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The Missing Nurse: An enthralling crime mystery full of twists
Discover a bestselling series of murder mysteries set in south Yorkshire. One million books read!
A detective who’s no angel despite his name . . .
Meet Detective Inspector Michael Angel. An old-school policeman who sometimes rubs his colleagues up the wrong way. He’s got his flaws, but he never gives up on a case.
For Inspector Michael Angel, the savage murder in an insane asylum twenty years ago marks the beginning of this gruesome trail of enquiries to find missing nurse Fiona Thomas.
In spite of obstruction from the chief constable, this quirky Yorkshire policeman reduces the suspects to one, by resorting to an unusual and original strategy.
A dead woman wearing one stocking inside out, an American class ring, a missing videotape of the lovely Lola, and two dead cats all play their part in this scramble to find the killer in this unusual and gripping mystery.
Perfect for fans of R.D. Wingfield, Colin Dexter, Peter Robinson, Reginald Hill, and Agatha Christie.
Please note this book was first published as In the Midst of Life.
THE DETECTIVE
Michael Angel is over fifty, married to Mary. They don’t have any children. They are a devoted couple but the relationship sometimes breaks down due to his job or due to the problems of Mary’s sister who lives in Edinburgh and imposes on their easygoing natures. Michael works at the small local police station and is devoted to defeating crime, murder, and dishonesty of any sort and has no personal ambition beyond being a good husband and a successful detective. He doesn’t want promotion with all the routine office work and stress that goes with it. He is incorruptible but always short of money. He is always at odds with his immediate chief, Detective Superintendent Horace Harker, who is lazy, a hypochondriac and not a bit interested in assisting Angel in serious police work.
THE SETTING
Bromersley is a market town at the bottom of the Pennines surrounded by stone and hawthorn-edged fields grazed by cattle and sheep. It is cold as anywhere in the winter but its closeness to the mountains protects it from many gales and heavy falls of snow. The town’s industry today includes the manufacture of ball bearings and whisky bottles, and a huge brewery produces Bromersley’s best bitter, which is considered the finest beer for miles around. Wednesday is market day, and the town centre is host to the frequent cries of stall-holders hawking their wares while the enticing smells of cheeses, coffees, foreign spices and fish and chips tempt your taste buds as you wander through the stalls. The police always find it difficult to catch pilferers and pickpockets in such a crowd. Bromersley folk are easy to befriend but many of the old people are stubborn and still buy their fruit and veg in pounds and ounces, not kilos and grams.
PRAISE FOR ROGER
‘Solid plotting, unpretentious writing, thoroughly reliable entertainment.’ Morning Star
‘A cast of characters you really want to populate with familiar faces of actors you see each week on TV — great fun. Angel is terrific.’ Books Monthly
‘Once again Silverwood combines a classic mystery plot with well-developed characters.’ Publishers Weekly
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘Love Angel . . .
A detective who’s no angel despite his name . . .
Meet Detective Inspector Michael Angel. An old-school policeman who sometimes rubs his colleagues up the wrong way. He’s got his flaws, but he never gives up on a case.
For Inspector Michael Angel, the savage murder in an insane asylum twenty years ago marks the beginning of this gruesome trail of enquiries to find missing nurse Fiona Thomas.
In spite of obstruction from the chief constable, this quirky Yorkshire policeman reduces the suspects to one, by resorting to an unusual and original strategy.
A dead woman wearing one stocking inside out, an American class ring, a missing videotape of the lovely Lola, and two dead cats all play their part in this scramble to find the killer in this unusual and gripping mystery.
Perfect for fans of R.D. Wingfield, Colin Dexter, Peter Robinson, Reginald Hill, and Agatha Christie.
Please note this book was first published as In the Midst of Life.
THE DETECTIVE
Michael Angel is over fifty, married to Mary. They don’t have any children. They are a devoted couple but the relationship sometimes breaks down due to his job or due to the problems of Mary’s sister who lives in Edinburgh and imposes on their easygoing natures. Michael works at the small local police station and is devoted to defeating crime, murder, and dishonesty of any sort and has no personal ambition beyond being a good husband and a successful detective. He doesn’t want promotion with all the routine office work and stress that goes with it. He is incorruptible but always short of money. He is always at odds with his immediate chief, Detective Superintendent Horace Harker, who is lazy, a hypochondriac and not a bit interested in assisting Angel in serious police work.
THE SETTING
Bromersley is a market town at the bottom of the Pennines surrounded by stone and hawthorn-edged fields grazed by cattle and sheep. It is cold as anywhere in the winter but its closeness to the mountains protects it from many gales and heavy falls of snow. The town’s industry today includes the manufacture of ball bearings and whisky bottles, and a huge brewery produces Bromersley’s best bitter, which is considered the finest beer for miles around. Wednesday is market day, and the town centre is host to the frequent cries of stall-holders hawking their wares while the enticing smells of cheeses, coffees, foreign spices and fish and chips tempt your taste buds as you wander through the stalls. The police always find it difficult to catch pilferers and pickpockets in such a crowd. Bromersley folk are easy to befriend but many of the old people are stubborn and still buy their fruit and veg in pounds and ounces, not kilos and grams.
PRAISE FOR ROGER
‘Solid plotting, unpretentious writing, thoroughly reliable entertainment.’ Morning Star
‘A cast of characters you really want to populate with familiar faces of actors you see each week on TV — great fun. Angel is terrific.’ Books Monthly
‘Once again Silverwood combines a classic mystery plot with well-developed characters.’ Publishers Weekly
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘Love Angel . . .
246 pages, Kindle Edition
Published August 5, 2025
72 people are currently reading
4 people want to read
About the author
Roger Silverwood
69 books86 followersThe Yorkshire author writes crime stories about Detective Inspector Michael Angel who lives a fairly happy existence with his wife Mary in the town of Bromersley in South Yorkshire.
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
August 14, 2025
Re-Reading of an Interesting Whodunnit
In spite of what the one star and two star reviewers have to say, I liked Angel. He reminded me of Vera Stanhope. Brusk, cantankerous, but good at what he does. And the complaints by some about feeding the cats milk: it’s not the end of the world. Several stories going at once, and all wrapped up nicely.
In spite of what the one star and two star reviewers have to say, I liked Angel. He reminded me of Vera Stanhope. Brusk, cantankerous, but good at what he does. And the complaints by some about feeding the cats milk: it’s not the end of the world. Several stories going at once, and all wrapped up nicely.
November 20, 2025
Seems like a fun series. I’ll definitely try the next one. Detective Angel is certainly a character.
January 2, 2026
Very cute
Actually a very well written and interesting murder mystery. Interesting leading characters that are likable, with a good twist and turn storyline.
Actually a very well written and interesting murder mystery. Interesting leading characters that are likable, with a good twist and turn storyline.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews