Publication Date: April 1, 2025
The Paris Apartment meets Only Murders in the Building in this debut murder mystery with an intriguing cast of characters inhabiting a quirky block of flats in modern-day London.
When a minor criminal is murdered in the smallest residential square in London, elderly heiress and landlady Celeste van Duren recruits two of her tenants to investigate. Her cleaner, Audrey, knows everyone and is liked by all, while failed writer Lewis is known by no one. He hates his job, hates his life, and he’s not that fond of Audrey either—but Celeste is persuasive.
As they hunt for clues in and around the Square, they discover everyone has something to hide, including their fellow residents. Audrey and Lewis must find a way to work together if they’re to find the killer in their midst. Assuming of course, there’s just the one . . .
Cozy crime enthusiasts will not be able to get enough of Marchfield Square and its residents.
Eighty-two-year-old Celeste van Duren proudly oversees the tenants in her small residential unit. She observes their comings and goings, always seeming to know what is happening. However, when one is murdered, she is determined to investigate.
Author Nicola Whyte delivers a cast of quirky characters in 10 Marchfield Square. Celeste hands over the investigation to two of her tenants, Audrey and Lewis. They soon discover that all their fellow residents have something to hide.
With the London setting, the story calls to mind the game of Clue. There’s a certain level of formality to the writing that creates a posh sort of atmosphere. The combination of Audrey and Lewis is unusual, given the contrast in their personalities. However, the fact that Lewis is a writer adds an extra layer to the story’s complexity because he’s actually inspired by the investigation.
As yet another body is discovered, the amateur sleuths continue to brainstorm until they arrive at an interesting theory. Ultimately, this cozy mystery will reveal a number of secrets, but it’s the killer’s identity that will send shockwaves throughout the square.
10 Marchfield Square gives readers a multi-faceted mystery that primarily unfolds through two narrators determined to find clues.
Nicola Whyte studied Drama at Aberystwyth University and spent many happy years as a bookseller before becoming a web developer. She now co-owns a digital agency in the southwest of England. Her work has been listed for the Comedy Women in Print Prize, the BPA First Novel Award, and the Cheshire Novel Prize. 10 Marchfield Square was named as runner-up in the 2023 Daily Mail First Novel Award. She lives near Stonehenge in Wiltshire with her family.
