Murder at Cramond

My new book, a Detective Hunter Wilson Mystery, Murder at Cramond, is out now and I wanted to share an extract with you to whet your appetite in the hope you might like to read more.

This book is unique in that there is a short story which forms a prequel, Cats and Dogs. It is contained in a collection of short stories, Hunter's Christmas. Of course, the novel can be read independently.

The Blurb

Three women targeted. Two dead. One chance to stop the killer.

Detective Hunter Wilson has just toasted his engagement to pathologist Dr Meera Sharma at Edinburgh's grandest hotel when the lift doors slide open.

She’s still alive.

Eileen Maguire is the third victim of a killer with a horrifying signature. The first was found in Ravelston Wood. The second on Cramond Beach.

Eileen is the only survivor — and Hunter’s only witness.

All she can give him is a name.

Frederick.

The Extract

“Well, I have just one more surprise for you.”

“Another one? Oh, Hunter,” she said.

“I’ve booked the honeymoon suite here for us tonight, and if everything has gone according to plan there should be a bottle of champagne chilling there for us. Shall we go upstairs and check?”

Hunter and Meera continued walking towards the elevators, and he pressed the button indicating they would be going up. They stood close together, gazing into each other’s eyes, but it was not long until the furthest lift arrived. They shifted slightly towards those doors and made room for anybody getting out.

Nobody got out.

A young woman lay motionless on the floor and the inside of the car was drenched in blood.

“Oh God, not another one,” Hunter said. He stared at the raw flesh in the sockets where the girl’s eyes should have been. What kind of monster would choose to murder someone this way? He turned away from the horrific sight of the young woman’s butchered face. He gagged. Then swallowed the bile. He daren’t contaminate the crime scene with his own vomit.

Meera knelt beside the victim and felt her wrist. “Hunter, this one is still alive. Call an ambulance. Do it now!”

Hunter immediately went into professional mode. He stepped a few yards away from the scene and called the ambulance. The soles of his shoes were covered in blood. Then he phoned Fettes police station. Desk Sergeant Charlie Middleton answered.

“Police Scotland, how can I help?”

“Charlie, the eye thief has struck again.”

"Fuck."

The Author

Val Penny’s crime novels, form the bestselling series of DI Wilson Series set in Edinburgh. She is an American author living in SW Scotland with her husband and their cat.