What do you think?
Rate this book
Murder Like Clockwork
Not yet published
Expected 12 Mar 26An empty house that isn't empty. A victim who vanishes. An impossible crime?
Every Thursday at midday Audrey Brooks cleans the Petrov house. Mr Petrov is never home - in fact he seems to use the house purely as storage for his impressive collection of antiques - but that doesn't affect the care with which Audrey mops, polishes, and carefully winds each of the dozens of beautiful clocks that decorate the tall, elegant, empty London mansion.
Until the morning she finds a corpse in the back bedroom, the pristine walls and floor covered in blood, and flees the house in panic.
Fifteen minutes later, the police arrive... and find nothing. No body. No blood. The only thing slightly out of the ordinary is the clock in that back bedroom, which is now running four minutes slow.
With no victim, the police are convinced there was no murder, but Audrey knows better. A man has been killed, and if they won't do anything about it, she - and her annoying friend Lewis - will. Whodunnit is one thing, but this detective duo must also wrestle with when - and where on earth is the body? It's not long since they solved the murder of their neighbour, so they're not rookie sleuths, and at least this time the case has no connection to their home.
Does it?
A charming and witty locked room mystery full of twists.
Every Thursday at midday Audrey Brooks cleans the Petrov house. Mr Petrov is never home - in fact he seems to use the house purely as storage for his impressive collection of antiques - but that doesn't affect the care with which Audrey mops, polishes, and carefully winds each of the dozens of beautiful clocks that decorate the tall, elegant, empty London mansion.
Until the morning she finds a corpse in the back bedroom, the pristine walls and floor covered in blood, and flees the house in panic.
Fifteen minutes later, the police arrive... and find nothing. No body. No blood. The only thing slightly out of the ordinary is the clock in that back bedroom, which is now running four minutes slow.
With no victim, the police are convinced there was no murder, but Audrey knows better. A man has been killed, and if they won't do anything about it, she - and her annoying friend Lewis - will. Whodunnit is one thing, but this detective duo must also wrestle with when - and where on earth is the body? It's not long since they solved the murder of their neighbour, so they're not rookie sleuths, and at least this time the case has no connection to their home.
Does it?
A charming and witty locked room mystery full of twists.
- GenresMystery Thriller
Kindle Edition
Expected publication March 12, 2026
4 people are currently reading
213 people want to read
About the author
Nicola Whyte
2 books76 followersNicola Whyte has loved books for as long as she can remember. She writes novels and short stories for both adults and children. Her work has been listed for the Comedy Women in Print Prize, the Cheshire Novel Prize, the Daily Mail First Novel Competition, the BPA First Novel Award, and the Times Chicken House Children’s Fiction Competition. She lives near Stonehenge in Wiltshire with her family, a ridiculous spaniel, and two demanding tabby cats.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Murder Like Clockwork is the kind of mystery that delights in keeping you slightly off balance. Nicola Whyte takes the classic locked-room setup and spins it into something witty, charming, and deliciously puzzling.
Audrey Brooks, the meticulous cleaner who tends to the Petrov house and its dozens of antique clocks, is a wonderfully relatable heroine. When she stumbles upon a corpse only for it to vanish minutes later—along with every trace of blood—the stage is set for a mystery that’s as much about timing as it is about truth. The detail of the clock running four minutes slow is a perfect touch: eerie, intriguing, and symbolic of the novel’s playful manipulation of time.
Audrey’s partnership with Lewis adds warmth and humour to the story, grounding the twists in human connection. Their dynamic makes the sleuthing feel accessible and fun, even as the stakes rise. The London mansion, with its elegant emptiness and ticking clocks, provides a gorgeously atmospheric backdrop that feels both cozy and unsettling.
Whyte’s prose is light on its feet, balancing suspense with wit. Fans of Richard Osman and Janice Hallett will find plenty to love here: clever puzzles, quirky characters, and a mystery that refuses to play by the rules.
Murder Like Clockwork is a charmingly inventive whodunnit that proves the best mysteries aren’t just about who did it, but when—and how. It’s a playful, twist-filled read that will leave you smiling even as you’re second-guessing every clue.
My thanks to Nicola Whyte, the publisher and netgalley for the ARC
Audrey Brooks, the meticulous cleaner who tends to the Petrov house and its dozens of antique clocks, is a wonderfully relatable heroine. When she stumbles upon a corpse only for it to vanish minutes later—along with every trace of blood—the stage is set for a mystery that’s as much about timing as it is about truth. The detail of the clock running four minutes slow is a perfect touch: eerie, intriguing, and symbolic of the novel’s playful manipulation of time.
Audrey’s partnership with Lewis adds warmth and humour to the story, grounding the twists in human connection. Their dynamic makes the sleuthing feel accessible and fun, even as the stakes rise. The London mansion, with its elegant emptiness and ticking clocks, provides a gorgeously atmospheric backdrop that feels both cozy and unsettling.
Whyte’s prose is light on its feet, balancing suspense with wit. Fans of Richard Osman and Janice Hallett will find plenty to love here: clever puzzles, quirky characters, and a mystery that refuses to play by the rules.
Murder Like Clockwork is a charmingly inventive whodunnit that proves the best mysteries aren’t just about who did it, but when—and how. It’s a playful, twist-filled read that will leave you smiling even as you’re second-guessing every clue.
My thanks to Nicola Whyte, the publisher and netgalley for the ARC
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Audrey and her friend Lewis may seem like ordinary people, if a little eccentric at times, but there is more to them then meets the eye (as anyone who is aware of their past shenanigans will know).
The same must be said of the mysterious death at the home of one of Audrey's clients - the mystery lying not least in the fact that man's corpse disappears after Audrey, the cleaner, finds it and goes to raise the alarm...
With the police disinclined to take Audrey's claims seriously, it is up to the amateur sleuthing duo to dig out the truth of the matter!
An entertaining mystery with plenty of twists, this will be devoured by cozy crime fans and earns a well deserved 3.5 stars.
I received a free copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review
The same must be said of the mysterious death at the home of one of Audrey's clients - the mystery lying not least in the fact that man's corpse disappears after Audrey, the cleaner, finds it and goes to raise the alarm...
With the police disinclined to take Audrey's claims seriously, it is up to the amateur sleuthing duo to dig out the truth of the matter!
An entertaining mystery with plenty of twists, this will be devoured by cozy crime fans and earns a well deserved 3.5 stars.
I received a free copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews