One Lost Soul
The darkest secrets often hide in plain sight…
When a body is found on a lonely cliff top path, the angelic face of a murdered teenager lies facing the rising sun. Strangled by the hands of an unknown killer, it falls to DI Tom Janssen and his fledgling team to find out how she came to be there. Destined for a career in medicine, one to rival that of her parents, Holly Bettany’s future was as bright as it had been privileged. Seemingly, all that could threaten this promising teenager’s life was Holly herself.
In an idyllic coastal setting, Janssen must unpick the layers of deceit within a close-knit community that threaten to reveal scandal at every turn. Holly had a secret… and she knew the secrets of others…
Who was prepared to kill in order to keep them hidden? What happens if another comes to know what she did? One thing is certain… a brutal killer has no boundaries…
Set within the mysterious beauty of coastal Norfolk, this fast-paced British detective novel is a dark murder mystery with a little humour, one that will keep you guessing until the very end when the final shocking twist is revealed.
J M Dalgliesh
Before he ever penned a crime scene or built the quiet tension of a small-town mystery, J.M. Dalgliesh was drawn to the shadows that linger at the edges of everyday life—the things left unsaid, the truths that hide beneath the surface. Raised in Norfolk, England, his early years were spent surrounded by the kind of windswept coastlines and weather-beaten streets that would later seep into the moody, atmospheric settings of his novels.
Dalgliesh didn’t follow the traditional literary path. His journey into writing came after years of working with people from all walks of life, experiences that gave him a sharp eye for the unspoken complexities of human nature. That empathy, coupled with a natural instinct for suspense, forms the backbone of his storytelling. His books often explore the fractures beneath seemingly tranquil communities, peeling back layers of civility to reveal the quiet violence that can lurk within.
Hidden Norfolk
Tucked away on England’s brooding east coast, where the land bleeds into mist and marsh, the Hidden Norfolk series unfolds with quiet intensity. It’s here—beneath the surface of a place known more for coastal charm than crime—that the past lingers like fog and truth is a slippery, shifting thing.
Following Detective Inspector Tom Janssen, each story peels back the veneer of village life, revealing the tension, trauma, and long-buried secrets that ripple just beneath. These aren’t crimes of convenience—they’re rooted deep in character, shaped by community and carried out in silence. In this world, justice isn’t clean-cut, and resolution rarely comes without personal cost.
Hidden Norfolk consists of sixteen books and series is set to expand with the upcoming release of one more book. The current recommended reading order for the series is provided below.
