Cotswold Mysteries
6 primary works • 21 total works
Book 2
Thea Osborne embarks on her second house - sitting commission with very few worries. The Phillipses are obviously a laid back family. But she soon finds herself in the centre of the action when an apparent suicide takes place in one of the barns.
Book 3
Thea Osborne is thanking her lucky stars. After two disastrous house-sitting incidents in which she unwittingly became embroiled in murder and mayhem, she is only too happy to have a bit of time to concentrate on her blossoming relationship with DI Phil Hollis. The couple has retreated to Phil's late aunt's cottage in Cold Aston, and other than the odd interruption from his childhood acquaintance, the eccentric Ariadne, they look forward to some peace and quiet.
But the bad luck that plagues the hapless Thea and her beloved spaniel Hepzibah is never far away. With autumn drawing in, preparations for Samhain, the pagan origin of Halloween, are well underway when Ariadne discovers a very tangible reminder of the season of death: a body laid out like a sacrificial victim on Notgrove Barrow. It soon becomes apparent that the cosy village has more than its share of secrets. But just how far will some go to keep them hidden?
But the bad luck that plagues the hapless Thea and her beloved spaniel Hepzibah is never far away. With autumn drawing in, preparations for Samhain, the pagan origin of Halloween, are well underway when Ariadne discovers a very tangible reminder of the season of death: a body laid out like a sacrificial victim on Notgrove Barrow. It soon becomes apparent that the cosy village has more than its share of secrets. But just how far will some go to keep them hidden?
Book 5
Thea Osborne and her faithful spaniel, Hepzie, have taken on another house-sitting assignment, this time in the very quiet village of Temple Guiting. Detective Superintendent Phil Hollis is looking forward to visiting for a night or two and celebrating the couple's one year anniversary, but a slipped disk in Phil's back soon puts an end to their romantic weekend. As it turns out, having a policeman on the scene is not entirely unnecessary in the little village.A few days into their stay, a pile of human bones are discovered in the base of an uprooted tree. There is no concrete evidence as to who the bones belonged to though the locals all have their theories and rumours abound. Thea and Phil find there is a strong connection to the Knights Templar in the village with most locals claiming to be descendants of some or other lineage. Temple Guiting turns out to have more than its fair share of secrets and Thea and Phil find their relationship tested to the limits as they try to prevent another murder investigation from threatening the quiet solitude they hold so dear. Completely unputdownable, "Blood in the Cotswolds" is the fifth in Rebecca Tope's immensely popular series.
Book 8
Undertaker Drew Slocombe is not having a good day. His business is failing, the car needs an MOT and he's driving 120 miles to the Cotswolds to carry out the late Greta Simmonds' final wishes. Unfortunately, when he gets there, a string of bureaucratic mistakes means that he's now the chief suspect of a murder inquiry. He's beginning to wish he had never heard of Greta Simmonds. Thea Osborne and her loyal spaniel Hepzie are still pursuing their occupation as house-sitters, despite the disastrous incidents of the past. At the moment they are staying in Greta Simmonds' house, which is currently between ownership. Thea is torn between moving back home or waiting for the execution of the will. After all, she does have outstanding payments due. Then the discovery of a body in a nearby field takes the decision out of Thea's hands, and she finds herself embroiled in a murder investigation once again. Having befriended the police's only suspect, Drew Slocombe, Thea believes him to be innocent. As Thea and Drew work together to clear his name, it slowly dawns on them that in a village simmering with secrets, a means and a motive could be laid at anybody's door.
Set in the beautiful English countryside, readers will once again be enthralled and delighted with Thea's detective work, as she sets out to get to the bottom of the mystery.
Set in the beautiful English countryside, readers will once again be enthralled and delighted with Thea's detective work, as she sets out to get to the bottom of the mystery.
Book 9
In the wake of a series of unfortunate experiences house-sitting in the Cotswolds, Thea Osborne, accompanied by her spaniel Hepzibah, is perhaps over-optimistic about the English summertime and the possibilities of her latest assignment - house-sitting for transatlantic reptile breeder Harriet Young. However the region's bucolic charms prove to be more than deceptive, as Thea is thrust once more into the heart of a Cotswold mystery. Despite the ease with which Thea's new assignment in the secluded village of Cranham begins, she soon finds a dark side to the characters she encounters. From the elderly Donny Davis to the enigmatic figure of Edwina, Thea begins to realise that Harriet Young's beloved geckoes are not the only cold-blooded creatures at large in Cranham. Family intrigue, murder and suicide combine to give Thea a decidedly challenging summer in the Heart of England ...
Book 12
Thea Osborne hopes to spend a quiet Christmas house sitting for the Shepherds in the picturesque Cotswold village of Stanton. Walks in the local countryside with the dogs and perhaps a meal in the pub are all the excitement she wants. When her arrival at the village coincides with the funeral of local businessman Douglas Callendar found electrocuted in his bath, Thea's interest is piqued. When another villager is discovered brutally murdered the following day, Thea is thrust into the middle of yet another police investigation.
Thea Osborne is determined to avoid trouble during her latest commission house-sitting in the pretty Cotswold village of Daglingworth. Anticipating a relaxing two weeks spent looking after an old corgi and a hibernating tortoise, spiced with phone calls to boyfriend Drew Slocombe, Thea settles down quite contentedly - for about half a day. Until, that is, a dead body is discovered in a nearby quarry. Having encountered a group of environmental activists, Thea suspects the death might be a backlash from angry residents against their radical ways. And while she can empathise with the activists' views against wind farms, badger culls and building developments, Thea's not so sure about their violent methods. As real tensions begin to unravel, even Thea, a seasoned crime-solver, is surprised by the truth...
After three catastrophic housesitting commissions, filled with murder and intrigue, the Montgomery house in Blockley seems like a welcome break for fearless Thea and her trusty spaniel Hephzibah. The opportunity to explore the lost Cotswold villages, with only the minor hindrance of checking up on the client's mother, in the adjoining house, promises to be the perfect get away. But Granny Gladys Gardener, with her conveniently erratic memory and series of ailments that disappear as quickly as they arrive, is a force to be reckoned and is soon arousing Thea's suspicion. After all, why do the Montgomery's lock her connecting door to the house? And why do they set an alarm that goes off every time Granny goes out? Thea's concerns, however, soon turn to something more sinister when the arrival of her daughter, trainee policewoman Jessica, prompts the discovery of a body. Slowly the secrets of Blockley begin to unravel themselves to the Osborne women, but nothing in the village is quite what it seems. Up against the clock to try and solve another murder, with the added complications of her elderly charge, her daughter's career troubles and her deepening relationship with DI Phil Hollis, Thea is beginning to feel well and truly lost in the Cotswolds.
Following a string of disastrous house-sitting assignments, and an equally troubled personal life, Thea Osborne is understandably apprehensive about her latest commission: a wintry month in an isolated house with only an assortment of animals, including her loyal spaniel Hepzie, for company. With the summer lushness of the Cotswolds turned icy grey, Thea spends her first few days exploring the beautiful hamlet of Hampnett, meeting some of the locals. But then the weather turns extreme, and so do events. When she stumbles across a man lying dead in a snow-covered field, Thea finds herself once again at the heart of a mystery.
Thea Osborne, accompanied by her beloved spaniel Hepzie, has had her fair share of unfortunate occurrences while house-sitting, and her new assignment for the mysterious Yvonne Parker is no exception. The isolated and somewhat unsettling village of Snowshill has Thea on edge as soon as she arrives, and Hyacinth House - her new, rather cluttered home - does nothing to dispel such feelings. Soon enough, her intuition in this case proves to be right, and once again Thea becomes entangled in another mystery. Stevie Horsfall, a mischievous child from the village, is found strangled outside Hyacinth House, with his eccentric mother Gudrun as the prime suspect. Believing in Gudrun's innocence, Thea, alongside her friend Drew Slocombe and Sonia Gladwin, works to uncover a sinister plot, where seemingly separate lives are intertwined with secretive and strange relationships. This malicious web of suspects leads Thea through the lives of the villagers and their secrets, to London and beyond.
Nestled in the fertile hills of the Cotswolds, the village of Duntisbourne Abbots is a well-kept secret: beautiful, timeless and quintessentially English. When recently widowed Thea Osborne arrives to house-sit for a local couple, her only fear is that three weeks there might prove a little dull. Her first night's sleep at Brook View is broken by a piercing scream outside but she decides such things don't require investigation in a sleepy place like this. At least not until a body turns up... In calling on her neighbors to get some answers, Thea uncovers more tragedy and intrigue than she thought possible behind the peaceful Gloucestershire village. The first in a new series of thrillers to be set in the Cotswold area, A Cotswold Killing takes the reader on a tense journey along winding roads and muddy paths towards a dramatic and unexpected denouement.
Thea Osborne's latest house-sitting assignment is a little different to the rest. Along with her spaniel, Hepzie, Thea finds herself in the village of Chedworth. She is tasked with creating an inventory of Rita Wilshire's possessions, requested by her son, Richard Wilshire, after moving her into a care home. All goes to plan, until Thea and her fiancé, Drew Slocombe, find Richard dead in a barn.
When family members come knocking, Thea and Drew struggle to give them answers. The Wilshire family has its own past and, whilst Thea knows it is not really her business, she cannot help but become involved in the case. Was Richard's death suicide? Or something more sinister? When the clues lead them in circles, Thea's relationship with Drew is put to the test. But there is a crime to solve, and neither of them is willing to give up just yet.
When family members come knocking, Thea and Drew struggle to give them answers. The Wilshire family has its own past and, whilst Thea knows it is not really her business, she cannot help but become involved in the case. Was Richard's death suicide? Or something more sinister? When the clues lead them in circles, Thea's relationship with Drew is put to the test. But there is a crime to solve, and neither of them is willing to give up just yet.
Once again, there's death on her doorstep...
Thea throws herself into house-sitting for Babs and Cedric Angell in Lower Slaughter following her beloved father's death - anything to keep her busy and away from some of her rather difficult relatives. Although it's lonely, she has her spaniel, Hepzie, for company, and keeping the house in order and looking after the Angells' menagerie of animals does the trick for a short period of time.
But when Thea's prickly older sister turns up, after witnessing a horrific killing, the timeless tranquillity of Lower Slaughter vanishes, replaced by the sinister connotations of the town's name.
Thea throws herself into house-sitting for Babs and Cedric Angell in Lower Slaughter following her beloved father's death - anything to keep her busy and away from some of her rather difficult relatives. Although it's lonely, she has her spaniel, Hepzie, for company, and keeping the house in order and looking after the Angells' menagerie of animals does the trick for a short period of time.
But when Thea's prickly older sister turns up, after witnessing a horrific killing, the timeless tranquillity of Lower Slaughter vanishes, replaced by the sinister connotations of the town's name.
Thea and Drew have been married for a year and are settled in the village of Broad Campden, but Thea is chafing at the domestic routines she is expected to devote herself to, missing the novelty and adventure that house-sitting used to bring. When a routine burial exposes the secrets of the deceased, Drew finds himself caught in the middle of a family feud, in which he feels he is on the wrong side, and Thea's inquisitiveness and penchant for solving crimes draws her in too. With another crisis at Drew's other business leaving him with a profound dilemma and Thea struggling against the charismatic charms of a new man, can their marriage survive this latest Cotswold drama?
When Thea Osborne agrees at the last minute to house-sit for Oliver Meadows as a favour to her mother, she expects a few days of peace with her spaniel, Hepzie. Uncomfortable with the news of her mother's sudden involvement with an old flame, and Thea herself unsure of how to deal with her feelings for Drew Slocombe, she hopes that some time alone in the historic town of Winchcombe will help to clear her head. But, as usual, Thea quickly finds herself at the centre of a dark mystery when she discovers a dead body in the gardens of the house.
Thea Slocombe is trying to settle into normal family domestic life with Drew and his two children in Broad Campden. But any sense of cosy domesticity is shattered when Thea finds the body of a neighbour. No longer a house-sitter, Thea has no choice but to stay in the village and deal with whatever happens next, even when this risks damage to her marriage.
Unconvinced that the swift conclusion made about the death by the police is the right one, Thea is compelled to follow her nature and investigate herself. But what repercussions might there be for her, Drew and those with whom they share this corner of the Cotswolds?
Unconvinced that the swift conclusion made about the death by the police is the right one, Thea is compelled to follow her nature and investigate herself. But what repercussions might there be for her, Drew and those with whom they share this corner of the Cotswolds?
Thea Slocombe is struggling to entertain her stepchildren through the long summer holiday while her husband Drew works, so she keenly accepts a new job house-sitting in Barnsley, near Bibury. However, her commission proves to be far from relaxing when she stumbles across a woman hiding among some bushes. The woman's story is thin and incoherent, but Thea agrees to offer her sanctuary for the night.
When her guest is found dead the next morning Thea turns to the police for help, but their preoccupation with a major animal trafficking investigation means she is effectively on her own. As she digs deeper into the deceased's background, she discovers a tangled web of lies, secrets and at least three very likely suspects .
When her guest is found dead the next morning Thea turns to the police for help, but their preoccupation with a major animal trafficking investigation means she is effectively on her own. As she digs deeper into the deceased's background, she discovers a tangled web of lies, secrets and at least three very likely suspects .
It's Christmas, and things are looking good at the Slocombe house. Thea's daughter Jessica has come to stay, much to her stepdaughter Stephanie's delight. But then things take a turn for the worse. A local family, the Frowses, find themselves increasingly harassed by an aggressive landlord. When Beverley Frowse goes missing, Thea and Stephanie both feel they should do their best to help her husband and son to solve the mystery.
Christmas Day arrives. There are presents, a turkey, and general goodwill, despite Thea's suppressed hankering to be involved in events at the Frowses' house, where a dead man has been discovered ...
Christmas Day arrives. There are presents, a turkey, and general goodwill, despite Thea's suppressed hankering to be involved in events at the Frowses' house, where a dead man has been discovered ...
As spring returns to the Cotswolds, so too does Thea Solocombe to house-sitting. She has agreed to look after Lucy Sinclair's new home in Northleach while Lucy is away. Thea soon meets several of the locals and the neighbours who seem to irritate Lucy so much, and comes to the conclusion that Lucy is far from popular herself.
When a body is found in Northleach, Thea needs all her wits about her. The man's death is not as straightforward as it seems, and at the heart of the mystery are secrets betrayed and exacted revenge. Thea is once again caught up in the underhand dealings played out in the idyllic countryside.
When a body is found in Northleach, Thea needs all her wits about her. The man's death is not as straightforward as it seems, and at the heart of the mystery are secrets betrayed and exacted revenge. Thea is once again caught up in the underhand dealings played out in the idyllic countryside.
A handsome, if slightly shabby, stone house in Upper Oddington is home to Umberto Kingly, as well as his three dogs, and will be Thea Slocombe's latest house-sitting assignment. Without even a local shop, Thea expects the location to be one of her quietest, until the serene atmosphere is shattered with a fatal hit-and-run. The ensuing high-profile police investigation plunges Thea deep into the victim's complicated family dynamics and the rift that had already torn it apart. She cannot help wondering if the reverberations of scandal have led to a deliberate and murderous assault.