Showing results by author "Matthew Costello" in All Categories

Claire and Terry Goodman seem to have everything. Successful business. Son at Oxford. New mansion right on the River Thames. And seemingly - plenty of money to spend. But when Jack and Sarah are asked to investigate an odd robbery at their home, secrets start to emerge. And as the truth is revealed, for someone it will be too much to bear, and murder may be the only way out.

When the penniless FitzHenrys, proprietors of the rundown Combe Castle Heritage Site, find themselves victims of a threatening campaign to oust them from their ancestral home, Jack and Sarah are called in to track down the culprit. But nothing is what it seems at this castle - from the curious and unnerving waxwork displays of the 'Odditorium' to the in-laws and neighbours who can't wait to see the last of aristocratic couple. Soon Jack and Sarah discover that truth is often stranger than fiction, and in Combe Castle things do indeed go bump in the night.

When Jack and Sarah are called in to investigate mysterious pranks at an exclusive girls' private school, it seems at first that it might be the work of a few mean pupils with a grudge. But things quickly turn serious when a popular teacher meets a sudden, violent death. Now, with murder in the air, Jack and Sarah have their own lessons to learn about the Cherringham Girls School, its dark secrets... and who wanted that teacher dead before they learned the truth.

As the day of Grace's wedding approaches, it seems nothing can get in the way of the happy Cherringham event. But just days before, her father Len is suddenly arrested on suspicion of murder - a murder committed 30 years ago, and a thousand miles away. Could Len actually have committed the crime? And can Jack and Sarah unearth the truth in time for him to walk his daughter down the aisle? Set in the sleepy English village of Cherringham, the detective series brings together an unlikely sleuthing duo: English web designer Sarah and American ex-cop Jack.

Bill Vokes has played Santa at the children's Christmas show for years. But with the show just hours away, he vanishes with no explanation. The whole village is baffled. Did something bad happen to loveable Bill, upstanding citizen, churchgoer, life and soul of the party and the holiday season? Jack and Sarah are on the case - and soon discover there are secrets about this Santa that no one could have imagined.

When Cherringham Drama Society invite a local TV celebrity to direct their Christmas show, they get more publicity than they bargained for. Someone's out to sabotage the event, and rehearsals spin into chaos. Jack and Sarah are asked to investigate and soon discover that there's a darker mystery taking place behind the scenes. Cherringham is a serial novel à la Charles Dickens, with a new audio episode released every two weeks.

When the Zakro Corporation attempts to build a mammoth supermarket outside Cherringham, the whole village is up in arms. But the accidental death of lead environmentalist Sam Lewis seems to hand victory to the developers. Could Sam's opposition to the project be the real reason he died? When Jack and Sarah take on the case, they will learn that what looked like an accident was - in fact - one very wild murder.

When a new restaurant with a starred American chef opens in Cherringham, it seems the Spotted Pig has a worthy rival. But a series of disturbing incidents turns that rivalry into something dangerous - perhaps even fatal. Jack and Sarah get involved and soon discover dark secrets about the new chef Anna... Can they uncover what is really happening before both restaurants go belly-up? Cherringham is a serial novel à la Charles Dickens, with a new audio episode released every two weeks.

When Alex King, leader of legendary 90s rock group Lizard, hosts a party to get the band back together, old grudges surface. At dawn Alex is found floating in the pool of his Cherringham mansion. To the police it's a drug-fueled accident. But when Jack and Sarah get involved, they quickly discover that while a song may never die - the person, who wrote it, might have been murdered.

When classic horror movie star Basil Coates becomes the victim of a series of scary pranks, the local police put it down to a crazed fan. Just pranks, after all... But with Halloween only days away, the spectre of murder suddenly visits the ghostly Coates mansion on the hill outside Cherringham - and Jack and Sarah find themselves caught in a mystery worthy of Basil's spookiest roles... Cherringham is a serial novel à la Charles Dickens, with a new audio episode released every two weeks.

Accidents happen to Charley Clutterbuck. Always just scraping by, living on his ramshackle boat, not above the dodgy deal here and there... So when his body is found floating down river, accidental drowning seems the logical conclusion. But Charley's pal Ray thinks it's murder. And when Jack and Sarah get involved... they find themselves facing an unexpected danger as they uncover the strange truth. Set in the sleepy English village of Cherringham, the detective series brings together an unlikely sleuthing duo: English web designer Sarah and American ex-cop Jack.

Bernard Mandeville loves trains. Every Sunday, the elderly and frail Bernard, in perfect attire, purchases a ticket on the Great Cotswold's Steam Railway, takes a seat in First-Class and revels in a journey from the past. But on one particular Sunday, in the midst of that short trip, the impossible happens. Bernard vanishes without a trace... The family reaches out to Sarah and Jack who must make their own remarkable journey on the rails...to track down the vanished gentleman!

After the stroke, Kate's husband was a different man...Cruel, abusive, violent. Divorce was her only salvation - but not for her daughter and son. By law, they were required to visit their father. And endure his terrible rage. So Kate decided to run away. To start a new life for herself and her children. To find safety in the arms of another man...That was when her nightmare really began...

Kaum haben sich Lord und Lady Mortimer in Mydworth eingelebt, da gibt es schon einen neuen Fall: Der junge Syd Buckman wird erschossen im Wald aufgefunden. Neben ihm liegt seine Schrotflinte, offenbar wollte er nachts heimlich auf die Jagd gehen. War es ein Unfall? Oder hat jemand dem Wilderer absichtlich das Handwerk gelegt? Die Mutter des Jungen ist überzeugt, dass es sich um ein Verbrechen handelt. Kat und Harry beginnen zu ermitteln und stellen fest, dass Syd eine Menge Geheimnisse hatte.

By the laws of nature, it shouldn't be alive. For the sake of mankind, it shouldn't be resurrected from the ocean floor. For the love of God, it shouldn't be worshipped.

Im sonst so beschaulichen Cherringham herrscht Ausnahmezustand: Es ist Sommer-Karneval! Das ganze Dorf feiert den 500. Jahrestag, an dem der König dem Ort seine Stadtrechte verliehen hat. Doch zwischen bunten Kostümen und fröhlichen Umzügen bahnt sich Unheil an. Als eine kostbare Urkunde spurlos verschwindet, sollen Jack und Sarah für das Karnevalskomitee ermitteln und geraten mitten hinein in ein gefährliches Spiel.

Nur wenige Meilen von Mydworth entfernt liegt das abgelegene Chilton House - ein Rückzugsort für Londons exzentrische Künstler, die dort den Sommer mit Malerei, Diskussionen und rauschenden Festen verbringen. Doch als nach einer Wohltätigkeitsauktion einer von ihnen tot im Fluss gefunden wird, ist es vorbei mit der Bohème-Romantik. Die Polizei tippt auf einen Unfall im Rausch. Doch Kat und Harry haben ihre Zweifel - und stoßen bald auf ein kunstvoll gewebtes Netz aus Lügen.

Folge 29: Ein krummer Deal - Als Charlie Clutterbucks Leiche in der Themse gefunden wird, überrascht das zunächst niemanden: Der Überlebenskünstler wohnte auf einem heruntergekommenen Hausboot, hatte ein Händchen dafür, sich in Schwierigkeiten zu bringen und schaute häufig zu tief ins Glas. Doch Charlies Kumpel Ray ist sich sicher: Charlie hatte keinen Unfall - es war Mord. Er bittet seinen Nachbarn Jack um Hilfe. Gemeinsam mit Sarah trifft dieser bei seinen Ermittlungen auf eine ganze Reihe zwielichtiger Gestalten, die mit Charlie eine Rechnung offen hatten. Doch für die Lösung des Falls müssen die beiden in noch viel tiefere Abgründe blicken.

Bernard Mandeville liebt Züge. Jeden Sonntag kauft der elegante ältere Herr ein Ticket für die Great Cotswolds-Dampfeisenbahn. Und jedes Mal nimmt er im Erste-Klasse-Abteil Platz und genießt die Fahrt in dem prächtigen Museumszug. Doch an diesem einen Sonntag geschieht etwas Merkwürdiges: Bernard verschwindet spurlos und die Zeugen sind sich sicher, dass der alte Herr den Zug nie verlassen hat! Die Familie engagiert Sarah und Jack, um nach dem vermissten Bernard zu suchen. Wurde er entführt? Die beiden Ermittler sind entschlossen, das Rätsel um den verschwunden Gentleman zu lösen, doch ihre Zugfahrt in der historischen Bahn birgt eine Menge Überraschungen...

Lady Lavinias jährlicher Maskenball auf Mydworth Manor ist einer der gesellschaftlichen Höhepunkte in dem kleinen Städtchen. Aber als einer der Gäste am See des Anwesens tot aufgefunden wird, ist die Party schlagartig vorbei. Zunächst sieht es aus wie ein Herzinfarkt. Aber Harry und Kat vermuten, dass der Tote mit der Maske tatsächlich das Opfer eines cleveren Mörders geworden ist, und beginnen zu ermitteln... Ein glamouröses Ermittlerduo, ungewöhnliche Verbrechen, schnelle Autos, schicke Kleider und rauchende Revolver.