Hidden Norfolk · #4
Tell No Tales
In a world of lies, one truth remains. Dead men tell no tales…
When the body of an unidentified man is found at the foot of Sheringham cliffs with injuries inconsistent with a fall, DI Tom Janssen must piece together his final days to determine how he fell to his death... or who pushed him...
The investigation quickly reveals a network of locals with ties to the victim, but as for the man himself... he remains something of a mystery. The dead man doesn't fit in; not with his social circle, not with his business interests and when others come looking for him, the intrigue only deepens.
Joined in the investigation by his new Detective Sergeant, Cassie Knight, Janssen uncovers closely guarded secrets alongside long-held grudges. Any one of them could be a motivation for murder. This man had powerful enemies and even more dangerous friends...
As the inquiry develops it is clear that someone wanted him dead but, a formidable character in his own right, who would dare to take him on? One death threatens to unravel a wider conflict where neither the innocent... or the guilty... can feel truly safe. Janssen must bring down the wall of silence encircling his childhood town, coming up against old antagonists as well as facing new adversaries, or risk an escalation in the violence.
Secrets are kept... Deceit is commonplace... And dead men Tell No Tales...
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.
Tell No Tales is the fourth novel in a new series of thrillers from the million selling British crime writer, JM Dalgliesh, the author of the Dark Yorkshire books. Perfect for fans of LJ Ross, JD Kirk, Angela Marsons, Joy Ellis and Damien Boyd.
The series
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.
Read full series description
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.
What makes the series stand out in the realm of British detective fiction is its devotion to atmosphere over action. The sense of place is almost a character in itself—windswept beaches, fading skies, and forgotten lanes form the backdrop to crimes that echo long after the final page. The pacing is deliberate, the storytelling intimate, and the emotional weight unflinching.
Fans of slow-burn crime novels, rich in psychological complexity and steeped in setting, will find themselves drawn into the quiet power of these investigations. There’s nothing flashy here—just sharp writing, layered plots, and a protagonist whose quiet persistence mirrors the landscape he patrols. In Hidden Norfolk, every whisper of wind might be carrying a secret, and no one is ever quite as innocent as they seem.
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#18 · 2027Hidden Norfolk Book 18 Be the first reviewer
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