A Lucy Harford Narrowboat Mystery
Book 2 in the Lucy Harford Mysteries
Dear Mystery Friends, Lucy’s second adventure, Hidden Secrets, takes our narrowboat detective to the honey-stone small town of Burybridge, where ancient Saxon secrets collide with her own family history. If you thought mysteries couldn’t get more personal, you’re in for quite a surprise.
She came to paint the canals. She stayed to solve a murder.
Lucy Harford’s narrowboat journey brings her to Burybridge during the town’s heritage festival, where she discovers something impossible: her late great grandmother’s photograph among wartime heroes. Great Gran never mentioned living in Burybridge. She never spoke of the Heritage Preservation Corps. She never explained why the Saxon Whetstone—Burybridge’s most valuable artefact—disappeared on her watch.
Now historian Maggie Thornton lies dead in the abbey where she was researching that very theft. The police suspect Lucy. The town suspects everyone. And someone is desperate to ensure the past stays buried.
With cryptic clues hidden in vintage cookbooks, suspicious locals conducting their own investigations, and a helpful librarian who may be too helpful, Lucy must navigate a maze of family secrets and small-town lies. Her journalist friend Emma uncovers wartime betrayals. Bookshop owner Tom interprets coded recipes. And Sir Meows-a-Lot, Lucy’s ginger cat, has an uncanny knack for helping find evidence—and causing chaos in the process.
As Lucy pieces together what her great grandmother’s generation tried to hide, she realizes the killer isn’t just protecting the past. They’re eliminating anyone who gets too close to the truth.
In Burybridge, heritage isn’t just celebrated—it’s deadly.
FAQ: Hidden Secrets
Q: Can I read Hidden Secrets without reading Scarecrow Secrets first?
A: While each book contains a complete mystery, you’ll get more from the character development and relationships if you start with Scarecrow Secrets (Book 1). The series builds on Lucy’s personal journey and her growing confidence as an amateur detective.
Q: What’s different about Book 2 in the series?
A: Hidden Secrets deepens Lucy’s character by connecting her to a mystery involving her own family history. Set in the honey-stone historic small town of Burybridge, it explores wartime secrets and Saxon heritage, making this case deeply personal for Lucy.
Q: Are these books historically accurate?
A: Yes! Drawing on research into wartime England and Saxon heritage, the historical elements are carefully woven into the mystery. The author’s background as a country parson provides authentic insight into village life and community dynamics.
Q: What’s the Heritage Festival mentioned in the book?
A: The annual Heritage Festival in Burybridge celebrates the village’s Saxon history and wartime heritage. These authentic English small-town and village festivals provide the perfect backdrop for both community celebration and hidden tensions that lead to murder.
Q: How does the narrowboat lifestyle work in different settings?
A: Lucy’s narrowboat The Curious Cat allows her to moor in different locations along England’s canal network. Each location offers new characters, local customs, and unique mysteries while maintaining the cozy atmosphere readers love.
Q: Will we learn more about Lucy’s police background?
A: Yes! Each book reveals more about Lucy’s past, including the career-ending injury that led her to narrowboat life. Hidden Secrets particularly explores how her investigative skills remain sharp despite her new peaceful lifestyle.
Q: What can readers expect from the Saxon artefact mystery?
A: The missing Whetstone of Burybridge ties present-day murder to wartime secrets, creating a complex mystery that spans generations. It showcases how the past refuses to stay buried in small English villages.
Readers of these series will love Lucy Harford:
- Faith Martin’s Hillary Greene – Both feature detectives living on narrowboats and solving village mysteries
- M.C. Beaton’s Agatha Raisin – Strong female characters uncovering secrets in close-knit communities
- Louise Penny’s Inspector Gamache – Though set in Canada, similar village atmosphere and character depth
- Agatha Christie’s Miss Marple – Classic village mystery tradition with keen observation and local knowledge
Sir Meows-a-Lot Returns
Once again, Lucy’s observant ginger tabby Sir Meows-a-Lot proves invaluable in uncovering clues. This former stray with brilliant green eyes continues to demonstrate his uncanny ability to appear exactly where evidence is hidden, bringing Lucy crucial discoveries and leading her to important locations through persistent guidance.
In Burybridge’s ancient streets and Saxon chapel, Sir Meows-a-Lot’s fearless exploration and street-smart instincts help navigate the village’s carefully guarded heritage secrets. His timing remains almost supernatural—providing perfectly-timed comic relief during tense moments while offering silent support when Lucy faces difficult revelations about her own family’s past.
The Curious Cat Explores New Waters
Lucy’s floating home The Curious Cat finds a temporary mooring in picturesque Burybridge for the annual Heritage Festival. This 40-foot narrowboat, painted deep blue with traditional crimson and gold roses and castles, continues to serve as both sanctuary and mobile base of operations.
The boat’s cosy interior—with its warming multi-fuel stove, compact galley, and forward cabin that doubles as Lucy’s painting studio—provides the perfect retreat after days spent exploring Burybridge’s Saxon heritage sites and unravelling the village’s wartime mysteries. The narrowboat’s freedom allows Lucy to follow her art and investigate mysteries across England’s waterways, though some villages hold darker secrets than others.
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P. Thompson - Cozy Mystery Author 