MURDER ON GOVAN’S HEAD a gripping Welsh crime thriller full of twists

by Nicola Clifford

A GRIPPING WELSH CRIME MYSTERY SET ON THE WILD PEMBROKESHIRE COAST.

An elderly woman lies dead on the stone floor of St Govan’s Chapel, a tiny medieval church wedged into the Pembrokeshire cliffs. She wears a long white dress. Flowers are woven through her hair and threaded between her bare toes. A red rose rests in her hands. There’s not a mark on her.

Detective Vicki Blunt has seen plenty of ugly deaths. She has never seen one arranged with such care.

Blodwen Williams was eighty-two. She left her care home in the night and somehow reached the coast two miles away. Nobody saw her go. Nobody can explain how she got there.

A photo of the scene goes viral. Online, the talk is all of rituals and sacred places. Vicki’s boss calls it nonsense, but Vicki isn’t so sure. No one could have chosen that chapel by accident.

Then a second old lady is found laid out on her own bed, in the wedding dress she wore as a young bride.

As the summer heat builds and the press close in, Vicki is running out of time.

Because whoever is doing this isn’t finished. And the next old lady on their list is already sleeping behind an unlocked door.

A gripping Welsh police procedural for readers who love Joy Ellis, L.J. Ross, Faith Martin, Ann Cleves, Rhys Dylan and Simon McCleave.

MEET DETECTIVE VICKI BLUNT
Detective Sergeant Vicki Blunt works CID out of Haverfordwest, bringing the same sharp instincts and refusal to let go to every case. Home is a flat she rents above the house of her landlady and closest friend, Susan Thomas — a straight-talking ex-DCI pensioned out of the force after a back injury, who swapped her warrant card for a walking stick but never lost her nose for a case. Four years of living side by side has made them family in all but blood, and when Vicki’s cases get complicated, Susan is rarely content to just listen from the summer house.

THE SETTING
It’s midsummer in West Wales, and a rare heatwave has turned Pembrokeshire’s fields brown and its rivers thin, sending sheep hunting for shade and sparking grass fires on the hills. On the roads to Carmarthen and Cardigan, convoys of caravans and campervans clog the way as tourists chase the sun along the Teifi estuary and the Pembrokeshire coast. Beneath the postcard views, though, danger hasn’t taken the summer off — and the heat has a way of making secrets impossible to keep buried.

READERS LOVE THE VICKI BLUNT
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ‘Another gem of a Vicki Blunt thriller.’ U4ea
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ‘I urge you to read this series.’ Elva in Shropshire book lover
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ‘Brilliant read.’ Rob, Widnes
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ‘Great storytelling and hard to put the book down.’ Little L.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ‘Great story line, and certainly a nice twist.’ Carol W.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ‘I read a lot of ‘detective novels’ but this is a cut above. Had me guessing to the end!’ Ubique
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ‘Good characters, a gripping mystery and an absolutely beautiful setting! Fab!’ Emily G.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ‘A must read for lovers of crime fiction.’ Haf D.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ‘An excellent writer and I have enjoyed all her books.’ DeeDee
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ‘Read this in one sitting as it was so compelling. Well-rounded characters and a twisty plot.’ Dizzy V
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ‘I always enjoy reading Nicola Clifford's books.’ Banditman
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ‘. . . a carefully crafted tale with totally realistic characters . . . Highly recommended.’ Bookman
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ‘Nicola [Clifford]. . . is extraordinary. She never fails to devise fresh plots that are complex and will challenge both the reader’s intuition and reasoning.’ Saffron

301 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 28, 2026

Reviews

[J Davies · Rating 5 out of 5]

Help comes from a surprise quarter.
Long gone are the days when police procedurals had just a token female officer. In this, Nicola Clifford's fourth book of her excellent Vicki Blunt Welsh Detective Mysteries series, females easily outnumbered the men, in terms of both police and victims. Vicki has a strong team, but even they are baffled and upset by this case. The author gives us a continual drip feed of revelations about the puzzling deaths of two old ladies that really drags the reader in.
I've always enjoyed Nicola Clifford's books, and this one is no exception. It held my attention right the way through, and I didnt have a clue who the killer was and their motives right up until the end.

[Veronika Jordan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’ve never read this author, and I know this is Book 4 in the series, but I am instantly attracted to any crime fiction books that mention witchcraft and the supernatural. So I knew this would be just up my street.

The body of an elderly lady is found lying on the floor of St Govan’s Chapel. She is wearing a long white dress and has flowers woven through her hair and toes. She looks like she has been laid out in some kind of ceremony, but there are no marks on her. No stab wounds, no strangulation marks, nothing. It’s a mystery. Did she take her own life? If so, how did she get there and pose herself?

Then a second body is discovered in similar circumstances. She’s been taken from a nursing home to her own home and laid out in her wedding dress, again with flowers surrounding her. Detective Vicki Blunt and her team are stumped. Why would someone do this to a couple of old ladies?

Now I have to admit that because this is part of a series, it took me a while to work out who was who. It’s also a police procedural, and there is a lot of ‘procedure’ which tends to slow down the action. It’s not a fast-paced action thriller if that’s what you are looking for. I did guess the killer quite early on, but it didn’t spoil it for me.

I really enjoyed it though, my favourite character being Ffion Evans, the solitary witch. I think she will be back in the future, as will Vicki’s possible new love interest. I think the series needs a dog as well. Something small and fluffy. It could live with Susan. She needs a canine friend.

Many thanks to @ZooloosBT for inviting me to be part of the #MurderOnGovansHead #blogtour.

[Diane Elizabeth Taylor · Rating 4.5 out of 5]

Absolute perfection from start to finish, this brilliant series just keeps getting better.

An elderly woman lies in a medieval chapel on the Pembrokeshire cliffs, dressed in white, flowers woven through her hair. There isn't a mark on her. I was completely hooked from there on in.

The Welsh heatwave setting is gorgeous, but there's real unease underneath it. A killer is laying out their victims with strange, tender care, and the trail leads to two very different care homes: the polished Healing Hands Manor and the far shabbier Castle View.

Going back to Haverfordwest always feels like popping in on old friends. I love that Vicki still has Susan, her landlady, mentor and ex-DCI, downstairs with the kettle on and a talent for cutting through nonsense. Add a little help from a local witch (yes, really), and Vicki is determined to get justice for these dearly loved women.

DCI Summers is as demanding as ever, and the team's loyalty to one another is the beating heart of the series. It gives the grit some real warmth.

I thought I had it all worked out. I hadn't. That ending completely caught me off guard.

If you like proper police procedurals with heart, a strong sense of place and characters you'd happily have a cuppa with, put this one on your list.

My thanks to Joffe Books for the ARC. All views are my own.

[Carys · Rating 3.5 out of 5]

This is the first time I have read a book by Nicola Clifford, but as soon as I saw that it was based in Pembrokeshire, I had to read it!! Living on the Pembrokeshire border, there were so many references in this book to places I knew, and I loved the use of the traditional Welsh names and the Welsh phrases/slang within the book, many of which made me chuckle as they were so typical of the South West Wales dialect.
The banter between the officers added a light hearted element to the book which made it an easy read.

The inclusion of traditional witchcraft within the book was written beautifully including some historical facts about witchcraft and spirituality practices in the area.

I felt the book built suspense as I read through it, and there were very different lines of enquiry included within the storyline, which made me wonder how everything was connected and kept me wanting to read on.

I had guessed the twist before the end, but I did still enjoy reading it and finding out why the person did what they did.

Maybe, as it was a police procedural book rather than a full on thriller, it was not quite dramatic enough for me, however I think that is down to personal preference and I would definitely recommend this book to those who enjoy a well written, police investigation storyline.

I was lucky enough to read this as an ARC copy!!

[Sally Winsor · Rating 5 out of 5]

An elderly lady’s body lay peacefully on the floor of St Goven’s Chapel dressed in white and surrounded by flower petals. There are no signs of foul play, but the post mortem reveals she died of a drug overdose. Detective Sergeant Vicki Blunt is perplexed. It seems everyone loved the old lady and can’t think of anyone who would want to hurt her. When another elderly lady is found dead, similarly laid out it becomes a double murder investigation and a race against time, lest the killer strike again.
Though this is book 4 in the Vicki Blunt Welsh Detective Mysteries it works very well as a standalone. I hadn’t read any of the previous books in the series and had no trouble getting a good grip on the characters and their relationships. It is fast paced with a gripping storyline and would make an excellent addition to any crime fiction lover’s library.

[Caroline · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this book, another fantastic addition to the Vicki Blunt series, though it's so well written it could easily work as a stand alone.
In this book, Vicki is called to investigate the death of an elderly care home resident whose body has been arranged in a Welsh chapel in the style of a painting surrounded by flowers and greenery. When another body of a care home discovered again arranged artfully, Vicki starts to widen the investigation into a local witches coven. But is the killer really a witch, or closer to home?
The main cast of characters all work well together, and all add to the storyline which moves along as a really good pace.
I'd really recommend this series, one of my top finds of the year.
Thanks to Joffe Books for sending me an advanced copy to read and review.

[Phil Rogers · Rating 5 out of 5]

A cleverly themed welsh murder thriller. Kept me guessing until the end.
This is my first in this series and I will definitely reading the previous 3 books.

Detective Constable Vicki Blunt is called to the bizarrely posed body of an elderly lady. The
lady has been laid out on the floor of an ancient chapel, dressed in a white gown and
surrounded by and covered with beautiful wild flowers.
The local witches coven use the chapel as part of their rites at midsummer and so they are
immediately prime suspects.
A second body is found similarly posed but inside her own house. Links between the two
victims are soon established and two local care homes are now in the frame. Can Vicki and
her team crack the case before there are any more deaths?

[Barney · Rating 5 out of 5]

An intriguing detective story with a good complicated plot and lots of background colour. I really enjoy books set in a specific location so I can picture where the characters are and what they are doing. This book is really evocative of Pembrokeshire from the lovely creepy opening ( a woman laid to rest in an abandoned church in the side of a cliff, dressed as The Lady of Shallott) to the descriptions of towering cliffs, dominant seas, rural villages and small welsh towns. I loved every minute! The plot hinges on who is murdering old ladies and yet leaving them looking serene, with links to local care homes and hints of Wiccan and witchcraft. Motives are suggested, investigated and discarded, myths debunked and the culprit is not at all who you suspect. Great!

[Sharon · Rating 5 out of 5]

An elderly lady is found dead, , wearing a white gown and covered in flower petals with a smile on her face in a small chapel at the base of a cliff in Govan’s Head.
Detective Vicki Blunt is called to investigate and learns the victim was a resident in a care home. Days later another body is found, once again an elderly lady wearing a wedding gown and strewn with flowers on the bed in the house she had lived in before moving to a care home, the two cases obviously linked.
Vicki and her team are struggling to find motives and suspects for the murders and seem to be fighting a losing battle until they arrest a suspect who adamantly protests her innocence.
Do they have the killer? A good read with interesting plot twists.

[Nadine-Sue Sargent · Rating 4.75 out of 5]

Vicki gets called to investigate the finding of a body left out on display. It's almost artistic and done with love so you question motives straightaway.

Vicki's team seem dedicated to get to the bottom of things, particularly as things are not straightforward and another body pops up.

This is a slow-burn with some interesting themes addressed. There's a potential for spiritual beliefs to be the reasoning behind the deaths but there's a lot of misunderstandings and misdirection going on. The police are working hard but they have a lot of people and evidence to sift through.

I quite like Vicki and her friends seem a lot of fun. It'd be interesting to catch up and see where things lead for Vicki and Ruth with her new calling.

[Alison · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an interesting story, the fourth in the series of Vicki Blunt Welsh Detective Mysteries, which also reads very well as a standalone.

A body is found in a tiny Welsh chapel which has been carefully dressed and apparently posed, with numerous flowers in hair and clothing..

Vicki and the police team are only at the beginning of their investigations when a second elderly lady is found, this time in her own home, again seeming to have been painstakingly laid out.

Both lived in care homes, albeit different ones, and rumours grow rapidly as to potential guilty parties and possible ritual involvements.

Fast paced and a gripping read.

[Jenny Kinsman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Set on the Pembrokeshire coast, this gem of a crime thriller follows Detective Vicky Blunt and her team as they investigate the death of an elderly lady who was found lying on the stone floor of St Govan`s Chapel, adorned with flowers . Soon after,this is followed by the death of another lady . Both had been residing in care homes but what is the link and could the killer strike again . This was the first Book I have read in this series and I will certainly be catching up with the previous ones. A great read

[Erik Empson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was lucky enough to read an early version of this book and I think it's the best yet in the series. The image of the victim covered in flowers in St Govan's Chapel - probably the most evocative place in the whole of Pembrokeshire - has really stayed with me. Without giving anything away, this book is a perfect example of the author's skill in capturing the arcane, unscrupulous seams of human behaviour that run beneath the surface of an otherwise beautiful country.

[Mary Ryan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a really enjoyable read that begins with the discovery of an elderly woman's body found posed on the floor of an old chapel. The discovery of another woman's body laid out on a bed in her wedding dress ensures Vicki and the team are kept busy as both women were living in two different care homes.

The setting was great and the links to witchcraft and getting the help of a local witch totally raised the intrigue levels for me and the reveal at the end was a surprise. This is a really good addition to a very good series.

[Lisa reads alot Hamer · Rating 4.5 out of 5]

This was a really good read and I loved all the witchcraft elements to the story it was fascinating.
This is part of a series I’m not familiar with but I followed along fine but have downloaded the first book and want to read the whole series. There are plenty of characters to like and I enjoyed the police teamwork during the investigation as well as the side characters.
It certainly kept me guessing and I didn’t work out anything until the ending, great read.

[Melvyn Homer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Murder on Govans Head. A body found in an ancient chapel. Suicide or something darker. The police have no obvious clues but when another body is found, things start to gel. A page turning novel that will keep you gripped until the end.

[David · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 stars

Excellent book. Good plot, plenty of twists and turns with interesting ,well rounded characters, more of Vicki Blunt please Ms Clifford.