Murder mysteries
In 2021 I decided to take a break from my preferred Anglo-Saxon genre of historical novels. This decision came about partly to freshen up and partly to enjoy a new challenge. This led to the emergence of a new series: The Vance and Shepherd Mysteries. Vance and Shepherd are successful Metropolitan police officers: a Detective Inspector and his sergeant, at first. A serial killer sets them the most severe challenge of their career to date in Book 1 The Quasimodo Killings.there are now 10 books in the series as you can see below .
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What they're saying:The Quasimodo Killings is a masterclass in tension and tone. From its poetic killer to the stoic humanity of Vance and Shepherd, this novel captures what readers crave in a British crime mystery- an intricate puzzle wrapped in moral complexity.
The interplay between institutional politics and psychological warfare gives the story depth beyond the procedural, while the prose retains a crisp, cinematic precision. The philosophical undertones vengeance as validation, the theater of justice set this series apart from the genre’s more formulaic fare. Michelle Dawson. |
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The London Tram Murders: Winner of 2023 CLEAN Mystery Novel Award
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Detective Inspectors Vance and Shepherd reunite in the second book in John Broughton's Vance And Shepherd Mysteries. After a murder is committed in a quiet suburban subway under a tramline, it becomes obvious that the murder squad is dealing with a copycat killer.
The murder is an uncanny repeat of their previous case, and their inquiries are complicated by the presence of the main suspect’s doppelganger, Melanie Bradshaw. The brilliant chemistry master student has solid alibis but Shepherd, flying in the face of the contrary evidence, is convinced that the deceased serial killer's sister and Melanie are the same person. As the killings continue, Vance and Shepherd face increasing pressure from above building. Can they apprehend and bring the killer to justice before more lives are lost? Find a copy on your favourite book distribution platform by clicking here. RELEASED 6 March 2022 The London Tram Murdershttps://www.nextchapter.pub/books/the-london-tram-murders |
What they are saying: |
I read The London Tram Murders expecting the usual detective-duo cliché but wow! Broughton didn’t just sidestep the trope; he sharpened it with that mix of logic, tension, and heart that only an author truly in tune with his characters can pull off. I was halfway to assuming another copy-cat mystery, and then he turned it into something deeper something that actually makes readers think about justice, identity, and obsession. Brilliant work. Jacqui Simons
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After a crossbow bolt kills a birdwatcher in a remote site on the Thames, the Metropolitan Police discover they have another serial killer on their hands. The killer leaves no trace, and Detective Inspectors Shepherd and Vance are faced with a puzzle that threatens to erupt into an international scandal.
Soon after, a virtuoso pianist loses his life in the same manner. The murders are all connected to the river Thames, but the waters are muddied by the involvement of British and Russian secret services. After a man is arrested for the murder, Shepherd is certain that he is the culprit. But what do the international organizations have to do with the case, and who is the killer? 
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The Thames Crossbow Murders voted number 17/25 Best in 2022 by Read free.ly poll
for books 1-3 of Vance & Shepherd click here: https://books2read.com/u/mY8KwY
for books 1-3 of Vance & Shepherd click here: https://books2read.com/u/mY8KwY
Click the link to grab your copy:
https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/vance-and-shepherd-mysteries-books-1-4
https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/vance-and-shepherd-mysteries-books-1-4
Metropolitan Police Detectives, Vance and Shepherd find themselves drawn into religious strife emerging from the ancient Zoroastrian culture of Iran transplanted into Central London. Several murders of prominent Iranian exiles present Vance with a powder-keg on the verge of explosion. He and Shepherd must avoid an inter-religious conflict among London’s Muslim community. MI6 involvement results in the arbitrary closure of three unsolved cases, however, the Intelligence Agency has a plan for Shepherd, a renowned crack shot, to decapitate the leadership of the charismatic and fanatical anti-Zoroastrian movement in Tajikistan, Afghanistan and eastern Iran and at the same time provide justice to the victims of the closed cases. Will she succeed?
Your copy at: https://nextchapter.pub/books/the-thames-tigris-connection
Your copy at: https://nextchapter.pub/books/the-thames-tigris-connection
Fortunately, husband-and-wife psychopaths are few and far between. A spate of cyclist killings leads Vance and Shepherd to investigate an apparently irreprehensible architect and his wife. When the architect, responsible for eco-friendly schemes, is elected deputy Mayor of Wandsworth, Vance’s suspicions seem even more bizarre until the wife is arrested for multiple killings using an ingenious drone device to detonate hidden unexploded World War 2 bombs in the area. Damian Devenish, the architect, is determined to punish society for the arrest of his lovely wife while remaining undetected. Vance and Shepherd disagree about the architect’s guilt. Yet, it is Shepherd who prevents Devenish from achieving his ultimate spectacular vendetta.
What they are saying: Let’s be honest, London’s Psycho Cyclist sounds like the kind of book that makes you question whether to take your next bike ride or your next marriage. I mean, husband-and-wife psychopaths? That’s not crime fiction, that’s therapy waiting to happen. 😂
And then there’s Vance and Shepherd two detectives who argue about guilt while bombs literally go off around them. That’s not just mystery; that’s organized chaos in a British accent, and I’m absolutely here for it. Chris Hernandez.
How compelling London’s Psycho Cyclist is! The tension, twists, and intricate plotting of Vance and Shepherd’s latest case keep readers on edge, while the moral complexity of Damian Devenish and his schemes adds real depth to the narrative. The author’s ability to weave suspense, psychological insight, and thrilling investigative work makes this series stand out for fans of crime fiction and detective mysteries.Books like this don’t just entertain they challenge readers to think, guess, and engage with every twist. Vicki H.
And then there’s Vance and Shepherd two detectives who argue about guilt while bombs literally go off around them. That’s not just mystery; that’s organized chaos in a British accent, and I’m absolutely here for it. Chris Hernandez.
How compelling London’s Psycho Cyclist is! The tension, twists, and intricate plotting of Vance and Shepherd’s latest case keep readers on edge, while the moral complexity of Damian Devenish and his schemes adds real depth to the narrative. The author’s ability to weave suspense, psychological insight, and thrilling investigative work makes this series stand out for fans of crime fiction and detective mysteries.Books like this don’t just entertain they challenge readers to think, guess, and engage with every twist. Vicki H.
Dr Amelia Evans’ best friend is murdered in a Wren-designed church in Central London. DCIs Vance and Shepherd are on the case. They discover that Evans has stumbled across a centuries-old secret about the Philosophers’ Stone and there are unscrupulous people who will stop at nothing to get their hands on it. As Sir Christopher Wren wrote, the Stone has a dark side. Prolonged use can corrupt the user, both mentally and spiritually. Dr Evans’ life is threatened by rogue Freemasons but she also has to fend off those who would save her, like the British Secret Services. Great minds like Wren and Newton were brought to the brink of insanity because they could not achieve what Evans does. The need for purity of soul is what Sir Christopher defined as the Stone’s Enigma. Resolving it brings her a professorship and the Nobel Prize but only thanks to Vance and Shepherd’s bravery and daring actions.
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The Wren Enigma
By John Broughton Genre: Mystery, Thriller & Suspense / Crime Reviewed by Nikolas Mavreas A fast-paced mystery thriller about London’s built-in secrets John Broughton’s The Wren Enigma is the sixth in a mystery series starring Scotland Yard detective duo Shepherd and Vance. Broughton mixes historical elements with tinges of the occult in this absorbing thriller from the classic mold. In present day London, scholar of philosophy Amelia Evans is investigating churches built by the great Restoration era architect Christopher Wren, who was instrumental in rebuilding the city after the Great Fire of 1666. She is convinced that Wren left hidden messages in his designs, connected to his occult activities as a Freemason. When her companion, Alice, is found murdered during one of their church visits, Scotland Yard detectives Brittany Shepherd and Jacob Vance are put on the case. Then, another murder is traced to the same gun that shot Alice, with a suspect being a man who claims to be a Christopher Wren scholar. This leads detectives Shepherd and Vance to employ the help of Amelia Evans to help solve the case. The second victim was in possession of a fabled manuscript that contains the secrets encoded in Wren’s architecture, which is now in the hands of the murderer. Worth millions, this manuscript may also contain the instructions to make the Philosopher’s Stone, which promises the power to turn any metal into gold and even grant immortality. Working in the shadows is a group of Freemasons, who want to protect but also covet these ancient secrets. The book is set up as a murder mystery with the two murders, but since the author gives up the killer’s identity, the novel turns into a thriller packed with intrigue and action. Unconventionally, the role of the Freemasons never seems cut and dried, as thestory’s main villains remain elusive until the end. But of course, the book does include its fair share of conventions and charming clichés too. Thriller readers will feel right at home when villainous goons are subdued through pressure point strikes and when one detective refers to the other with “my dear chap,” winking the intertextual eye. The Wren Enigma hits all the beats you hope for with a good detective thriller but with its own quips sprinkled in. Throughout the first half of the book the reader is never allowed to feel like they are standing on stable ground, but as the plot takes shape, the story becomes streamlined and replete with action. It is also in the second half of the book that the detective duo of Shepherd and Vance comes to the fore. Though their “acute powers of observation,” “gift of intuition,” and other professional skills don’t quite become evident, the detectives always feel like real people on the page. Broughton’s treatment of the occult is effective and intriguing, and he blends story with exposition exceptionally well. The Wren Enigma is a fresh take on classic tropes, a novel ready to thrill and entertain. |
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A psychopath attempts to enter the literary world but an editor's rejection triggers a series of murders connected to London's bookish history.
The killer leads Vance and Shepherd astray with brilliant countermoves, leaving the police officers chasing shadows. The maniac's ultimate move is to achieve his vendetta against the editor who dismissed his alter ego. So, who will win the cat and mouse game: the police or the madman?
The killer leads Vance and Shepherd astray with brilliant countermoves, leaving the police officers chasing shadows. The maniac's ultimate move is to achieve his vendetta against the editor who dismissed his alter ego. So, who will win the cat and mouse game: the police or the madman?
After a surge of stabbings in London, DCI Jacob Vance is drawn into a complex investigation surrounding the Brotherhood: a shadowy organization manipulating youths into violence.
With DCI Brittany Shepherd at his side, Vance tracks the Brotherhood’s secret meetings and high-society schemes of political corruption. As they close in on a powerful barrister and his aristocratic wife, the detectives become targets of assassins determined to silence them.
As the Brotherhood’s grip tightens, Vance and Shepherd are forced into a desperate race against time. Can they bring the masterminds to justice before the city descends into chaos?
A fast-paced, suspenseful crime thriller, THE LONDON KNIFE MURDERS is the eighth book in John Broughton's Vance and Shepherd Mysteries series.
With DCI Brittany Shepherd at his side, Vance tracks the Brotherhood’s secret meetings and high-society schemes of political corruption. As they close in on a powerful barrister and his aristocratic wife, the detectives become targets of assassins determined to silence them.
As the Brotherhood’s grip tightens, Vance and Shepherd are forced into a desperate race against time. Can they bring the masterminds to justice before the city descends into chaos?
A fast-paced, suspenseful crime thriller, THE LONDON KNIFE MURDERS is the eighth book in John Broughton's Vance and Shepherd Mysteries series.
What they are saying: I recently came across The London Knife Murders and was captivated by the intricate plot and fast-paced suspense. The dynamic between DCI Jacob Vance and DCI Brittany Shepherd, combined with the exploration of the Brotherhood’s sinister influence, makes this installment a compelling read for crime and thriller enthusiasts.
The way the narrative intertwines political corruption, high-society intrigue, and a race against time showcases the author’s talent for keeping readers on the edge of their seats. It’s clear this series has strong potential to engage both existing fans and new readers of the genre. Amanda McCall
The way the narrative intertwines political corruption, high-society intrigue, and a race against time showcases the author’s talent for keeping readers on the edge of their seats. It’s clear this series has strong potential to engage both existing fans and new readers of the genre. Amanda McCall
BOOK 9 in the Vance and Shepherd series
At 3 am a thief thwarts security to steal objects of occult-oriented science from the John Dee collection in the Enlightenment Hall of the British Museum. His aim is to contact otherworldly spirits to obtain power and wealth for himself. The first victim is a security guard, but the thief’s ambitions lead to other deaths as he attempts to obey the dark forces he has unleashed. Chief Inspectors Vance and Shepherd find themselves drawn into the world of black magic as they race against time to identify the culprit and prevent more murders.
At 3 am a thief thwarts security to steal objects of occult-oriented science from the John Dee collection in the Enlightenment Hall of the British Museum. His aim is to contact otherworldly spirits to obtain power and wealth for himself. The first victim is a security guard, but the thief’s ambitions lead to other deaths as he attempts to obey the dark forces he has unleashed. Chief Inspectors Vance and Shepherd find themselves drawn into the world of black magic as they race against time to identify the culprit and prevent more murders.
Vance and Shepherd are drawn into an investigation involving the discovery and pursuit of an incredibly valuable Russian imperial Fabergé egg. Following a trail of deaths and death threats, they almost incidentally dismantle an art trafficking syndicate and the Sicilian mafia, which has infiltrated London. Pursuit of the egg is a chimera that takes Vance to Monaco, Paris and the USA before an unpredictable but, at the same time, satisfying conclusion to the case.
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The London Art Murders (Vance And Shepherd Mysteries Book 10)
by John Broughton (Goodreads Author) Réal Laplaine's review Dec 22, 2025 it was amazing The London Art Murders: (Vance And Shepherd Mysteries Book 10) by John Broughton, is textbook Sherlock Holmes style detective work from start to finish. This story twists and turns through dark alleys, jumping borders and casting the reader into the dark pits of the criminal world - all for just one prize - a Faberge Egg worth millions. Filled with suspense, murder and mystery, the book also tells the story of human graft and greed, the extent to which people will go to gain wealth, at the expense of any moral compass - if in fact they have any principles left. This is a good read, not gory, not bloody, just good police procedural with a surprising twist at the end that you will never figure out ahead of time. Good reading! |
What they're saying: I recently came across The London Art Murders and was instantly captivated by its premise. The fusion of fine art, high-stakes deception, and international crime gives this instalment of the Vance and Shepherd Mysteries a cinematic intensity that’s hard to resist. The Fabergé egg mystery feels both timeless and fresh a brilliant hook that draws readers straight into the underbelly of the art world.
The author’s ability to balance sharp procedural detail with richly atmospheric storytelling makes this series stand out among modern detective fiction.
Gloria Smithson
The author’s ability to balance sharp procedural detail with richly atmospheric storytelling makes this series stand out among modern detective fiction.
Gloria Smithson
