Hidden Secrets: A Lucy Harford Narrowboat Mystery, book 2

by P. Thompson

She came to paint the canals. She stayed to solve a murder.

Lucy Harford's narrowboat journey brings her to Burybridge during the town's heritage festival, where she discovers something her late great grandmother's photograph among wartime heroes. Great Gran never mentioned living in Burybridge. She never spoke of the Heritage Preservation Corps. She never explained why the Saxon Whetstone—Burybridge's most valuable artifact—disappeared on her watch.

Now historian Maggie Thornton lies dead in the abbey where she was researching that very theft. The police suspect Lucy. The town suspects everyone. And someone is desperate to ensure the past stays buried.

With cryptic clues hidden in vintage cookbooks, suspicious locals conducting their own investigations, and a helpful librarian who may be too helpful, Lucy must navigate a maze of family secrets and small-town lies. Her journalist friend Emma uncovers wartime betrayals. Bookshop owner Tom interprets coded recipes. And Sir Meows-a-Lot, Lucy's ginger cat, has an uncanny knack for helping find evidence—and causing chaos in the process.

As Lucy pieces together what her great grandmother's generation tried to hide, she realizes the killer isn't just protecting the past. They're eliminating anyone who gets too close to the truth.

In Burybridge, heritage isn't just celebrated—it's deadly.

310 pages, Kindle Edition

Published February 14, 2026

About the author

I came to cozy mystery writing through years of listening, in work that placed me alongside people during the most difficult moments of their lives — sitting with grief, navigating conflict, witnessing the complicated ways communities hold together and fall apart. That experience taught me something that shapes every book I write: people are rarely simple, motives are rarely clean, and the most interesting truths are usually the ones nobody is saying aloud.

I created Lucy Harford because I wanted to write mysteries where the puzzle is satisfying and the people caught up in it feel real. Lucy is a former police constable who left the force after a career-ending injury and now lives aboard her narrowboat The Curious Cat, painting watercolours and travelling England’s canal network. She didn’t plan on solving murders. But she has an artist’s eye for detail, a detective’s instinct for the things people would rather keep hidden, and a sense of justice that won’t let her walk away. Her companion Sir Meows-a-Lot — a formerly stray ginger cat with impeccable timing and questionable respect for boundaries — makes sure life aboard is never entirely peaceful.

I’ve walked England’s canal towpaths, cycled the lanes and villages, and I know the landscapes and communities Lucy travels through — the beauty, the quiet tensions, the way a place can look idyllic from the towpath and turn out to be holding its breath. My writing draws on that firsthand knowledge, and on an understanding of village and small-town life that comes from being embedded in it for a long time.

These are mysteries for readers who want more than a puzzle. The crimes are solved through observation, intelligence, and genuine understanding of people. The communities Lucy passes through are warm and complicated in equal measure. And the stories ask questions that stay with you — about how we remake ourselves after loss, what we owe each other, and what happens when the secrets a community has been keeping finally surface.

When I’m not writing, I’m most likely on a country lane or towpath somewhere, discovering the places that will become Lucy’s next destination. At home, a calico cat provides editorial oversight of varying quality.

Reviews

[Prateek Mehta · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hidden Secrets by P. Thompson is a wonderful cozy mystery that perfectly balances lighthearted moments with a genuinely intriguing plot. Lucy Harford makes for a great main character because her background as a former police officer gives her amateur sleuthing a lot of credibility. The setting of the narrowboat and the English village feels incredibly authentic and draws you right into the story. The historical elements are woven into the modern murder mystery naturally without feeling forced. Sir Meows a Lot is a fantastic addition for any cat lover and brings a lot of charm to the book. Overall it is a very satisfying read that keeps you guessing until the very end and is a perfect choice for any fan of traditional British mysteries.

[Jagdish Arora · Rating 5 out of 5]

I liked this book because it mixes a peaceful canal setting with an intriguing mystery from the past. The story slowly reveals hidden family secrets, which makes the investigation feel personal and interesting. The historical clues and small-town atmosphere add charm while keeping the suspense alive. The characters are enjoyable, and the mystery unfolds in a steady, engaging way. Overall, it’s a cozy and entertaining mystery that keeps you curious about the truth behind the past.

[Shaiju Pullani · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading this book. The story kept me interested with its mix of small town secrets, history, and a well-paced investigation.

What I liked most was the atmosphere of the English village and Lucy Harford character, which made the mystery feel believable and engaging.

I would recommend this book to readers who enjoy good mystery stories.