Delve into the atmospheric world of Inspector Ryga

Before the publication of the brand-new Inspector Ryga mystery DEATH ON THE PIER on 27 August 2026 — available to preorder from 13 August — now is the perfect time to discover the gripping historical crime series readers are calling atmospheric, immersive and compelling.

Set against the haunting backdrop of post-war Britain, the Inspector Ryga mysteries follow Scotland Yard detective Inspector Alun Ryga as he investigates baffling coastal crimes around Britain in the early 1950s.

A former prisoner of war haunted by his wartime experiences, Ryga is thoughtful, patient and quietly determined to seek justice for those who need it most. Assisting him on many of his investigations is former war photographer Eva Paisley, whose sharp eye and wartime instincts often prove invaluable.

Together they uncover secrets hidden beneath the surface of Britain’s coastal communities — places still scarred by war, secrecy and loss.

From secluded Dorset coves and fogbound Sussex harbours to the rugged Cornish coast and the bleak dunes of Kent, each mystery immerses readers in the haunting atmosphere of post-war Britain.

And coming next…

DEATH ON THE PIER

Southend-on-Sea. Summer 1951

The first five Inspector Ryga mysteries are available on Kindle and Kindle Unlimited Box Set on Amazon.

IN THIS FIVE-BOOK BOX SET

BOOK 1: DEATH IN THE COVE
1950, Portland Island, Dorset. A dead man is found in a secluded bay on Portland Island, stabbed in the neck with a narrow-bladed knife. Inspector Alun Ryga is called from Scotland Yard to investigate. The man appears to have been a labourer, but he’s found dressed in a tailored pinstriped suit, silk underwear, handmade shoes and rare pink-diamond cufflinks. Something about him doesn’t add up. It’s Ryga’s first solo investigation outside of London. He’s keen to prove his worth. But will it cost him his life?

BOOK 2: DEATH IN THE HARBOUR
1950, Newhaven, East Sussex. One foggy November evening, Police Constable George Swinley disappears while working his usual beat. Four days later, his lifeless body is found floating in Newhaven Harbour. His death is ruled as an unfortunate accident, but his devoted wife Myra thinks otherwise. Then Myra herself goes missing and Inspector Alun Ryga is sent to the Sussex coast to investigate. But nothing can prepare him for what he’s about to find . . .

BOOK 3: DEATH IN THE NETS
1951, Brixham, Devon. Inspector Alun Ryga and former war photographer Eva Paisley are visiting an old friend and her nine-year-old son Jean-Claude. Jean-Claude is convinced he saw a body on the shore ‘all bashed up’. Intrigued, Ryga asks Jean-Claude to take them to the harbour. And sure enough a man’s body is there, wrapped in nets, with a stab wound to the heart. Ryga begins to investigate, but the discovery of another body throws him into turmoil.

BOOK 4: DEATH IN THE DUNES
1951, Dungeness, Kent. Barbara Fennel, a former pilot, has been found dead in the dunes by a local fisherman. The marks around her neck suggest she was strangled. When the fisherman goes missing, he becomes the prime suspect. Inspector Alun Ryga traces Barbara’s last steps back to the shabby house she rented. He finds a subminiature camera stuffed in her nightdress case — the kind usually used by spies. Suddenly Ryga is embroiled in a case filled with secrets and lies. A case where no one is who they say they are, and things aren’t always what they seem . . .

BOOK 5: DEATH ON BOARD
1951. Inspector Alun Ryga surveys the wreckage of the elegant Harley Street drawing room. It’s the home of retired dermatologist Sir Bernard Crompton, who’s currently sailing his new yacht down the British coast from Scotland — or so he was. Sir Bernard is found dead on board his boat off the coast of Cornwall. The doctor declares he died of natural causes. But why was he wearing a dinner suit with five rocks in his pocket? Ryga heads to Cornwall to investigate, but the case takes a deadly turn when another body is found in a nearby cove with a gunshot wound to the face. The victim is also wearing a dinner suit with rocks in his pocket . . .

‘The story is well plotted . . . Pauline Rowson captures the period perfectly.’ Mystery People

‘Attention to detail and location is top rate.’ Paul S.

‘Well written. Brings the atmosphere and era alive.’ Margaret L.

‘Pure detection mixed with a bit of history. Very well done.’ Jill S.

‘This atmospheric historical mystery paints a vivid picture of a post-war British seaside town.’ L. Tilden