Death At Dukes Halt : Derek Farrell

"Agatha Twisty..." –Miranda Dickinson, Sunday Times Best-Selling Author

Lady Caroline Victoria Genevieve Jane de Montfort (Lady Caz to her friends) made a promise to her (newly deceased) friend George Warren and she intends to keep it -sadly for Danny Bird she’s roped him in as her accomplice.

And so with Danny’s South London pub The Marq left in the ‘safe’ hands of Ray & Dash (The ASBO Twins) and his indomitable bar-manager Ali roped in as their driver, the trio set off to spend the weekend at the Warren family’s imposing country estate Dukes Halt.

As they set about achieving their mission, Danny, Lady Caz & Ali are joined by a classic cast of characters including a Hollywood actress, a right-wing Member of Parliament and an Albanian gangster.

Shenanigans inevitably ensue.

Of course, it wouldn’t be an authentic country-house weekend without a murder or two and pretty soon Danny and the gang are on the track of the killer in their midst.

As the plot ingeniously twists and turns in every direction Danny wrestles with another deeper, sadder mystery hidden in the pages of a secret diary that he realizes may just hold the key to everything.

The dialogue is whip-sharp, the story-telling is hugely engaging, and the plotting is intricate & precise – but we’ve come to expect all of that from a Danny Bird novel – With Death At Dukes Halt however Derek Farrell has taken all of his usual flair, skill and humour and has elevated them all to new heights with a warmth and maturity that delivers on every level.

It isn’t an exaggeration to say that with Death At Dukes Halt, Farrell has written the most accomplished novel of his career to date and if there is any justice in the world, one that will bring him the recognition he so richly deserves.

Here’s what some of his fellow writers say…

Praise for Death At Dukes Halt

“Death at Dukes Halt is everything you could want from a Danny Bird mystery – and then some.

Farrell is on ferocious form with a tight, intricate plot, razor-sharp one-liners and evocative prose that pulls you into this whodunnit. But it's in the work away from the primary mystery where Farrell truly excels, with a subplot that puts Danny through the emotional wringer and gives Caz and the rest of the crew a new depth and resonance that will linger in your thoughts long after the last page.

This is Farrell's coming-of-age novel, a book that shows his newfound maturity and nuance as a writer who is a master of character, humour and heart.”  –Neil Broadfoot, author of The Connor Fraser thrillers

“The Danny Bird series aren't just funny, they're brilliantly plotted - and this one is the best yet. There aren't many great comic crime novels around these days, but I'd put the Danny Bird series up there with Bateman, Brookmyre and Block.” –Simon Bewick , editor of Noir From The Bar

“Death at Dukes Halt is the latest book in the Danny Bird series, a gritty, glamorous and adrenaline-filled pageturner, powerfully written with a perfect blend of warmth and edge. Farrell's characters are funny, dangerous and unforgettable. I'm totally addicted.” –Norma Curtis, author of The Last Place You Look

“Derek Farrell is a born storyteller and I truly love his books, characters and situations. I always have the feeling that I would love to stroll into the Marq pub and join Danny, Caz and the rest of the permanent cast and simply absorb the unique atmosphere Derek Farrell creates. His books would be perfect to watch on TV!” –Julia Wild, author of the upcoming The Secret Notebook

“In Derek Farrell's latest Danny Bird mystery, Death At Dukes Halt, our hero leaves the Marq behind. Danny Caz, Ali and Ellie enter the masterfully-realized, gorgeously fleshed-out world of the Warren family and the stately––but slightly seedy––Dukes Halt. There's a murder, of course, and mysteries and secrets, but what makes the novel so satisfying is not just the gorgeously clever whodunnit/howdunnit stuff, but the unveilings of the secrets and mysteries of the human heart. And the book is funny––think Agatha Christie, Noel Coward and David Sedaris meet for high tea. Death At Dukes Halt delivers all pleasures that hooked-on-Danny-Bird-readers could wish for from an author at the height of his storytelling powers.“ –Jo Perry, author of the Charlie & Rose series and the upcoming Pure

“Death At Dukes Halt is Danny Bird at his best. Derek Farrell's dark, razor-sharp wit takes us to a weekend party that Agatha Christie herself would die for. A twisty, gripping mystery that reads like a perfectly chilled dry martini on a hot summer day.”­–Valentina Giambanco, author of the Alice Madison mysteries

“Of all the books that I love the Danny Bird Mysteries are the ones I go to when I need to feel hope. Flawed and a bit bonkers Danny and the gang renew my faith in humanity every time. The books are witty, clever and they have such great heart. Being part of Danny's family is a great privilege.”–Barbara Nadel, author of the Cetin Ikmen mysteries and the Hakim & Arnold mysteries: