W.J. Burley – författare

A murder at an artists' colony - but not everyone wants Chief Superintendent Wycliffe to investigate . . .The artists' colony is at the site of a disused mine working on the moor west of St Ives, and it's run by Archer and his wife Lina, according to astrological principles. The newest member of the colony is Francine, a beautiful if fey young woman with a legacy to invest. Archer isn't keen - not least because she is a Scorpio - but Lina takes a more pragmatic view. Then Francine is found dead, killed by a deliberately blocked gas-heater flue.Wycliffe investigates - and soon discovers that several members of the colony have very good reasons for not wanting the police poking into their affairs . . .

A respectable bookseller is found bludgeoned and strangled and it's up to Chief Superintendent Wycliffe to find out why . . .When Matthew Glynn is murdered, Wycliffe is mystified. Why would anyone want to kill him? But a look at Glynn's background reveals tension within the family. Alfred Glynn, an eccentric recluse, has born a grudge against his brother for years. The other brother, Maurice, argued bitterly with Matthew over the sale of family land. His sister Sara is caught out in several crucial lies to the police. Add to this a discontented son, the discovery of valuable documents in the bookseller's safe, and the mysterious, still unexplained disappearance of Matthew's wife years earlier, and Wycliffe faces one of his most impenetrable cases yet.And then another Glynn dies . . .

A beautiful girl goes missing, and Wycliffe must untangle a mystery to solve a murder . . .A beautiful schoolgirl goes missing from a Cornish village on the day she has told her boyfriend and sister she is pregnant. The possibility that she has been raped or murdered - or both - grows with every passing hour, and Chief Superintendent Wycliffe is brought in on the case.The investigation reveals a complex network of family relationships and rivalries centred on the girl; and then Wycliffe finds a body - but not the one he expects. Have there been two murders? And if so, are they connected?Wycliffe digs deeper, and soon realises that just beneath the normal, day-to-day surface of the community lies a web of hatred and resentment - a web he will have to untangle if he is to find the key to the mystery . . .

Two violent deaths shatter a small community. And to solve the case, Wycliffe must untangle a complex network of secrecy within the quiet of Paul's Court . . .The Cornish Detective series'First-class, old-time, hyper-ingenious whodunit OBSERVERPaul's Court is a quiet corner in the heart of the city: an oasis of peace and safety until the night when two of its inhabitants meet violent deaths. Old Willy Goppel, a German who specialised in making period doll's houses, is found hanging from a beam in his home; and fifteen-year-old Yvette Cole, with a wild reputation, is strangled and thrown half-naked over the churchyard hedge.Chief Superintendent Wycliffe has the aid of a local detective, Kersey, but even in co-operation they find this a difficult case to crack. Was Willy's death really a suicide? Or could it be that the two deaths are unconnected? As the investigation continues, they uncover a complex network of antagonisms in quiet Paul's Court.

Wycliffe investigates the disappearance of a young girl - and becomes involved in a major criminal investigation . . .Chief Superintendent Wycliffe doubted whether he would enjoy his Christmas. With his wife away, he rashly accepted an invitation to stay with a Penzance lawyer and his family, but when he arrives the weather is awful, the house miles from anywhere, and the family less than welcoming.Then a young girl goes missing. Wycliffe had seen her playing the part of the Virgin in the local nativity play, but when he asks around he discovers the girl was difficult and unpopular in the neighbourhood. Even her parents seem indifferent to their daughter's disappearance. So Wycliffe instigates a search - and soon finds himself caught up in a major criminal investigation . . .

A young girl is found dead in a house on Stanley Street... but it's just the start of a complex puzzle which Wycliffe must unravel.A dubious cul-de-sac just off the busy main road in a sprawling West Country port, Stanley Street is definitely not a salubrious place. And the victim, found naked and strangled in her bed is, appropriately enough, a prostitute.The local inspector believes it is just another sex crime, but Chief Superintendent Wycliffe is not convinced. For the victim, Lily Painter, is the kind of girl who likes Beethoven and has lots of 'O' and 'A' levels to her name - not the usual sort of prostitute at all. And when Wycliffe goes digging into her background, he comes up with plenty of surprises, not least a shadowy connection with property speculators and drug smugglers.But it takes a dangerous arson attack and a second murder before the solution to this complex and fast-moving puzzle can be found...

An ancient legend, an all-too modern murder, and Chief Superintendent Wycliffe must find the link between them ...Every year, at Halloween, high on the Cornish cliffs, a life-sized effigy of a man is strapped to a blazing wheel and run into the sea - a re-enactment of a hideous old legend where the figure had been a living sacrifice.And now Jonathan Riddle, well-known and respected local builder and undertaker, has disappeared - and it seems all too likely that his corpse has gone the way of the historic 'scapegoat'.As Chief Superintendent Wycliffe begins to investigate, more and more unpleasant facts emerge until he is left with an incredible, and seemingly impossible, solution . . .

A mysterious death ... an eccentric family living on the edge of Dartmoor ... And Chief Superintendent Wycliffe has one of his most complex cases to date.The Cornish Detective series'Gripping' THE TIMESThe Beales are an odd, reclusive family living in Ashill House, on the edge of Dartmoor: old Simon has withdrawn from active life; Nicholas and Gertrude confine themselves respectively to war games and the bottle; young Edward takes long painting expeditions on the moor. Only Frank Vicary, Gertrude's husband, is able to run the family business with enough drive to compensate for the failings of the others.When there is a murder in the village, there seems no reason to connect it with the Beales. But once Chief Superintendent Wycliffe is on the case, his investigation uncovers far more than he - or the Beales - anticipated ...

A mysterious death in the Cornish art world - and a murder investigation for Chief Superintendent Wycliffe...When Edwin Garland dies of a heart attack, no one outside the expectant circle of his relatives is concerned, but the situation changes dramatically when, on the evening of the funeral, his son is shot dead. Chief Superintendent Wycliffe is faced with a seemingly motiveless killing, and Edwin's will, though mischievously contrived, offers no explanation.Garland had been friends with Gifford Tate, a well-known painter who died several years before. Now, the only clue Wycliffe has to the murder is an artists' pigment called Winsor Blue. He finally identifies the motive behind the crimes - but is it too late to prevent another death?

Classic crime featuring the ever-popular Chief Superintendent Wycliffe - 'Another must for collectors' Sunday Times.On the peaceful and secluded estate of Lord and Lady Bottrell, the body of amateur flautist Tony Mills has been found, shot by his own gun. It appears to be suicide - but a closer inspection reveals some sinister inconsistencies, and Chief Superintendent Wycliffe is called in.As Wycliffe begins to unravel the last days of the dead man, another mystery is revealed: the disappearance of Lizzie Biddick, a pretty young girl who worked as a maid for the Bottrell family.Gradually, bitter family feuds and secret illicit relationships are uncovered - and then another body shatters the pastoral peace of the Cornish estate for ever...

Chief Superintendent Wycliffe comes across evidence on his own doorstep - and it leads him into very deep water . . .Wycliffe's home overlooks a peaceful, West Country estuary - but even here he can't get away from crime.When he is taking a Sunday morning walk along the shore, he comes across a service revolver with one chamber recently fired. In recent years Wycliffe has often regretted the fact that his rank cuts him off from the early stages of an investigation, but here he is, in at the very start.The case takes Wycliffe into the world of art robberies and crooked dealers, to a suicide which may be a murder, and a hunt for a missing yacht. As the investigation escalates, Wycliffe begins to wonder exactly where the clues are leading . . .

Another classic crime novel featuring Cornwall's Superintendent Wycliffe.The girl was young, with auburn hair arranged on the pillow. Wycliffe could almost believe she was asleep - that is, until he saw her face. She had been strangled, and someone had brutally smashed her face - but after death, not before... She lay in a seedy hotel room down by the docks, but her luggage, her clothes and her make-up all suggested she had more class than her surroundings.Superintendent Wycliffe was officially on holiday, but the case fascinated him. Who was the girl? Why was she lying naked in a shabby hotel room? What was she doing with a thousand pounds hidden underneath some clothing? And, above all, why had someone mutilated her after she was dead?As Wycliffe begins to investigate, he finds there are too many suspects, too many motives - and too many lies . . .

A case involving a dead woman with a deformed foot and a mysterious past requires all Superintendent Wycliffe's investigative skills.The peace of the village of Kergwyns in Cornwall has been shattered by a bizarre murder. A beautiful young woman has been shot. The only thing taken from the scene is the shoe and stocking from her left leg - exposing her deformed foot. Detective Superintendent Wycliffe uncovers evidence of an unhappy woman who routinely manipulated the men in her life. As half the men in the village have been known to visit her, and most have reason to lie about it, finding the murderer will not be easy. Wycliffe's task is complicated by the discovery of some clues in the form of crossword puzzles left by the victim herself. If Pussy knew she was going to die why did she make no effort to save herself? When several men have been incriminated in the murder Wycliffe begins to wonder if someone very powerful is stage-managing events . . .

Bullying and persecution among a group of schoolgirls leads to violent retribution and a race against time for Wycliffe.Two very different young women have been murdered within the same week. One was a singer in a nightclub, the other a nurse - but both were strangled in their own homes in very similar attacks. The press are quick to assume there is a psychopath on the loose, but Wycliffe suspects the truth may be somewhat more complex than that . . . As Wycliffe searches for a link between the victims his investigations take him back in time; to a school trip, an isolated hostel and a cruel joke on a lonely student. Wycliffe is forced into a race against time to track down the murderer before they strike again.

The Cornish Detective seriesThe discovery of a body in a quarry creates a baffling case for Detective Superintendent Wycliffe'First-class, old-time, hyper-ingenious whodunit' OBSERVERSimon Meagor was a lonely middle-aged man. With a broken marriage behind him, his life was centred on his antiquarian bookshop. In his past was the memory of a murder trial where his evidence had resulted in the conviction of a man who had subsequently killed himself. Now, to his horror, the daughter of that man was applying for a job in his shop and, almost mesmerised by her, Simon found he was agreeing to her employment. Cleverly, over a period of time, Morwenna manipulated herself into his work, his life, and finally into his flat above the shop. And then she disappeared. When her body was discovered in a flooded quarry, at first suicide was considered. Morwenna was suffering from a fatal disease. But everything pointed to murder and, inevitably, suspicion fell on Simon Meagor. Wycliffe became increasingly disturbed by a case which grew more and more complicated as he explored many dark and murky secrets from the past.

Wycliffe tackles a case which reaches back down the generations ...When Cedric Tremain is charged with murdering his father by booby-trapping his fishing boat, all the locals are agreed that he is an unlikely murderer. But the case against him is strong: he has the motive, the opportunity and the know-how; not to mention the fact that there is some hard circumstantial evidence against him. So Cedric is arrested. But Chief Superintendent Wycliffe has a strong sense that something about the case just doesn't fit. As he quietly continues his investigations a confusing picture emerges. Twenty years ago Cedric's cousin was convicted of strangling his girlfriend and served fourteen years of a commuted death sentence. While the wheels of justice begin to grind Wycliffe searches for a link between past and present ¿

A high-profile murder investigation for Wycliffe, in Cornwall's heartland.Cochran Wilder disappeared fifteen years ago while on a walking holiday in Cornwall. Recently released from a psychiatric hospital after being convicted of indecent assault, he had been a serious embarrassment to his father, a prominent MP. Now his body has been found, buried in the dunes. It is clear that he was murdered. Wycliffe suspects the involvement of six people, now well-established figures in the community, who at the time had been spending an illicit weekend at a chalet near where Wilder's body was found. All are disturbed by Wycliffe's interest and by a series of threatening anonymous communications. But then a second murder is committed and the investigation takes on a new urgency.

A family feud leads to murder - and Superintendent Wycliffe is on the case...Caroline Bryce came from the top of the social register in the tranquil town of Treen. So it was quite a scandal when her body was dragged from the bottom of the river.As Superintendent Wycliffe investigates, he is faced with a number of questions: who would want to kill the beautiful Mrs Bryce? Was it a lover's quarrel? Or a family feud? Or a long-held resentment which had suddenly exploded in a moment of madness?As Wycliffe begins to unravel an intricate tangle of love and hate, he finds himself on the trail of a psychotic killer who feels no guilt - and will not hesitate to strike again...

On the beautiful, tranquil Scilly Isles, a brutal murder is uncovered...There was no doubt at all that the girl was dead. The front of her skull and her facial bones had been splintered like the cracked shell of an egg. What made it even more shocking was the setting of the murder - an idyllic corner of the Scilly Isles where violent crime was almost unknown.Angry and distressed, the villagers instinctively turn against the only stranger in their midst, the famous pop star and teenage idol Vince Peters. But Superintendent Wycliffe is not so sure. Slowly, methodically, he begins to dig beneath the calm surface of the community - and soon uncovers a violent undercurrent of fear and guilt...

A murder committed in the night of dead. It's all a game for Detective Wycliffe to solve in a puzzling case.Writer David Cleeve lived exactly the way a bestselling novelist should live - in an opulent house set in a beautiful corner of Cornwall. But beneath the successful façade was a private nightmare. For at regular intervals a sinister and mysterious warning was delivered to him: a single playing card, the Jack of Diamonds. Then, one day, the card arrived torn in half - and that night a murder was committed.Chief Superintendent Wycliffe was on holiday in the area but, far from relaxing, he finds himself drawn into the investigation. Before long, there is more than just a single mystery to solve. As Wycliffe investigates, he uncovers a double murder, arson, and a whole series of crimes stretching back over many years . . .

A troubling disappearance. A puzzling mystery. A new investigation for Detective Wycliffe.Detective Superintendent Wycliffe is holidaying in Cornwall when he meets the intriguing Kemp family. The Kemps have lived in Kellycork, their decaying family seat, for almost 500 years and have a tragic history. Roger Kemp's first wife disappeared mysteriously in what was presumed to be a boating accident and now the Kemps are struggling to maintain their family home. When Roger's wealthy second wife, Bridget, also disappears Wycliffe is inevitably drawn into the case.Wycliffe is troubled by the dysfunctional family he is investigating. Can the loss of their mother account for the Kemp children's strange behaviour or is there a more sinister explanation? And why is his main suspect doing so little to save himself?