A Book of Scars

Never forgotten

Teenager Alexandra Tozer was murdered on her family’s farm. Five years later, her sister Helen will return.

Never suspected

As soon as DS Breen tracks down the original investigating sergeant, the man goes missing. And so does Helen.

Never revealed

The only connection between the suspects is the Kenya Emergency – a nightmare that Englishmen prefer to forget.

But others remember. Every bloody detail. And when another woman is taken, Breen fears that history – in all its shame and horror – is coming back to haunt them.

Teenager Alexandra Tozer was murdered on her family’s farm. Five years later, her sister Helen will return.

Never suspected

As soon as DS Breen tracks down the original investigating sergeant, the man goes missing. And so does Helen.

Never revealed

The only connection between the suspects is the Kenya Emergency – a nightmare that Englishmen prefer to forget.

But others remember. Every bloody detail. And when another woman is taken, Breen fears that history – in all its shame and horror – is coming back to haunt them.

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“Superb crime novels… A Book of Scars combines nostalgic period detail with an emotional intensity found only in the very best crime fiction.” Sunday Times Crime Book of the Month, June 2015

“A first-rate mystery” The Guardian

“The question of why a killer kills is always central. William Shaw delivers a perfect motive in the third of his excellent Breen and Tozer mysteries…” Jeff Noon, The Spectator

“Superb . . . Shaw picks up multiple plot threads, expertly weaving them into a complex story . . . Shaw perfectly captures the end of an uneasy era, and the utterly terrifying final scene will leave readers breathless.” Publishers Weekly (starred)

“Gripping . . . Echoes Robert Galbraith’s crime novels, and neither author suffers by the comparison. This is a totally engaging series.” Library Journal (starred review)

“Shaw raises the bar with each entry in this series. . . . A genre-bending psychological thriller, perfect for those who like Elizabeth George’s Lynley novels.” Booklist (starred review)

“Thoroughly gripping . . . Shaw draws incisive attention to little-known historical events and crafts a wholly satisfying thriller.” Kirkus Reviews

Shortlisted for the CWA Historical Dagger