"Bea Abbot overhears three men plotting a murder outside her garage, only to discover the intended victim - a young man who appears to be a rough sleeper - has been left there to die in freezing weather. Somewhat reluctantly, she gives him sanctuary but finds him unwilling to disclose his name or talk about his ordeal. Who is determined to kill the stranger, and why? As he begins to reveal his identity and the events that led to his being left for...

Attending a birthday celebration for two young girls, Bea Abbot tries not to let superstition get the better of her when she realizes that there are thirteen people at dinner. What she doesn't anticipate is that the evening will end in sudden, violent death. Chaos descends when a fire breaks out. While two members of the host family are rushed to the hospital, Bea and a fellow guest search for the birthday girls in a house which has been plunged into...

"Bea Abbot is looking forward to spending the summer with her fourteen-year-old ward, Bernice, but her plans go awry when one of Bernice's schoolfriends finds herself in trouble. Evelina Trescott's uncle has died in a mysterious accident at their country house, and her aunt, Mrs Trescott, is keen to hide Evelina away from the police. Evelina arrives on Bea's doorstep catatonic, heavily drugged up on epilepsy medication and unable to remember finding...

Bea Abbot's husband and talented artist, Piers, is in a state. His morning visit to actress and 'national treasure' Karina's Belgravia home has ended in chaos as Karina appears to have been robbed. When some of the missing items are found in Piers' pockets, Bea is dragged into the melee. But as she investigates, events take a chilling turn...

"Bea Abbot's friend Leon Holland has asked for her help in establishing an alibi. But why would he need one? First, he tells her, he had a narrow escape from being run down in the road, and then he was lured with a mysterious message to a car park to meet someone who didn't turn up. Matters escalate when two bodies are found in the car park, slumped over their steering wheels, stabbed to death. Then everything is thrown into chaos as a devastating...