Pauline Rowson's 1950 set mystery - Death in the Cove

DEATH IN THE COVE Introducing Inspector Alun Ryga of Scotland Yard

England 1950, a country still struggling to come to terms with peace in the grip of austerity and rationing.

When the body of a man wearing a pinstriped suit is found in a secluded bay on Portland Island, Dorset Scotland Yard detective, Inspector Alun Ryga is sent to investigate.

'Death in the Cove is a great read and one I recommend to any crime fans.' BH Living Magazine

"Ryga studied the face of the dead man with interest. Death no longer had the power to shock him. He’d seen too much of it. That didn’t mean he didn’t feel sorrow, pity, anger or despair, or sometimes all four emotions and in such a swift succession that they became one. This time he felt none of these, only professional curiosity.”

When the body of a man dressed in a pinstriped suit is discovered by war photographer, Eva Paisley, in a secluded bay on Portland Island, Dorset, Inspector Alun Ryga of Scotland Yard is sent to investigate. Recently promoted, the thoughtful, observant Ryga, is on his first solo investigation outside of London, and is keen to prove his worth. Ignoring the warnings of the local police inspector, and the Dorset Chief Constable, that his trust in Eva Paisley is misjudged, Ryga quickly realises that her observations could provide the breakthrough he needs in a complex murder investigation and the answer to the haunting circumstances that have sent the man in the pinstriped suit to his death.

About Inspector Alun Ryga

Scotland Yard were frequently called in to investigate murder cases around the UK so rather than have the novel (and series) rooted in London this meant I could move my detective around the country to help solve crimes. Once again, I wanted to feature the sea in my crime novels - my trademark or brand - so I created a character with an intimate knowledge of the sea, a former Merchant Seaman, Inspector Alun Ryga.

From the first I didn't want to make Ryga an action hero like Art Marvik. I also sought to differ him from DI Andy Horton, an instinctive copper with lots of personal baggage, intuitive, rugged and flawed with a deep sense of justice.

Neither did I want someone who had been hailed as a war hero in the traditional sense, but instead a quiet, unseen hero. I chose, therefore, to make Ryga a former German prisoner-of-war. Ryga’s ship had been seized by a German Raider in 1941 as a result of which he had been incarcerated for the rest of the war in MILAG, (Marine Internierten Lager). Here he had to learn how to cope with the uncertainty, fear and deprivations of forced incarceration with no option but to wait, hope and pray that the war would soon be over and the Nazis would be defeated.

His experience has made Ryga observant, analytical and reflective. It has also given him insights into his fellow man. He’s witnessed compassion, cruelty, cowardice and heroism, mental breakdown and despair. He’s made a promise to himself that whatever happens after the war he’ll keep an open mind and never judge.

The war also unexpectedly resulted in opening up a new career for Ryga. Encouraged by a fellow prisoner to study, Ryga with the help of his mentor, is able to make the transition from the Merchant Navy to the Thames River Police. Before DEATH IN THE COVE opens Ryga has been involved in two highly successful criminal investigations at the Port of London and as a result has been catapulted into the Metropolitan Police and then into CID in Scotland Yard.

His experience at sea, and as a prisoner-of-war, have made him unique in his approach to solving coastal based crimes. In this series he is being called upon to utilize his vast knowledge of the sea and in DEATH IN THE COVE (1) his first solo investigation out of London, to discover why a man dressed in a pinstriped suit has been stabbed in the neck and ended up dead on the beach of a small cove on Portland on the Dorset coast.

'The clues are there, but I followed the red herring and didn’t guess the murderer. Will you? Don’t miss this first book in what is sure to be a first-class series. Whilst the murderer is unmasked there are left some tempting hooks for the next book. Highly recommended.' Mystery People Magazine

"I enjoyed this book. The setting was interesting because it happens about 5 years after WW II. It was fascinating to learn about the rationing and human toll that still lingered that many years after the war.I would recommend it for lovers of mysteries without gory details,a solid police procedural with interesting characters. The ending was a twist I didn't see coming." Audible