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This page lists novels, short story collections, and non-fiction by Simon Brett.

Cover images are when possible of the first UK edition and a recent paperback or digital edition.

Simon Brett:
- novels, story collections
- omnibus editions
- edited by Simon Brett
- humour, miscellaneous

The final section is a brief list of titles only.

Cast, In Order of Disappearance

Simon Brett

1975

A Charles Paris novel.

"Who killed Marcus Steen, the theatrical tycoon with a fortune to leave to his young mistress Jacqui? And who killed Bill Sweet, the shady blackmailer with a supply of compromising photographs? Charles Paris, a middle-aged actor addicted to booze and women, decides to investigate by assuming a variety of roles, among them that of the mythical Detective Sergeant McWhirter. But, as Paris is about to discover only too painfully, impersonating a police officer is never a good idea."

So Much Blood

Simon Brett

1976

A Charles Paris novel.

"Appearing in his own one-man show on Thomas Hood at the Edinburgh Festival, middle-aged actor Charles Paris finds himself falling for a gorgeous young girl with navy-blue eyes. He also finds himself being dragged into a complex murder investigation involving the death of a fading pop star, a bomb scare in Holyrood Palace and a suicide leap from the top of the Rock."

Star Trap

Simon Brett

1977

A Charles Paris novel.

"Joining the cast of a musical loosely based on She Stoops to Conquer, actor/detective Charles Paris is soon regretting his decision, irked as he is by the odious theatre and television star who is backing, producing and starring in the show. But when rehearsals are hampered by a strange series of mishaps, including the rehearsal pianist being shot in the hand and an actor falling and breaking his leg, Paris investigates and quickly decides that the star himself is responsible. But why would he want to sabotage his own show? The answer is much more human than it first appears."

An Amateur Corpse

Simon Brett

1978

A Charles Paris novel.

"Dear Old Shakespeare! Charles Paris can hardly wait. He’s already endured the amateur theatre company’s production of Dear Old Chekhov. God only knows what this self-centred group will do to the Bard. But before Charles can escape to the nearest bar, the company’s young and beautiful leading lady turns up dead, Charles’s friend Hugo is charged with the crime, and Charles’s interest is very much revived."

A Comedian Dies

Simon Brett

1979

A Charles Paris novel.

"About to receive an award as Most Promising Newcomer, a rising young stage comedian sensationally drops dead on stage at the start of his act: as he picks up the mike, he is electrocuted. Faulty wiring seems to be the cause and a verdict of death by misadventure is returned at the inquest. But actor/detective Charles Paris was in the audience that night and when another member of the cast reveals that the comedian checked his equipment just before the performance, Charles decides to investigate further. Misadventure – or murder?"

The Dead Side of the Mic

Simon Brett

1980

A Charles Paris novel.

"Murder at the BBC? It’s almost unimaginable. But when Andrea Gower, the beautiful studio manager, is found murdered, actor/detective Charles Paris, having originally come to Broadcasting House to give a talk, finds himself wallowing through layers of BBC scandal to uncover a complicated fraud – with clues concealed in seemingly innocent announcements. What he is about to discover will very nearly lead to the end of Mr Paris."

Situation Tragedy

Simon Brett

1981

A Charles Paris novel.

"West End TV are planning a new sit-com series called The Strutters and Charles Paris has landed the role of a golf club barman. But when, one by one, members of the production crew start falling victim to mysterious 'accidents', Paris finds himself on the trail of a mass murderer."

Murder Unprompted

Simon Brett

1982

A Charles Paris novel.

"As understudy to the lead in a West End play, Charles Paris's thespian and detective skills are called upon once again when the lead is shot dead on stage on the opening night. The suspects range from a jealous wife to a bitter actor who lost his part, from the playwright who heard his beautiful lines twisted to the director who saw his work ruined."

Murder in the Title

Simon Brett

1983

A Charles Paris novel.

"Playing the corpse in a murder mystery at the Regent Theatre is not exactly a triumph for Charles Paris. In fact, his career could not sink any lower. However, suddenly the mystery spills over into real life with the artistic director's apparent suicide. But was it suicide - or murder? Charles Paris determines to find out."

Not Dead, Only Resting

Simon Brett

1984

A Charles Paris novel.

"During a period of 'resting', actor Charles Paris takes on a job as a house painter. Arriving for work at the flat above a fashionable Holland Park restaurant, he discovers the mutilated body of chef Yves Lafeu. It would appear to be an open-and-shut case. Yves' business partner Tristram Gowers caught the night boat to France within hours of a spectacular public quarrel with Yves, and has now disappeared. But is there more to it than that? Charles Paris determines to find out."

A Shock To The System

Simon Brett

1984

"Graham Marshall's ambition has made him a professional success, and he has the usual domestic problems to prove it. When he is passed over for promotion by an ambitious colleague he is shocked, but not half as shocked as when he is implicated in a murder, but is it by accident or design?"

Dead Giveaway

Simon Brett

1985

A Charles Paris novel.

"A brief appearance on a TV game show, 'If the Cap Fits', means a day's pay, a few interesting contacts and a chance to visit the West End Television bar - not the least of incentives for a man of Charles Paris's thirst. But murder? Even for game shows where they'll try almost anything once, murder is going too far."

Dead Romantic

Simon Brett

1985

"Madeleine Severn is a tutor at the Garrettway School of Languages, she has a young outlook on life and is proud of her looks. Eighteen-year-old student Paul Grigson idolises Madeleine and during a date of his own he sees Madeleine with the married Bernard Hopkins. When Bernard arranges to meet Madeleine again, he feels jealous, but like most teenagers, Paul's moods change like a chameleon's. This is a romantic triangle surely destined for disaster and death."

A Box Of Tricks

Simon Brett

1985

A collection of short stories.

"Murder, from the simply bizarre to the downright nasty, is the theme of this first collection of short stories from Simon Brett. The 12 stories include one featuring the boozy actor-detective Charles Paris."

• Big Boy, Little Boy
• Double Glazing
• The Nuggy Bar
• The Girls In Villa Costas
• How's Your Mother?
• Parking Space
• Tickled To Death
• Private Areas
• The Thirteenth Killer
• Don't Know Much About Art
• Unwilling Sleep
• The Haunted Actress

A Nice Class of Corpse

Simon Brett

1986

A Mrs Pargeter novel.

"The Devereux is a nice residential hotel which caters for a nice class of guest. But the arrival of Mrs Pargeter, an attractive widow, seems to act as a catalyst of disaster for everyone connected with the hotel. On the morning after her arrival, the corpse of one of the frailer residents is found at the foot of the main staircase, and shortly after that another death shakes the gentility of the hotel. Deciding to investigate herself, Mrs Pargeter discovers that more than one person in the Devereux has a motive for murder."

The Three Detectives and the Missing Superstar

Simon Brett

1986

A novel for young adults.

"The disappearance of Britain's leading rock star begins an investigation by the Three Detectives."

What Bloody Man Is That?

Simon Brett

1987

A Charles Paris novel.

"Charles Paris is on his way up again, career-wise. No longer 'resting', he finds himself doubling almost every role in a provincial production of the play dreaded by superstitious theatre folk: Macbeth. Yet when death strikes in the night, Charles finds himself playing an all-too familiar role: that of private eye."

After Henry

Simon Brett

1987

"Henry is dead. The three women in his life (mother, wife, daughter) are now living in the same house on different floors, trying to cope also with each other."

The Three Detectives and the Knight In Armor

Simon Brett

1987

A novel for young adults.

"Emma, Stewie, and Marcus risk their lives to discover who is replacing a priceless collection of medieval armor with fiberglass imitations at Scalethorpe Castle."

Mrs, Presumed Dead

Simon Brett

1988

A Mrs Pargeter novel.

"The prosperous housing estate of Smithy’s Loam should be the epitome of middle-class respectability, but Mrs Pargeter decides that there’s something just a little bit odd about her new neighbours. When the central heating breaks down, she decides to contact the former occupants, the Cottons, for advice. But the address to which they should have moved doesn’t exist and Mr Cotton’s employers seem to have no trace of him. Then Mrs Pargeter finds an unposted letter addressed to the Church of Utter Simplicity – and begins to wonder, where are the Cottons?"

A Series of Murders

Simon Brett

1989

A Charles Paris novel.

"For once Charles Paris is gainfully employed in the role of Sergeant Clump in what promises to be a long-running TV series based on rather dated 1930s detective novels. Yet once again, Charles finds himself in the role of real-life detective when he discovers a young actress's body crushed beneath a props case, and sets out to prove his hunch that she was murdered."

Mrs Pargeter's Package

Simon Brett

1990

A Mrs Pargeter novel.

"Although a trip to Corfu is not Mrs Pargeter’s usual idea of a holiday, keeping a recently widowed friend company overrules her misgivings. But when that friend starts behaving strangely and is then found having apparently committed suicide, Mrs Pargeter resolves to get to the bottom of the mystery."

Corporate Bodies

Simon Brett

1991

A Charles Paris novel.

"Taking on his most unlikely performing assignment yet: 'forklift-driver-for-a-day' in the Delmoleen company corporate video, Charles Paris discovers - to his horror - that a forklift can lead to death. Industrial accident - or murder? Charles decides to find out."

Mrs Pargeter's Pound of Flesh

Simon Brett

1992

A Mrs Pargeter novel.

"While she has never felt the need to change her figure, Mrs Pargeter is happy enough to accompany her friend Kim to a health farm. Until, in the night, she sees a body being wheeled out. What Mrs Pargeter doesn’t realise is that this suspicious death will set her on a trail of detection which will bring her into direct conflict with her late husband’s business associates."

A Reconstructed Corpse

Simon Brett

1993

A Charles Paris novel.

"Charles Paris's acting career plumbs new depths when he takes on the part of a possible murder victim in Public Enemies, a true-crime TV series. Finding himself in a bizarre world somewhere between police procedure and showbiz, Charles can't help getting involved in the investigation - especially when dismembered limbs start turning up."

Sicken and So Die

Simon Brett

1995

A Charles Paris novel.

"Things are going suspiciously well for Charles Paris. He has moved back in with his ex-wife and landed a proper part in a proper production: Sir Toby Belch in Twelfth Night. But when two members of the theatre company suddenly fall ill, Charles finds himself in trouble again - both on and off stage."

Singled Out: A Novel Of Suspense

Simon Brett

1995

"Suspicion pointing to her son's role in a gruesome murder feeds a TV producer's fear that evil is her family legacy - in this riveting novel of psychological suspense."

Mrs Pargeter's Plot

Simon Brett

1996

A Mrs Pargeter novel.

"Construction on Mrs Pargeter’s new country home comes to an abrupt halt when a corpse is discovered in the wine cellar. The accused is Concrete Jacket, the builder and great friend of Mrs P’s late, lamented husband. Mrs P is not about to let prison come between her and her dream home. Concrete may be a scoundrel but he’s no killer. Someone has set him up – but who? Mrs Pargeter determines to find out."

Dead Room Farce

Simon Brett

1998

A Charles Paris novel.

"A three-month run in a new farce, Not On Your Wife, is not to be sniffed at by jobbing actor Charles Paris. But by the time the troupe reaches Bath, a dark mood has set in, and Charles's old friend Mark has a drink problem that amounts to a death wish. But it's not the drink that kills Mark; it's somebody in the cast who has a dirty secret to hide."

Crime Writers And Other Animals

Simon Brett

1998

"In this collection of ten tales of crime and mystery, Simon Brett covers each of the seven deadly sins, with entertaining results."

• Happy Christmas, Darling - And Goodbye!
• Best Behaviour
• The Man Who Got The Dirt
• A Little Learning
• Political Corrections
• Letter To His Son
• False Scent
• The Battered Cherub
• Ways To Kill A Cat
• A Good Thing

Mrs Pargeter's Point of Honour

Simon Brett

1999

A Mrs Pargeter novel.

"Hired by another widow, Veronica Chastaigne, to return all the art treasures that her late husband accumulated in a long career of larceny, Mrs Pargeter is forced to find out more than she would wish about the deceased Mr P’s “business activities” as she recreates one of his most famous scams."

The Body on the Beach

Simon Brett

2000

A Fethering novel featuring Carole Seddon and Jude Nichols.

"Very little disturbs the ordered calm of Fethering, a pleasingly self-contained retirement town on England's southern coast. Which is precisely why Carole Seddon, who has outlived both her husband and her career at the Home Office, has chosen to reside there. So the last thing Carole expects to encounter in Fethering is a new neighbour with but one name and an obviously colourful past. 'Jude' was not really Fethering . . . but neither was the body Carole found on the beach. A body, it has to be said, that has disappeared by the time the police arrive. Only Jude is ready to believe what her neighbour says she saw - and from that moment on, the two women are resolved to turn detectives."

Death on the Downs

Simon Brett

2001

A Fethering novel featuring Carole Seddon and Jude Nichols.

"It wasn’t the rain that upset Carole Seddon during her walk on the Downs, or the dilapidated barn in which she was forced to seek shelter. No, what upset her was the human skeleton she discovered there, neatly packed into two blue fertiliser bags . . . Carole and Jude's enquiries take them to the small downland hamlet of Weldisham and there gossips quickly identify the corpse as Tamsin Lutteridge, a young woman who disappeared from the village months before. So why is Tamsin’s mother, a friend of Jude's, so certain that her daughter is still alive? As Jude sets out to find Tamsin, Carole digs deeper into Weldisham’s history and the bitter relationships simmering beneath the village’s gentle façade."

The Torso in the Town

Simon Brett

2002

A Fethering novel featuring Carole Seddon and Jude Nichols.

"Grant and Kim Roxby had hoped that their first dinner party at Pelling House would make an impression with their new neighbours. And the next day it’s certainly the talk of the town of Fedborough. For their guests – including the couple’s old friend Jude – had been enjoying a pleasant meal before they were rudely interrupted by a gruesome discovery. A human torso hidden in the cellar. Carole and Jude soon begin to question the locals, but they can’t help wonder why a town so notoriously distrustful of outsiders is proving so terribly amenable to their enquiries."

Murder in the Museum

Simon Brett

2003

A Fethering novel featuring Carole Seddon and Jude Nichols.

"Bracketts, an Elizabethan house near the town of Fethering, is about to be turned into a museum. Once the home of celebrated poet Esmund Chadleigh, it has been decided that it should now become a shrine to his life and poetry. But the transition from house to museum is running far from smoothly, and Carole soon begins to regret her decision to be on the Board as she witnesses bitter antagonism and rivalry amongst the other members. Then a sudden discovery is made. Buried in the kitchen garden is a human skeleton. And before too long, there is a second body, not yet cold."

The Hanging in the Hotel

Simon Brett

2004

A Fethering novel featuring Carole Seddon and Jude Nichols.

"The Hopwicke Country House Hotel is to host an event for the all-male society, The Pillars of Sussex. Jude helps out on the night, and in the early hours of the morning she watches with relief as the rowdy guests drag themselves to their beds. The next morning, one young solicitor is absent from breakfast. But when Jude heads for Nigel Ackford’s room, presuming he is feeling the effects of the night before, she is horrified to find him hanging from the beams of his four-poster bed . . . Was it suicide? Jude has her doubts. Enlisting the support of her neighbour, Carole, she makes some tentative enquiries. It soon transpires that The Pillars of Sussex are involved in a conspiracy of misinformation."

The Witness at the Wedding

Simon Brett

2005

A Fethering novel featuring Carole Seddon and Jude Nichols.

"Carole Seddon's son is about to be married. But as plans for the big day get underway, Stephen's future parents-in-law, Marie and Harold, seem desperate to keep the affair as discreet as possible. Then, after a quiet engagement party, Harold disappears . . . only to be found dead the next day, in a burnt out car in Epping Forest. While the family try to deal with their grief, Carole discovers they are concealing secrets that can be traced back thirty years, to the murder of Marie's best friend. Now the girl's killer has been released from prison and is back in his old stomping ground, near Fethering. As Carole enlists the help of her friend Jude in researching the truth, Gaby returns to London to find herself in grave danger. Fearing the bride-to-be is the killer's next target, Carole and Jude must unravel the Martin family's past before he makes another deadly move."

The Stabbing in the Stables

Simon Brett

2006

A Fethering novel featuring Carole Seddon and Jude Nichols.

"When healer Jude pays a visit to Long Bamber Stables one evening - to meet her unusually equine new client and his owner Sonia Dalrymple - she does not expect to stumble across a man laying in the darkness. Co-owner of the stables, Walter Fleet, has been viciously stabbed to death. Sleuthing neighbours Jude and Carole begin to make discreet enquiries, but it soon becomes clear that Long Bamber Stables is a hotbed of dangerous passions, murderous rivalries and hidden truths . . . and this horsing community will do anything to protect their reputations."

The Penultimate Chance Saloon

Simon Brett

2006

"Soul searching was an unfamiliar exercise to Bill Stratton, and he found it intriguing as well as painful. He hadn't had much occasion for it in his life, given that he was fairly shallow, but then, on the verge of his sixtieth birthday, his wife told him she was leaving him for another man. He'd been under the impression they had a happy marriage. She assured him that for nearly forty years, in fact since the second week of their honeymoon, she'd known she was married to the wrong person. This all came as a bit of a shock to Bill. Hence the soul searching. Brought up to be a responsible sort of chap, and hitting young adulthood just the wrong side of the sixties, Bill had not had much experience of dating (or sex, for that matter) before he met and married Andrea. Post menopausal dating might be very different to dating in your twenties or thirties, but then he didn't know much about either scene. Still, as a mildly famous television newsreader who'd managed to hold on to (most of) his looks, it seemed he was about to have plenty of opportunities to find out."

Death Under the Dryer

Simon Brett

2007

A Fethering novel featuring Carole Seddon and Jude Nichols.

"Carole had never had such a bad hair day! The last thing she expected when she went for a trim at ‘Connie’s Clip Joint’ was to find the body of Kyra, Connie’s assistant, in the back room, strangled. Immediately involving her friend and neighbour Jude, Carole becomes determined to investigate the death. Meanwhile Kyra’s boyfriend Nathan Locke has vanished. His family, an eccentric, controlling bunch don’t seem overly concerned. Instead they are bizarrely obsessed with a family board game which seems to provide a host of clues as to Nathan’s whereabouts. Can Carole and Jude unravel the clues and discover the truth before someone is falsely accused, or before the killer makes a second deadly move?"

Blood at the Bookies

Simon Brett

2008

A Fethering novel featuring Carole Seddon and Jude Nichols.

"Jude has never been averse to a bit of a flutter; her friend Carole, on the other hand, thinks that the local betting shop is a den of iniquity. But when Jude stumbles upon the body of Polish immigrant Tadeusz Jankowski - the race is on to find his killer. The odds aren't looking good. No one seems to know anything about the mysterious Tadek - even his sister can't shed any light on what he was doing in Fethering. Who was the anonymous woman in the bookies who seems to have vanished? Why was Tadek interested in the local university? And who is the 'Fifi' Tadek spoke of with his dying breath?"

Poisoning at the Pub

Simon Brett

2009

A Fethering novel featuring Carole Seddon and Jude Nichols.

" Fethering residents, Jude and Carole, get more than they bargained for when a lunchtime meal in their local pub leaves everyone with food poisoning. The landlord is horrified and when a series of disasters start to befall his business it looks like it could be the end of the road for the Crown and Anchor. Left with a bad taste in their mouths – and not just from the food – the two amateur lady detectives wonder if it might just be more than a run of bad luck, which is forcing their favourite pub into bankruptcy. When Ray, a young man with the mental age of a five year old, is found in the kitchen of the pub with a knife through his heart – Carole and Jude swing into action. There’s a killer on the loose in Fethering and Carole and Jude need to uncover who it is before it’s last orders for the pub – and themselves."

Blotto, Twinks and the Ex-King's Daughter

Simon Brett

2009

A Blotto and Twinks novel.

"Ex-Princess Etheline, daughter of the exiled king of Mitteleuropia, has been kidnapped during a visit to Tawcester Towers, ancestral seat of the Dukes of Tawcester, and ducal family honour demands that she should be rescued. The Dowager Duchess entrusts the task to her son, the Right Hon. Devereux Lyminster, known universally as 'Blotto'. He is, of course, terribly handsome, honourable and brave, but as sadly deficient in the brains department as his sister 'Twinks' is gifted. So the siblings set off, accompanied by trusty chauffeur, Corky Froggett. They drive across many countries to Mitteleuropia, a realm now ruled by a usurper, the ex-king's brother, where they suspect the princess has been taken. Can brave Blotto and Twinks rescue Ethelinda, or will they meet their end in the evil clutches of King Vlatislav?"

The Shooting in the Shop

Simon Brett

2010

A Fethering novel featuring Carole Seddon and Jude Nichols.

"Carole Seddon hates Christmas – it all seems rather a waste of time. So when her neighbour and best friend, Jude, drags her along to go shopping at a local store called Gallimaufry – she can feel her inner-Scrooge knocking. But the sales are on and even Carole can’t resist a bargain. Then a few days later – Gallimaufry is burnt down and a body is discovered in the ashes. It seems like a tragic accident but no-one can die of natural causes when a gun is involved. The victim was young, pretty and successful – who could possibly want her dead? With a host of suspects the lady detectives know they have their work cut out for them. And as they dig deeper they discover a host of half-truths and lies. It seems that someone in Fethering has a deep, dark, deadly secret – and is prepared to kill to keep it."

Blotto, Twinks and the Dead Dowager Duchess

Simon Brett

2010

A Blotto and Twinks novel.

"The extremely aristocratic but extremely thick Blotto and his extremely brainy sister Twinks are attending a weekend house party when the inevitable happens. Their hostess, the Dowager Duchess of Melmont, is murdered. An amateur detective, conveniently staying for the weekend, deduces that the Lyminster family chauffeur Corky Froggett must have done it. For Blotto and Twinks, the only way to prove Corky's innocence is by finding the real perpetrator. So begins the second investigation for the daring duo... one which takes them via an opium den in Limehouse, a Scottish castle and a disused Cornish tin mine, to a thrilling final confrontation at the nerve-centre of the evil League of the Crimson Hand."

Bones Under the Beach Hut

Simon Brett

2011

A Fethering novel featuring Carole Seddon and Jude Nichols.

"The affluent seaside resort of Smalting is unaccustomed to crime. So when human remains are found beneath the floorboards of one of its beach huts, the community is awash with suspicion and fear. Amateur sleuths Carole Seddon and best friend Jude are drawn into the mystery, and their suspicion quickly falls on attractive Philly Rose, a young Londoner newly arrived in the area, whose boyfriend has recently vanished in mysterious circumstances. Meanwhile, Kelvin Southwest, self-appointed ‘ladies’ man’ and caretaker of Smalting’s beach huts, seems to be hiding a dark secret beneath his smooth exterior, while Reginald Flowers, pompous President of the Smalting Beach Hut Association, becomes increasingly defensive about his own history. When the bones under the beach hut are identified, the ghosts of the past are painfully reawakened, and long-hidden secrets begin to surface."

Guns in the Gallery

Simon Brett

2011

A Fethering novel featuring Carole Seddon and Jude Nichols.

"Invited to a Private View of the work of controversial artist Denzil Willoughby, the good citizens of Fethering are not quite sure what to expect. And it turns out to be a lively affair, culminating in several embarrassing confrontations. But what no one could have anticipated was that the evening would end in sudden, violent death. The police seem happy to accept that it was suicide, but Fethering residents Carole and Jude remain unconvinced."

Blotto, Twinks and the Rodents of the Riviera

Simon Brett

2011

A Blotto and Twinks novel.

"Consternation at Tawcester Towers! While giving a guided tour of the house's Long Gallery Blotto is stunned to discover that two of the family portraits - a Gainsborough and a Reynolds - are missing.Tawcester Towers has been the victim of art thieves! Blotto is forced to summon his brilliantly intelligent sister Twinks who instantly deduces that the paintings have been stolen by a gang of international art thieves based in Paris. Their investigations in Paris bring them into contact with the absinthe-soaked art community of the Rive Gauche, but after an attempt on his life at the Folies Bergere, Blotto is persuaded by Twinks that it is to Nice. The French Riviera is a gay old place, and following various lead, Twinks makes contacts with many expatriates and Americans all leading the good life, including the famous silent movie star Mimsy La Pim, who Blotto finds himself curiously drawn to. But after a particularly decadent party it is discovered that Mimsy has been kidnapped - and so it is up to Blotto and Twinks to save the starlet from many fates worse than death and restore the fortunes of Tawcester Towers to boot!"

Corpse on the Court

Simon Brett

2012

A Fethering novel featuring Carole Seddon and Jude Nichols.

"Jude's life has been turned upside-down thanks her new man, Piers Targett, who's keen to get her involved in his hobby - or obsession - of Real Tennis. But when one of Piers' friends dies on the court in suspicious circumstances, Jude finds herself caught up in the police investigation. Meanwhile, Jude's neighbour Carole is trying to identify the human remains known locally as the 'Lady in the Lake.' As the two investigations become intertwined, Carole and Jude's efforts to find the truth look set to lead to more murders."

Blotto, Twinks and the Bootlegger's Moll

Simon Brett

2012

A Blotto and Twinks novel.

"Due to financial hardships at Tawcester Towers, the Dowager Duchess has decreed that the only way the family fortunes can be restored is to marry Blotto off... to an American!So begins the fourth adventure in the Blotto and Twinks series, and this time the aristocratic sleuthing siblings end up being transported across the Pond to the gangster-ridden hell-hole that is Prohibition Chicago.Reluctantly, Blotto, together with Twinks and his trusty chauffeur Corky Froggett set sail on ocean liner S/S His Majesty. He feels like a condemned man as awaiting him in Illinois is fabulously wealthy heiress Mary Chapstick, the only daughter of meat-packing magnate Hiram P. Chapstick III. But it's Twinks who discovers early on that all is not as it seems and that Hiram P. Chapstick III is in fact up to his neck in a bootlegging operation run by the notorious Chicago mobster, Spagsy Chiaparelli. So Blotto and Twinks set out to unmask the villainy of Hiram P. Chapstick III."

Strangling on the Stage

Simon Brett

2013

A Fethering novel featuring Carole Seddon and Jude Nichols.

"When Jude agrees to lend her vintage chaise longue for the local Amateur Dramatics Society's production of George Bernard Shaw's The Devil's Disciple, little does she realize she'll end up in a starring role. It's an ambitious play, culminating in a dramatic execution scene: a scene that's played for real when one of the leading actors is found hanging from the especially-constructed stage gallows during rehearsals. A tragic accident - or something more sinister? Carole and Jude make it their business to find out."

A Decent Interval

Simon Brett

2013

A Charles Paris novel.

"After a long period of 'resting', life is looking up for Charles Paris, who has been cast as the Ghost of Hamlet's Father and First Gravedigger in a new production of Hamlet. But rehearsals are fraught. Ophelia is played by Katrina Selsey, who won the role through a television talent show. Hamlet himself is also played by a reality TV contestant, Jared Root - and the two young stars have rather different views of celebrity and the theatre than the more experienced members of the cast. But when the company reach the first staging post of their tour, the Grand Theatre Marlborough, matters get more serious, with one member of the company seriously injured in what appears to be an accident, and another dead. Once again, Charles Paris is forced to don the mantle of amateur detective to get to the bottom of the mystery."

Blotto, Twinks and the Riddle of the Sphinx

Simon Brett

2013

A Blotto and Twinks novel.

"Yet another financial crisis at Tawcester Towers! So this time the Dowager Duchess decides to sell off the less important family possessions, which have, for a long time, been consigned to the attics of the ancestral home. Blotto and Twinks are dispatched to help the valuer as he carries out an inspection. Not much of any worth is found but then the valuer spies some Egyptian artifacts, collected by the tenth duke, Rupert the Egyptologist. In some excitement he rushes back to London to consult his reference books, leaving Blotto and Twinks alone in the attic, where they are drawn to a sarchophagus decorated with hieroglyphs. Twinks starts to translate: 'Anyone who desecrates this shrine will be visited by the Pharoah's curse...' - just as Blotto prises the lid off. From that moment on a series of unpleasant incidents start happening at Tawcester Towers but it is only when the Dowager Duchess's precious pug is struck down with a stomach bug that she instructs her son to sort things out and stop the accelerating sequence of disasters."

The Tomb in Turkey

Simon Brett

2014

A Fethering novel featuring Carole Seddon and Jude Nichols.

"Carole Seddon has never enjoyed holidays much. Nevertheless, she has allowed herself to be persuaded by her friend Jude to accept a fortnight’s free accommodation at a luxurious Turkish villa owned by Jude’s property developer friend Barney Willingdon. But from the outset the holiday is marred by a series of menacing incidents: threatening messages daubed on the villa walls; and their host being accosted by a knife-wielding man at a local restaurant. As Carole and Jude launch into what they do best - investigating - it becomes clear that Barney Willingdon has made plenty of enemies, with his ruthless business deals and complicated love life. Matters come to a head when Carole’s sightseeing trip to nearby Pinara is curtailed by the discovery of a body in one of the ancient Lycian tombs."

The Cinderella Killer

Simon Brett

2014

A Charles Paris novel.

"Charles Paris has landed a minor role in the Empire Theatre Eastbourne's Christmas production of Cinderella. But rehearsals descend into chaos when a member of the cast is discovered shot dead beneath Eastbourne Pier. Charles must put his renowned sleuthing skills to the test to find out who killed his co-star - and why."

The Killing In The Cafe

Simon Brett

2015

A Fethering novel featuring Carole Seddon and Jude Nichols.

"Polly's Cake Shop has been a feature of the shopping parade for many years, but when its owner announces her retirement, the Fethering residents start to worry about the loss of this popular amenity. Alarmed by rumours that the cafe might become a Starbucks, a group clubs together to form the Save Polly's Cake Shop Action Committee. The plan is that Polly's should become a community venture, managed and run by volunteers from the village. Roped in to help, Jude finds the committee meetings fraught with petty power struggles, clashing personalities and monstrous egos. Matters take a turn for the worse when she and Carole come across a badly-decomposed body on Fethering beach - and uncover a link to Polly's. Not only do the two neighbours have to find out whodunit, they are also faced with the thorny question: is it possible to run a business on that most volatile of commodities - goodwill?"

Mrs Pargeter's Principle

Simon Brett

2015

A Mrs Pargeter novel.

"Attending the funeral of the rich and respected Sir Normington Winthrop, because his is one of the names in the little black book bequeathed to her by her late husband, Mrs Pargeter sets out to discover the connection between the two men. Her investigations will draw her into a shady world of gun-runners, shifty policitians - and a kidnapped vicar."

Blotto, Twinks and the Heir to the Tsar

Simon Brett

2015

A Blotto and Twinks novel.

"Tawcester Towers, the family seat of the Lyminster family, has suffered an unwelcome injection of distant cousins, so distant that they aren't even British! The Bashusky's arrival at Tawcester Towers causes a stir, and it's up to Blotto and Twinks, that indefatigable duo, to provide a solution to get them back to Russia. Reversing the Russian Revolution and getting a Tsar back into St Petersburg's Winter Palace is just the sort of challenge the fiercely bright Twinks relishes. The siblings soon find themselves in Berlin to try and broker a meeting with the White Russian community, and swiftly become embroiled in a world of spies, counterspies, conspiracies and counter-conspiracies. Just when things seem to be looking up, little do Blotto and Twinks realise that their plans are being monitored by the spymaster Fyodor Vlachko, a former worker on the Bushusky's estate who has now risen to a senior post in the secret police of the newly-formed Soviet Union."

The Sinking Admiral

Members of the Detection Club

Editor: Simon Brett

2016

A Collaborative Novel Written By Simon Brett, Kate Charles, Natasha Cooper, Stella Duffy, Martin Edwards, Ruth Dudley Edwards, Tim Heald, Michael Jecks, Janet Laurence, Peter Lovesey, Michael Ridpath, David Roberts, L.C. Tyler, and Laura Wilson.

"The Admiral is a pub in the Suffolk seaside village of Crabwell, The Admiral Byng. ‘The Admiral’ is also the nickname of its landlord, Geoffrey Horatio Fitzsimmons, as well as the name of the landlord’s dinghy. None of them are as buoyant as they should be, for the pub is threatened with closure due to falling takings. Tempers are already frayed due to the arrival of a television documentary team when Fitzsimmons is found dead in his tethered boat. The villagers assume a simple case of suicide and fear that their debt-ridden pub will now sink without trace. The journalists seem determined to finish the job by raking up old skeletons, but they weren’t banking on the fact that this story has been written by 14 extremely competitive crime writers – arch bamboozlers who will stop at nothing to save a good pub."

The Liar In The Library

Simon Brett

2017

A Fethering novel featuring Carole Seddon and Jude Nichols.

"Having been booked to give a talk at Fethering Library, successful author Burton St Clair invites his old friend Jude to come along. Although they haven't met for twenty years, Jude is not surprised to find that St Clair hasn?t changed, with his towering ego and somewhat shaky relationship with the truth. What Jude hadn't been suspecting however was that the evening would end in sudden, violent death. More worrying, from Jude's point of view, is the fact that the investigating police officers seem to be convinced that she herself was responsible for the crime. With the evidence stacking up against her, Jude enlists the help of her neighbour Carole not just to solve the murder but to prevent herself from being arrested for committing it."

Mrs Pargeter's Public Relations

Simon Brett

2017

A Mrs Pargeter novel.

"It is her characteristic generosity rather than her love of animals that finds Mrs Pargeter supporting her friend, Jasmine Angold, at a charity reception for PhiliPussies, whose worthy aim is to rehabilitate stray cats from the Greek island of Atmos into caring English homes. But the evening is to have unexpected consequences. At the event, Mrs P is taken aback to meet a woman who claims to be the sister of her late husband, the much-missed Mr Pargeter. This surprising encounter leads to unwelcome digging into past secrets, the discovery of a body in Epping Forest, an eventful trip to Greece - and unexpected danger for Mrs Pargeter. In the course of her investigations, she learns the true nature of charity and the dubious skills by which Public Relations can make evil look good."

Blotto, Twinks and the Stars of the Silver Screen

Simon Brett

2017

A Blotto and Twinks novel.

"The end of the cricket season spells gloom for Blotto, until he is invited to bat against the Hollywood cricket team out in sunny LA, where rain never stops play. Although their mother, the Dowager Duchess of Tawcester, keeps a strict rein on her two children, she knows America is full of wealthy young men, all of whom will fall in love with her daughter - and marriage to a Texan millionaire would solve the Tawcester financial problems once and for all. So, accompanied by trusty chauffeur Corky Froggett, the intrepid siblings head out to California. On arrival in Hollywood they are invited to a glitzy party where they are introduced to a firmament of Hollywood stars, directors and gossip columnists, but the mood of the party suddenly curdles with the breaking news that beautiful starlet Mimsy La Pim - the (former) love of Blotto's life - has been kidnapped. And Blotto is determined to make it his personal mission to rescue her."

A Deadly Habit

Simon Brett

2018

A Charles Paris novel.

" Having landed a small part in a new West End play, The Habit of Faith, Charles Paris is dismayed to discover that his good fortune has been orchestrated by his bete noire, the now-famous screen actor Justin Grover. But why has Grover become involved in this relatively obscure production - and why has he roped in Charles to star? From the outset the production is fraught with difficulties -- and matters become even more complicated when a body is discovered at the foot of the dressing room stairs. Did they fall - or were they pushed? As one of the last people to have seen the victim alive, Charles Paris is drawn into the ensuing investigation - and discovers that more than one person involved in the play has a scandalous secret to hide."

Blotto, Twinks and the Intimate Revue

Simon Brett

2018

A Blotto and Twinks novel.

"It starts innocently enough at the intimate review 'absolutely everyone is talking about', Light and Frothy, where its glamorous start, Frou Frou Gavotte, has rather taken the fancy of Blotto's school friend Giles 'Whiffler' Trumpington. But while Blotto and Whiffler wait for the star outside the theatre to take her to dinner, Whiffler is seized and manhandled into the back of a cab which then drives off into the night... Leaving Blotto with the problem of how to rescue his kidnapped schoolmate. Naturally, he enlists Twinks's help and the two of them encounter actors, singers, impresarios, revue writers, cockney showgirls and Scotland Yard's finest - and white slave traders, who succeed in abducting Twinks - leaving it up to Blotto and his trusty chauffeur, Corky Froggett, to rescue her before she's shipped off to foreign parts forever."

Four Complete Mysteries

Omnibus Edition: Volume One

Simon Brett

1993

A Charles Paris omnibus.

Combines the four novels: An Amateur Corpse; Star Trap; So Much Blood; and Cast In Order Of Disappearance.

Cast, in Order of Disappearance & So Much Blood

Omnibus Edition: Volume One

Simon Brett

2001

A Charles Paris omnibus.

Combines the two novels Cast, In Order Of Disappearance and So Much Blood.

Star Trap & An Amateur Corpse

Omnibus Edition: Volume Two

Simon Brett

2001

A Charles Paris omnibus.

Combines the two novels Star Trap and An Amateur Corpse.

A Comedian Dies & The Dead Side Of The Mike

Omnibus Edition: Volume Three

Simon Brett

2004

A Charles Paris omnibus.

Combines the two novels A Comedian Dies and The Dead Side Of The Mike.

Situation Tragedy & Murder Unprompted

Omnibus Edition: Volume Four

Simon Brett

2004

A Charles Paris omnibus.

Combines the two novels Situation Tragedy and Murder Unprompted.

Murder in the Title & Not Dead Only Resting

Omnibus Edition: Volume Five

Simon Brett

2004

A Charles Paris omnibus.

Combines the two novels Murder in the Title and Not Dead, Only Resting.

Dead Giveaway & What Bloody Man is That?

Omnibus Edition: Volume Six

Simon Brett

2004

A Charles Paris omnibus.

Combines the two novels Dead Giveaway and What Bloody Man is That?

A Series of Murders & Corporate Bodies

Omnibus Edition: Volume Seven

Simon Brett

2004

A Charles Paris omnibus.

Combines the two novels A Series of Murders and Corporate Bodies.

A Reconstructed Corpse & Sicken and So Die & Dead Room Farce

Omnibus Edition: Volume Eight

Simon Brett

2004

A Charles Paris omnibus.

Combines the three novels A Reconstructed Corpse, Sicken and So Die, and Dead Room Farce.

Faber Book of Useful Verse

Editor: Simon Brett

1981

"Light-hearted selections from world literature give advice on such subjects as love, medicine, raising children, and cooking."

The Faber Book of Parodies

Editor: Simon Brett

1984

"Collects satires of the prose and poetry of writers including William Shakespeare, Edgar Allan Poe, Ian Fleming, and Woody Allen."

Faber Book of Diaries

Editor: Simon Brett

1987

"This book presents a selection of the best of four centuries of British diaries, resulting in a kaleidoscope of English life in all its variety. 1400 entries, taken from over 100 diaries, speak of international events, public ceremonies, private joys, griefs and aspirations."

The Detection Collection

Editor: Simon Brett

2005

"This volume of short stories by the cream of British crime writing talent celebrates 75 years of the quintessential Detection Club. Founded on the cusp of the 1930s, the Club’s first President was G.K. Chesterton, and since then the mantle of Presidency has passed to some of the most significant names in the history of crime fiction, including Agatha Christie, Dorothy L. Sayers and Julian Symons. The Club meets three times a year - to dine, to plot, and to exchange ideas. This anthology includes eleven new stories by the Best of British: Robert Barnard, Lyndsey Davis, Colin Dexter, Clare Francis, Robert Goddard, John Harvey, Reginald Hill, P.D. James, H.R.F. Keating, Michael Ridpath and Margaret Yorke, and has been edited by the Club’s President, Simon Brett."

• The Part-Time Job (P.D. James)
• Partnership Track (Michael Ridpath)
• A Toothbrush (H.R.F. Keating)
• The Sun, The Moon, And The Stars (John Harvey)
• Anywhere Nice? (Lindsey Davis)
• Between The Lines (Colin Dexter)
• The Life-Lie (Robert Barnard)
• The Woman From Marlow (Margaret Yorke)
• Toupee For A Bald Tyre (Robert Goddard)
• The Holiday (Claire Francis)
• Fool Of Myself (Reginald Hill)

The Sinking Admiral

Members of the Detection Club

Editor: Simon Brett

2016

A Collaborative Novel Written By Simon Brett, Kate Charles, Natasha Cooper, Stella Duffy, Martin Edwards, Ruth Dudley Edwards, Tim Heald, Michael Jecks, Janet Laurence, Peter Lovesey, Michael Ridpath, David Roberts, L.C. Tyler, and Laura Wilson.

"The Admiral is a pub in the Suffolk seaside village of Crabwell, The Admiral Byng. The Admiral is also the nickname of its landlord, Geoffrey Horatio Fitzsimmons, as well as the name of the landlord’s dinghy. None of them are as buoyant as they should be, for the pub is threatened with closure due to falling takings. Tempers are already frayed due to the arrival of a television documentary team when Fitzsimmons is found dead in his tethered boat. The villagers assume a simple case of suicide and fear that their debt-ridden pub will now sink without trace. The journalists seem determined to finish the job by raking up old skeletons, but they weren’t banking on the fact that this story has been written by 14 extremely competitive crime writers – arch bamboozlers who will stop at nothing to save a good pub."