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The Smuggler's Bones: A DI Rowan Penhallow Mystery
Justice delayed for fifty years. But justice nonetheless.
When builders renovating a centuries-old coastal pub discover human remains sealed behind a false wall, DI Rowan Penhallow and her faithful Jack Russell terrier Buddy are called to investigate. The victim, still wearing a faded Customs & Excise uniform, has been hidden for fifty years—but before the cold case can be fully opened, a present-day fisherman is found murdered on his boat, killed in an eerily similar manner.
As Rowan delves into Devon's secretive smuggling heritage, she uncovers a conspiracy that has poisoned families for generations. The fisherman had been decoding his late father's logbooks, mysterious documents filled with ancient symbols that point to something far more valuable than contraband a stolen painting worth over two million pounds, hidden somewhere in the treacherous cave systems beneath the cliffs.
Rowan must navigate family loyalties, coded smugglers' marks, and tide-dependent cave systems to catch a murderer before anyone else pays the price for getting too close to the truth.
In the tradition of Ann Cleeves, LJ Ross, Richard Osman and Midsummer Murders, The Smuggler's Bones is a gripping mystery that weaves historical injustice with modern police procedural, where the tide always turns and buried secrets inevitably come to light.
When builders renovating a centuries-old coastal pub discover human remains sealed behind a false wall, DI Rowan Penhallow and her faithful Jack Russell terrier Buddy are called to investigate. The victim, still wearing a faded Customs & Excise uniform, has been hidden for fifty years—but before the cold case can be fully opened, a present-day fisherman is found murdered on his boat, killed in an eerily similar manner.
As Rowan delves into Devon's secretive smuggling heritage, she uncovers a conspiracy that has poisoned families for generations. The fisherman had been decoding his late father's logbooks, mysterious documents filled with ancient symbols that point to something far more valuable than contraband a stolen painting worth over two million pounds, hidden somewhere in the treacherous cave systems beneath the cliffs.
Rowan must navigate family loyalties, coded smugglers' marks, and tide-dependent cave systems to catch a murderer before anyone else pays the price for getting too close to the truth.
In the tradition of Ann Cleeves, LJ Ross, Richard Osman and Midsummer Murders, The Smuggler's Bones is a gripping mystery that weaves historical injustice with modern police procedural, where the tide always turns and buried secrets inevitably come to light.
263 pages, Kindle Edition
Published November 25, 2025
7 people are currently reading
About the author
Wendy Cartmell
65 books169 followersI was a Primary School Teacher before leaving England to settle in Spain nearly five years ago. I previously worked in Sales, Marketing and Public Relations for large and small companies. I now write crime novels featuring Sgt Major Crane a detective in the Special Investigations Branch of the British Army, based on Aldershot Garrison. My inspiration for Sergeant Major Crane was my love of crime writing and my husband’s 22 years service in the British Army.
I attend a lively Writing Group who unashamedly meet at beautiful beach side cafes on the Costa del Sol.
I attend a lively Writing Group who unashamedly meet at beautiful beach side cafes on the Costa del Sol.
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