'Utterly thrilling, this quest for survival gripped me from start to finish. With a flourishing cast of richly drawn characters, it would be a crime to miss it' Olly Smith, author of Death by NoirNine nights to solve a murder ... or she'll be next. When Bigglesweigh's notorious gangster, Cuttah, uses up the last of his nine lives, and is found dead, there is only one person who can solve the mystery of who killed him: indomitable retired nurse Miss Hortense. A resident of the quiet Birmingham suburb since she emigrated from Jamaica in the 1960s, the renowned cook never shies away from a challenge. Cuttah left behind a list of suspects. Miss Hortense is ready to investigate, but there's just one problem: her name is on the list and, worse, she only has nine nights before his cronies seek retribution... With the help of friends - including bubbly Blossom and tough, handsome Fitz - Miss Hortense must use her unique skills to crack the case in a town with as many secrets as there are ingredients for beef patties. But this will prove no easy task. The clock is ticking, and Cuttah's numerous enemies possess ties to drug running and corrupt police, not to mention a case from Miss Hortense's past which is about to come back to haunt her. Miss Hortense and the Last Rites is the second brilliantly entertaining and page-turning British-Caribbean mystery from critically acclaimed writer Mel Pennant. PRAISE FOR A MURDER FOR MISS HORTENSE:'Fresh, original and intriguing from start to finish!' Janice Hallett, bestselling author of The Examiner'What a joy - a brilliant new amateur sleuth to rival Miss Marple!' Good Housekeeping'More than a cosy crime mystery . . . it's the story of a community' Jennie Godfrey, author of The List of Suspicious Things