Jacqueline Harrett

The Nesting Place

A young woman, Megan Pritchard, is found dead in a field in the Vale of Glamorgan a couple of hours after she has been reported missing. She had been at a weekend reunion party in a secluded house with her university friends when she left in a distressed state.

Although the death looks accidental D. I. Mandy Wilde is not so sure. There are too many questions.

Megan died in the early hours of Sunday morning. Why did her friends not raise the alarm when she disappeared just after midnight? What secrets are the other women hiding? Why would anyone want to harm Megan? Was she the golden girl her parents and employer thought she was or something else?

Mandy Wilde is determined to discover the truth. She discovers more than she suspected as the mystery unfolds.

£3.99

D. I. Mandy Wilde

Miranda Wilde may not always play by the rules, but she is a champion for justice. A tall and imposing figure with unkempt frizzy hair and a foul mouth she sometimes speaks before she thinks. She’s keen on being healthy, drinks green tea and tries to avoid greasy food.

Since her twin sister, Joy, decided to abdicate her responsibilities and run off to Greece, Mandy has been guardian for her niece Tabitha. Mandy worries about Tabitha, and also her sister, as Joy has been missing for a couple of months.

Silhouette of a woman at sunset. Photo by Michiel Annaert on Unsplash.
A group of people sat around a table. Photo by Redd on Unsplash.

The Team

D. S. Joshua Jones is Mandy’s sidekick. He’s stocky and taciturn at times, uncomfortable with Mandy’s ribbing and her way of getting answers. He’s a good detective but plagued with money worries as he’s estranged from his wife.

D. C. Helen Probert often works as liaison officer as she’s calm and mature. She is married with two children and has family responsibilities.

New recruit to the team, D. C. Olivia Wyglendacz, is a Valley’s girl with an accent to match. Bubbly and intelligent she’s a bit in awe of Mandy at first.

Superintendent Withers, or old Withering as Mandy dubs him, is nearing retirement, not keen on women in the force and finds Mandy challenging.

The Friends

Megan Pritchard had four friends from her university days.

Sophie Grant, a nervous type and dominated by her mother, organised the party at Megan’s request.

Bethan Rees has been best friends with Megan since a child and all through university and beyond. She knows the family and Megan’s sister, Nia.

Siobhan O’Hare has come over from Ireland for the reunion. A writer, she is not as affluent as the others.

Aisha Matharu worked in the same accountancy firm as Megan and is intelligent and competitive.

A group of friends in a field. Photo by Melissa Askew from Unsplash.
"This is a really good story - great title, too. Pacy writing."
"Fast-paced, vivid and entertaining! I can't wait to see what DI Mandy Wilde, with her 'speak first, think later' style investigates next."