The Fossil Beach Murders marks a bit of a departure for DCI Lesley Clarke. Instead of being at the Dorset Police HQ in Winfrith, she’s way over on the other side of the county in one of my favourite towns in Dorset: Lyme Regis.

Lyme Regis is a bit special. It’s very different from the towns on the eastern side of the county, with their gently sloping beaches and open seafronts. Instead, it has cottgaes tumbling down towards the sea, narrow alleyways, and a feeling of being a little hemmed in – until you reach the sea.

It also has a vibrant local community, which I tried hard to depict in the book.

Because Lyme Regis is a two-hour drive away for Lesley, she decides to stay there while she’s investigating the case.

There aren’t any hotels available, and besides, the budget doesn’t stretch that far. So Lesley and her colleague DC Tina Abbott bed down at the home of Tina’s mum Annie.

It’s a new experience for Lesley, and gives her an insight into Tina’s upbringing in Lyme Regis and her personality. But for Tina, it’s one of the most stressful experiences of her career.

As this excerpt from the book starts to reveal…

The Fossil Beach Murders – Chapter 17

Tina’s mum hovered next to Lesley as she guided her into the living room.

“DCI Clarke,” she said, “take a seat. I’ll make you a cup of tea.”

“Coffee, please,” Lesley told her, perching on the end of a long sofa. “And you can call me Lesley.”

Tina turned to look at her boss. The DC opened her mouth, but said nothing. Lesley raised an eyebrow at her.

“The boss likes her coffee strong, with milk, Mum,” said Tina. “I’ll help you.”

“It’s OK,” Lesley told them. “You don’t have to wait on me, I’m not visiting royalty.”

Annie gave her a look. “You’re a very important woman in my daughter’s life. Without you, I don’t think she’d have passed the CID exam.”

“That’s not true,” Lesley said, wishing she hadn’t sat down now. She felt at a disadvantage with the two of them standing over her. “Tina’s a very capable police officer. She’d have passed the detective’s exam, with or without me.”

Annie looked from Tina to Lesley. “You’re a positive role model, DCI Clarke.”

“Please,” Lesley said, “it’s Lesley. And you too, Tina, if we’re going to be staying together here, I don’t want any of this boss, Ma’am or DCI business. Call me Lesley within these four walls.”

Annie gave a nod and quietly left the room, leaving Lesley and Tina to continue their conversation.

“You sure, boss?”

Lesley cocked her head. “What did I just tell you?”

“Are you sure, Lesley?” Tina blushed. “It just doesn’t feel right, boss. I’ve never known a senior officer ask me to call them by their first name.”

“Well, I’m not your average senior officer, am I?”

“That’s certainly true,” laughed Tina.

Lesley stood up, brushing down her skirt. “Is it indeed?”

Tina’s flush crept further up her face.

“Oh God, boss. No, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean…”

Lesley put her hand on her shoulder.

“It’s alright, Tina. You can relax.”

She looked around the room. It was cosy, filled with photographs of Tina and her sister, as well as some old wedding photographs, she assumed of Tina’s mum and dad. She wondered where Mr Abbott was, but wasn’t about to ask.

“It’s a nice home your mum’s got,” she said. “And it’s very kind of her to put us up.”

Annie appeared at the door with two mugs. “Here you are DCI… Lesley.” She placed one on a side table. “Strong with milk. If that’s not right, you can blame Tina.”

“Thanks, Annie.” Lesley picked up the coffee and drank. It had been a long day, she needed the boost.

She also needed to speak to Elsa.

“Do you mind showing me where my room is?” she asked.

“I’ll do it,” said Tina. “Mum, stop fussing.”

Annie gave her daughter a nervous smile. “Just trying to create a good impression, love.”

“You’re creating the impression that I come from a family of paranoid idiots.”

Lesley laughed. “Oh, I know what that feels like.”

Tina looked at her but said nothing.

“So, do you have any family?” Annie asked, standing in the doorway.

“A daughter,” Lesley told her. “And a girlfriend.”

A shadow briefly crossed Annie’s face. “That’s nice,” she said, her voice uncertain. “Does she live in Birmingham?”

“My daughter does. Sharon’s seventeen, in the sixth form. She’s talking about moving down here after the summer.”

“That would be lovely,” Annie told her.

Lesley nodded. It would be good to have Sharon with her, but she still hadn’t researched the schools. She didn’t want Sharon compromising her future.

“And what about your… your partner?” Annie asked.

“My girlfriend lives in Bournemouth, with me. We’ve got a nice flat, not far from the sea.”

It was the first time Lesley had referred to Elsa’s flat as her own. It still didn’t come naturally, and with the tension between the two of them right now…

“Anyway,” she said, downing the last of her coffee, “if you don’t mind showing me to my room?”

“Of course,” said Annie. “Tina, you do the honours.”

“Follow me, boss.”

“Ahem.”

“Sorry, Lesley.” Tina shook her head. “I’m never going to get used to that, boss. Please don’t make me do it.”

“Try. It’ll make me feel a bit more relaxed while I’m here.”

“It won’t be long, surely?” Tina asked. “We’ll go back to the crime scene tomorrow, meet with DI Patterson, and then head back to the office.”