The Corfe Castle Murders

Dorset Crime #1

by Rachel McLean, Jan Cramer (Narrator)

Meet DCI Lesley Clarke. She’s a straight-talking city copper who doesn’t suffer fools gladly… and she’s been transferred to rural Dorset.
After being injured in a bomb attack, Lesley is presented with a choice - early retirement, or a period of respite in a calmer location.
But things don’t stay calm for long.
Before she’s even started her new job, Lesley is dragged into investigating a murder at one of England’s most iconic landmarks, the imposing Corfe Castle.
Lesley must hit the ground running. Can she get along with her new partner DS Dennis Frampton, a traditionalist who doesn’t appreciate her style? How will she navigate the politics of a smaller force where she’s a bigger, and less welcome, fish? And most importantly, can she solve the murder before the killer strikes again?
The Corfe Castle Murders is a compelling, character-driven mystery perfect for fans of Ann Cleeves, LJ Ross and Elly Griffiths.

Genres: Mystery, Crime, Fiction, Thriller, Audiobook, Procedural, Detective

Audible Audio

First published July 14, 2021

About the author

My name's Rachel McLean and I write stories you can't put down, with characters you'll be rooting for.

I'm best known for my Dorset Crime series, which has sold over a million copies. The first book in that series, The Corfe Castle Murders, won the 2021 Kindle Storyteller Award.

Here's what Clare Balding (the lead judge) had to say about the book:

'I particularly enjoyed the detail of the landscape and the humorous oddities of Dorset life. I enjoyed the richness of the characters, complexity of life for a working mother who is thrown into a new environment and has to prove herself, all over again.'

But The Corfe Castle Murders is by no means my only book. I've published five series and am working on two new ones, all of which connect. You'll find characters from each series in one or more of the other ones, so you (and I) get to follow them as they take on new challenges.

For example:

DCI Lesley Clarke is Zoe's boss in the DI Zoe Finch series and then moves to Dorset where she becomes the star of the Dorset Crime series.
DS Mo Uddin is Zoe's best friend and sidekick, then moves to Scotland for the McBride & Tanner series.
DC Tina Abbott is a key character in the Dorset Crime series and plays an important role in the new Lyme Regis Women's Swimming Club series of mysteries which stars her mum, Annie.
Zaf Williams starts off in the DI Zoe Finch series then moves to London and is one of the stars of the London Cosy Mysteries series (along with his colleague Diana and Gus the cat).
Dr Petra McBride appears in no fewer than three series and I'm planning a new series for her in 2026.
And not to be outdone, Zoe Finch has two series in which she stars: the DI Zoe Finch series of 'Deadly' books, and the Cumbria Crime series.
Once you get to know these characters, you'll find plenty of books to keep you entertained. And I hope you enjoy reading them as much as I enjoy writing them.

You can read a full list of the series and books on my books page. Each series is designed to be read in order but which series you go for first is really up to you.

Reviews

[Sue · Rating 4 out of 5]

THE CORFE CASTLE MURDERS is the first in a brand-new Dorset Crime series by Rachel McLean. This compelling, character-driven mystery crime fiction featured DCI Lesley Clarke and her team.

Lesley had been injured, four months ago in a bomb attack in central Birmingham. It was rumored that this affected her mentally and suffered from PTSD. Lesley was presented with a choice - early retirement, or a period of respite in a calmer location. But things don't stay calm for long.

DCI Lesley Clarke has just started a new position as the new DCI in the Major Crimes Team, with the Dorset Police Department, after been transferred from the West Midlands Police Department.

Her Team includes: 3 Detectives (DC Johnny Chiles, DC Michael Legg, and DS Dennis Frampton) and 2 support Officers (PC Tina Abbott and PC Mullins). Lesley works closely with Gail Hansford, the Crime Scene Manager.

Lesley is a straight-talking city copper who doesn't mince her words and swears a lot. She runs a tight ship, everyone in her team must follow the procedures and work together as a team. She never makes assumption, but bases her conclusions of a case on the basis of evidence.

Lesley’s team doesn’t like the way she talks, and don’t share her moral values with the use of a “swear jar”, and notepad.

Before she's even started her new job, Lesley is dragged into investigating a murder at one of England's most iconic landmarks, the imposing Corfe Castle. A member of an archeological dig is found dead in one of their tents by his girlfriend.

Lesley must hit the ground running. Can she get along with her new partner DS Dennis Frampton, a traditionalist who doesn't appreciate her style? Can she solve the murder before the killer strikes again?

This was a well-written police procedural, with compelling characters, and this new series shows much promise for an engaging series. Looking forward to book 2.

Many thanks to the author, Ackroyd publishing and The Book Club Reviewer Request Group (FB) for my digital copy.

[Chris Steeden · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is not normally the kind of book that I purchase but my family and I go down to holiday in Swanage a few times a year so I felt that I must buy it and read it there. I did and quite enjoyed it.

Corfe Castle is a gorgeous village and the ruined castle that was blown up by the Parliamentarians during the English Civil is a site to behold. We, of course, visited there again and had a wander round the ruins. We even took a stroll down West Street where the characters from the archaeological dig lived and I told my family all about the book. It was a bit like that Richard E Grant doc called ‘Write Around the World’ but not quite as glamorous. He goes to sunny European locations that have been sets for books and reads from them.

OK, so it’s not the best crime book you’re ever going to read. It is a basic whodunnit with very few characters but I read it in four days so certainly kept my interest. There is a new DCI in town called Lesley Clarke. She has been sent down from the Birmingham force for 6 months so she can have a quieter life getting over a traumatic event. That quiet life comes to nought when a dead archaeologist working on a dig in Corfe Castle turns up immediately. He has been bludgeoned. We follow Lesley who is trying to adjust to her new surroundings and her new team. I will not divulge anymore.

For me, the interest really lies in the location. Like the author I love the area. The next time I’m there I will be reading the next instalment of the Dorset Crime series.

[Linda Strong · Rating 4 out of 5]

Talk about culture shock! DCI Lesley Clarke has been transferred from a large city to a small rural town. After being injured in a bomb attack, Lesley was given a choice .. early retirement or transfer to someplace a little calmer, a little less formidable.

Before she’s even started her new job, Lesley is dragged into investigating a murder at one of England’s most iconic landmarks, the imposing Corfe Castle.

Her introduction at the crime scene didn't go as smoothly as is should have. She and her new team members are sure to butt heads .. leaving her superiors wondering if she's going to fit in.

Book Blurb: Can she get along with her new partner DS Dennis Frampton, a traditionalist who doesn’t appreciate her style? How will she navigate the politics of a smaller force where she’s a bigger, and less welcome, fish? And most importantly, can she solve the murder before the killer strikes again?

It seems that this is more about the new DCI than it is with the crime of murder. Lesley comes across as rather brash, especially as she requests certain procedures be performed while trying to solve the crime. Her new team members are less than happy with the new leadership. That being said, it's well written, action in one form or another from start to finish. Characters are deftly drawn. As this is first in a series, it will be interesting, to say the least, to see how they change going forward. Will Clarke become a little less abrasive? Will the team ever accept her? I look forward to learning more of the backstory of Clarke.

Many thanks to the author for the digital copy of this British crime fiction /mystery. Read and reviewed voluntarily, opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.

[Karen Cole · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've loved Rachel McLean's books in the past so I'm disappointed not to have felt the same way about The Corfe Castle Murders. That's not to say this is a bad book - it's not and I have no doubt that many readers will thoroughly enjoy it.
The characterisation is good and although I didn't particularly warm to DCI Lesley Clarke, she is an interesting protagonist with a fascinating backstory which will be familiar to readers of Rachel McLean's Zoe Finch series. Her personal life sees changes here too and I'm sure readers will enjoy seeing what that means for her over the course of the trilogy. As the first novel in a new series, it's important to introduce characters who readers immediately get a feel for and are keen to discover more about in future books and that is done well here.
The investigation into a shocking murder at Corfe Castle is intriguing; with a likely small cast of suspects, the sense of suspicion and danger as to who is involved and who else may be at risk kept me turning the pages to find out the truth. However, although it's a pacy read with a satisfying conclusion, I was unfortunately left rather irritated by the stereotypical depiction of Dorset.
I live in the county and while I fully understand Rachel McLean's intention to explore the contrast between Lesley's former life in the Midlands and her new start in Dorset, I was disappointed that the author paints quite a negative view of rural life. I'm the first to admit that some people's attitudes here can be quite insular but although the pace of life might be a little slower in some instances, I found the constant suggestion that, aside from a couple of exceptions, her new colleagues were slow-witted and judgemental to be really quite annoying. The geographical sense of place is excellent and I can tell that Rachel McLean did her research well here but contrary to what it says in the book, there is no need to learn to 'speak Dorset' as most residents already know what yonks means and it's perfectly possible to find places that serve excellent curries - even in Wareham! Lesley's preconceptions meant I rolled my eyes at a scene where she is looking a mess and is concerned that she is 'already turning into a country bumpkin' having earlier thought to herself that 'At last, one of these bumpkins spoke her language'.
Although I'm hopeful that Lesley's assumptions about Dorset and its inhabitants will be challenged as the series progresses, I finished The Corfe Castle Murders feeling underwhelmed by the sense of place rendered here which in a series entitled Dorset Crime isn't what I'd hoped for. If anybody reads the book and wonders whether it's true, I have ordered pints in pubs here for years without anybody ever blinking an eye - there is definitely no unspoken rule that women should have wine instead!
The Corfe Castle Murders is a solid start to a new police procedural series and is an enjoyable read for the most part, I just wish it presented a more realistic and balanced version of Dorset. However, although I may be reluctant to read the rest of this series, it hasn't put me off reading more books by Rachel McLean and I look forward to more from this talented, prolific author in the future.

[Kathy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I thought I should try a series featuring female CI dealing with new assignment as well as changes in her personal life that were also challenging. I stuck with it to the end. It did provide me with a distraction from the Taylor Swift fans crowding the train to get downtown Chicago for her concert.
I usually like plots including archaeology digs but there were a number of balls bouncing in this intro that proved too much.

Kindle Unlimited

[Jill Stirling · Rating 1 out of 5]

The setting was lovely. The characters initially interesting but the lazy characterisation of the Christian policeman was disappointing to say the least. Hypocritical condemnation of his standards whilst the lead character careened around and left her family. Her career seemed more important than her family. The ending was disappointing. Political correctness gets in everywhere. I won't be reading this author again.

[Mike Finn · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Corfe Castle Murders was my first book by Rachel McLean. I was drawn to it because I recently spent a couple of days at Corfe Castle and I found it hard to imagine anyone getting murdered there. When I realised that the first murder victim was an archaeologist, I decided to use it for the new Dem Bones square in Halloween Bingo.

It turned out to be an excellent choice. The Corfe Castle Murders is a straight police procedural, with a cute, quiet setting and a focus on how an abrasive, foul-mouthed, recently injured, big-city cop, on temporary assignment to sleepy Dorset while she gets over her recent trauma gets on with her new rural police team.

It's not fancy. It's not bloodthirsty. It does nothing new with form. It neither asks nor answers pressing existential questions. It just solves a murder through good police work and builds a team in the process. And it does it very well.

I really enjoyed the clean clear prose and the well-paced storytelling. It was like watching someone make a Japanese line drawing: confident, elegant, efficient and clear.

I found the process for solving the crime believable and fun to watch. Our new Detective Inspector is a believer in building a case one piece of evidence at a time. This meant that each new piece of evidence sent me off running through the mazes of my own assumptions, trying and failing to figure out who did it. I was kept guessing right to the end and instead of feeling cheated or teased, I was entertained.

The Castle Corfe in the book matched the one I'd visited, right down to the names of the pubs and cafés. Not that you'd make up a café called The Pink Goat. I got a good sense of the place without feeling that I was being fed a summarised guide.

The interactions between DCI Lesley Clarke and her new team were good fun. Not surprising but still entertaining. I liked the relatively slow reveal of the DCI's back story and how her relationship with her sixteen-year-old daughter was depicted. I found her interesting enough that I want to see what she does next.

I'll be back for more of the Dorset Crime series.

[Jenny · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Corfe Castle Murders is book one in the Dorset Crime series by Rachel Mclean. After recovering from an accident DCI Lesley Clarke, supervisor, recommend time away from London in the beautiful Dorset countryside. However, before DCI Lesley Clarke started her new job, she caught the case of murder at Corfe Castle. On top of learning how Dorset law enforcement works, she encountered disrespect from her colleagues. The readers of The Corfe Castle Murders will continue to follow DCI Lesley Clarke to find out what happens.

The Corfe Castle Murders is a fantastic book by Rachel Mclean, and I enjoyed reading this book. I had no difficulty engaging with this book's plot or characters and had, at times, laughed with the antics of the characters. I love Rachel Mclean's portrayal of her characters and the way they interact with each other throughout this book. The Corfe Castle Murders was well-written and researched by Rachel Mclean. I like the description of the settings of The Corfe Castle Murders that complemented the book's plot.

The readers of The Corfe Castle Murders will learn about the consequences of law enforcement caught up in significant incidents. Also, the readers of The Corfe Castle Murders will learn about fraud, greed and jealousy in University's Archaeologist projects.

I recommend this book.

[Agirlcandream · Rating 4 out of 5]

DCI Lesley Clarke deals with a grisly murder on the day before she begins her new role as head of the serious crimes division of the Dorset office. She not only has a murder to solve but a team of detectives to wrangle into a cohesive, productive and willing crew.

A solid intro to a series I look forward to reading.

[D. Baldwin · Rating 1 out of 5]

Patronising

It is impossible to warm to the bigoted supposed heroine as she is totally self possessed and treats the locals as bumpkins. It is a wonder that she does not describe them with straw in their mouths.
Why she has to pollute the atmosphere in a beautiful town of Corfe castle? Please stay in some city, well away from normal peaceable people.
If you feel like being patronised and wish to waste your time and money,then this is the book for you.

[Mark · Rating 2 out of 5]

Apart from the setting, there’s not much to recommend this straightforward police procedural. The idea of a city hardened detective relocating to a backwater has been dealt with better elsewhere without resorting to the blatant stereotypes of rural police in evidence here. Loose ends are left untied by the ending - for instance, no explanation is given for the artefacts in the garden shed. I won’t be reading any more of this series.

[Rachel Bowdler · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m not usually compelled to read crime/mystery, but I won’t say no when the main character is a later-in-life lesbian pushing back against a patriarchal workforce! While the main premise of the book is, of course, a police procedural murder mystery, I most enjoyed the exploration of characters. Lesley is surrounded by a lot of misogynists in varying forms but somehow she takes it on the chin in order to get the job done. With the introduction of a bigger, closer crime at the end, I’m already eager to start the second book (and get more sapphic interactions).

[susan bradley · Rating 1 out of 5]

Diabolical

A really boring crime story with horrible characters.
I picked it out because of the location, but really it could have been set anywhere, there were few references to the beautiful village, and most of them were derogatory.a
The main character was absolutely horrible, a foul mouthed manhating, bickering bully, all she seemed to do was argue with and belittle her staff.
The story was weak, so everything was repeated and repeated to fill the pages and all the men were useless or sex pests, and that included the police.
A truly awfully book.

[Pip Karlsen · Rating 2 out of 5]

Stereotypical characters and a not very engaging plot. I cannot decide who is the least credible character: is it Dennis, the policeman who measures villains by their moral worth, or Patrick, the lecherous, rude and bar-propping-up old man? You can get away with stereotypes in minor characters, but these two play leading parts. The least believable part of the plot is when a key character mails some evidence to her estranged sister rather than simply speaking with the police who are literally on site.

[Elaine - Splashes Into Books · Rating 4 out of 5]

It is a great start to a new series, with diverse characters and clues
And a dangerous killer with so much to lose.
It is a fascinating character-driven mystery and great read
If you enjoy crime thrillers this is just what you need!

This is the first in a new series of Dorset crime books
That are definitely great reads and worth more than a look.
DCI Lesley Clarke is moving to start a new job there
For six months she’ll stay for a quiet time and to take care

After a bomb left her injured, she needs to recover
But on the day before she starts, a murdered body she’ll discover
With a new team she needs to get to know
This will be a stressful time from the word go.

With new relationships to develop and colleagues to meet
This totally won’t be the quiet meet and greet!
With archaeologists and secrets, adultery, murder and lies,
Every revelation is often another surprise

My thanks to publisher and author who
Gave me a copy of this book with no obligation to review.

[Lisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars - I feel I'm going to love this series - next please!

[Simmi Mittal · Rating 2 out of 5]

The book started out interesting with a murder and a new DCI in town but soon seemed to have lost the plot. The author isn’t as detail oriented as she made out the DCI to be. Where the novel became less and less interesting was:
1. What happened to the sleeping pills line of investigation? The wife seemed to have them prescribed for herself but obviously that seemed irrelevant. There was sleeping pill dispensed from the local west street pharmacy for some one at the corfe castle but who? And whether Archie was force fed them or took them willingly (4 times the prescribed dose)?
2. Did crystal kill him alone? Did Patrick have a hand in it?
3. Why was Patrick looking for the letter sent to Jade in Archie’s belongings?
4. Why was Laila lying about her age etc. and is it common for archeologist teams to have unqualified people on-board?
5. What did laila have on crystal that she allowed her to work on a dig site?
6. Why were the artefacts at the house and not at the university? Who put them there?
7. Whose blood was found on the axe?
8. Why did DCI Mackie commit suicide in a week after a much looked forward to retirement? (This could come up in the subsequent novels too, but I’m not tempted to pick up any subsequent novels by this author).

The end of the novel just seemed rushed. It seemed that the author realized there are just too many details to deal with and she’s running amuck with ideas so decided to wrap up and make a series out of Lesley’s life.

[Julie · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars, although I admit to a little negative bias. For the record I live in Dorset and the writer chooses to have her protagonist think and see us as little more than country bumpkins. I thought I would enjoy a police procedural set in my neck of the woods and I didn’t expect to be almost ridiculed.
Having said this, our DCI hails from Birmingham where crime is probably a very different thing and I accept the pace of life in these here parts is a lot slower in general.
As the first in a series, we are drip fed details of the police team and I found that I really want to see how things develop.
The Murders themselves are associated with an archaeological dig close to Corfe Castle and the plot is reasonably good. Professional rivalry exists as much in academia as anywhere else it seems.

[Richard Swan · Rating 2 out of 5]

It’s set in Corfe Castle – yay!

After that it needn’t detain us. It’s full of the crudest stereotypes. The (female) smart city copper is sent to Rooral Dooorsett, where the (male) local plods are all verrryyy slooooww. She gets stuck behind tractors, because we all know that Dorset is inhabited solely by farmers. University personnel are all promiscuous, visitors are all pensioners and therefore senile.

** (and one of those is because of the setting)

PS If you’re interested in creative writing, then it’s instructive to compare this with Middlemarch (see my review). Both are, in the words of Eliot’s subtitle, ‘A Study of Provincial Life’. One is better than the other.

[Susann · Rating 2 out of 5]

I gave up on this!

I almost did in the first chapter but then thought I would give it a chance. Got about one third the way... I agree with the other reviewers that there is too much prejudice against the male of the species. Enough is enough. And the writing was a bit amateurish. Too bad because I was interested to know more about this part of the country.

[Margaret Wakeling · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked it because it was set in Corfe Castle, Dorset a part of the country I am very fond of but I am not sure I took to the characters!

[Rob Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the first book by Rachel McLean that I have read and I thoroughly enjoyed it. DCI Lesley Clarke has relocated to Dorset after being injured in a bomb attack. She is immediately immersed in an investigation when a body is found on an archaeological dig, yards from where she is having tea with her daughter. This on the day before her new job starts. A second murder happens and the team try to establish if there is a link between the murders and a fraud investigation. Fast flowing read.

[Ellie novellittlelady · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book, the first in a Detective series and I will read more of them in time. I enjoyed the Dorset setting and I like the characters. The ending was a little bit obvious for me, but generally a nice feeling to the book.

[Charlotte Parkin · Rating 4 out of 5]

An easy read, decent amount of suspense. Enjoyed the personal bits of the characters :)

[Holly in Bookland · Rating 4 out of 5]

*4.5 stars ✨

[Julia · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was looking forward to reading this book as it’s set in a place I’ve visited a lot. This is the first book in a police procedural series, with a DCI relocated from Birmingham for a slower pace of life after being injured in a bomb attack. After a bit of a slow start, I enjoyed the storyline and it held my attention.

[Amanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

‘The Corfe Castle Murders’ is the first book in the new Dorset Crime series featuring Detective Chief Inspector Lesley Clarke. I have been a fan of Rachel’s work for a while now and when I heard that she was due to release a new series, I knew that I had to read the first book as soon as I possibly could. I read the synopsis and it sounded so interesting that I just couldn’t resist jumping straight in. So without further ado, I grabbed my Kindle, grabbed a cup of tea and settled down for an interesting afternoon of reading.
What can I say about Detective Chief Inspector Lesley Clarke? I absolutely loved her and warmed to her from the start. She is an experienced police officer with many years of experience behind her. She experienced a traumatic event and although she has returned to work , her bosses have sent her to a quieter area to enable her to get back into the swing of things and also to allow her time to heal. Clarke is a determined woman who certainly doesn’t mince her words. Clarke doesn’t suffer fools gladly and if somebody upsets her then she won’t hesitate to make her feelings known. Clarke leads from the front and she certainly wouldn’t ask anybody to do anything that she wouldn’t be willing to do herself. Clarke is feisty, stubborn and extremely determined. In a lot of ways, Clarke reminded me of Detective Chief Inspector Vera Stanhope from the series of books by Ann Cleeves.
I was drawn into the story from the start. In fact as soon as I started to read, I knew that I was not going to be able to put this book at all. I warmed to Clarke from the start and I had to keep reading to see how she got on. I was blown away by the characters, the locations and by the storyline. I couldn’t turn the pages quick enough as I worked my way through the story. My Kindle wasn’t exactly glued to my hand but it might as well have been because it travelled everywhere with me. I just couldn’t bear to miss a single second of the story. I found ‘The Corfe Castle Murders’ to be a gripping read, which kept me on my toes and which kept me on the edge of my seat throughout.
‘The Corfe Castle Murders’ is superbly written but then I wouldn’t expect anything else from Rachel McLean. Rachel has one of those easy going writing style that is easy to get used to and easy to get along with. Rachel grabs your attention with an eye catching synopsis and when you start reading, Rachel reels the reader in much as a fisherman would reel in a catch. For me, the story hit the ground running and maintained a fairly fast pace throughout. Reading ‘The Corfe Castle Murders’ felt like being on a scary and unpredictable rollercoaster ride with several twists and turns along the way.
In short, I thoroughly enjoyed reading ‘The Corfe Castle Murders’ and I would definitely recommend this book to other readers. I will certainly be reading more of Rachel’s work in the future. The score on the Ginger Book Geek board is a very well deserved 5* out of 5*.

[Katy Cameron · Rating 1 out of 5]

Big city police office ends up in the sticks whether for punishment or R&R is a well worn trope, but not only did this book have the 'things are different than they are in the big city' theme, it also had a good dig at the slow locals who don't know procedure, along with randy academics hitting on students decades their junior, a weird throwback Christian character who seems to think all women belong in the 1950's and everyone should speak the queen's English, and more points of view than you could shake a stick at. The names might have thrown me the most, with a lot of the characters having names decades out from the era they were popular (I don't know any Sharons below the age of 50, for example, and certainly not any 16 year olds) They seem to have thrown the author too, since she mixed up the surnames of her DCs at least once.

Because of all the points of view it feels like there were a lot of loose threads, and while we found out whodunnit at the end, I still have no real idea why.

[Lynelle · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book was so very lacking for me. It had no depth of plot, character, relationship, etc. Everything felt very “check box,” textually. As in, “okay I covered that, next.” The story didn’t build at all and then it just flat out ended. Murderer caught, no details, no catharsis, nothing. It was just over and had pitiful wrap up chapters to try and capture what was missed. The story had potential, but it was a no for me.

[Snuffs · Rating 2 out of 5]

many editorial/continuity errors:

not a bad story but contains many editorial errors

* Laila says she should lock her bedroom door, but many times the book states that there are no locks

* reference to 'Crystal and Archie's'room should be 'Laila and Archie's room'

Sleeping pills referred to as Zopilcone should be Zoplicone

Needs editing, evidently, and maybe some prior research?