Fran Varady – serie

The death of a squatter is not all it seems...Ann Granger introduces the unemployed and soon-to-be-homeless amateur sleuth Fran Varady in the first of this riveting crime series. The perfect read for fans of Edward Marston and LJ Ross. 'It looks as if Ann Granger is on to another winner' - Birmingham PostFran Varady is insolvent, unemployed and, though for the moment she's got the leaky roof of the squat she shares in Jubilee Street over her head, she'll very soon be homeless thanks to the council eviction department. Her dreams of becoming an actress, nurtured when her father and grandmother were still alive, seem a long way off. But Fran is a survivor ... which her former housemate, Terry, found hanging from the ceiling of her room, clearly is not.Terry, secretive and selfish, was far from popular with the rest of the household, but her death shakes the Jubilee Street Creative Artists' Commune, as the squat residents half-jokingly call themselves. And, the more Fran discovers about the death of the young woman whose life briefly intersected with her own, the more she begins to see it was not all it first seemed.What readers are saying about Asking for Trouble:'Fran is too good to confine to one book. What good news to learn that there is a series!''An intriguing storyline, described with humour and affection''Fran is a delightful character and one well worth following through the other parts of this series'

Alcoholic Albie may not be a reliable witness, but his claims might just be true... When Fran Varady meets a down-and-out who has witnessed a kidnapping, she is soon on the case in Keeping Bad Company, the second book in Ann Granger's Fran Varady series. The perfect read for fans of Rebecca Tope and Val McDermid. 'The reader can expect a treat. Fran Varady is as fresh and vital as ever... Lively, different and fun' - Yorkshire Post Buying a coffee for down-and-out 'Alkie' Albie at Marylebone Station is Fran Varady's good deed for the day. But when the grateful Albie takes her into his confidence, Fran suddenly finds herself launched on her second investigation. For Albie, though obviously fond of a drink and none too familiar with soup and water, is absolutely clear about one thing - he claims to be the only witness to the violent abduction of a young girl.Although the police scornfully dismiss Albie's story as alcoholic hallucinations, Fran is determined to follow it up. And her suspicions seem to be spot on when she is warned off by her old sparring partner, Sergeant Parry, and then approached by a boyhood friend of her late father's, distraught over the kidnapping of his daughter. But this is only the beginning of Fran's investigation - days later, Alkie Albie is found dead...What readers are saying about Keeping Bad Company:'The characterisations are great - people and places so alive that you feel like you're right there''The dialogue weaves in and out of the main characters personalities, whom the author describes in an engaging and detailed fashion''Just excellent'

When a stranger is stabbed to death, Fran's own life is put in danger...Amateur sleuth Fran Varady has to stay ahead of a killer in Running Scared, the third exciting mystery in Ann Granger's Fran Varady series. The perfect read for fans of LJ Ross and Elly Griffiths. 'One of crime fiction's most engaging heroines' - Yorkshire Post Aspiring actress and part-time private investigator Fran Varady knew there would be maximum disruption when her friend Ganesh decided to modernise his uncle's newsagents, starting with the washroom. But she isn't prepared for the nightmare that begins when an agitated passer-by asks to use it: hours later, he's found stabbed to death, leaving a message for Fran to meet him, and a mysterious roll of film hidden behind the old pipes... Fran realises that whoever wanted the negatives knows where they were hidden. And, probably, where they are now. With her police protection more a hindrance than a help, an old friend, Tig, on the verge of collapse, and the builders wreaking havoc in the shop, can Fran find out why someone is prepared to murder for the negatives - before they find her?What readers are saying about Running Scared:'The heroine is a very convincing and likeable character, living almost on the fringes of society''Loved this book as I have in all the Fran Varady books; gripping plot as normal with a twist at the end''From the start I felt like I know the characters! It's a great read, very believable storyline and some humour as well'

When will Fran Varady learn to trust her instincts?Young amateur sleuth Fran Varady is being hunted down by a suspicious private investigator in Risking it All, the fourth compelling mystery in Ann Granger's Fran Varady series. The perfect read for fans of LJ Ross and Joss Sheldon. 'A fascinating tale... Highly recommended' - Mystery Women NewsletterWhen Fran Varady is approached by Private Investigator Clarence Duke, she mistrusts him on instinct. But she can't ignore what he has to tell her. Her mother, Eva, who walked out on Fran when she was only seven years old, has hired Clarence to find her daughter. And for good reason. Eva is dying. Within days, Fran is reunited with the mother she hasn't seen for fifteen years, and is soon to lose again. But the biggest bombshell is still to come. Eva has another child - a daughter she gave up soon after her birth - and she wants Fran to find her. Matters aren't helped by the fact that slippery Clarence Duke seems intent on discovering what she's up to. But it's when he's found dead in his car outside Fran's home that the trouble really begins ...What readers are saying about Risking it All:'The writing is lively and fun, and Fran is a very likeable character''The plot is a cracker - at heart a traditional detective story with a nice contemporary twist' 'A powerful addition to the series as the storyline has emotional depth and left me wondering what I would do'

There's trouble ahead for Fran Varady... Just as amateur sleuth Fran Varady is getting her life back on track, problems arise in Watching Out, the fifth fantastic Fran Varady mystery by Ann Granger. The perfect read for fans of M.C. Beaton and Rebecca Tope. 'One of crime fiction's most engaging heroines' - Yorkshire Post Fran Varady fell into private detective work by accident rather than design. Now she's got a 'real' job at a trendy pizzeria, she's back on track with her acting ambitions, and she's even found a nice flat to rent. But things aren't as straightforward as they seem. The job, for a start: there's something rather sinister about the way the pizzeria is run. And the play rehearsals aren't going well. As if all this doesn't bring problems enough, Fran has rashly undertaken to help a young boy, illegally in the country, find an elusive people-trafficker called Max. When the trail Fran is following is suddenly and tragically interrupted by a horrifying death, she finds herself up against dangerous men and a ruthless organisation.What readers are saying about Watching Out:'A very engrossing story - couldn't get enough and continued reading through the night to get to the end''Ann Granger certainly knows how to grip her readers, and this is one of her best''The Agatha Christie of our time... five stars!'

Whilst pursuing one crime investigation, Fran Varady gets caught up in another... Amateur sleuth Fran Varady faces more questionable characters in her most complicated investigation yet. Mixing with Murder is the sixth sparky mystery in Ann Granger's Fran Varady series, not to be missed by fans of Carola Dunn and Val McDermid.'Characterisation, as ever with Granger, is sharp and astringent' - The Times Fran Varady isn't keen to help seedy club owner Mickey Allerton track down Lisa, a dancer who's done a bunk. But since Mickey's holding Fran's dog Bonnie hostage till the job's done, she doesn't have much choice. She quickly locates Lisa and they arrange to meet - but when Fran gets there early, the first thing she sees is a body floating in the river. It's Ivo, one of Mickey's nastier bouncers. If Lisa wasn't terrified already, she is when she gets this news, and Fran finds herself torn between helping the frightened girl and doing Mickey's bidding. And it's all about to get a lot more complicated...What readers are saying about Mixing with Murder:'The cast of characters lumbers into view with understated menace mixed with charm and humour. Even minor characters have distinctive personalities''Always a pleasure to read Ann Granger books''Even when you think you know the ending there's always a nice little twist in the plot'