Joan Lock
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First British Edition Severn House (2003) |
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Dead Letters
It is a beautiful warm August day in 1880: perfect weather for the annual Metropolitan and City Police fete held at Alexandra Palace. Inspector Best is summoned to uncover the identity of ‘Quicksilver’, who has sent an anonymous note threatening to cause a horrific explosion at the event.
When a second note is received and its threats become increasingly confusing with their literary allusions, Best seeks out the help of Helen Franks, a close friend from the past. However, is Quicksilver really intent on causing mass injury on this fine day, or is his desire of a more personal nature?
'Multi-layered, ingeniously plotted, atmospheric and suspenseful with an appealing hero and attention-getting doses of both humour and tragedy. Lock’s latest Inspector Best novel makes outstanding reading for historical mystery buffs.’ Starred review, Booklist (American Library Association)
‘The biggest riddle here isn’t the identity of Quicksilver but of Best’s true love, a question that appropriately provides Lock with a climax more powerful than anything that’s come before . . . most likely to appeal to readers who’d like to see Victoriana get blown up’ Kirkus Reviews
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First British Edition Hale (2002) |
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Dead Born
In this exciting sequel to Dead Image Detective Sergeant Ernest Best becomes embroiled in a terrible, real-life tragedy - the sinking of the pleasure steamer Princess Alice.
DS Best is sent under-cover to lodge next door to a suspected baby farm in Islington. While shadowing a suspect he boards the Princess Alice. On their return from Gravesend the boat is rammed by a collier and around 650 passengers and crew are drowned. Best survives and among the bodies recognises someone who was not on board. The murder hunt which ensues leads him down some murky paths and comes to a startling conclusion.
‘gripping Victorian mystery’ Publishers Weekly
‘Asking a historian to review a historical novel is asking for trouble – but Joan Lock’s book is something else. Her knowledge of London and its policing in the 19th century makes this into a very different kind of novel – one with an extremely realistic setting.’ London Archive Users Forum
‘Highly recommended.’ Mystery Women
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First British Edition Hale (2001) |
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Death in Perspective
At first Berry Hill seemed the perfect place to house-sit. Jenny would be able to put the past behind her as she painted watercolours of the beautiful garden, while Robin sought that elusive job. But the house proves very isolated and all is not right. Why is one of the bedrooms locked? Where is the owners wife? And why does the aggravating Detective Sergeant Bridgeman pester Jenny about a missing schoolgirl?
Bridgeman's ever-expanding enquiries lead to a dodgy photographer, a seedy animal sanctuary, a clothes-conscious headmistress - and his old enemy, Rolls, an acid-tongued barrister on whom the tables are now turned. Jenny's fears grow as strange and threatening events wreck her rural idyll, culminating in a heart-stopping climax.
'This is an intriguing and puzzling mystery, with many twists and turns that hold the reader.' Mystery Women
'I couldn't put it down. Highly recommended autumnal read' London Police Pensioner
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First British Edition Hale (2000) |
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Dead Image
The explosion was heard twenty miles away. It killed canal boatmen and wrecked the exotic Pompeian villa of Lawrence Alma-Tadema, the fashionable St John's Wood artist. But what caused the 1874 Regent's Park Explosion? Fenian bombs or sabotage by rival railways?
With this historical tragedy as a background, Joan Lock weaves an intriguing mystery. Whose was the other body found in the canal? Was she an unofficial canalboat passenger? An artist's model? The missing King's Cross barmaid? Or yet another victim of the Thames murderer?
The volatile Sergeant Ernest Best of Scotland Yard finds himself straddling the fascinating worlds of art, wealth and privilege - contrasting with that of the poverty stricken boatmen, as he struggles to find the answers. A truly fascinating and unusual novel.
'Joan Lock's Dead Image finds new material among the teeming Holmesian possibilities of late-Victorian London ...moves easily between rough-and-ready canal folk and the fashionable London artistic community....solidly researched crime novel.' The Times
'Dead Accurate' Waterways World
'. . . it is the fascinating background of the canal and narrow boat society that makes this book stand out from the crowd . . . a novel I recommend without reservation.' Sherlock Holmes Magazine
'Thank heaven for a 'Victorian' murder mystery that's well-researched, well-written and mercifully free of any mention of Jack the Ripper! A gripping and satisfying murder mystery with an unguessable final twist. I hope Sergeant Best will return in many more novels' Dr Chris Willis, Mystery Women
Praise for Joan Lock’s Non-Fiction Books
Reluctant Nightingale
'forthright, funny and sad in turn' Women's Journal
The British Policewoman: Her Story
'enthralling' Daily Telegraph
Marlborough Street: The Story of a London Court
'this pleasing book' London Evening Standard
An extract appeared in the Faber Book of London by A N Wilson
Tales from Bow Street
'a useful corrective to those who think the law is pedestrian' Sunday Telegraph
Blue Murder?
'one you should not miss' Police Review
Dreadful Deeds and Awful Murders: Scotland Yard's First Detectives
'this engrossing and convivial book' lead review London Evening Standard
Scotland Yard Casebook: The Making of the CID 1865-1935
'a good read, well written' New Law Journal
About The Author
Joan Lock is a distinguished police historian whose books are the authoritative texts on her subject. Now she has put her formidable research skills to a very different use - writing crime fiction', writes Chris Willis in Mystery Women
Joan spent her childhood in London, the Lake District and the North East. She trained and qualified as a State Registered Nurse before joining the Metropolitan Police and serving in London's West End for six years. Various other jobs followed including a long stint with British European Airways before she became an in-house journalist for the John Lewis Partnership.
Her first book was the autobiographical Lady Policeman. Various police/crime non-fiction books followed, including The British Policewoman: Her Story, which established her as a leading authority on this subject.
She has also written radio plays and documentaries. One of the latter followed a year in the life of the Crime Writers' Association.
During the eighties Joan became a regular writer and columnist for the leading police journal, Police Review, chiefly on matters pertaining to women such as rape, and the conditions of women police. In 1992, Ex-Assistant Chief Constable Alison Halford told the Daily Mail that 'the world would not have heard such stories (swimming pool allegations, sexual discrimination accusations etc)... but for the chain of events which followed the publication in Police Review of an article by former policewoman Joan Lock which pondered the question of when there would be a woman chief constable'.
Currently, Joan contributes a regular page on police matters for Red Herrings, the journal of the Crime Writers' Association.
Bibliography
N.B. dates and publishers in dark red indicate British First Editions. Dates and publishers in black indicate recent reprints.
Dead Letters
(Severn House,
2003)
Soundings Audio, November 2003 (Ernest Best)
Dead Born
(Hale,
2002)
Soundings Audio, 2002 (Ernest Best)
Death in Perspective
(Hale,
2001)
Ulverscroft Large Print, 2002
Dead Image
(Hale,
2000)
Ulverscroft Large Print, 2001: Soundings Audio, 2001 (Ernest Best)
Scotland Yard Casebook
(Hale,
1993)
Dreadful Deeds And Awful Murders
(Barn Owl Books,
1990)
Blue Murder?
(Hale,
1986)
Tales From Bow Street
(Hale,
1982)
Marlborough Street: The Story of a London Court
(Hale,
1980)
The British Policewoman: Her Story
(Hale,
1979)
Reluctant Nightingale
(Dent,
1970)
Lady Policeman
(Michael Joseph,
1968)
Dead Letters
by Joan Lock
