A historical fiction with a number of criminal twists and turns. Button's devotion to his Irish wife is under stress when his step-son is injured while on duty. The Kindle edition will be FREE from Amazon from 29th Sept to 3rd Oct 2024
Detective Inspector Walter Button is called upon to investigate a violent burglary that takes place at the stately mansion called Ardwick House, in the centre of Manchester. Button’s Victorian police team have become known for investigating ‘flash houses’ and their associated killings and violence. These public houses, amongst other establishments, are implicated in a crime wave of fencing stolen goods - a big problem for many big towns and cities throughout England.
The ongoing investigation of the Ardwick House burglary takes its toll on Button and Kathleen, his wife. His step-son Josh is the young copper on patrol in Ardwick Green and the first to be alerted by broken glass at the rear of the mansion. As events proceed, a number of other knotty problems and plots come to the surface; not discounting two dead bodies, a secret business plan and pressure from the inspector's superiors. How does all of this involve the adult sons of the original partners and iron foundry owners, David Fraser and Mitch McCallum? Can Button disentangle it all to the satisfaction of his senior officers and before he loses his wife forever?
Excerpt
Excerpt: The revellers carried on walking together toward the servants’ entrance. When Seth stopped the horse and carriage at the stables he became confused and suddenly fearful. There was another horse, and a cart, the one with a damaged wheel, standing there in the shadows. His heart jumped to his throat when he saw two faces staring straight at him from the rear of the cart. But their stony look was quickly explained by the lack of a reply to his shout and a closer look into the gloom. He called out, “Hey, who’s that there in our old cart?” He jumped down from the carriage and stepped a little closer. No movement; no voices; no sounds of breathing even. Seth grabbed his mop of hair and snorted, then laughed out loud.
“What the devil? Why on earth?”
The faces belonged to two statues of Roman emperors. Why were they not standing in the reception room of Ardwick House as usual? And the old mare harnessed in the shafts was no longer considered fit for work. Still scratching his head and chuckling he muttered to the horse, “What’re ye doin’ out ’ere, my poor old lady? I daresay Josiah Hertford will have a good reason for it all, eh!”
Seth was about to unharness his horse from the carriage when piercing screams from inside the House hit his ears. The hairs on his head and arms sprang up. He was half expecting a shout – but not such a frightened scream. Running into the back entrance he noticed the broken glass but he still was not shocked. After all that was part of the agreed plan – wasn’t it?
Seth was in the magnificent reception room within seconds, only to be halted by the small group huddled together in the doorway. Polly and Daisy had their faces buried in Craig’s broad chest and were whimpering and crying. Craig, his long arms cradled protectively around the girls, was looking at the scene of chaotically smashed sculptures littering the tiled floor, but every few seconds he was transfixed by something else half way down the room. Seth followed his gaze; his jaw dropped open, and he murmured, “Oh, my Gawd!” just as a deep commanding voice from behind him ordered, “Reet! Stand still, all o’ thee! Don’t none of thee dare to move … Till I says so!”
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