Who killed Stuart Burlington? Earlsraven is shaken by the news that its renowned antiques dealer has been slain with a samurai sword from his own collection. A web of secrets surrounds the case, and Nathalie and Louise - the owner of the Black Feather inn and her formidable cook - are determined to unravel it. They have an unexpected ally in the form of Hector Peroux, a celebrated private detective from Belgium. Together they are soon able to track down a suspect. But is the solution to the case really that straightforward? And what role does the enigmatic old lady, whose suspicious behaviour has been raising eyebrows, play in this puzzle?

About the series: There was nothing in the will about this...

Cottages, English roses and rolling hills: that's Earlsraven. In the middle of it all: the 'Black Feather'. Not only does young Nathalie Ames unexpectedly inherit this cosy inn from her aunt, she also falls heir to her aunt's secret double life! She solved criminal cases together with her cook Louise, a former agent of the British Crown. And while Nathalie is still trying to warm up to the quirky villagers, she discovers that sleuthing runs in the family.

About the author: Ellen Barksdale was born in the English seaside resort of Brighton, where her parents ran a small boarding house. From childhood she was a bookworm, and from a young age was interested in crime novels. Her first experience of crime fiction was with the Maigret novels by Georges Simenon. After years of reading crime fiction, she recently decided to take up writing herself. 'Tea? Coffee? Murder!' is her first mystery series. The author lives near Swansea with her partner Ian and their three mongrels Billy, Bobby and Libby.