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Detective Leon Peterson Mysteries #4
Murder on Thames
The river keeps its secrets. Until now…
Seconded to Windsor to take another look at a drowning that was ruled accidental, DI Leon Peterson is loving the scenery—but not so much the hostile attitudes he’s facing from a local force who don’t appreciate being checked up on. A minor celebrity with major clout insists her widowed friend was murdered, but with the case gone cold and half his team back in London, Leon’s swimming against the tide to find out the truth.
What’s worse, his boss—and ex lover—is still on his back, just as they turn up evidence that suggests Leon’s domestic happiness is built on shaky foundations. Then a horrifying discovery leads to renewed pressure to close the case. Leon’s not convinced they’ve found their killer—but the clock is ticking, there’s an imminent royal wedding taking up all available resources, and making the wrong decision would be easy.
Seconded to Windsor to take another look at a drowning that was ruled accidental, DI Leon Peterson is loving the scenery—but not so much the hostile attitudes he’s facing from a local force who don’t appreciate being checked up on. A minor celebrity with major clout insists her widowed friend was murdered, but with the case gone cold and half his team back in London, Leon’s swimming against the tide to find out the truth.
What’s worse, his boss—and ex lover—is still on his back, just as they turn up evidence that suggests Leon’s domestic happiness is built on shaky foundations. Then a horrifying discovery leads to renewed pressure to close the case. Leon’s not convinced they’ve found their killer—but the clock is ticking, there’s an imminent royal wedding taking up all available resources, and making the wrong decision would be easy.
270 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 17, 2026
About the author
Alex Henry
6 books15 followersAlex Henry is the pen name of three authors who between them have over forty years’ experience of writing crime and romance novels.
JL Merrow is that rare beast, an English person who refuses to drink tea. She writes mysteries and contemporary gay romance, and is frequently accused of humour. Her best-known works include the Plumber’s Mate Mystery series and standalone novel Muscling Through.
Ripley Hayes lives in West Wales, in a small town surrounded by green hills and ancient woodlands. She didn’t take up writing fiction until she retired from a long career as a university lecturer and housing researcher. Since then, she has done little else, to the despair of her friends. Her books are the kinds of books she likes to read: mysteries with wickedness but not too much blood, and romance with real people who make mistakes, all set in interesting places.
When she’s not writing, Ripley likes to read, travel, knit, and eat chocolate, ideally all at once.
Sue Brown is a Londoner who dreams of living on a small island. Coffee fuels her addiction to writing romance, crime, and urban fantasy, and her Adorkadog snores in harmony as she creates.
JL Merrow is that rare beast, an English person who refuses to drink tea. She writes mysteries and contemporary gay romance, and is frequently accused of humour. Her best-known works include the Plumber’s Mate Mystery series and standalone novel Muscling Through.
Ripley Hayes lives in West Wales, in a small town surrounded by green hills and ancient woodlands. She didn’t take up writing fiction until she retired from a long career as a university lecturer and housing researcher. Since then, she has done little else, to the despair of her friends. Her books are the kinds of books she likes to read: mysteries with wickedness but not too much blood, and romance with real people who make mistakes, all set in interesting places.
When she’s not writing, Ripley likes to read, travel, knit, and eat chocolate, ideally all at once.
Sue Brown is a Londoner who dreams of living on a small island. Coffee fuels her addiction to writing romance, crime, and urban fantasy, and her Adorkadog snores in harmony as she creates.
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
April 20, 2026
Brilliant Book, Brilliant Series
I have been regularly checking Kindle since last April for the fourth edition to this brilliant series and so when I found an email a couple of days ago announcing the release of book four I was beyond excited.
DI Leon Peterson and his DS Jasmine Todd are seconded to Windsor to reopen a case of a middle aged woman found dead in the Thames, the death was declared accidental and the case closed. A local celebrity and friend of the woman was not convinced, they both belonged to a women’s open water swimming club, and she made enough fuss to have the case reopened.
Leon and Jas received a stony welcome from the Riverside local force who are not pleased to have another force check up on them. The case was filled with twists and turns and more than one tragedy and it didn’t help that there was an imminent royal wedding from Windsor Castle bringing the whole town and surrounding area to a standstill making every journey a nightmare.
This was a really good mystery, a page turner which I read in one sitting and I didn’t guess the murderer until the last few chapters. As usual the characters make the story so enjoyable, the relationship between Leon and Jas is so good and Rishi and Gary are a good part of Leon’s team. The only fly in the ointment is the appointment of Leon’s ex boss as their Commander. There is something creepy about Xavier St Clair and it seems he is still determined to get Leon back even though he knows Leon and Ben are all loved up. He is upsetting others in the station especially the women who he doesn’t think should take on the big cases.
I am so invested in these characters and I really hope there will be a book 5 and hopefully we won’t have to wait a year🙏🏼
Strongly recommend this book and the series.
I have been regularly checking Kindle since last April for the fourth edition to this brilliant series and so when I found an email a couple of days ago announcing the release of book four I was beyond excited.
DI Leon Peterson and his DS Jasmine Todd are seconded to Windsor to reopen a case of a middle aged woman found dead in the Thames, the death was declared accidental and the case closed. A local celebrity and friend of the woman was not convinced, they both belonged to a women’s open water swimming club, and she made enough fuss to have the case reopened.
Leon and Jas received a stony welcome from the Riverside local force who are not pleased to have another force check up on them. The case was filled with twists and turns and more than one tragedy and it didn’t help that there was an imminent royal wedding from Windsor Castle bringing the whole town and surrounding area to a standstill making every journey a nightmare.
This was a really good mystery, a page turner which I read in one sitting and I didn’t guess the murderer until the last few chapters. As usual the characters make the story so enjoyable, the relationship between Leon and Jas is so good and Rishi and Gary are a good part of Leon’s team. The only fly in the ointment is the appointment of Leon’s ex boss as their Commander. There is something creepy about Xavier St Clair and it seems he is still determined to get Leon back even though he knows Leon and Ben are all loved up. He is upsetting others in the station especially the women who he doesn’t think should take on the big cases.
I am so invested in these characters and I really hope there will be a book 5 and hopefully we won’t have to wait a year🙏🏼
Strongly recommend this book and the series.
April 18, 2026
Good thing I subscribe to the authors facebook otherwise I would have missed this. I believe the title was changed and publication delayed.
Anyway, Leon and Jas are seconded to Windsor to investigate a case that was closed by the original force but due to local celebrity pressure the case was reopened.
It was the case of a drowned woman in the Thames which eventually leads to another related murder. Lots of red herrings and although when the murderer was revealed it wasn't a total surprise I still enjoyed the book.
Anyway, Leon and Jas are seconded to Windsor to investigate a case that was closed by the original force but due to local celebrity pressure the case was reopened.
It was the case of a drowned woman in the Thames which eventually leads to another related murder. Lots of red herrings and although when the murderer was revealed it wasn't a total surprise I still enjoyed the book.
May 10, 2026
Hope sinks
It has been awhile since the release of book 3, so I’ve been eagerly awaiting this next book, hoping that the series would return to the quality we saw in the first two books. I had my fingers crossed that the dip in quality we had with book 3 was just an anomaly, given how incredible the first two books had been. But unfortunately this fourth book is not that much better, and sadly wasn’t really worth the wait.
My original review for this book was going to go into details about what I felt went wrong and why it didn’t work for me personally. But in the end it just boils down to the fact that books 1 and 2 were exceptionally good books, but 3 and 4 just aren’t of the same calibre. I had such a good reading experience with the first two that I assumed the quality of the writing would continue but I was wrong.
Now you might not have had a problem with book 3 in the series, and may have been quite happy to go along with its dreary narrative and lacklustre plot. If so, then the dull dialogue of this book might not bother you. Nor will the neatly wrapped up Scooby Doo-style ending. And if that’s the case then I’m really pleased for you and hope you enjoy this book. But when you read the scene of Leon and Ben’s visit to the care home, and feel the emotional heart of the book begin to beat, you might find yourself looking back at books 1 and 2 with nostalgic eyes. Hoping beyond hope that this stand out chapter is an indication that those “quality writing days” are about to return. But alas not. You can hardly feel the emotional pulse of the book. Well, not unless descriptions of navigating London congestion gets you going. So unfortunately I’m probably going to give up on this series and just remember all the great character writing of its yesteryears.
It has been awhile since the release of book 3, so I’ve been eagerly awaiting this next book, hoping that the series would return to the quality we saw in the first two books. I had my fingers crossed that the dip in quality we had with book 3 was just an anomaly, given how incredible the first two books had been. But unfortunately this fourth book is not that much better, and sadly wasn’t really worth the wait.
My original review for this book was going to go into details about what I felt went wrong and why it didn’t work for me personally. But in the end it just boils down to the fact that books 1 and 2 were exceptionally good books, but 3 and 4 just aren’t of the same calibre. I had such a good reading experience with the first two that I assumed the quality of the writing would continue but I was wrong.
Now you might not have had a problem with book 3 in the series, and may have been quite happy to go along with its dreary narrative and lacklustre plot. If so, then the dull dialogue of this book might not bother you. Nor will the neatly wrapped up Scooby Doo-style ending. And if that’s the case then I’m really pleased for you and hope you enjoy this book. But when you read the scene of Leon and Ben’s visit to the care home, and feel the emotional heart of the book begin to beat, you might find yourself looking back at books 1 and 2 with nostalgic eyes. Hoping beyond hope that this stand out chapter is an indication that those “quality writing days” are about to return. But alas not. You can hardly feel the emotional pulse of the book. Well, not unless descriptions of navigating London congestion gets you going. So unfortunately I’m probably going to give up on this series and just remember all the great character writing of its yesteryears.
April 24, 2026
DI Leon Peterson and his DS, Jasmine Todd, are both going to Windsor, accepted secondment to relook on a case ruled as accidental drowning, after a minor celebrity is making a fuss out of it (and she has million followers on social media!). It is also a chance for Leon to get some space from his ex-turned-supervisor.
I am still amazed of this three-way-partnership. I wonder how it works because I think the story goes smoothly. Like, I can't guess who writes which part!
I liked Leon and Jasmine working relationship - they are solid. This book has a few chapters from Jasmine's point of views, and I enjoy that. I miss the whole team though, because in Windsor, it's only Leon and Jasmine. The other members of their team, DS Rishi De and DS Gary Morgan, stay in London. It's clear that Leon and Jasmine do miss the team - especially since the Riverside PD is not exactly being supportive. Thinking that they big guys from London are rechecking their work!
I also enjoy the investigation - it's clear why Riverside PD think of it as accident. All of the suspects seem to have solid alibi. And it takes Leon and Jasmine many tries to look over other clues and details to arrive on their conclusion about the murder.
I hope there is still more books of this series. Clearly, I want to see St. Clair (Leon's Commander) gets booted out of London, probably after a sexual misconduct or something. In the meantime, I enjoy any book that the author decides to release.
I am still amazed of this three-way-partnership. I wonder how it works because I think the story goes smoothly. Like, I can't guess who writes which part!
I liked Leon and Jasmine working relationship - they are solid. This book has a few chapters from Jasmine's point of views, and I enjoy that. I miss the whole team though, because in Windsor, it's only Leon and Jasmine. The other members of their team, DS Rishi De and DS Gary Morgan, stay in London. It's clear that Leon and Jasmine do miss the team - especially since the Riverside PD is not exactly being supportive. Thinking that they big guys from London are rechecking their work!
I also enjoy the investigation - it's clear why Riverside PD think of it as accident. All of the suspects seem to have solid alibi. And it takes Leon and Jasmine many tries to look over other clues and details to arrive on their conclusion about the murder.
I hope there is still more books of this series. Clearly, I want to see St. Clair (Leon's Commander) gets booted out of London, probably after a sexual misconduct or something. In the meantime, I enjoy any book that the author decides to release.
June 30, 2026
I liked this one a little more than the previous one. It was still a slow story without much suspense or tension. I do like the two main detectives, though, and I like how Leon's team is coming together. I just wished the story moved at a quicker pace. The wedding of the minor royals was a distraction and didn't add anything to the story. I also think the setup of catching the killer there was far-fetched.
There were a lot of unanswered questions at the end. Why was Xavier being nice to Leon? How did Cates die? And what happened with Ben's prior complicated situation related to a dating service?
Overall, 3.5 stars but I rounded down because of the unanswered questions and the royal wedding stuff.
There were a lot of unanswered questions at the end. Why was Xavier being nice to Leon? How did Cates die? And what happened with Ben's prior complicated situation related to a dating service?
Overall, 3.5 stars but I rounded down because of the unanswered questions and the royal wedding stuff.
July 12, 2026
A good series
I really enjoyed this series and I hope there is more. Leon Peterson is a smart, conflicted but committed investigator. He struggles with the higher ups but is well respected by his team. Each book is so well written and has a good mystery. The relationship building is well done throughout all four books. Very minimal romance but there are couples beginning and we see this throughout the series. All in all I am a fan!
I really enjoyed this series and I hope there is more. Leon Peterson is a smart, conflicted but committed investigator. He struggles with the higher ups but is well respected by his team. Each book is so well written and has a good mystery. The relationship building is well done throughout all four books. Very minimal romance but there are couples beginning and we see this throughout the series. All in all I am a fan!
April 27, 2026
So happy to read the next book in this series. The characters are real, they are human, they make mistakes, they have problems and they have good times. The crime story is believable, the solving of the crime is also well done.
This is for readers who want to read crime, the romance is not the main focus.
I love this series and hope there will be many more books to come.
This is for readers who want to read crime, the romance is not the main focus.
I love this series and hope there will be many more books to come.
July 28, 2026
The writing inconsistencies in this series drives me crazy sometimes. It felt especially bad in this book. I wish they’d nail down their facts so it doesn’t feel like the characters have forgotten everything that’s happened very 5 seconds
September 26, 2026
I enjoyed this one & need to go back & read the other books in this series. Our MC’s investigation of a closed case leads them to another case. The why of it was not readily apparent as there were a lot of red herrings and kept me guessing. Very good mystery
May 11, 2026
Diverting, as always.
June 23, 2026
I likes it but found it not as engaging as previous books. I couldn't understand why the missing inheritance wasn't given priority as soon as it was known.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 1, 2026
Good ending to the series. WAY TOO MUH COFFEE REFERENCES! Glad to see Leon and Ben as well as Jasmine and her boyfriend doing well. Good job solving the mystery.
August 19, 2026
Exciting police dramas
Love reading police dramas. These are great stories. I also can't get enough of Leon and Ben. I hope we get more of them in the next book.
Love reading police dramas. These are great stories. I also can't get enough of Leon and Ben. I hope we get more of them in the next book.
September 5, 2026
4.25 stars
April 24, 2026
An excellent continuation to this wonderful series.
In this fourth story, after concluding the story arc that blindsided the main character, Leon Peterson, he and Jasmine, his sergeant, are seconded to scenic Windsor to follow up on an accidental death of a local woman that might be a murder.
This is a brilliant combination of police procedural and character study as Leon and Jas doggedly try to get to the bottom of the mystery, while resented by their host colleagues who are busy with preparations for policing the wedding of a minor royal.
The mystery, plotting and pacing is top notch, but what makes these stories so special are the characters. Solid, self-effacing Leon, feisty Jas, the rest of the team and even their unpleasant boss Xavier (who happens to be Leon's ex) are beautifully realised, along with supporting characters as partners and families. I hope we'll be reading about these characters for many stories to come.
In this fourth story, after concluding the story arc that blindsided the main character, Leon Peterson, he and Jasmine, his sergeant, are seconded to scenic Windsor to follow up on an accidental death of a local woman that might be a murder.
This is a brilliant combination of police procedural and character study as Leon and Jas doggedly try to get to the bottom of the mystery, while resented by their host colleagues who are busy with preparations for policing the wedding of a minor royal.
The mystery, plotting and pacing is top notch, but what makes these stories so special are the characters. Solid, self-effacing Leon, feisty Jas, the rest of the team and even their unpleasant boss Xavier (who happens to be Leon's ex) are beautifully realised, along with supporting characters as partners and families. I hope we'll be reading about these characters for many stories to come.
June 3, 2026
Finally! I feel like I’ve been aging in a government facility waiting six years for this book, but thank God it actually lived up to the first three. Ok, so it was really only six months, but that’s not the point.
I absolutely love this series, and getting to see Leon and Ben’s relationship advance gave me life. I also really enjoyed the mystery element—even if I did solve the murder and the motive so early on that I should probably be hired by Scotland Yard. 🕵️♂️ Despite my accidental genius, the flow of the investigation was fantastic and kept me completely hooked.
My only actual complaint? The utter lack of the London Central Station crew. The disrespect!
I can’t wait for book five. Please don't make me wait another half-decade.
I absolutely love this series, and getting to see Leon and Ben’s relationship advance gave me life. I also really enjoyed the mystery element—even if I did solve the murder and the motive so early on that I should probably be hired by Scotland Yard. 🕵️♂️ Despite my accidental genius, the flow of the investigation was fantastic and kept me completely hooked.
My only actual complaint? The utter lack of the London Central Station crew. The disrespect!
I can’t wait for book five. Please don't make me wait another half-decade.
May 12, 2026
I have to admit I was not as engaged with the plot (nor the setting) as compared to the previous ones.
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews