Playing For The Ashes - A must-read mystery featuring Lynley, now appearing on BBC1 and iPlayer

The seventh novel in the bestselling series that inspired BBC's Lynley

When the body of England's leading batsman, Kenneth Fleming, is discovered in the burnt-out shell of a country cottage, it looks like a clear-cut case of arson.

Further investigation, however, reveals an almost embarrassing multitude of suspects for murder: from Fleming's lover to his son, nearly everyone in contact with Fleming seems to have a motive - and an opportunity.

Inspector Lynley and his partner, Barbara Havers, are called in from Scotland Yard to help the local police force. What awaits them is a torment of twisted familial relationships and broken dreams - and as Lynley seeks to bring the murderer to justice, he must bear the weight of his own conscience.

Praise for Playing for the Ashes

'Brilliant . . . Deeply shocking'
The Times

'An adult and meaty crime story revolving around the perfect murder'
Daily Mail

'A treat . . . Unsentimental but heartbreaking, with complex characters and a sense of the sadness of life, this book is a treasure'
Cosmopolitan

'Another tour de force from one of today's best storytellers'
Booklist