What do you think?
Rate this book
Her Charming Man
'A fast-paced and intricately woven murder mystery, packed full of secrets and lies. The book with the ultimate twist.' LINDA HUBER
DI Steph Lewis of West Gloucestershire Police is working two cases.
A woman is found dead in the Cathedral grounds. Few, not even her family, mourn her. And a man has gone missing. His wife, colleagues and neighbours fear for the safety of this perfect gentleman.
A witness comes forward to say the cases are linked. A breakthrough, perhaps? But the witness has form for finding dead bodies and she knows things about Steph that the detective wants kept hidden. A reliable witness? Or a fantasist with the power to cause chaos in Steph’s personal life?
What could possibly connect the murder of an unpopular woman and the disappearance of a charming man?
Her Charming Man is the second book in the Gloucestershire Crime Series, featuring DI Steph Lewis, a spirited, no-nonsense detective with secrets of her own.
DI Steph Lewis of West Gloucestershire Police is working two cases.
A woman is found dead in the Cathedral grounds. Few, not even her family, mourn her. And a man has gone missing. His wife, colleagues and neighbours fear for the safety of this perfect gentleman.
A witness comes forward to say the cases are linked. A breakthrough, perhaps? But the witness has form for finding dead bodies and she knows things about Steph that the detective wants kept hidden. A reliable witness? Or a fantasist with the power to cause chaos in Steph’s personal life?
What could possibly connect the murder of an unpopular woman and the disappearance of a charming man?
Her Charming Man is the second book in the Gloucestershire Crime Series, featuring DI Steph Lewis, a spirited, no-nonsense detective with secrets of her own.
335 pages, Kindle Edition
Published May 14, 2024
About the author
Rachel Sargeant
11 books165 followersRachel Sargeant is a British author. Her most recent books are books 1 and 2 in the Gloucestershire Crime Series. The titles are: Her Deadly Friend (relaunched 23 Apr 24) and Her Charming Man (published 14 May 24). The third book, Her Rising Star, will be out in May 2026.
In September 2026, Hera Books, part of Canelo, will publish her dark thriller, An Ordinary House, under her pen name Rae Starling.
Rachel Sargeant also writes crime fiction published by HarperCollins: The Perfect Neighbours, a psychological thriller; The Good Teacher, a detective mystery, featuring DC Pippa “Agatha” Adams; and The Roommates, a psychological thriller set in a university freshers' week.
Rachel is a previous winner of Writing Magazine’s Crime Short Story competition and has been placed or shortlisted in various competitions, including the Bristol Short Story Prize. Her stories have appeared in My Weekly and the Accent Press Saucy Shorts series. She had a short story published in L.J. Ross's Everyday Kindness anthology in aid of the charity Shelter.
Rachel studied at Aberystwyth University, spent several years living in Germany and now lives in Gloucestershire with her family. Recently she obtained a PhD from the University of Birmingham. She likes reading psychological thrillers, police procedurals, amateur sleuth murder mysteries, dystopia, writing from other cultures and teen fiction. Find out more about her writing and reading on her website: www.rachelsargeant.co.uk or follow her on Twitter: @RachelSargeant3.
She writes a Substack newsletter of tips for emerging writers. Free subscription: https://substack.com/@rsargeant
In September 2026, Hera Books, part of Canelo, will publish her dark thriller, An Ordinary House, under her pen name Rae Starling.
Rachel Sargeant also writes crime fiction published by HarperCollins: The Perfect Neighbours, a psychological thriller; The Good Teacher, a detective mystery, featuring DC Pippa “Agatha” Adams; and The Roommates, a psychological thriller set in a university freshers' week.
Rachel is a previous winner of Writing Magazine’s Crime Short Story competition and has been placed or shortlisted in various competitions, including the Bristol Short Story Prize. Her stories have appeared in My Weekly and the Accent Press Saucy Shorts series. She had a short story published in L.J. Ross's Everyday Kindness anthology in aid of the charity Shelter.
Rachel studied at Aberystwyth University, spent several years living in Germany and now lives in Gloucestershire with her family. Recently she obtained a PhD from the University of Birmingham. She likes reading psychological thrillers, police procedurals, amateur sleuth murder mysteries, dystopia, writing from other cultures and teen fiction. Find out more about her writing and reading on her website: www.rachelsargeant.co.uk or follow her on Twitter: @RachelSargeant3.
She writes a Substack newsletter of tips for emerging writers. Free subscription: https://substack.com/@rsargeant
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
May 25, 2024
What might at first glance, after reading the blurb, appear to be a straightforward story, turns out to be something different thanks to some quirky characters. It develops into a tale of secrets and the facades we build to avoid the truth, which becomes an overriding motivator.
The story has two central strands, a murder investigation and a missing persons search, that appear to be tenuously linked by a chance passing, but of course the reader feels there is more to it than that. Our author has carefully placed a plot voucher for us to pick up on and then forget until much later. If you do not forget but are waiting for the ‘second shoe to fall’ it is a long time coming but when it does you get the satisfying sense of a job well done. So, this is a story where our detectives’ job can be likened to pushing a boulder uphill, slow, careful and deliberate. Unlike Sisyphus though they get to the apex and the boulder runs out of control down the other side as the story unravels. It is certainly worth the wait and the build-up. Then right at the very end we are left with a hook for book three, bravo.
Steph is an agreeable protagonist, albeit one if she were a real-life friend you’d be having stern words with. She worries about her near adult son, but at the same time neglects her own health, something I fear will lead to bad news in future instalment in this series. She is hamstrung by events of the past and the desire for them to remain secret will bind her, at least for now, to the eccentric Tracey Chiles.
She is the unfortunate dog walker, surely it must be just bad luck to come so close to two deaths, making her the character that fascinates me. I cannot work out if she is just stupid or has a mendacious streak to her, as she appears to be rather opaque. Tracey could reveal the events of the past which could bring Steph’s world crashing down, so effectively holding the key to Stephs happiness, but does she realise it. I’m certain there will be more to hear from Tracey in future stories.
They say that opposites attract, and it is certainly true that there will be few married couples who reflect this better than Gerald and Anna Gittens- Gold. He is gregarious, easy going and charming, whereas she is solitary, spiky and abrupt. How they have remained together is as much a surprise as how they can manage to job share a position of counsellor at a holistic health centre. Gerald is a man of mystery though, or at least he would be if wasn’t for his capacity for telling a ripping yarn. Gerald is an expert photographer with the Australian army, often supporting special forces which means he must disappear at the drop of (his) hat. Unable to keep a secret, each time he retells a story it becomes more dangerous and his heroism all the greater, making him a popular guy. Why would he want to stay with such a difficult woman? Gerald is the standout character, yet we come across him almost entirely through the eyes of others, which is a clever piece of writing. It is the wonderfully judged character interactions throughout the story that maintain the interest.
The story has two central strands, a murder investigation and a missing persons search, that appear to be tenuously linked by a chance passing, but of course the reader feels there is more to it than that. Our author has carefully placed a plot voucher for us to pick up on and then forget until much later. If you do not forget but are waiting for the ‘second shoe to fall’ it is a long time coming but when it does you get the satisfying sense of a job well done. So, this is a story where our detectives’ job can be likened to pushing a boulder uphill, slow, careful and deliberate. Unlike Sisyphus though they get to the apex and the boulder runs out of control down the other side as the story unravels. It is certainly worth the wait and the build-up. Then right at the very end we are left with a hook for book three, bravo.
Steph is an agreeable protagonist, albeit one if she were a real-life friend you’d be having stern words with. She worries about her near adult son, but at the same time neglects her own health, something I fear will lead to bad news in future instalment in this series. She is hamstrung by events of the past and the desire for them to remain secret will bind her, at least for now, to the eccentric Tracey Chiles.
She is the unfortunate dog walker, surely it must be just bad luck to come so close to two deaths, making her the character that fascinates me. I cannot work out if she is just stupid or has a mendacious streak to her, as she appears to be rather opaque. Tracey could reveal the events of the past which could bring Steph’s world crashing down, so effectively holding the key to Stephs happiness, but does she realise it. I’m certain there will be more to hear from Tracey in future stories.
They say that opposites attract, and it is certainly true that there will be few married couples who reflect this better than Gerald and Anna Gittens- Gold. He is gregarious, easy going and charming, whereas she is solitary, spiky and abrupt. How they have remained together is as much a surprise as how they can manage to job share a position of counsellor at a holistic health centre. Gerald is a man of mystery though, or at least he would be if wasn’t for his capacity for telling a ripping yarn. Gerald is an expert photographer with the Australian army, often supporting special forces which means he must disappear at the drop of (his) hat. Unable to keep a secret, each time he retells a story it becomes more dangerous and his heroism all the greater, making him a popular guy. Why would he want to stay with such a difficult woman? Gerald is the standout character, yet we come across him almost entirely through the eyes of others, which is a clever piece of writing. It is the wonderfully judged character interactions throughout the story that maintain the interest.
May 21, 2024
Here is my review of Her Charming Man by Rachel Sargeant
I got into this book straight away from the start and really enjoyed reading it. I liked the main characters, DI Steph Lewis is great and she knows the strengths of her team, individually. She can usually sum up the interviewee pretty well too. In this book, she has two cases that she can’t get any leads on and she’s getting frustrated as she wants to work the murder case and keeps getting pulled off that one to work the missing person case, but is he really missing? Steph doesn’t like the wife of the missing person and they just keep drawing a blank until Steph speaks to someone at his workplace. This is a book full of mystery which is good and something to really get your teeth into. The author writes well and packs a good story into this book as she writes the two cases and really makes Steph work in this book for her answers. I loved the storyline and I loved the way the book came together. Full marks to the author for such a good book and I look forward to the next one in the series.
Blurb :
DI Steph Lewis of West Gloucestershire Police is working two cases.
A woman is found dead in the Cathedral grounds. Few, not even her family, mourn her. And a man has gone missing. His wife, colleagues and neighbours fear for the safety of this perfect gentleman.
A witness comes forward to say the cases are linked. A breakthrough, perhaps? But the witness has form for finding dead bodies and she knows things about Steph that the detective wants kept hidden. A reliable witness? Or a fantasist with the power to cause chaos in Steph’s personal life?
What could possibly connect the murder of an unpopular woman and the disappearance of a charming man?
Her Charming Man is the second book in the Gloucestershire Crime Series, featuring DI Steph Lewis, a spirited, no-nonsense detective with secrets of her own.
I got into this book straight away from the start and really enjoyed reading it. I liked the main characters, DI Steph Lewis is great and she knows the strengths of her team, individually. She can usually sum up the interviewee pretty well too. In this book, she has two cases that she can’t get any leads on and she’s getting frustrated as she wants to work the murder case and keeps getting pulled off that one to work the missing person case, but is he really missing? Steph doesn’t like the wife of the missing person and they just keep drawing a blank until Steph speaks to someone at his workplace. This is a book full of mystery which is good and something to really get your teeth into. The author writes well and packs a good story into this book as she writes the two cases and really makes Steph work in this book for her answers. I loved the storyline and I loved the way the book came together. Full marks to the author for such a good book and I look forward to the next one in the series.
Blurb :
DI Steph Lewis of West Gloucestershire Police is working two cases.
A woman is found dead in the Cathedral grounds. Few, not even her family, mourn her. And a man has gone missing. His wife, colleagues and neighbours fear for the safety of this perfect gentleman.
A witness comes forward to say the cases are linked. A breakthrough, perhaps? But the witness has form for finding dead bodies and she knows things about Steph that the detective wants kept hidden. A reliable witness? Or a fantasist with the power to cause chaos in Steph’s personal life?
What could possibly connect the murder of an unpopular woman and the disappearance of a charming man?
Her Charming Man is the second book in the Gloucestershire Crime Series, featuring DI Steph Lewis, a spirited, no-nonsense detective with secrets of her own.
May 17, 2024
DI Steph Lewis is back in this gripping thriller. I loved Her Deadly Friend and I couldn’t wait for the second book in the series. Her Charming Man has definitely met my expectations!
Steph is working two cases. First one is the murder of Sonia Hanson, a journalist working for the local paper and a mother of small young children. People that knew Sonia described her as a tenacious career-driven woman, who prioritised her job over her family.
The second case is a disappearance of a middle-aged man, Gerald Gittens-Gold, who worked as a marriage counsellor. Everyone that knew him described him as friendly and very charming.
Is there a link between the two cases?
You have to read this book for yourselves to find out.
I was really engrossed in it from start to finish.
It’s been lovely reading about Steph again. She still suffers from horrific migraines, but avoids going for the brain scan, and keeps cancelling her appointments.
She doesn’t want to let her workmates down and will keep on working despite the migraines. I admired that, but at the same time wished that she would go to the doctor or take some time off.
As the book was nearing the end, I was floored by the ending. It’s just superb and marvellous. What a fantastic twist.
Overall, it’s a nail-biting and fast-paced thriller that will keep you wanting more. I certainly can’t wait for book 3.
Steph is working two cases. First one is the murder of Sonia Hanson, a journalist working for the local paper and a mother of small young children. People that knew Sonia described her as a tenacious career-driven woman, who prioritised her job over her family.
The second case is a disappearance of a middle-aged man, Gerald Gittens-Gold, who worked as a marriage counsellor. Everyone that knew him described him as friendly and very charming.
Is there a link between the two cases?
You have to read this book for yourselves to find out.
I was really engrossed in it from start to finish.
It’s been lovely reading about Steph again. She still suffers from horrific migraines, but avoids going for the brain scan, and keeps cancelling her appointments.
She doesn’t want to let her workmates down and will keep on working despite the migraines. I admired that, but at the same time wished that she would go to the doctor or take some time off.
As the book was nearing the end, I was floored by the ending. It’s just superb and marvellous. What a fantastic twist.
Overall, it’s a nail-biting and fast-paced thriller that will keep you wanting more. I certainly can’t wait for book 3.
May 12, 2024
Book 2 of the Gloucestershire Crime Series and whilst I suggest you should read Book 1 for background it read equally well as a stand alone. Sonia Hanson is a reporter for the local evening paper in Gloucester and believes she is in line for a promotion. She is also quite an abrasive sort of person. That morning she is waiting to meet someone at Gloucester Cathedral. Big mistake!
Briefly, Tracy Chiles loves walking her dog early in the morning to avoid all the tourists. Whilst out that day she comes across a man apparently loitering in the same vicinity as her and, unknowingly, becomes a witness to the murder of Sonia. DI Stephanie Lewis is allocated the lead in the investigation working alongside DC Harriett Harris. Meanwhile, a report is received of a missing man. Whilst Harris wants to concentrate on the murder Lewis believes the two are somehow connected.
There are a number of suspects and plenty of motives as secrets are revealed and you begin to see the commonality between the two threads. Good red herrings kept me guessing in this cleverly written police procedural with a wonderful if somewhat unusual climax which I just did not see coming.
Briefly, Tracy Chiles loves walking her dog early in the morning to avoid all the tourists. Whilst out that day she comes across a man apparently loitering in the same vicinity as her and, unknowingly, becomes a witness to the murder of Sonia. DI Stephanie Lewis is allocated the lead in the investigation working alongside DC Harriett Harris. Meanwhile, a report is received of a missing man. Whilst Harris wants to concentrate on the murder Lewis believes the two are somehow connected.
There are a number of suspects and plenty of motives as secrets are revealed and you begin to see the commonality between the two threads. Good red herrings kept me guessing in this cleverly written police procedural with a wonderful if somewhat unusual climax which I just did not see coming.
May 17, 2024
A local newspaper is murdered and a counsellor, Gerald Gittings-Gold goes missing.
Steph is convinced both cases are connected and tries to fight to investigate both. It seeks like she's at odds throughout with Harriet, who seems upset regardless of Stephs actions.
The investigation slowly uncovers a lot of clues about the murdered woman. That she was ambitious, not well liked, and was about to be passed over promotion.
As for Gerald, he was apparently and ex army officer from Australia, Charming and loved telling stories of photographing out there.
I liked how the clues were slowly revealed, and Steph realises there are things of significance and its not until later you realise why.
There are two underlying mysteries involving Steph, clearly going to be a series arc and both will certainly make me want to pick up the next book to keep reading.
I have to say the reveal, when it came, is potentially one of the most unexpected and jaw dropping I've read for some time.
Bring on book 3!!!
Steph is convinced both cases are connected and tries to fight to investigate both. It seeks like she's at odds throughout with Harriet, who seems upset regardless of Stephs actions.
The investigation slowly uncovers a lot of clues about the murdered woman. That she was ambitious, not well liked, and was about to be passed over promotion.
As for Gerald, he was apparently and ex army officer from Australia, Charming and loved telling stories of photographing out there.
I liked how the clues were slowly revealed, and Steph realises there are things of significance and its not until later you realise why.
There are two underlying mysteries involving Steph, clearly going to be a series arc and both will certainly make me want to pick up the next book to keep reading.
I have to say the reveal, when it came, is potentially one of the most unexpected and jaw dropping I've read for some time.
Bring on book 3!!!
May 14, 2024
In the early morning, Sonia Hanson, a journalist for a paper in Gloucester is waiting for a source in the Cathedral precint. Tracey Chiles is walking her dog Hamish at the same time, sees her and shortly afterwards, she sees a man with a trilby hat walk in the general area where Sonia is waiting. DI Stephanie Lewis is allocated the lead in the investigation working alongside DC Harriett Harris. Later on, there is a report of a local counsellor, Gerald Gittens-Gold, is reported missing by his wife Anna. Steph is intrigued and thinks both cases are connected.
This is a well written police procedural with plenty of twists and turns. I couldn't put the book down as I wanted to find out how it finished. The ending was a complete surprise for me.
This is a well written police procedural with plenty of twists and turns. I couldn't put the book down as I wanted to find out how it finished. The ending was a complete surprise for me.
May 12, 2024
Review:
I was delighted to be offered this as an ARC by Hobeck Books, as I love Rachel’s writing. She is a very clever author, and keeps the reader guessing up until the last minute. You can almost read Stephanie’s mind, as she thinks it all through, and I found myself laughing at what she was thinking, but of course she couldn’t say anything.
I read a lot of crime, but these stand out, they’re not particularly violent like a lot but are entertaining, and I was amazed at the ending.
The case starts off with a murder of a woman by the cathedral, then a dapper well thought of chap who has lots of tales to regale, and appears a pleasant sort, polite and well thought of, goes missing, what is the connection? Steph and her team have their work cut out, as no one seems to know anything.
I have to give it to Steph, she’s a very tenacious detective, I think Harriet is a little jealous of her really. I’m not so sure I can take to Harriet, if I’m honest, she needs to harden up a bit, and not be so mard. Poor Steph is still battling with her headaches, and as I said last time, she needs to get them sorted! Also, she is on tenterhooks that some of her secrets may come to light, I’m sure these don’t help her head.
The ending was very clever, I honestly didn’t see it coming, and once again Steph sorted it. I hope there’s more in this series, as the characters are relatable and enjoyable.
My thanks to Hobeck Books and the author for the ARC.
I was delighted to be offered this as an ARC by Hobeck Books, as I love Rachel’s writing. She is a very clever author, and keeps the reader guessing up until the last minute. You can almost read Stephanie’s mind, as she thinks it all through, and I found myself laughing at what she was thinking, but of course she couldn’t say anything.
I read a lot of crime, but these stand out, they’re not particularly violent like a lot but are entertaining, and I was amazed at the ending.
The case starts off with a murder of a woman by the cathedral, then a dapper well thought of chap who has lots of tales to regale, and appears a pleasant sort, polite and well thought of, goes missing, what is the connection? Steph and her team have their work cut out, as no one seems to know anything.
I have to give it to Steph, she’s a very tenacious detective, I think Harriet is a little jealous of her really. I’m not so sure I can take to Harriet, if I’m honest, she needs to harden up a bit, and not be so mard. Poor Steph is still battling with her headaches, and as I said last time, she needs to get them sorted! Also, she is on tenterhooks that some of her secrets may come to light, I’m sure these don’t help her head.
The ending was very clever, I honestly didn’t see it coming, and once again Steph sorted it. I hope there’s more in this series, as the characters are relatable and enjoyable.
My thanks to Hobeck Books and the author for the ARC.
May 30, 2026
“Her Charming Man” by Rachel Sargeant is the second book in ‘The Gloucestershire crime series’ and since I enjoyed the first; “Her Deadly Friend”, I knew this book would be just as entertaining, for which I wasn’t disappointed.
DI Steph Lewis is a likeable and hardworking police officer and I really sympathised with her nigh on permanent migraine headaches. I was hoping to see a diagnosis in this book for her but understood her reluctance to pursue a brain scan. I do feel there is a lot more to come regarding this storyline, which I hope sees some relief for Steph. Her working relationship with the young DC Harriet Harris was intriguing and gave Steph a hard time with regards to her management skills towards the young woman, however the banter between all the department was good to read and the conversations with the forensics guy was at times quite funny.
I was totally caught off guard with the conclusion, it wasn’t something I’d considered and a very clever move by the author, drawing the reader into the story and then dropping a bombshell of a denouement.
Although the second in the series, this can easily be enjoyed as a stand-alone, the author has included what is needed to know from the first book, especially regarding the father of Steph’s son Jake and I have high hopes again for book three. A great British police procedural, perfect for dedicated crime fiction fans and I’d happily recommend this series and the author.
#HerCharmingMan - ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
DI Steph Lewis is a likeable and hardworking police officer and I really sympathised with her nigh on permanent migraine headaches. I was hoping to see a diagnosis in this book for her but understood her reluctance to pursue a brain scan. I do feel there is a lot more to come regarding this storyline, which I hope sees some relief for Steph. Her working relationship with the young DC Harriet Harris was intriguing and gave Steph a hard time with regards to her management skills towards the young woman, however the banter between all the department was good to read and the conversations with the forensics guy was at times quite funny.
I was totally caught off guard with the conclusion, it wasn’t something I’d considered and a very clever move by the author, drawing the reader into the story and then dropping a bombshell of a denouement.
Although the second in the series, this can easily be enjoyed as a stand-alone, the author has included what is needed to know from the first book, especially regarding the father of Steph’s son Jake and I have high hopes again for book three. A great British police procedural, perfect for dedicated crime fiction fans and I’d happily recommend this series and the author.
#HerCharmingMan - ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews