November 1929. A woman's dismembered corpse is discovered in a suitcase and police quickly identify her husband, Doctor Ibrahim Aziz, as their chief suspect. Incriminating evidence is discovered at his home and his wife was rumoured to be having an affair, giving him clear motive.With his reputation for winning hopeless cases, barrister Arthur Skelton is asked to represent the accused. Though Aziz's guilt does not seem to be in doubt, a question of diplomacy and misplaced larvae soon lead Skelton to suspect there may be more to the victim's death.Aided by his loyal clerk Edgar, Skelton soon finds himself seeking justice for both victim and defendant. But can he uncover the truth before an innocent man is put on trial and condemned to the gallows?'Jovial, jocular and joyous' Shots Mag'I loved entering this deliciously detailed world of Rover Sunbeams, Everton Mints, endless cups of tea and men who smoke pipes' Nigel Planer

Operation Stopwatch/Gold, said CIA chief Alan Dulles, was one of the most valuable and daring projects ever undertaken. In 1955 it ran a tunnel 800 metres under the Russian sector of Cold War Berlin, and for more than a year tuned into Red Army intelligence. This was an almost impossible trick: apart from the technical wizardry needed, any noise or vibration could have given the game away.

Guy Fawkes Night, 5th November, 1930. Bonfires are blazing, rockets burst. In a country lane, revellers discover a car that has been set on fire. At first, they assume that this is the work of vandals taking the Guy Fawkes spirit a little too far, sitting at the wheel is a body, charred beyond recognition. The initial assumption is that the owner of the car, Mr Harold Musgrave, a successful travelling salesman has taken his own life in a particularly grisly act of self-immolation. The post-mortem, however, reveals that Mr Musgrave was either unconscious or dead before the fire was lit. When Tommy Prosser, a local criminal, is charged with the murder, barrister Arthur Skelton believes him to be innocent, so sets out to ensure justice is served.

An engaging and original account of 1921, a pivotal year for Churchill that had a lasting impact on his political and personal legacyAfter the tragic consequences of his involvement in the catastrophic Dardanelles Campaign of World War I, Churchill's political career seemed over. He was widely regarded as little more than a bombastic and unpredictable buccaneer until, in 1921, an unexpected inheritance heralded a series of events that laid the foundations for his future success.Renowned Churchill scholar David Stafford delves into the statesman's life in 1921, the year in which his political career revived. From his political negotiations in the Anglo-Irish treaty that created the Irish Free State to his tumultuous relationship with his "wild cousin" Clare Sheridan, sculptor of Lenin and subject of an MI5 investigation, this broad account explores the nuances of Churchill's private and public lives. This is an engaging portrait of this overlooked yet pivotal year...

SHORTLISTED FOR THE CWA SAPERE BOOKS HISTORICAL DAGGER'Jovial, jocular and joyous' Shots MagJanuary 1929. When Arthur Skelton won the legal case of the century, he went from being an unremarkable barrister to front-page sensation. Now he faces a new challenge. Mary Dutton is accused of poisoning her husband and the police are convinced she is guilty. Even her supporters think she did it. Skelton agrees to take on what many consider an unwinnable case, a decision wholly unconcerned with the defendant's resemblance to a beautiful actress...With an army of women set to vote for the first time in history, the fate of Mary Dutton will have a significant impact on Britain's political future. Skelton faces mounting pressure to find the truth, but will that be enough to save a young woman's life?'I loved entering this deliciously detailed world' Nigel Planer