Shadows In The Fog — Matthew Ward

In the atmospheric coastal town of Havenport, Detective Inspector Clara Bennett returns home to investigate the suspicious death of Victor Kane, only to uncover a centuries-old web of smuggling, corruption, and murder. When Eleanor Greaves is forced to witness Kane's death being staged as a suicide, she becomes an unwitting participant in a conspiracy that stretches from the historical smuggling routes of Cornwall to modern-day international criminal enterprises.Drawing on her childhood memories of the Greaves mansion where her mother once worked as a cleaner, Clara follows a trail of clues through hidden tunnels and treacherous waters. Alongside her colleague Colin Jacobs and local historian Margaret Reed, she discovers that the old smugglers' paths have evolved to accommodate a darker trade: weapons, drugs, and human trafficking.The investigation leads Clara to confront not just the town's criminal elements, but corruption within the police force itself. As she races to protect Eleanor and expose the truth, Clara must navigate both the physical dangers of Havenport's fog-shrouded coast and the murky waters of institutional corruption. The story weaves together elements of historical mystery, police procedural, and atmospheric thriller, exploring themes of family loyalty, the weight of tradition, and the price of justice.Ancient smuggling routes, Victorian mansions with hidden passages, and modern-day organized crime create a rich tapestry of intrigue, while the persistent fog serves as both literal danger and metaphor for the obscured truths Clara must uncover. At its heart, Shadows in the Fog is about how the past never truly releases its grip on the present, and how one woman's quest for justice can illuminate the darkest corners of both history and human nature.This gripping tale combines the moody atmosphere of Daphne du Maurier's Cornwall with the procedural tension of modern crime fiction, creating a unique narrative that will appeal to readers of both historical and contemporary mysteries. The novel expertly balances action sequences - including a heart-stopping escape through treacherous coastal waters - with careful character development and richly detailed historical background.