Most Popular Books by Jim Eldridge

London, 1899. Queen Victoria lays the foundation stone on the site of what she names as The Victoria and Albert Museum. Shortly after, the Museum Detectives Daniel Wilson and Abigail Fenton are called to the site because the dead body of curator Andrew Page has been found.The Queen is determined that nothing will sully the new museum, and by association her beloved Albert''s legacy. But the more Wilson and Fenton dig, the more they discover other potential motives for Page''s murder, some with potentially explosive implications. They will have to tread carefully as someone is determined to stand in their way .

Exciting historical fiction set in Ancient Egypt! It''s 2517 BC and Pharaoh Khafre is building a great pyramid at Giza to rival those built by his predecessors. He is also making plans for what will become one of the most famous and iconic monuments in history - the Sphinx. But Khafre has enemies and division in his workforce. Among the labourers in his employ is one 12-year-old boy - Nebka. Nebka has his own reasons for hating the pyramids and wanting to rebel. But his rebellion could have drastic consequences for those closest to him.

''The plotting is excellent, with admirable narrative drive . an engaging and entertaining read'' Historical Novels Review January 1901. Abigail and Daniel Wilson, often lauded as ''The Museum Detectives'', are on their way to the Great Pyramid of Khufu at Giza. Their explorations of the pyramid, including the Robbers'' Tunnel, take a very sinister turn when they come upon the dead body of a man who has been brutally garrotted. Investigations by the local police reveal him to be Simeon McGruder, a wealthy American who is financing an excavation of the pyramids. When Daniel and Abigail return to Cairo they are asked by the American Embassy if they can take on the case, but they have a difficult path to tread as they try to keep different factions onside: the British and American authorities, the puppet Egyptian Government and officials, while at the same time facing lies and deviousness from McGruder''s associates and friends.

December, 1940. With the Luftwaffe pounding the city nightly, Londoners seek refuge in underground stations. Aldwych has been taken out of service to provide shelter for the British Museum''s priceless Elgin Marbles, as well as civilians escaping the bombing. When the body of a young man is discovered on the tracks, wearing evening dress but barefoot, Detective Chief Inspector Coburg and Sergeant Lampson are on the case. Before long, more bodies are discovered, and Coburg''s wife Rosa becomes a target for the brutal killer. Caught up in a world of underground jazz clubs, abandoned tube stations and looters, Coburg and Lampson must track down the ruthless murderer before it''s too late.

Paris, 1899. Abigail Wilson has received an invitation from Professor Alphonse Flamand, a prominent French Professor of Archaeology, to join him on a dig in Egypt. Overjoyed to be presented with such an opportunity, Abigail and her husband, Daniel, travel to Paris to meet the Professor to discuss plans. However, when Abigail goes to the appointment at his office in the Louvre, she finds Flamand dead with a knife in his chest. In a whirl of confusion and despite her pleas of innocence, Abigail is arrested. Determined to prove that she has been framed for Flamand''s brutal murder, the Museum Detectives will delve far into the shadowy corners of the City of Light for the truth.

Alan Turing was one of the most influential thinkers of the 20th century. He created one of the first designs for a stored-program computer and is widely considered to be the father of computer science and artificial intelligence. During World War II, Turing worked for the Government Code and Cypher School at Bletchley Park, Britain''s codebreaking centre, where he was responsible for breaking German naval codes, including the supposedly unbreakable Enigma code, and helping the Atlantic convoys avoid German U-boat attacks. This work probably shortened World War II by up to four years, saving millions of lives. This is the story of the amazing life and work of a British hero and one of the greatest thinkers of the 20th century.

May, 1941. One of the senior choristers at St Paul''s, Edwin Roberts, is found beaten to death in the crypt of the cathedral and Detective Chief Inspector Coburg and Sergeant Lampson are called in to investigate. The dead man was far from popular. That, coupled with a small army of staff at work at the famous landmark, including those on the Night Watch striving to protect the cathedral from the worst of the Blitz, means that there is no shortage of suspects. The case is complicated further by links to the top-secret war work being carried out at Bletchley Park and by the black market in rare books and valuable art which casts its shadow over St Paul''s. When the killer strikes again, St Paul''s is in danger of becoming known as a place of death rather than worship, and Coburg and Lampson are under pressure to get to the bottom of a fiendishly complex investigation.

1894. A well-respected academic is found dead in a gentlemen''s convenience cubicle at the British Museum, the stall locked from the inside. Professor Lance Pickering had been due to give a talk promoting the museum''s new ''Age of King Arthur'' exhibition when he was stabbed repeatedly in the chest. Having forged a strong reputation working alongside the inimitable Inspector Abberline on the Jack the Ripper case, Daniel Wilson is called in to solve the mystery of the locked cubicle murder, and he brings his expertise and archaeologist Abigail Fenton with him. But it isn''t long before the museum becomes the site of another fatality and the pair face mounting pressure to deliver results. With enquiries compounded by persistent journalists, local vandals and a fanatical society, Wilson and Fenton face a race against time to salvage the reputation of the museum and catch a murderer desperate for revenge.

April, 1941. At the former Whitechapel Road Underground station, repurposed as an air raid shelter since the onset of the Blitz, the body of a woman has been discovered, stabbed and eviscerated. With the ghoulish history of Jack the Ripper and his victims not far from their thoughts, Detective Chief Inspector Coburg and Sergeant Lampson are called from Scotland Yard to examine the scene. In the station''s dark and dingy tunnels they stumble across a battered Victorian doctor''s case containing surgical tools. Has it been deliberately left to be discovered? With the spectre of London''s most famous killer looming large over their investigation, Coburg and Lampson are under pressure to swiftly conclude this very difficult case as more victims come to light. But that proves to be a challenge when King George and the Prime Minister Winston Churchill seek their help with a puzzling inquiry that also has links to Whitechapel.

Christmas, 1940. A temporary truce between the German and Allied forces is a welcome respite from the relentless air raids over London. Down Street underground station, in the heart of Mayfair, is now a secret retreat for Prime Minister Winston Churchill and his cabinet. In this supposedly secure location, the body of a woman is found, stabbed in the heart. Detective Chief Inspector Coburg and Sergeant Lampson are called to investigate. However, whispers of treason as well as the suspicion of insidious Russian plots muddy the waters of the case, and personal resentments strike far too close to home. Everything is on the line for Coburg and Lampson as the body count steadily rises.

After rising to prominence for his role investigating the case of Jack the Ripper, former Detective Inspector Daniel Wilson is now retired. Known for his intelligence, investigative skills, and most of all his discretion, he''s often consulted when a case must be solved quickly and quietly. So when a body is found in the Egyptian Collection of the Fitzwilliam Museum in Cambridge, Wilson is called in. As he tries to uncover the identity of the dead man and the circumstances surrounding his demise, Wilson must contend with an unhelpful police Inspector, and more alarmingly, Abigail McKenzie, the archaeologist who discovered the body and is determined to protect the Egyptian collection. Can they find a way to work together to solve the mystery?

London, March 1941. The Blitz continues to cast a shadow over the city''s brightest spots such as the Café de Paris. Having narrowly escaped a devastating bomb attack on the nightclub, Detective Chief Inspector Coburg and Sergeant Lampson are called to the disused Lord''s Underground station where the body of a man has been discovered. The dead man was beaten to death by what may have been a cricket bat. Is he linked to the British Empire XI, made up of players from Great Britain and far-flung corners of the globe, who are playing at the world-famous Lord''s Cricket Ground? Coburg and Lampson are certainly put in a spin by this complex case.

These world-renowned museums hold some deadly secrets ... Murder at the Fitzwilliam 1894. Daniel Wilson, who made his name investigating the case of Jack the Ripper alongside the formidable Inspector Abberline, is now working as a private enquiry agent. When the Fitzwilliam Museum in Cambridge finds itself in need of urgent - and discreet - assistance, he is the natural first choice. The museum will soon unveil its new Egyptian collection, but strange occurrences have followed the exhibits to Britain including the discovery of a dead body in a previously empty sarcophagus. Aided by the talented resident archaeologist, Abigail Fenton, can Wilson unravel the mystery before the museum''s public launch? Murder at the British Museum 1894, London. Professor Lance Pickering had been due to give a talk at the British Museum, when his brutally stabbed body is discovered. Daniel Wilson is called in to solve the mystery with the help and expertise of archaeologist Abigail Fenton. With their investigation hampered by persistent journalists, vandals and a fanatical society, and the pressure building with another fatality, Wilson and Fenton must race against time to salvage the reputation of the museum and catch a murderer desperate for revenge. Murder at the Ashmolean Museum 1895, Oxford. The Ashmolean Museum is a site of tragedy when a manager is found with a bullet hole between his eyes, a pistol discarded close by. Police have ruled the death as suicide but staff at the museum remain unconvinced. Daniel Wilson and Abigail Fenton''s inquiries are hindered by an interfering lone agent from Special Branch, mislaid artefacts and a web of bureaucracy as the hunt for a dangerous killer intensifies. Murder at the Manchester Museum 1895. Former Jack the Ripper detective Daniel Wilson and his archaeologist assistant Abigail Fenton are summoned to investigate the murder of a young woman at the Manchester Museum. The case turns more sinister when the body of a second woman is discovered. With the help of a local journalist, Wilson and Fenton hope to unravel the mystery, but the journey to the truth is fraught with obstacles, and the mistakes of the past will not be forgotten ... Murder at the Natural History Museum 1895, London. When the Museum Detectives are asked to investigate a vandalised dinosaur skeleton at the Natural History Museum, there is evidence that the fossil-hunting mania of the notorious Bone Wars in America may have reached British shores. Events take a sinister turn though when a museum attendant is found dead by the famous theatre manager Bram Stoker, who may be more involved than he is willing to admit. Facing mounting pressure Wilson and Fenton must rely on their talents and instincts to solve their most intriguing case yet. ''A captivating new series'' Marni Graff

A grim portrait of murder in Victorian London. 1897, London. The capital is shocked to learn that the body of a woman has been found at the National Gallery, eviscerated in a manner that recalls all too strongly the exploits of the infamous Jack the Ripper. Daniel Wilson and Abigail Fenton are contacted by a curator of the National Gallery for their assistance. The dead woman, an artist''s model and lady of the night, had links to artist Walter Sickert who was a suspect during the Ripper''s spree of killings. Scotland Yard have arrested Sickert on suspicion of this fresh murder but it is not the last. Copycat murders of the Ripper''s crimes implicate the artist who loves to shock but Sickert insists that he is innocent. Who would want to frame him? Wilson and Fenton have their work cut out catching an elusive and determined killer.

DCI Paul Stark discovers that the bitter legacy of WWI casts a long shadow in the second of this intriguing historical mystery series. London, 1921. Lord Johnny Fairfax has been found dead in his study, along with a second victim, a mysterious American who arrived unannounced the previous evening. For DCI Paul Stark, the case is personal: he’s in a relationship with Lord Fairfax’s former wife, Lady Amelia. The dead man had no shortage of enemies. Winston Churchill, his former colleague at the War Office, is convinced the murder is revenge for the disaster at Gallipoli. Lady Amelia herself is accused of the crime. And who was the American visitor? What was his connection with Lord Fairfax – and could he have been the real target? As Stark digs deeper, he uncovers evidence of a shocking conspiracy that strikes at the heart of the British Establishment

Meet Dave. He''s disgusting - everyone says so. Even his mum is fed up with him examining his nose pickings. So now Dave''s got a challenge: if he can avoid doing anything disgusting for a week, he gets a £20 reward. He thinks he can do it. At least, until his arch-enemy, Banger Bates, lands him with Fred, the farting dog.

1895. A senior executive at the Ashmolean Museum in Oxford is found in his office with a bullet hole between his eyes, a pistol discarded close by. The death has officially been ruled as suicide by local police, but with an apparent lack of motive for such action, the museum''s administrator, Gladstone Marriott, suspects foul play. With his cast-iron reputation for shrewdness, formed during his time investigating the case of Jack the Ripper alongside Inspector Abberline, private enquiry agent Daniel Wilson is a natural choice to discreetly explore the situation, ably assisted by his partner, archaeologist-cum-detective Abigail Fenton. Yet their enquiries are hindered from the start by an interfering lone agent from Special Branch, ever secretive and intimidating in his methods. With rumours of political ructions from South Africa, mislaid artefacts and a lost Shakespeare play, Wilson and Fenton soon find themselves tangled in bureaucracy. Making unlikely alliances, the pair face players who live by a different set of rules and will need their intellect and ingenuity to reveal the secrets of the aristocracy.

May 1941. Both the centre of London and rural Kent continue to take a battering from German bombers. Canterbury and its distinctive cathedral are among the hardest hit. The landmark and holy site is the scene of further tragedy when Canon Walter de la Coeur is found savagely bludgeoned to death on the exact spot where Thomas Becket also met his end centuries before. Detective Chief Inspector Coburg and Sergeant Lampson are called in from Scotland Yard and must sift through the dead man''s responsibilities for the cathedral''s finances, as well as his private life. But their quest to find the killer is hampered when the deadly force of the Blitz strikes very close to home.

The Wrestling Trolls are BACK, facing nasty bullies and vengeful villains. Here come the Wrestling Trolls with two great new adventures! Jack, Milo, Robin and Big Rock are back, and they have a new friend with them too - Blaze, the magical phoenix. As usual, the gang are low on money, so they plan to come together as a family and make some dosh by taking on notorious bully Buster Gutt. Unfortunately, Buster is even meaner than they thought, and soon poor Jack finds himself and his alter-ego THUD in some seriously hot water... In the second story, villainous Lord Veto tries to break up the Waldo''s Wrestling Trolls family. He plants seeds of doubt in Jack, which sets Milo off, and soon Princess Ava is caught in the middle of two very grumpy boys - when they have a wrestling tournament to fight! The brave Wrestling Trolls troupe must come together for glory once more in this hilarious and heartfelt series.

Along the line of Hadrian''s Wall, someone is murdering people and taking their heads. Is this a ritualistic killer or a revenge mission? Detective Inspector Andreas Georgiou of Carlisle CID is brought back from suspension to investigate, but with an accusation of brutality on his record and a superior officer set on hanging him out to dry, his work will be anything but straightforward. Fighting battles on several fronts Georgiou slips deep into a web of corruption, extreme right-wing idealism and the shocking realization that the identity of the serial killer will be hard to discover and even harder to believe.