by Rennie Airth
First published 2017
Inspector John Madden thought his detective days were behind him. Then former Chief Inspector Angus Sinclair calls him back to Scotland Yard in 1949. A jade necklace has surfaced, casting doubt on a murder case from 1938. That sweltering summer day, a beautiful actress died at Sir Jack Jessup's grand Kent estate. Jessup was a close friend of the Prince of Wales, making the killing front-page news. A local troublemaker confessed quickly, was convicted, and executed. Case closed. Now Madden must determine if an innocent man went to the gallows. His investigation takes him through the English countryside and London's post-war streets. He delves into the criminal world of Chinese Triads, searching for truth in a case that seemed solved years ago. Justice and honor drive Madden forward as he uncovers what really happened on that fatal summer day.
Genres: historical-fiction, 20th-century, mystery, crime, thriller, detective
Vibes: atmospheric, emotional, suspenseful
Tropes: amateur-sleuth, cold-case, redemption
Setting: Kent, London, Scotland Yard
Period: 1938, 1949
368 pages · Hardcover · Viking