It's so lovely to meet you!

I'm a bestselling mystery thriller author of The Athenian Murders, The Saturn House Killings and Cold Secrets. Seven Bodies, my new mystery thriller, is coming out in January 2026 with Bloodhound Books. I'm currently based in Canada, however, I call the wonderful Elgin in Moray home. When I'm not spinning my next novel's twists and turns, I can usually be found hiking, cooking, and talking about Classical and Renaissance art to anyone who will listen.

New mystery thriller release coming in January 2026!

An exclusive retreat. An isolated hotel. A storm that changes everything.

The Tornivan Hotel in the remote Scottish Highlands is Jules’s last shot at success. When a wealthy investor and his wife arrive for a weekend stay, it feels like the chance she’s been waiting for.

But as a blizzard arrives, the hotel’s guests and staff find themselves snowed in with no way out, and they all have secrets of their own. When one of them disappears without a trace, panic spreads through the corridors.

Desperate to protect her reputation and save her dream, Jules makes a decision that could change everything. Because in this hotel, danger isn’t out in the storm… it’s already inside.

Perfect for fans of Lucy Foley and Agatha Christie, Seven Bodies is a gripping, claustrophobic mystery that will keep you guessing until the very last page.

Order now!

My books...

The Athenian Murders

Detectives in Greece solve a string of murders inspired by ancient myths.

The Saturn House Killings

Sequel to The Athenian Murders... the mystery of a body found on the beach of an exclusive island resort tests the Hellenic Police team.

Cold Secrets

Bar owner Robert Begg is puzzled when a mysterious visitor claims he is the key to solving a decades' old murder case in the Scottish village of Findrussie.

Seven Bodies

As a blizzard arrives at a remote hotel, its staff and guests are plunged into panic when one of them goes missing.

Perfect for fans of Lucy Foley and Agatha Christie.

Black Yellow Spooky Moody Dark Forest Thriller Novel Book Cover (800 x 800 px).jpg

Would you like a free mystery short story?

The Visit: A Short Story

Download The Visit now! (epub)

Download The Visit now! (PDF)

Ahead of the release of my new mystery thriller, Seven Bodies, I'm offering a free spooky mystery set in the Scottish Highlands. It's for free, no catches, no snags... just for the pure love of mystery!

I also write a blog.

To become an advance reader and receive little freebies...

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I've been lucky enough to have lived a lot of life lately...

1-3: the first photo encapsulates my general mood during my book events recently! Speaking to local readers was honestly the most brilliant and affirming experience. This is why books (and gorgeous bookshops like @beinnbooks) are awesome, in my opinion: they open conversations, turn strangers into friends, and build community. I'm unbelievably grateful to everyone (friends and new friends) who came out to get a book signed and have a good old blether.

4-5: I've FINALLY broken the back of a new book idea which has been stubbornly rigid for a while. I'm very excited about this one.

6-8: friends!!! Seeing my friends was absolutely everything. Being abroad temporarily, I've missed them.

9-10: for about 20 years, I have been obsessed with ancient Greek pottery. So, of course I popped into The British Museum to stare at them intensely like a mad old cat. I've always liked the white ground lekythoi, which were funerary pots. I think they're so delicate and hit that stange space between grief and commemoration perfectly.

11. Apparently, there are pelicans in St James' Park now.

#lifelately #bookevent #authorlife #crimewriter

I'm so grateful to everyone who has read my new book, Seven Bodies. Thank you for reviewing and enjoying it 🥰
It's always terrifying when you release a book into the world, and it's words like this that keep me going! Here's a selection of my favourites! @bloodhound.books
#mysterythrillerbooks #whodunnitbooks #murdermysterybooks #crimefiction #murdermysterybook

A wondrous few days in New York. A black tie NYE looking over the best skyline in the world, awesome friends, much laughter, many a cocktail, sensational food, two broadway shows (Hadestown and Two Strangers Carry a Cake Across New York are simply must-sees, in my humble and excitable opinion), a slice of pizza on the go, my first taste of a Fish called Fluke ("no no... we intended to order this"), a bookshop dedicated to crime and mystery in Tribeca almost next to our hotel (The Mysterious Bookshop), another on the Lower East Side also selling pickles, walking and smiling... no, beaming (!), views galore... yes, I'm trying to work out a way to live there one day.

Oh! And my book is out on the 6th... please do give it a read.
#newyork #lifelately #authorlife #imwalkinghere

Life lately:

1/2. First ski trip of the season! I'm still flatlining at "semi-competent intermediate" but I'm happy.

3. Printed author copies of Seven Bodies, my January release, are ready!! They'll be on pre-order soon and I'm very excited about this one.

4. Cold Secrets, last year's wintry murder mystery, has been spotted in the wild. I cannot wait to visit the wonderful Beinn Books in Dufftown and Cullen.

5. This is what I opted to wear for the "country" themed Christmas party.

6. I've finished my new thriller and it's currently being beta read.

7. We made mince pies for a friend's dinner party and my Christmas tree pattern was mistaken for something altogether different.

#lifelately #authornews #mincepies #bookrelease

I am beyond thrilled to announce my new book, Seven Bodies, is now on preorder! The link is in my bio, as they say, because that's where it is.

It's a mystery thriller set in a Highland hotel with twists (and bodies) aplenty. I simply dare you to guess whodunit, go on, try!

But, Vicky, why should I bother preordering?

Oh, thank you for asking! In today's publishing industry preorders help little authors like me immensely:

1) They indicate early interest in the title to the publisher
2) They push you up the charts of the big book sites
3) They're a good data set for bookshops if you're not a must-stock author

So, even if you prefer your books papery, I'd ask you (very tentatively, but with feeling) to preorder the ebook for 99p today. The audio and paperbacks will follow soon, however!

#murdermysterybook #crimefiction #crimebook #murdermysterybooks #murdermystery #crimeauthor

Life of late (September/October edition):

1. A trip to Lisbon with my mum and brother. It's really just a treat of a city, isn't it? As usual, "I could definitely live here" was repeated x 127.

2. Cats and pumpkins are an excellent pairing. Not in soup, obviously. But in autumnal aesthetics.

3. I stole this photo from my brother (my mum and brother visited Saguenay, too). It was the best fall colour display yet. Unfortunately (or fortunately), no moose were spotted.

4. We did a little bit of hiking, but, as you can see, I've hurt my poor old lady knee, so I was somewhat curtailed.

5. What does a 38 year old taking up ballet for the first time in 20 years look like? The grinning just hasn't stopped. This is, incidentally, what agitated the poor old lady knee. Apparently, I must now squat like my life depends on it.

6. I found an Agatha I didn't love. It's one of her early ones from 1929 and she experiments with a spy thriller vibe, rather than her taut mystery formula.

#lifelately #authorlife #autumnvibes #autumnleaves🍂
#catandpumpkin

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Conversations, coffee and crime

Over the last couple of weeks, I was lucky enough to do some book events in Scotland, where my latest mystery thriller, Seven Bodies , is set. Here I am, absolutely buzzing whilst chatting to the most wonderful local readers! I had never done an author event before and the nerves were tremendous: would anyone actually turn up? What if lots of people turned up and declared that a) they had already read my book and b) they hated it? What if I discovered that I was, actually, ve

2 days ago2 min read