Chief Inspector Shadow Mystery

When the bodies of a young, homeless girl and a girl who disappeared 30 years ago are found on the same day, residents in the historic city of York are aghast. It seems unlikely the two cases are related, and yet some of the same players knew both victims. As Detective Chief Inspector John Shadow and his eager new partner, Sergeant Jimmy Chang, dive into their investigation, they uncover a complicated web of pop stars, pub owners, shopkeepers, and old school friends who each have something to hide.

Detective Chief Inspector John Shadow is doing his best to ignore the madness of York's annual Viking Festival when duty calls. The body of a wealthy businessman, who was playing the role of the Viking king, is found slain by his own ancient sword. The murder scene looks staged, but before Shadow can compile a list of people to question a second body is found. Shadow doesn't have to look far for suspects—the victims were by no means model citizens.

This Halloween, the notorious rivalry between York's iconic ghost walk tour guides spirals out of control when the body of one guide dressed as the infamous highwayman Dick Turpin is found hanging from a tree. A few days later, his partner, who plays Guy Fawkes, is killed by an explosion of gunpowder at their office. Detective Chief Inspector John Shadow is a man of contradictions. Although he would prefer to work alone, he is assisted by Sergeant Jimmy Chang. The two men investigate the murders that have York on edge. Are the murders the work of a madman or a business feud?

As Valentine's Day and Chinese New Year approach, the ancient city of York is busier than ever, and so is Detective Chief Inspector John Shadow. First, he has the theft of valuable Roman artifacts from a museum.

When Detective Chief Inspector John Shadow is called to Kirkdale Castle to investigate the death of a handsome racehorse trainer during a shooting party, he’s immersed in painful childhood memories. His father had been shot in the line of duty at Kirkdale, but his killer was never apprehended. Shadow suspects the two deaths may be linked and is determined to discover the truth, but dealing with the aristocracy is more complicated than he bargained for and the inhabitants of Kirkdale Castle are as unhelpful as ever.

Detective Chief Inspector John Shadow is reluctantly attending York Minster’s Advent Ceremony when the new Dean is taken ill after drinking wine. Was her allergic reaction a simple case of human error or could she have been poisoned? Shadow becomes suspicious when he learns someone else has died under similar circumstances. He begins to quietly investigate, but when the body of a young woman is recovered from the river, he knows he must act quickly. And this time, Shadow requires the help of someone from his past.

Chief Inspector John Shadow returns from a rare holiday to Italy but before he can unpack, he’s investigating the theft of an antique sabre. Everyone involved assumes it’s a prank, however later that evening, a reluctant Shadow attends the local pantomime—his least favorite form of entertainment—with his star struck sergeant. They watch stunned as Prince Charming dies on stage. Shadow suspects poison and launches an investigation. When he discovers the missing sabre backstage, Shadow realises the theft was no joke and the entire cast and crew are murder suspects.

Chief Inspector Shadow is investigating an act of vandalism in the ruins of St Mary’s Abbey and several random break-ins around York when he’s called out to a moorland village. A wealthy but eccentric businessman, obsessed with Saxon history, has been found dead. Adding to the confusion, the victim’s study’s been ransacked and there’s a second burglary in the village and vandalism in the churchyard. Are all the cases related? Initially, the death seems centered around an ancient Saxon treasure trove and missing parchment map.