The Man in The Wall: One Week to Catch a Killer – Book One Aldhill Mystery Crime Series

by KJ Lyttleton

Two bodies, two walls, one mystery

Journalist Phil McGinty knows her stepdad Clive didn’t kill himself on a school building site seven years ago. Now she’s got five days working undercover to prove it.

Meanwhile, DS Jen Collet has her own mystery to solve. A body has fallen out of another school wall, but Jen’s superiors seem strangely unwilling to connect this murder to the death of Clive McGinty.

With Jen’s bosses closing ranks and Phil’s time running out, two investigators from different worlds must navigate political scheming and corporate cover-ups to get to the truth.

The Man In The Wall is the first gripping novel in the Aldhill Mystery series by KJ Lyttleton, a compelling new talent in British crime fiction.

410 pages, Kindle Edition

Published January 3, 2025

Reviews

[Elle Howells · Rating 5 out of 5]

So glad this book was recommended to me. Kept me guessing until the end.

[J S KIRK · Rating 5 out of 5]

A really good read, fast paced, twisty, believable!

[Rosie Bray · Rating 5 out of 5]

Phil McGinty has just 5 days working undercover to prove that her father didn't commit suicide on a building site at a school. She assumes the identity of an intern due to start work at the company who contracted her father, while taking leave from her job as a reporter for the local newspaper. Soon she finds herself in the thick of things, but every time she finds evidence that may prove her case, it disappears before she can put all the pieces together.

At the same time DS Jen Collett is investigating the death of another man, found in another wall, at another school. Coincidence??DS Collett doesn't think so, but why are her superiors adamant the two cases are not related??

This is a book that kept me enthralled, feeling I was up against the clock, just as Phil was. I'm hoping that Phil will get her chance to investigate more and while this was the first time I've read anything by the author I'll definitely keep my eyes open for what comes next from her pen

[Elaine Frieman Herbert · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely love the murder mystery genre. This book had me hooked from the get-go. It had tight pacing, kept my interest, and a great twist. Plus, unlike most murder mysteries, it's not set in an Agatha-Christie-style manor house amongst the upperclasses or like the recent Richard Osman hit with the elderly (of course I love both of these authors as well) but this is a new idea being set in a fading seaside town and it's great. It's also set in an environment many of us find all too familiar: the soul-sucking corporate hellscape. (I say this as someone with a corporate job myself so the nods to corporate culture were classic and I loved that.) The journalist protagonist is likeable and plucky – and grew up in a council house – as is the recently bereaved detective. The characters have just enough backstory to give you a sense of their well-roundedness but not too much. It has hilarious moments, the way of describing the beauty and mundanity of everyday life and a funny sub-plot about people who hang dog poo from trees like baubles (and the very funny names for this mystery character); I agree – why do people do this? The length is just perfect for an afternoon read. (It just took me two days so that shows how gripped I was to find out what happened.) I found Katie via her excellent Substack newsletter which is worth checking out, too: https://shinykatie.substack.com/ I have pre-ordered the second book in the series and cannot wait. Katie is a new must-watch author so get on the bandwagon now before you miss out and she gets huge and you can say, "I was there from the beginning."

[Cidney · Rating 4 out of 5]

Phil McGinty was a journalist with the local paper in the fictious town of Aldhill on the south coast, which I think is actually the place where I live. Her dad Clive died 7yrs before when he apparently fell between 2 walls being built, was trapped and died. Phil has always suspected foul play by Virtua Services which employed him as a second man was found in exactly the same circumstances recently, who had also fell and died trapped between 2 walls. Her friend Scarlett is going to pull a sickie and not turn up at their premises as an intern for a week, so Phil swaps identity with her and rocks up at Virtua Services as Scarlett and proposes to use the week trying to find evidence of her father's murder. Well stepfather but what's a step between loving dads.

She does remarkably well working there but does attract the attention of someone whom she is suspicious about, and she is right to be concerned. She does uncover dodgy goings on and nearly loses her own life in the process. There isn't a sort of proper ending really and I was looking for a sequel but there doesn't appear to be one. It was a good book though and keeps you guessing long after the ending. I have the other book written by Ms Lyttleton and am off to read that soon too!

I worked at Kennedy Court.

[Mary Ryan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found this an excellent read. It felt exciting knowing there was a timeline involved, and a tight one at that, when Phil assumes the identity of a young woman who is to intern at the company who was responsible for the building site where her father died seven years ago.

I liked how Phil managed to get herself in the middle of things and soon learn that there's more going on in the company than she initially realised. At the same time, the discovery of another body gets the police involved and DS Collet thinks the two bodies are connected albeit seven years apart. I found this an easy read and I liked how the timeline played out. I hope this is the start of a series. Either way, this has definitely put the author on my radar and I will definitely read whatever comes next.

[Nikki Ayling · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was given the opportunity to read an ARC copy of this book for an honest review.

As a local and living near the area, this book was set in. I enjoyed this book.
It took me a little while to understand fully the direction the book was heading in but I persevered and enjoyed the story.
I would describe it as cosy crime which is not my usual genre of reading. I look forward to reading more from this author.

[SARAH K · Rating 4 out of 5]

An enjoyable page turner, I loved the main two characters in the story - Jen and Phil - who were both relatable and likeable. I was surprised at who dunnit in the end, and dying to know the final piece in the story, which I am hoping will be resolved in the sequel.

I enjoyed the fictional location of Aldhill, which is a mishmash of the real life Hastings and St Leonards in East Sussex. I look forward to finding out more about Jen and Phil in the next Aldhill Mystery.

[Reader · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked the characters of Phil and Jen, there were no real backstories, just thoughts of here and now, if that makes any sense at all. T was a bit like having conversations with friends. I enjoyed the story but there were threads that didn’t seem to go anywhere. Ie the dog poo and there was a character mentioned who didn’t appear at all.
Would definitely read the next Phil and Jen books

[Helen_books_and_wellbeing · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love a crime thriller, and this was a great read. A completely different plot to any I have previously read. I loved the time restriction on solving the murder.

The character development was good, the book was fast paced, easy to read and I loved the twists at the end. I will definitely be continuing with the next book in the series.

[Alex Murray · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved the main characters of Phil and Jen. Plot ran at a good pace with lots of twists and turns. Couldn't put it down. Looking forward to reading more from this author.