Primavera Blackstone Series

Book 1

Introducing new sleuth Primavera Blackstone in a thrilling new series from the bestselling Scottish crime author. Her mind filled with thoughts of her dead ex-husband Oz, Primavera Blackstone is settled in Spain with their son Tom, when their peace is shattered by the arrival of her formidable aunt. All is not well in Auntie Adrienne's world; her roguish son Frank is involved with a shady project, and is missing. Prim flies to Seville to track him down, only to find herself a fugitive, her life under threat, as her aunt joins the missing persons list...

Book 2

Blood Red

by Quintin Jardine

Published 27 May 2010

Primavera Blackstone is enjoying the quiet life in an idyllic village on the Catalan coast of Spain. The attractive single mother and eight-year-old Tom, son of the late and still lamented Oz Blackstone, are popular figures in the tiny community. But her close friendship with the parish priest has eyebrows rising and tongues wagging. Then a dispute explodes with a powerful councilman who refuses to allow the village wine fair to go ahead. When his body is found, head caved in, some ominous questions are asked.

As Easy as Murder

by Quintin Jardine

Published 5 January 2012

Evil stalks an idyllic retreat...A tranquil Spanish village by the sea is the perfect place for Primavera Blackstone to raise her ten-year-old Tom, son of the late lamented Oz, especially when they are joined by his nephew, tyro pro golfer Jonny Sinclair. But when her best friend Shirley introduces her new man, Patterson Cowling, he seems to be a trouble magnet. A casual thief tries to pick his pocket and is found a few days later with his face blown off. A bloody coincidence, or does Patterson Cowling have a past to protect? As the body count rises, and Primavera becomes den mother to an extended golfing family, it seems that homicide is par for the course, and that hazards lie in wait for everyone. Can she save the day, or is the game just too rough?

Blood Red

by Quintin Jardine

Published 7 January 2010

Primavera Blackstone becomes the prime suspect in the second breathtaking novel in a brilliant new series by bestselling Scottish crime writer Quintin Jardine. Primavera is enjoying the quiet life in an idyllic village on the Catalan coast of Spain. The attractive single mother and eight-year-old Tom, son of the late and still lamented Oz Blackstone, are popular figures in the tiny community. But her close friendship with the parish priest has eyebrows rising and tongues wagging. Then a dispute explodes with a powerful councillor who refuses to allow the village wine fair to go ahead. When his body is found, head caved in, some ominous questions are asked...

Inhuman Remains

by Quintin Jardine

Published 5 February 2009

Shock!: Oz Blackstone has died and his feisty, tough-talking ex-wife enters centre stage. Primavera Blackstone takes the lead in this thrilling new crime series. Her mind still filled with thoughts of her dead ex-husband, Primavera Blackstone is in Spain with son Tom when their peace is breached again with the arrival of her elderly but formidable aunt, Adrienne McGowan. All is not well in Auntie Ades world; her roguish son Frank has become involved with a shady international casino project and has disappeared. Prim flies to Seville to track him down, only to find herself a fugitive, with her life under threat, as her aunt joins the missing persons list, and Tom is forced to flee to safety. As she and her companion-in-danger cross Spain in a struggle to keep themselves alive, and to free Adrienne, Prim finds herself at the centre of a maelstrom of mystery...

Deadly Business (Primavera Blackstone series, Book 4)

by Quintin Jardine

Published 31 January 2013

There are some people you simply don't mess with...

The appearance of a mysterious writer disrupts Primavera Blackstone's carefully guarded world in Quintin Jardine's explosive crime novel Deadly Business. Perfect for fans of Ian Rankin and Peter May.

It's the Fiesta de San Juan in Spain, the national celebration of the Summer Solstice, and there's much excitement about a huge firework display in the village of St Marti. But Primavera Blackstone is more inflamed by the appearance of a mysterious writer, Duncan Culshaw, who is determined to rake through the ashes of her past. And when extortion and blackmail are mentioned, Primavera realises the heat is on.
Duncan has his fingers burned, playing fast and loose with the fiercely protective Prim, but when he marries a dying woman for her money, threatening the inheritance of Prim's son Tom, things are going to get explosive... but happily, there's a new guardian angel in town.

What readers are saying about Deadly Business:

'So many twists and turns that leave you hanging onto every word'

'A page turner from start to finish'

'I found it hard to put the book down until I had read it all. Well written and gripping'

As Serious As Death (Primavera Blackstone series, Book 5)

by Quintin Jardine

Published 7 November 2013

A blast from the present...

Primavera Blackstone faces problems from both her past and her present in Quintin Jardine's gripping mystery As Serious as Death. Perfect for fans of Ian Rankin and Peter Robinson.

Primavera Blackstone has found a hard-earned contentment in a small Spanish village by the sea. A fiercely protective single mother, she doesn't appreciate an offer of marriage. Nor does she welcome the arrival of a blast from her murky Scottish past, retired cop Ricky Ross, now a private detective and working for Jack Weighley, millionaire owner of a budget airline. Jack is a powerful, persuasive man with deep pockets, someone you don't say 'no' to without considering the consequences.

Primavera teams up with Ricky to investigate a series of mystery assaults on Jack's aircraft. Are they mere acts of vandalism, or the sinister work of Catalan extremists? When Ricky's car is fire-bombed and he narrowly escapes with his life, more questions arise... not least, why is the Spanish Special Branch involved? As Primavera and Ricky are drawn into events, and the body count rises, she begins to understand the true meaning of 'till death us do part'.

What readers are saying about As Serious as Death:

'An intriguing and involving read... with characters that are immediately familiar'

'Easy and engaging reading with clever plot development and intriguing twists and turns'

'Coupled with romance and intrigue, murder and general mayhem, [this] makes for a fantastic read'