The Lucy Lawrence Mystery Series (Books 1-3)
Publisher: Storm Publishing (Previously Independently Published)
Publication Date: 25th July 2024
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The Lucy Lawrence Mystery Series
When No Stone Unturned was published back in 2019, I couldn’t have predicted the series’ popularity. Now, so many years later, the series has found a new home with Storm Publishing and, hopefully, lots of new readers will discover Lucy and Phin’s adventures.
Initially, Lucy Lawrence was only supposed to be a supporting character in Phineas Stone’s world. But her voice grew in strength to the point I had to rewrite the entire book from her point of view… And the Lucy mysteries were born!
Depending on their class, women in the Victorian era faced strict rules and lived a highly restricted life. I wanted to explore how a young woman, with a strong personality and high intelligence (but poorly educated – parents bothered little if you weren’t the heir), would cope within the confines of a troubled marriage. Would she accept her lot or chafe at the bit? But in Lucy’s case, with no money and estranged from her family, she could not walk away. Doing so would result in social ruin. However, when circumstances finally release her (her husband’s sudden death), she struggles to find her way. Almost every man in her life so far has betrayed her on some level for their own ends. As a result, Lucy finds it difficult to trust her fate to any man.
There is a pivotal point in No Stone Unturned when Lucy realises she must take her destiny into her own hands and she sets out on a dangerous adventure in pursuit of the truth about her late husband and his less than legal activities.
Another theme, which emerged as I explored Lucy’s story, was the strong reliance on female friendship. I suspect this is what sustained many Victorian women, finding themselves in similar circumstances to Lucy. As the plot unfolds, Lucy comes to rely more and more on her maid, Mary, who also begins to shine with talents hitherto unknown, namely a penchant for spying and intrigue. And when trouble does strike, it is often her friends, Judith and Sarah, Lucy turns to.
Combining my two great loves – Victorian adventure with a feisty heroine and ancient Egypt – the second book in the series, Footprints in the Sand, will resonate with me the longest. My research included Amelia Edwards’ book, A Thousand Miles Up The Nile (1873). I cannot deny that the Egypt described presented countless possibilities for mischief to a mystery writer. Her descriptions of Cairo and the many sites she visited transported me back to Victorian Egypt like none of the other dry contemporary sources did. My heroine shared some of Miss Edwards’ qualities of curiosity and determination and so Footprints in the Sand quickly transformed from a vague plot idea into a novel.
In the third book of the series, The Art of Deception, Lucy is back in London. You might think she is about to settle down, but, of course, that would be no fun at all. And as Lucy admits to Phineas, trouble seems to follow her. However, when Lucy’s ‘help’ in an art theft case triggers a murder, and Phineas becomes the chief suspect, Lucy must use her wits to save him.
The fourth book in the series, A Pocketful of Diamonds, is a brand new murder mystery, set on beautiful Lake Como in Italy. It is slated for release by Storm Publishing in September 2024 and will be available for preorder very soon.
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No Stone Unturned (Book 1)
London 1886: A suspicious death, stolen gems and an unclaimed reward: who will be the victor in a deadly game of cat and mouse?
Lucy Lawrence stared down at her husband, his once handsome face now a twisted mask of death. His life had held so many secrets, and now his sins were hers to bear…
In the flickering gaslights of Victorian London, 28-year-old Lucy Lawrence‘s future hangs in the balance. Her husband’s murder has left her reputation in tatters. But when the handsome investigator Phineas Stone enters her life, Lucy finds herself drawn into a web of deceit that leads right back to her marriage and a deadly conspiracy that could undo them all.
Beneath the polished veneer of London’s high society, danger is as common as in the city’s darkest alleys. As the stakes rise, Lucy discovers that the key to unravelling the mystery may lie in a cryptic note left behind by her late husband… a note that may either secure her innocence or seal her fate at the hands of a ruthless killer.
Pre-Order/Buy Link: https://geni.us/715-al-aut-am
Footprints in the Sand (Book 2)
Cairo 1887: A melting pot of jealousy, lust and revenge. Who will pay the ultimate price?
After scandals in London, young widow Lucy Lawrence seeks a fresh start in Cairo, agreeing to fund an archaeological dig led by the charismatic Frenchman Armand Moreau. Enticed by Egypt’s ancient mysteries, Lucy dreams of making a spectacular discovery. But her hopes turn to dread when Moreau is found brutally murdered in the Great Pyramid. The only clue is the ceremonial dagger buried in his heart – a relic of Moreau’s own past.
As mysterious thefts plague the expedition, Lucy becomes ensnared in a plot reaching from lost desert tombs to Cairo’s stylish avenues. With Phineas Stone far away in London, Lucy must rely on her own wits to uncover the truth behind Moreau’s death. Pitted against corrupt officials, rival archaeologists, and a foe determined to silence her, can Lucy unmask the killer… or will she become the next unlucky victim herself?
Pre-order/Buy Link: https://geni.us/717-al-aut-am
The Art of Deception (Book 3)
London 1888: Stolen art and a vicious murder. Can Lucy Lawrence save Phineas Stone from the gallows?
When a brutal murder occurs at her engagement party, Lucy Lawrence finds herself pulled into a new investigation. All evidence points to a mysterious syndicate of thieves known only by a cryptic calling card left at the scene of their crimes: Apollo. With the police eager to pin the murder on an easy target, Lucy and Phineas Stone must unravel a tangled web of lies and misdirection to uncover the truth before the case ruins them.
From glittering Mayfair ballrooms to the deadly rookeries of London’s East End to a remote Scottish island, they follow the trail of secrets and deception. As the danger mounts, Lucy realises the key to solving the case might lie in a simple painting.
A cunning adversary is intent on destroying all who learn their secrets… can Lucy save the man she loves, and expose a deadly killer before it’s too late?
Pre-order/Buy Link: https://geni.us/719-al-aut-am
Pam Lecky Books 
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