A Fatal Night (Ryder and Loveday, Book 7)

Name: A Fatal Night (Ryder and Loveday, Book 7)
Rating: 3.799999952316284 (5 reviews)

Faith Martin

Nov 2021 · Ryder and Loveday Book 7 · HarperCollins UK

3.8

5 reviews

Ebook

384

Pages

Eligible

Ratings and reviews aren’t verified Learn More

Switch to the audiobook

About this ebook

Don’t miss Faith Martin’s fiendishly clever new novel, Murder by Candlelight, set in the 1920s and described as ‘the perfect village mystery’ by J.M. Hall

‘A brilliant book! The pairing of Ryder and Loveday is a stroke of genius.’ Clare Chase, author of the Eve Mallow and Tara Thorpe mysteries

New Year’s Eve, 1962. As a snowstorm rages outside, Oxford high society gathers to ring in the new year at the city’s most exclusive party. This is a soiree no one will forget... not least because a guest is found dead in his car the next morning.

It seems the young man tragically froze to death overnight after crashing into a snowdrift – but when WPC Trudy Loveday and coroner Clement Ryder are called in to investigate, they discover a tangled web of secrets that plainly points to murder.

With everyone telling different stories about that fateful night, only one thing is clear: several people had reason to want the victim dead.

And if Trudy and Clement don’t find the cracks in each lie, the killer will get away with the perfect crime...

Perfect for fans of Betty Rowlands, Richard Osman and Agatha Christie, this mystery will keep you hooked until you’ve solved the case!

‘Absolutely loved it... The characters were some of the best I’ve read in a long time.’ Angela Marsons, no. 1 bestselling author of the Kim Stone series Readers LOVE Faith Martin!

‘Absolutely perfect! This is the book I have been craving since I last read the Thursday Murder Club series!’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘Very entertaining... Full of red herrings, plot twists and turns. I thought I knew who was the killer but I was wrong.’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘I just love this series... Faith Martin is the modern day Agatha Christie, deftly drawing her characters with a couple of lines... A delight as always.’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘Well written with likeable and credible protagonists... A perfect addition to this excellent series and perhaps the best to date.’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘I thoroughly enjoyed reading it... Loved the interaction between the two unlikely main characters who complemented each other so very well as they tried to solve the crime.’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘[This] "who done it" is a bit of nostalgia... A great read.’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘I've enjoyed most of Faith Martin's books but this Fatal series is my clear favourite.’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

'This author's books are soothing to the soul. Her characters are likable, and the plots always keep me guessing. Excellent fun.'⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

The Ryder and Loveday Series
Book 1: A FATAL OBSESSION
Book 2: A FATAL MISTAKE
Book 3: A FATAL FLAW
Book 4: A FATAL SECRET
Book 5: A FATAL TRUTH
Book 6: A FATAL AFFAIR
Book 7: A FATAL NIGHT
Book 8: A FATAL END

Ratings and reviews

3.8

5 reviews

Jennifer Graziano

May 27, 2025

Origin of the alphabet; number line, computer is the same place. There isn't a calendar without a programmer; different ones in society are for companies to supply basic utilities; motor vehicles, food clothes & shelter. Computer programs give the answers to outstanding questions; humans do not. They also drive all artificial moving objects; humans do not. One program designs all the building and a different one does cars; the program includes after they are built schedules for them and us. Cameras are a derivative of computer separate from video recorder for unreal pictures and photograph obstructing justice to disappear or vanish includes video tapes & DVD's.

Alison Robinson

November 12, 2021

Although this is the seventh book in a series it can easily be read as a standalone. It is New Year's Eve 1962, the widowed Mrs Millie Vander is hosting a New Year's Eve party at her home, hoping that her man-friend, Terry Parker will propose to her, despite the ten year age difference. Millie's nineteen year old twins Jasper and Juliet are rather less than thrilled at the prospect of an oily second-hand sportscar salesman becoming their stepfather and spending their considerable inheritance. Meanwhile, WPC Trudy Loveday is one of the few police officers still on duty, so many having been trapped at home by the unprecedented snowfalls that brought Oxford to a halt, and others being brought down by a flu epidemic. The last thing she expects to be asked to do is investigate a dead body found slumped in a car on New Year's Day morning, even if the verdict is expected to be death caused by driving a car into a tree whilst intoxicated. Trudy suggests asking the coroner, Dr Clement Ryder, to pronounce death, given the holidays and being short-staffed. Dr Ryder and Trudy have apparently solved a number of murders in Oxford by pursuing what appeared to open-and-shut accidents, and Dr Ryder has a soft spot for the young WPC. This was a very enjoyable, easy-reading, police procedural, as a reader I was aware of several potential suspects but had no clue as to who had committed the murder or why. There were lots of what I really don't want to classify as red herrings, more like leads which didn't pan out, suspects who had motive but didn't commit the crime. I've not come across Faith Martin before but I will definitely keep an eye out for other books in this series. I received a free copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in return for an honest review.

About the author

Faith Martin has been writing for thirty years and has published over fifty novels. She began writing romantic thrillers as Maxine Barry, but quickly turned to crime! It was when she turned to writing detective stories as Faith Martin that she became more widely known. Having lived in Oxfordshire all her life, both the city and the countryside often feature in her novels. The fauna and wildlife of a farming landscape has always played a big part in her life – and often sneaks its way onto the pages of her books.

Rate this ebook

Tell us what you think.

Reading information

Smartphones and tablets

Install the Google Play Books app for Android and iPad/iPhone. It syncs automatically with your account and allows you to read online or offline wherever you are.

Laptops and computers

You can listen to audiobooks purchased on Google Play using your computer's web browser.

eReaders and other devices

To read on e-ink devices like Kobo eReaders, you'll need to download a file and transfer it to your device. Follow the detailed Help Center instructions to transfer the files to supported eReaders.

Report illegal content