Ever so wholesome. Ever so deadly...

When art restorer Astrid Swift moved from London to the Dorset village of Hanbury, she thought she was heading for a quiet life. Far from it. A local man has just been murdered in the English Trust stately home where Astrid works, and the sleepy community is shaken to its core.

Soon Astrid has discovered the shocking truth about her employer: rather than being the genteel organisation it seems on the surface, the Trust is a hotbed of politics and intrigue. As Astrid's new friend Kath from the village says: 'It's like the mafia, but with scones.'

As the suspicious deaths mount up, Astrid must use every gadget in her restorer's toolkit to solve the mystery, salvage her reputation - and maybe even save her life.

Thrilling, funny and unputdownable, The Trust is perfect for fans of Richard Osman, Robert Thorogood and Clare Chase.

Praise for The Trust:

'Feelgood fun.' The Times
'I romped through The Trust... A cosy debut set in a house brimming with secrets... An enchanting murder mystery.' Janice Hallett, author of The Appeal
'Macabre murders, quirky characters and delightful settings combine in a way that would make Midsomer proud.' Crime Fiction Lover
'A feisty heroine, an ingenious plot and a cast of quirky characters that soon feel like your best friends, make The Trust a cozy crime to savour.' Merryn Allingham, author of The Bookshop Murder
'Intelligent and gently humorous, with a suitably eccentric cast of characters.' M S Morris, author of the Bridget Hart books

M.H. Eccleston has had a fairly meandering career - starting out as a radio presenter for the BBC, then staying at the Beeb as a journalist and producer for six years. After that, it's a bit of a blur - he spent a couple of decades, at least, freelancing as a foreign correspondent, TV presenter, voice-over artist and film critic. For the last few years he's been a full-time screenwriter and now novelist. He lives in Ealing with his family, which is ruled by a mischievous Frenchie called George.