Who should be hobnobbing with the great and the good at a Buckingham Palace garden party but little Miss Emily Seeton, retired teacher and artistic sleuth. It seems there may be a traitor amongst HM’s faithful retainers.

But while Miss Seeton is viewing shrunken heads and other royal treasures with Sir Wormelow Tump, a plan is being hatched by a titled crook to steal valuables of a different kind – a fabulous set of Lalique jewellery. So the battling brolly must make the most of her royal appointment and literally ‘use her head’ to save the day.

Serene amidst every kind of skulduggery, this eccentric English spinster steps in where Scotland Yard stumbles, armed with nothing more than her sketchpad and umbrella!


Miss Seeton Sings

by Heron Carvic

Published 31 December 1973

It's 'set an artist to catch an artist' . . .

When a flood of perfectly faked banknotes hits the market, retired art teacher Miss Emily Seeton, the Yard's famed 'MissEss', is chosen to investigate a respected Geneva bank. Somehow, the forger is also mixed up in the theft of valuable paintings.

But Miss S. is new to air travel - surely the names Geneva and 'Genova' must be the same place? Bamboozling both the crooks and the police who vainly try to keep tabs on her, innocently humming the fraudsters' musical password, she trips gaily along the dangerous trail.

Serene amidst every kind of skullduggery, this eccentric English spinster steps in where Scotland Yard stumbles, armed with nothing more than her sketchpad and umbrella!

What people are saying about Miss Seeton:

"Miss Seeton is a hoot! I was torn between laughter and eye rolling with each page turn. The characters are loveable and thoroughly British. This is a perfect specimen of classic British mystery."

"What a joy Miss Seeton is. Why did I wait so long to read them? Splashy characters, lovely setting, and just plain funny."

"I've become a Miss Ess addict. Great characters that get better with each book. A must for anyone who loves a good British cozy with a twist, and surprising revelations of what a good brollie can do in a pinch."

"What a great series. This is one of the best in English light reading mysteries."

"Miss Seeton is a delightful sendup of the amateur sleuth. If your doctor has prescribed laughter as the best medicine, run and buy the entire series as fast as you can."

Editorial reviews:

"A most beguiling protagonist!" New York Times

"Miss Seeton gets into wild drama with fine touches of farce . . . This is a lovely mixture of the funny and the exciting." San Francisco Chronicle

"This is not so much black comedy as black-currant comedy . . . You can't stop reading. Or laughing." The Sun

"Depth of description and lively characters bring this English village to life." Publishers Weekly

"Fun to be had with a full cast of endearingly zany villagers . . . and the ever gently intuitive Miss Seeton." Kirkus Reviews

"Miss Seeton is the most delightfully satisfactory character since Miss Marple." Ogden Nash

"I think, on the whole, Miss Seeton is the most loveable and entertaining of any of today's fiction detectives. May she live forever." London Mystery Selection


Picture Miss Seeton

by Heron Carvic and Carvic Heron

Published 1 July 1988

"Actually-" Oh, dear, this was most embarrassing. It sounded so-so aggressive. But she must be exact. "Actually I was a little angry-at his rudeness, you know-so I poked him in the back..."

When Miss Seeton walks out after a performance of Carmen and witnesses a real-life stabbing, all she can recall is a shadowy figure. But how could she have guessed that her latest artistic endeavour is a picture-perfect portrait of the killer?

Her sketch puts her in a perilous position, for back at her recently inherited cottage in Plummergen village, she's fated to be a sitting duck . . . for murder most foul!

Meet Miss Emily D. Seeton: this retired art teacher steps in where Scotland Yard stumbles. Armed with only her sketch pad and umbrella, she is every inch an eccentric English spinster and the most lovable and unlikely master of detection.

What people are saying about Miss Seeton:

"Miss Seeton is a hoot! I was torn between laughter and eye rolling with each page turn. The characters are loveable and thoroughly British. This is a perfect specimen of classic British mystery."

"What a joy Miss Seeton is. Why did I wait so long to read them? Splashy characters, lovely setting, and just plain funny."

"I've become a Miss Ess addict. Great characters that get better with each book. A must for anyone who loves a good British cozy with a twist, and surprising revelations of what a good brollie can do in a pinch."

"What a great series. This is one of the best in English light reading mysteries."

"Miss Seeton is a delightful sendup of the amateur sleuth. If your doctor has prescribed laughter as the best medicine, run and buy the entire series as fast as you can."

Editorial reviews:

"A most beguiling protagonist!" New York Times

"Miss Seeton gets into wild drama with fine touches of farce . . . This is a lovely mixture of the funny and the exciting." San Francisco Chronicle

"This is not so much black comedy as black-currant comedy . . . You can't stop reading. Or laughing." The Sun

"Depth of description and lively characters bring this English village to life." Publishers Weekly

"Fun to be had with a full cast of endearingly zany villagers . . . and the ever gently intuitive Miss Seeton." Kirkus Reviews

"Miss Seeton is the most delightfully satisfactory character since Miss Marple." Ogden Nash

"I think, on the whole, Miss Seeton is the most loveable and entertaining of any of today's fiction detectives. May she live forever." London Mystery Selection


Odds on Miss Seeton

by Heron Carvic

Published 31 December 1976

At the roulette table an elderly, ludicrously made-up woman in dazzling diamonds is making a killing. Who would guess the bejewelled high roller is actually retired art teacher Miss Emily Seeton, in disguise to help capture a mysterious crime boss?

Miss S. must get a good look at the crook's face to produce a sketch for the police, a simple task surely. It's not her fault things escalate, and after half-blinding one baddie with the tail of her mink stole and whacking another with her handbag, she's soon gambling for the very highest stakes - her own life.

Serene amidst every kind of skullduggery, this eccentric English spinster steps in where Scotland Yard stumbles, armed with nothing more than her sketchpad and umbrella!

What people are saying about Miss Seeton:

"Miss Seeton is a hoot! I was torn between laughter and eye rolling with each page turn. The characters are loveable and thoroughly British. This is a perfect specimen of classic British mystery."

"What a joy Miss Seeton is. Why did I wait so long to read them? Splashy characters, lovely setting, and just plain funny."

"I've become a Miss Ess addict. Great characters that get better with each book. A must for anyone who loves a good British cozy with a twist, and surprising revelations of what a good brollie can do in a pinch."

"What a great series. This is one of the best in English light reading mysteries."

"Miss Seeton is a delightful sendup of the amateur sleuth. If your doctor has prescribed laughter as the best medicine, run and buy the entire series as fast as you can."

Editorial reviews:

"A most beguiling protagonist!" New York Times

"Miss Seeton gets into wild drama with fine touches of farce . . . This is a lovely mixture of the funny and the exciting." San Francisco Chronicle

"This is not so much black comedy as black-currant comedy . . . You can't stop reading. Or laughing." The Sun

"Depth of description and lively characters bring this English village to life." Publishers Weekly

"Fun to be had with a full cast of endearingly zany villagers . . . and the ever gently intuitive Miss Seeton." Kirkus Reviews

"Miss Seeton is the most delightfully satisfactory character since Miss Marple." Ogden Nash

"I think, on the whole, Miss Seeton is the most loveable and entertaining of any of today's fiction detectives. May she live forever." London Mystery Selection


Witch Miss Seeton

by Heron Carvic

Published 1 January 1988

A sudden interest in the occult swept through the English village of Plummergen.

Ouija boards were replacing the best china in many a cozy cottage. It might be quite the thing for maiden ladies and persnickity aunts, but it wasn't Miss Seeton's cup of tea . . . until Scotland Yard requested she go undercover to investigate sinister shenanigans in the Kentish countryside.

A flim-flam was afoot in the local witches' coven - and magic could be a prelude to murder most foul.

Serene amidst every kind of skullduggery, retired art teacher Miss Seeton steps in where Scotland Yard stumbles. Armed with nothing more than her sketchpad and umbrella, she is at every turn the most lovable and unlikely master of detection.

What people are saying about Miss Seeton:

"Miss Seeton is a hoot! I was torn between laughter and eye rolling with each page turn. The characters are loveable and thoroughly British. This is a perfect specimen of classic British mystery."

"What a joy Miss Seeton is. Why did I wait so long to read them? Splashy characters, lovely setting, and just plain funny."

"I've become a Miss Ess addict. Great characters that get better with each book. A must for anyone who loves a good British cozy with a twist, and surprising revelations of what a good brollie can do in a pinch."

"What a great series. This is one of the best in English light reading mysteries."

"Miss Seeton is a delightful sendup of the amateur sleuth. If your doctor has prescribed laughter as the best medicine, run and buy the entire series as fast as you can."

Editorial reviews:

"A most beguiling protagonist!" New York Times

"Miss Seeton gets into wild drama with fine touches of farce . . . This is a lovely mixture of the funny and the exciting." San Francisco Chronicle

"This is not so much black comedy as black-currant comedy . . . You can't stop reading. Or laughing." The Sun

"Depth of description and lively characters bring this English village to life." Publishers Weekly

"Fun to be had with a full cast of endearingly zany villagers . . . and the ever gently intuitive Miss Seeton." Kirkus Reviews

"Miss Seeton is the most delightfully satisfactory character since Miss Marple." Ogden Nash


Miss Seeton Draws the Line

by Heron Carvic

Published 1 October 1988

Miss Seeton is most embarrassed . . .

Her every attempt at a portrait of little Effie Goffer has become a chilling picture of a corpse. Is Miss Seeton actually drawing a clue to a series of child murders in rural England?

Scotland Yard thinks so, and wants Miss Seeton to turn from sketching . . . to catching a killer skilled in a very deadly art.

Retired art teacher Miss Seeton steps in where Scotland Yard stumbles. Armed with only her sketch pad and umbrella, she is every inch an eccentric English spinster and at every turn the most lovable and unlikely master of detection.


Have the smugglers made a grave mistake?

Customs & Excise are tracking a gang of cigar-smugglers who operate on the quiet Kent coast near Plummergen, home to retired art teacher Miss Emily Seeton. Their attempt at a midnight ambush goes wrong, and a man is found dead.

As Miss Seeton sketches the most notorious tomb in Plummergen churchyard – the one built for 19th-century smuggler Abraham Voller – she meets a young American tourist. He claims to be a descendant of the Voller family, but is he a truly innocent ancestor-hunter, or do smugglers inherit their trade?

When the school concert includes a performance of Kipling’s “A Smuggler’s Song” it begins to seem that everyone is at it ... but we can rely on Miss Seeton to ensure that the police will get their man, and the smugglers’ dreams will go up in smoke!

Serene amidst every kind of skulduggery, this eccentric English spinster steps in where Scotland Yard stumbles, armed with nothing more than her sketchpad and umbrella.


Hands Up Miss Seeton

by Hamilton Crane

Published 1 January 1992

Miss Seeton accused! The kindly Miss Seeton? A thief? A preposterous notion - until the lovable spinster mistakes tomato ketchup for blood . . . and the "wounded" man she's trying to help is robbed by a pickpocket. In a flurry of confusion, Mis Seeton is accused of being the thief's accomplice! And in the hands of the London police, our unlikely jailbird uncovers a veritable nest of crime . . .

Serene amidst every kind of skullduggery, this eccentric English spinster steps in where Scotland Yard stumbles, armed with nothing more than her sketchpad and umbrella!

What people are saying about Miss Seeton:

"Miss Seeton is a hoot! I was torn between laughter and eye rolling with each page turn. The characters are loveable and thoroughly British. This is a perfect specimen of classic British mystery."

"What a joy Miss Seeton is. Why did I wait so long to read them? Splashy characters, lovely setting, and just plain funny."

"I've become a Miss Ess addict. Great characters that get better with each book. A must for anyone who loves a good British cozy with a twist, and surprising revelations of what a good brollie can do in a pinch."

"What a great series. This is one of the best in English light reading mysteries."

"Miss Seeton is a delightful sendup of the amateur sleuth. If your doctor has prescribed laughter as the best medicine, run and buy the entire series as fast as you can."

Editorial reviews:

"A most beguiling protagonist!" New York Times

"Miss Seeton gets into wild drama with fine touches of farce . . . This is a lovely mixture of the funny and the exciting." San Francisco Chronicle

"This is not so much black comedy as black-currant comedy . . . You can't stop reading. Or laughing." The Sun

"Depth of description and lively characters bring this English village to life." Publishers Weekly

"Fun to be had with a full cast of endearingly zany villagers . . . and the ever gently intuitive Miss Seeton." Kirkus Reviews

"Miss Seeton is the most delightfully satisfactory character since Miss Marple." Ogden Nash

"I think, on the whole, Miss Seeton is the most loveable and entertaining of any of today's fiction detectives. May she live forever." London Mystery Selection


Miss Seeton's Finest Hour

by Hamilton Crane

Published 31 December 1999
When art teacher Miss Seeton answers her country's call to duty during World War II, her life changes dramatically. Armed with a sketch pad, she becomes the most unlikely master of detection in this, her first mystery -- and finest hour.

Lucky Miss Seeton! A modest Premium Bond win means a whole week in legendary Glastonbury. She can draw and drink in the surroundings, just what she needs for her scene-painting role in the village production of ‘Camelot’.

By coincidence, the kidnapped Heir to an industrial family may be hidden around there and Chief Superintendent Delphick has asked the ex-art teacher to create some of her famous, insightful sketches. Even he is nonplussed by the resulting images of capering sheep in straitjackets, flashing false teeth!

But the Heir is in danger, a murderer is lurking, and the first victim may not be the last. Then fortune favours Miss Seeton again, her raffle ticket winning her a hot air balloon flight, and well, it’s just amazing what you can see from above . . .

Serene amidst every kind of skulduggery, this eccentric English spinster steps in where Scotland Yard stumbles, armed with nothing more than her sketchpad and umbrella!


Miss Seeton returns! – a new original (the first in almost 20 years) for this classic series of humorous cosy mysteries created by Heron Carvic.

It’s practically a Royal Marriage! The highly eligible son of Miss Seeton’s old friends Sir George and Lady Colveden has wed the daughter of a French count.

Miss Seeton lends her talents to the village scheme to create a quilted ‘Bayeux Tapestry’ of local history, inspired by the wedding. But her intuitive sketches reveal a startlingly different perspective – involving buried Nazi secrets, and links to the mysterious death of a diplomat and to a South American dictator . . .

Serene amidst every kind of skulduggery, this eccentric English spinster steps in where Scotland Yard stumbles, armed with nothing more than her sketchpad and umbrella!