector Hawkins from Maidenhead Police is in charge of the investigation but it proves to be very tricky with false trails and several suspects. Lizzie’s curiosity, determination and clever deduction, however, help discover the killer.

The Air Transport Auxiliary was a civilian organisation formed in late 1939 to deliver aircraft from factories to operational air bases. Unusually, 168 of its staff were women, many of them pilots. All the ATA pilots operated in extremely difficult circumstances because of the demand for their services and the restrictions that were placed on them. It’s great contribution to the War effort was that it released able-bodied pilots for frontline duties.

“This is not a dull history book, however,” said Kevin. “It is fast-moving and a real page-turner I am told by those who have read it already.” Kevin is clear that, although full of intrigue, his novels explore human motivations and emotions. “Like all the Lizzie’s War books, this one explores the way that some men abuse women. In that sense, they are very relevant to our contemporary World.”

The novel is available from Amazon as an e-book or a paperback and also from selected local shops, namely the University of Buckingham Bookshop, Old Hall Bookshop, Brackley, Forge Coffee, Evenley and Croft Stores, Silverstone.