Contemporary · London and English country towns

The Mary Blake Mysteries

Cosy crime with showbiz sparkle

The Premise

Mary Blake spent twenty years playing TV detective Susan Law on the hit show 'Her Law.' When the show replaces her with a younger actress, Mary stumbles into a real murder investigation and discovers she is rather good at the real thing. Together with her puppy-like brother Pea and her practical best friend Dot, she founds Blake, Blake & Tanner, a detective agency run from the old snooker room at Blancham Hall.

Meet the Detectives

File 01

Mary Blake

Former TV detective, now the real thing

Fifty, action-oriented, impulsive, lives 'in the moment.' Excellent at reading people — years of acting taught her to spot performance versus genuine emotion. Replaced by a younger actress, she channels that wound into purpose. In a settled relationship with Inspector Joe Corrigan.

File 02

Dot Tanner & Pea Blake

Co-founders of Blake, Blake & Tanner

Dot is Mary's best friend and former PA — practical, organised, plain-spoken, increasingly sharp as an investigator. Pea is Mary's red-haired, permanently hungry brother whose accidental insights crack cases. Together they form the unlikely backbone of a successful detective agency.

The Books

  1. Cover of An Invitation to Murder

    An Invitation to Murder

    Book 1

  2. Cover of A Death at Dinner

    A Death at Dinner

    Book 2

  3. Cover of Lightning Strikes Twice

    Lightning Strikes Twice

    Book 3

  4. Cover of A Fete Worse Than Death

    A Fete Worse Than Death

    Book 4

Perfect For

Fans of cosy crime with heart, Richard Osman's ensemble casts, and stories about reinvention in midlife.

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