Queens of Mystery

Murder in the Dark finds the newly promoted DS Matilda Stone dispatched to Hiddledean Hall where all three of her aunts are attending the 15th Wildermarsh Crime Writer's Festival. In a crime as strange as the fiction on display, the prestigious Golden Pick Axe Award has been found buried in the head of a prize nominee, and pages from his latest manuscript have been stolen. Everyone present is a suspect, from the rival nominees – including Matilda's Aunt Beth – to hot headed agents and slimy publishers. Or does the solution to the crime lie in the fictional story that someone has gone to such extreme lengths to hide?

With another killing and Beth a suspect, Mattie races to solve the case and clear her aunt's name. Was it Oscar's publisher, who was skimming off the top? His literary agent, who was at risk of losing Oscar's contract to a rival? Or a fellow author, whom Oscar had accused of plagiarizing?

Death by Vinyl gives an insight into Cat Stone's years in an 80s new wave girl band and her love affair with Nikki Holler, its lead singer. "Volcanic Youth" and their entourage have been invited to record a reunion album t an exclusive retreat not far from Wildermarsh – but it's not long before one of them is found dead in the studio… strangled with a microphone cord. Matilda begins her investigations and soon becomes aware of motives for murder buried in the band's past. Only by teaming up with veteran ex-band member, Aunt Cat, can Matilda piece the fragments of these scattered lives together. But in assisting Matilda to nail the killer, Cat must confront the tragedies of her own past – emotions she'd buried decades ago.

Mattie investigates a new victim: the band's manager, who was stabbed in the back with a kitchen knife. While searching for clues, Mattie finds the recording the lead singer made right before she died, but an incident from the past may be the key to solving the case.

The stage adaptation of Jane's book endures numerous snafus before opening night: electrical problems, feuding cast members, and a notorious arts critic writing a potentially bad review. Meanwhile, Mattie searches for new clues in the case of her missing mother, but an onstage murder brings her to the theatre.

Contending with another murder and a missing lead actress, the theatre company is forced to switch up the cast, but their production is a mess. Despite Mattie's objections, Beth and Cat continue to pursue leads on their own.