The Lyme Regis Murder

Dorset Crime #9.5

by Rachel McLean

DCI Lesley Clarke is back, and she's got not one, but two teams to head up.
When the body of a prominent local business owner washes up in Lyme Regis Harbour, Lesley must lead her new team through a murky investigation revealing the darker side of the picturesque town.
As she navigates betrayal, secrets, and the challenges of managing two teams without her old sidekick, Lesley grapples with her own past while racing against time to uncover the truth. Can she filter through the evidence to sort fact from fiction and find the real killer?
Join Lesley and her team, including some new members and some familiar faces, as they find their feet after the events of The Ghost Village Murders.

144 pages, Paperback

Published December 14, 2024

About the author

My name's Rachel McLean and I write stories you can't put down, with characters you'll be rooting for.

I'm best known for my Dorset Crime series, which has sold over a million copies. The first book in that series, The Corfe Castle Murders, won the 2021 Kindle Storyteller Award.

Here's what Clare Balding (the lead judge) had to say about the book:

'I particularly enjoyed the detail of the landscape and the humorous oddities of Dorset life. I enjoyed the richness of the characters, complexity of life for a working mother who is thrown into a new environment and has to prove herself, all over again.'

But The Corfe Castle Murders is by no means my only book. I've published five series and am working on two new ones, all of which connect. You'll find characters from each series in one or more of the other ones, so you (and I) get to follow them as they take on new challenges.

For example:

DCI Lesley Clarke is Zoe's boss in the DI Zoe Finch series and then moves to Dorset where she becomes the star of the Dorset Crime series.
DS Mo Uddin is Zoe's best friend and sidekick, then moves to Scotland for the McBride & Tanner series.
DC Tina Abbott is a key character in the Dorset Crime series and plays an important role in the new Lyme Regis Women's Swimming Club series of mysteries which stars her mum, Annie.
Zaf Williams starts off in the DI Zoe Finch series then moves to London and is one of the stars of the London Cosy Mysteries series (along with his colleague Diana and Gus the cat).
Dr Petra McBride appears in no fewer than three series and I'm planning a new series for her in 2026.
And not to be outdone, Zoe Finch has two series in which she stars: the DI Zoe Finch series of 'Deadly' books, and the Cumbria Crime series.
Once you get to know these characters, you'll find plenty of books to keep you entertained. And I hope you enjoy reading them as much as I enjoy writing them.

You can read a full list of the series and books on my books page. Each series is designed to be read in order but which series you go for first is really up to you.

Reviews

[Claire · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting short story

[Jeanette Jensen]

I have done this all wrong, I read the second book in the series first!😂

We start this book with the most horrendous of Murders of three little girls on the beach in the town of Lyme Regis.

Mrs. Goldcrest is inconsolable. Her three little girls!
Mr. Goldcrest, on the other hand, hires Tammy right off the bat. Yes, he is indeed the prime suspect.

With Mr. Goldcrest wanting results yesterday, and Downey wanting results NOW, Tammy has her work cut out for her.

You would think one got to know every character right from the bat. However, is anyone being truthful at all? When will their true colours show?

Tammy, our private investigator and troublemaker, is quite the character. She might not appear as the most likeable person at first. Still, as the book continues, I found her growing on me, and all in all, the book is an interesting and intriguing read for me as we try to solve the case. She is trying to handle her own relationship at the same time, which makes her all the more human to me.

"She was missing something here."

[Deb · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was only available to me through audio. I have to say upfront that I would rather read the book than listen to it. For me, the narrator used a little girls voice for Tina who has always appeared in all the previous books to be a very strong woman. Lesley’s voice kept changing which was frustrating to me. I was losing interest fast. It’s interesting that Mike is made to feel totally incompetent in this book. It was also interesting to me that the characters that I have read about in all the previous books appeared to be questioning their abilities. I found this to be a very strange book, and maybe it was because it was narrated versus reading it. If I didn’t know the characters so well, I might not like them from reading this novella.

[Caroline · Rating 4 out of 5]

An enjoyable novella that introduces a few new characters into the Dorset Police Crime Teams that are being overseen by DCI Lesley Clarke. An earlier character is briefly mentioned, with a view to being reintroduced to the mix.
In Lyme Regis, two workmen pull a corpse out of the sea. It becomes clear that this is going to be a cold case investigation. The team investigates, with the aid of the local neighbourhood network and the mother of one of their officers. Eventually, the list of suspects is whittled down and the last one standing is arrested, presumably going to trial at some point.

[John Roberts · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quick read but interesting to see the dynamics of the new teams. Well written and I'm not sure on these changes but it was only a short story. Looking forward to the next full book.

[Annette O'grady · Rating 5 out of 5]

another great read really enkoyed it

[Mrs C F Henderson · Rating 5 out of 5]

love this series

[Amanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

a very short read but enjoyable.