The Grasmere Grave

A DI Tobias Stone Lake District Crime Thriller

Perfect for fans of Ann Cleeves, Peter Robinson, and Elly Griffiths

A body buried to look like an ancient grave. A forged academic identity. A heritage fraud ring targeting the elderly across northern England.

When retired Cambridge archaeologist Dr. Patricia Henley discovers a disturbed burial site near Grasmere, her expert eye immediately recognizes the deception. This is no Iron Age burial—it's a modern murder disguised to delay discovery.

DI Tobias Stone identifies the victim as Margaret Ashworth, a respected manuscript authentication expert who lived quietly in nearby Rose Cottage. Margaret had been contacted by "Dr. Richard Voss," a researcher seeking her expertise with supposed Wordsworth manuscripts. But when her professional instincts detected the fraud, she became a threat.

Stone's investigation reveals a sophisticated operation exploiting academic trust across northern England. Forged credentials. Stolen manuscripts. Elderly scholars systematically targeted by criminals who view expertise as just another commodity to exploit. And Margaret's murder was meant to eliminate the one person who could expose them all.

With DS Amy Hopwood and Dr. Helen Lawson, Stone follows a trail from Grasmere's peaceful lanes to Manchester's criminal underworld. The fake burial was meant to buy time for the fraudsters to establish alibis and disappear. But they didn't count on a retired archaeologist who knows the difference between ancient and modern deception.

In the shadow of Wordsworth's beloved fells, some criminals trade in literary heritage. And some scholars pay with their lives.