MAXWELL'S MASK: A Schoolmaster Murder Mystery

'Cleverly conceived and amusingly executed,' raves The Sunday Times about this absolutely gripping cozy murder mystery with a touch of wry English humour.

Meet Peter Maxwell: widower, film buff, golden-hearted cynic, and bow-tied eccentric teacher - a reluctant amateur sleuth tasked with lifting the mask on a killer.

Peter Maxwell prides himself on his cultural mastery, so he is unimpressed when forced to supervise a Leighford High production of Little Shop of Horrors. Little does he know, this "horror" production will be anything but ordinary.

Ex-student Deena Harrison, one of Leighford High's most notorious troublemakers, returns to her alma mater to lend a hand with the drama department's production. A keen actress herself, Deena eagerly agrees. But then, people start dying.

The police believe the deaths are mere accidents - loose cables, carelessly placed ladders, simple health and safety issues. However, Maxwell is not convinced. One victim had a crushed skull, while the other managed to wrap themselves in a blanket after death. Something sinister is afoot, and the police are dragging their heels.

The play must go on, so Maxwell dives headfirst into his own investigation. But in going off script, he has been thrust into the spotlight - and directly into the sights of a killer.

Leighford is a small seaside town on the South Coast, where the population triples in the summer as tourists flock there. Unfortunately for Peter Maxwell, some of these colourful characters will meet their demise.

Maxwell, a history teacher at Leighford High, is loved by his students and known as 'Mad Max' to his friends due to his love of quoting movies. His eccentricities make him a well-known figure in the town, as he cycles everywhere on his bike called White Surrey - after Richard III's horse. When not teaching, he is building a diorama of the Charge of the Light Brigade in his attic and talking to his cat, Count Metternich, his sounding board and boss, solving crimes the police can't crack.

If you enjoy the works of Faith Martin, Richard Osman, Ian Moore, Rob Rinder, Sarah Yarwood-Lovett, Janice Hallett, M.C. Beaton or Simon Brett, you're sure to be hooked by this character-driven thrilling mystery!

Praise for Maxwell's Mask: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'Excellent plot, witty, sensitive and M.J. Trow at his superb best... If you read anything, read this!' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'Five stars.' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'Excellent.'

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