Hard Rain (Sample chapters)

Ruth visits the Cave Rescue leader in his home to discuss the body found in the cave, where she hears about another suspicious death…

This is the final free sample of Hard Rain.

Paperback/Kindle/Audiobook on Amazon

Link to Audiobook on Apple Books 

Ruth is called to the scene of a cave rescue, where a group of boys from a spelunking club are overdue.

All the info about Hard Rain is here.

And sample chapter!

Because of the indeterminate length* of the quality assurance process, the audiobook version of Hard Rain has dropped. It’s already available through Audible/Amazon as well as Apple Books. Links below.

Meanwhile, here’s a sample chapter (note that there is a short Prologue, not included here):

Blurb:

The Lake District, 1957. DS Ruth Rambler, recently promoted to CID, has her first murder case. The body of a well-dressed young man has been found, shoeless, in a cave. Who was he, and how did he get there?

Her investigations take her all over the National Park—and to the coast, where the nuclear research facility at Windscale is still expanding. Could the man in the cave have something to do with the elusive head of security? What secrets are hidden in the smoke that begins to billow from one of the chimneys?

Apple Books https://books.apple.com/gb/audiobook/hard-rain-unabridged/id1893453629 (I don’t know how to get links for other territories, sorry).

Amazon https://amzn.eu/d/06KVaewe

Amazon https://a.co/d/04C9ainw

Amazon https://a.co/d/00nkCMCq

Amazon https://amzn.asia/d/0i8vOZ4M

The paperback and ebook versions will be published on 20th April 2026, and the ebook is available for pre-order now.

Read more about Hard Rain here.

*They warn you it takes 10 days — on this occasion it took 15, and at one point I feared rejection on technical grounds because it appeared there was a problem. But I think the problem was Easter question mark.

Note that I will not be uploading the entire book at this time, just a few sample chapters, so the curious can get a feel for it. If you want to hear the whole thing, links are below.

Here’s the link to Apple Books

Amazon US

Amazon UK

Amazon AU

Amazon CA

I didn’t take the time to re-export with intro music like I did for Codename Hirondelle, so this is the barebones Chapter 1 that follows on from the Prologue (previously posted—or mostly, as part of the sample).

Note that I will not be uploading the entire book at this time, just a few sample chapters, so the curious can get a feel for it. If you want to hear the whole thing, links are below.

Here’s the link to Apple Books

Amazon US

Amazon UK

Amazon AU

Amazon CA

Type Thief, set in #earlymodern Europe, is the tale of a beautiful typeface created in Venice for exclusive use by the Vatican. But the apprentice tasked with delivering the type to Rome decides instead to head north… Type Thief tells the story of what happens to the apprentice, and the type, as it journeys from Venice to Antwerp and beyond… Meanwhile, in the present day, a book collector traces its journey through the rare books and prints that survive.

The audiobook is narrated by me, and comes in at 9hrs and 24 minutes of *solid* entertainment. It’s available from Amazon, Audible, and Apple Books.

Here’s the link to Apple Books

Amazon US

Amazon UK

Amazon AU

Amazon CA

And below is a sample chapter. (I won’t do the whole thing as a podcast this time, but I might make 2-3 chapters available over the next week or so)

In this final chapter, Jack tells Ruth about Paulette and they think about the future.

Thanks for listening. Please support my work, and this blog, by buying a copy of Codename Hirondelle (or one of my other books) direct from me (see link above), or from Amazon:

Links:
Amazon UK
Amazon US
Amazon CA
Amazon AU

If you enjoy one of my books, please rate and review etc. It really means a lot!

Chapter 31. It’s time for the traditional Lake District Sports at Rydal. But where is Jack?

This is the penultimate chapter. The last episode will be posted tomorrow.

Please support my work, and this blog, by buying a copy of Codename Hirondelle (or one of my other books) direct from me (see link above), or from Amazon:

Links:
Amazon UK
Amazon US
Amazon CA
Amazon AU

If you enjoy one of my books, please rate and review etc. It really means a lot!

Chapter 30. Jack draws some lines on a map as everything becomes clear.

Please support my work, and this blog, by buying a copy of Codename Hirondelle (or one of my other books) direct from me (see link above), or from Amazon:

Links:
Amazon UK
Amazon US
Amazon CA
Amazon AU

If you enjoy one of my books, please rate and review etc. It really means a lot!

Chapter 29. Ruth takes Jack to the scene of one of the mutilations.

Please support my work, and this blog, by buying a copy of Codename Hirondelle (or one of my other books) direct from me (see link above), or from Amazon:

Links:
Amazon UK
Amazon US
Amazon CA
Amazon AU

If you enjoy one of my books, please rate and review etc. It really means a lot!