Thirteen Steps to Murder

Discover a bestselling series of murder mysteries set in south Yorkshire. One million books read!

A detective who's no angel despite his name . . .

Meet Detective Inspector Michael Angel. An old-school policeman who sometimes rubs his colleagues up the wrong way. He's got his flaws, but he never gives up on a case.

A small old man in pyjamas is found dead at the bottom of the stairs. His wheelchair is next to him - was he pushed or did he fall?

His part-time carer Nancy, a pretty young woman, is suspected of his murder, but she is missing without trace.

Inspector Angel is drawn into an intricate web of family lies and deceit. The dead man's daughter is hiding something, and his granddaughter seems incapable of telling anyone the truth.

The pressure is on for Angel to unravel the mystery and identify the killer before another body is found.

A brilliantly gripping mystery full of twists. Perfect for fans of R.D. Wingfield, Colin Dexter, Peter Robinson, Reginald Hill, and Agatha Christie.

Please note this book was first published as The Big Fiddle.

THE DETECTIVE

Michael Angel is over fifty, married to Mary. They don't have any children. They are a devoted couple but the relationship sometimes breaks down due to his job or due to the problems of Mary's sister who lives in Edinburgh and imposes on their easygoing natures. Michael works at the small local police station and is devoted to defeating crime, murder, and dishonesty of any sort and has no personal ambition beyond being a good husband and a successful detective. He doesn't want promotion with all the routine office work and stress that goes with it. He is incorruptible but always short of money. He is always at odds with his immediate chief, Detective Superintendent Horace Harker, who is lazy, a hypochondriac and not a bit interested in assisting Angel in serious police work.

THE SETTING

Bromersley is a market town at the bottom of the Pennines surrounded by stone and hawthorn-edged fields grazed by cattle and sheep. It is cold as anywhere in the winter but its closeness to the mountains protects it from many gales and heavy falls of snow. The town's industry today includes the manufacture of ball bearings and whisky bottles, and a huge brewery produces Bromersley's best bitter, which is considered the finest beer for miles around. Wednesday is market day, and the town centre is host to the frequent cries of stall-holders hawking their wares while the enticing smells of cheeses, coffees, foreign spices and fish and chips tempt your taste buds as you wander through the stalls. The police always find it difficult to catch pilferers and pickpockets in such a crowd. Bromersley folk are easy to befriend but many of the old people are stubborn and still buy their fruit and veg in pounds and ounces, not kilos and grams.

PRAISE FOR ROGER SILVERWOOD:

'Solid plotting, unpretentious writing, thoroughly reliable entertainment.' Morning Star

'A cast of characters you really want to populate with familiar faces of actors you see each week on TV - great fun. Angel is terrific.' Books Monthly

'Once again Silverwood combines a classic mystery plot with well-developed characters.' Publishers Weekly

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'Likeable characters, unexpected twists and satisfactory conclusions. Well written.' Revfioreid