Discover a series of British crime mysteries set on the Dorset coast from bestselling author Michael Hambling. Detective Sophie Allen teams up with Somerset's Criminal Investigation Department to solve an intricate mystery full of buried secrets. Detective Sophie Allen's daughter discovers the body of a reclusive tramp in remote woodland in Dorset. He's been dead for a week. Sophie and her team try to piece together something about his life, but progress is slow. No one is quite what they seem . . . Then a hidden package is discovered near his rudimentary shelter. The police also find out that someone has been in the area asking about the tramp recently. A picture begins to emerge. He was an important member of a commune that had a three-year existence on a farm on the Quantock Hills in Somerset more than decade earlier. What happened in the commune and why are people still dying because of it? This gritty crime mystery is perfect for fans of Joy Ellis, Ann Cleeves, J.D. Kirk, J.M. Dalgliesh and Pauline Rowson. READERS LOVE SILENT CRIMES: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'I didn't think anything could come close to the thrill of Michael Hambling's last Sophie Allen book, but how wrong I was. This, I think, was the best yet.' Paula ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'A cracking good read. I hope we don't have to wait too long for the next book in the series. A definite must read.' KC Book Lover ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'Thoroughly enjoyed every book, very well written.' Linda G. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'Excellent characters, good storyline and best of all set in Dorset.' pnjelleyman ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'With lots of twists in the story it was hard to decide who was guilty and who was innocent almost right up to the exciting and surprising end.' Alyson R. THE DETECTIVES DCI Sophie Allen is Dorset's acknowledged expert on murder and violent crime. She's head of the newly formed Violent Crime Unit in Dorset and is pushed to the limit in her first major case. She's in her forties, and lives with her husband in Wareham. She has two grown-up daughters. Sophie has a law degree and a master's in criminal psychology. Her brilliant mind conceals some dark secrets from her past. DS Barry Marsh is based at Swanage police station. He's quiet, methodical and dedicated, the perfect foil for Sophie's hidden fragility. THE SETTING Dorset is beautiful county in the south-west of England, made up of picturesque market towns, traditional farmland and a stunning section of the coastline. Its beauty belies a darkness beneath the surface.