Cover reveal:
The Body That Floats
What it’s about:
Julia, a retired head teacher with a fondness for order, and her half-sister Frankie, who believes that rules are more like vague suggestions, are back—this time in the picturesque Cornish village of Portscatho.
Their morning swim off Tatum’s beach is rudely interrupted by a floating corpse. The police declare the death accidental, but the sisters have other ideas.
Soon, they’re knee-deep in smugglers’ tunnels, taking a bumpy ride in the back of a builder’s van, and facing down a gun-toting local with questionable fashion choices.
Can the sisters keep their heads above water long enough to uncover the truth or will the killer make sure they sink without a trace?
The Body That Floats – the mystery’s deep, the water’s cold, and the locals are packing more than just fishing gear.
The second charming and witty adventure in The Julia and Frankie Mystery series.
Pub date: 07 May 2026
Paperback £9.99
EBook £3.99
Connect:
FACEBOOK @jaynechardauthor INSTAGRAM @jaynechard1)
The first book:
More Than Murder, the first book in the series was described as “A wonderful debut. Julia and Frankie are hilarious, and More than Murder is a real page-turner” by Antony Johnston, bestselling author of The Dog Sitter Detective series.
TWO ESTRANGED SISTERS. ONE DISAPPEARING BODY.
A witty, cosy mystery packed with twists, turns and tea!
When her flamboyant and spirited half-sister, Frankie, returns to Little Clarsden to claim her share of Rose Cottage, left to them by their Aunt Lucy, she is met with a frosty reception from Julia, who still harbours an old grievance. In an attempt to mend their fractured relationship, the sisters attend a murder mystery weekend at the grand country house of the Medfield estate in the rolling hills of Somerset.
After the first evening’s supper, a “poisoned dart” “kills” one of the guests. In the classic whodunit style of a country house mystery, the game of tracking down the “killer” is afoot.
The playful intrigue takes a sinister turn when the sisters discover a real body hidden in a secret passage. When the body disappears before anyone else can see it, no one believes it ever existed..
Amid the glamour and intrigue of the other guests and the actors slipping in and out of character, it’s difficult to distinguish between fact and fiction. Nothing and no one is as they seem.
With the body count rising and two murders to solve, our sharp-witted, sleuthing sisters set aside their differences, determined to unravel the tangled clues of the murder mystery, track down the real killer, and uncover the truth.
With laugh-out-loud banter, a hint of danger, and a twist even Agatha Christie would admire, can Julia and Frankie catch the culprit before the murder weekend becomes their last?
Witty and charming characters and a plot with more twists and turns than a country road, More Than Murder is a delightful blend of humour, mystery and the classic country house crime, perfect for fans of Richard Osman, M.C. Beaton and Benjamin Stevenson.
About the author:
Jayne started writing plays when she was eight and wrote her first “book” at fourteen. After graduating with a degree in psychology and drama, Jayne went on to win the Royal Shakespeare Company’s Buzz Goodbody’s Director Award. Whilst continuing to write, she started working as a professional theatre director , and two of her plays were performed at the London Fringe.
Attracted to the small screen, Jayne became absorbed in TV drama directing. Now a multi-award-winning film and TV drama producer, her credits include the BBC flagship brand SILENT WITNESS.
In addition to a successful film and television career, Jayne was integral in setting up a veterinary clinic on the remote island of Koh Tao in Thailand. She has also worked as a radio presenter.
Jayne lives in the West Country with her partner and two cuddly cockapoos. MORE THAN MURDER is Jayne’s debut novel and the first in this edgy, cosy crime series.
Many thanks to Hannah Hargrave for bringing this title to my attention
Praise for More Than Murder
“Witty, charming and twisty, More Than Murder is a great start to an intriguing new cosy mystery series and I can’t wait to read more.” Thebookmagnet.co.uk
Joyce's mystery and fiction book reviews with some non-fiction too! 