In this story, Chief Inspector Shadow and his sergeant, Jimmy Chang, are investigating an act of vandalism in the ruins of St Mary’s Abbey and several random break- ins around York. Suddenly, they are called out to a moorland village where a wealthy but eccentric businessman, obsessed with Saxon history, has been found dead. Adding to the confusion, the victim’s study’s been ransacked and there’s a second burglary in the village and vandalism in the churchyard. Shadow wonders if it’s possible the cases could be related. Initially, the death seems centred around an ancient Saxon treasure trove and missing parchment map. But Shadow knows all too well, there are many motives for murder. As the list of suspects grows frustratingly long, Shadow and Jimmy must discover if the murder is truly linked to the ancient treasure or the more recent past.

As usual when writing a Shadow book, I had to wade through a lot of research and most of this involved the Anglo-Saxon period of history. This era spanned the time between the Romans leaving Britain in about 410AD and the Normans invading in 1066. The Anglo- Saxons were a mixture of tribes from modern day Germany, Denmark and the Netherlands, who spoke Old English.

During this time, England was actually made up several kingdoms. The area that is now North Yorkshire, was part of the kingdom of Deira. However, then as now, the city of York was the capital of the area. Back then, the city was known as Eoforwic (roughly translated as wild boar town). Due to its size and strategic location between two rivers, the city was a prime target for the marauding Viking armies of Ivar the Boneless (who named it Jorvik).

Although many argue that the Saxon rulers didn’t have the impact of the Romans or the Vikings, they did make a considerable contribution to the city. In the 7th Century, King Edwin built the first wooden Christian minster on the site of the abandoned Roman fort and it was Edwin’s successor, Oswald, who began rebuilding the church in stone. York Minster is now the largest gothic cathedral in Northern Europe. During the 8th century, St Peter’s school was established. It became an import seat of learning thanks to Alcuin, advisor to the emperor Charlemagne, being first a pupil then a master there.

We have also found evidence of how skilled and talented the Anglo-Saxon craftsmen were. In 1982, when work was beginning on a new shopping centre in York, a helmet from the 8th century was unearthed. Intricately carved and made from iron and copper alloy, it is now on display in the Yorkshire Museum.

Today, the Anglo-Saxon influence can also be seen in York as you walk the streets that still carry the names they gave them, such as Aldwark and Bedern. It really does go to show, the shadow of the past is never far away.

Congratulations on the release of A Saxon Shadow!

About the Author.

H L Marsay grew up binge-reading detective stories and promised herself that some day, she would write one too. A Long Shadow was the first book in her Chief Inspector Shadow series set in York. Luckily, living in a city so full of history, dark corners and hidden snickelways, she is never short of inspiration. She has also written The Secrets of Hartwell Trilogy and The Lady in Blue Mysteries. The Chief Inspector Shadow Mysteries have recently been optioned for television.

When she isn’t coming up with new ways to bump people off, she enjoys drinking red wine, eating dark chocolate and reading Agatha Christie – preferably at the same time!

With the first full month of fall whisking quietly onto our doorsteps with its decrepit leaves and eerie breeze, the warmth of summer has officially left us behind. As the leaves begin to fall and the weather starts to change, you could use a good mystery to wrap your head around. 

This October, Tule Publishing has four page-turners here to chill and perplex you in preparation for Halloween. The first ten days of the month are packed with releases to help you start the fall and spooky season off right, and our final release of the month comes a week before Halloween–setting the tone for the most mysterious night of the year. 

A Requiem for the Dead: A Benoit and Dayne Mystery Book 4 by Winter Austin

If you’re looking for brutality, tension, and high-stakes, Tule’s got a humdinger to start your October off right. Winter Austin is back with her fourth Benoit and Dayne Mystery, A Requiem for the Dead.

 On a cold February morning, ME Olivia Remington-Thorpe’s severely beaten and bleeding husband stumbles onto Sheriff Elizabeth Benoit’s retreat. Before slipping into unconsciousness, he begs her to find Olivia. Hours later, Deputy Detective Lila Dayne discovers a mysterious boneyard with dark secrets.

The timing is catastrophic. Still reeling from the horrific events of the past autumn, the deputies of Eckardt County are spread thin, and tempers are short. Elizabeth’s relationship with her lead investigator is sour. Still worse, her ex-husband moved back to Iowa with a devilish deal.

As Elizabeth and Lila race the odds to uncover the truth of the skeletal remains and find their missing friend alive, Olivia seeks a way to escape from an abductor who is proving that she didn’t know her husband as well as she thought.

More bodies turn up, mysterious visitors arrive in Juniper, and one mistake from the Eckardt County Sheriff’s team will spell their own deaths in their most dangerous murder investigation to date. 

Race against time with Benoit and Dayne when A Requiem for the Dead comes out on October 2nd. 

A Saxon Shadow: A Chief Inspector Shadow Mystery Book 8 by H L Marsay

A murder mystery rooted in ancient history is coming your way. HL Marsay is back with Chief Inspector Shadow’s eighth outing this fall, in a twisting installment that will grip you until the wee hours of the night. 

Chief Inspector Shadow is investigating an act of vandalism in the ruins of St Mary’s Abbey and several random break-ins around York when he’s called out to a moorland village.  A wealthy but eccentric businessman, obsessed with Saxon history, has been found dead. Adding to the confusion, the victim’s study’s been ransacked and there’s a second burglary in the village and vandalism in the churchyard. Are all the cases related? Initially, the death seems centered around an ancient Saxon treasure trove and missing parchment map. But there are many reasons for murder. This list of suspects grows frustratingly long, baffling Shadow.

John Shadow is a man of contradictions. A solitary figure who shuns company but is a keen observer of all he meets. A lover of good food but whose fridge is almost always empty. He prefers to work alone but is assisted by the eager Sergeant Jimmy Chang.

Now Inspector Shadow and Jimmy must discover if the murder is linked to the ancient treasure or the more recent past. 

Check out A Saxon Shadow by HL Marsay, releasing October 7th. 

Retirement Can Be Murder by Vickie Carroll

This next story kickstarts an exciting new series with veteran storyteller, Vickie Carroll. Retirement can seem like the beginning of the end for some–but in Retirement Can Be Murder, the end for some can give a new start to others.

Helen Rogers never imagined that she’d be bored at Sunny Days Retirement Village in lovely Peachtree Valley, Georgia, but she wasn’t expecting to start this phase of life as early as her fifties, either. Then fate gave her a hand in solving her friend’s murder, and the sense of accomplishment was heady.
But was it a fluke? Fate answers again when she stumbles over her second dead body, the city’s deputy mayor. The corpse is barely cold before the mayor’s wife is killed in a suspicious accident. Bodies are piling up—so Helen and her buddy, Carol Adams, take the next step: enroll in PI classes, apply for her license, and open an official investigation firm.
Helen has found her purpose, and it comes with new partners and a handsome assistant, Ted Morgan. Yet business will grind to halt before it gets off the ground unless she can break open the truth. Plenty of folks have a motive, but which one of the suspects is desperate enough to plan such elaborate murders? 

Check into Helen Rogers’ Retirement Can Be Murder on October 9th. 

A Corgi Conundrum: The Pecan, Texas Pet Groomer Cozy Mysteries Book 4 by M Alfano

For those of you who aren’t as keen on the death and darkness of this month, Tule’s got a tried and proven cozy writer for some lighter fare. Sometimes, it takes a superhuman effort to solve a murder mystery–or even an inhuman one. If you’re sniffing out a good mystery, trust a dog-groomer to deliver a good one here.

You would think I’d have my life together after helping to solve a few small-town murders and launching a thriving dog grooming business.

But, I, Leslie Winters, am the definition of a dog chasing its tail.

Since my lovely boyfriend, Detective Adam Waltz, hasn’t popped the question, I figure helping my best friend’s husband out and subbing in the ag department to teach the kids dog grooming was a good way to spend my free time and earn some extra money. 

I didn’t expect to find the middle-school secretary dead in the ag barn, let alone her corgi leading me right to the body.

Adam tells me to stay out of this crime, but this was on my turf. If someone has a chance to get to the bottom of who would poison an innocent old lady in the barn, well, it’s going to be the best—and only—dog groomer and substitute agriculture teacher in Pecan, Texas.

Regardless of the danger barking my way. 

Cozy up with your own fuzzy friend when you’re reading A Corgi Conundrum, releasing October 23rd. 

This October release list is stacked with whodunnits, crime-solving pals, and dead bodies–so go ahead, turn on your reading light and try to find your way out. Except the only way out is by solving the mysteries, so get ready for some amazing writers and powerhouse plots  because Tule Mystery  has the plot twists to keep you guessing all month long!

Written by Tule intern, Mitchell Leung.