Rachel McLean on Birmingham's Frankfurt Christmas Market and King's Heath, the setting for Deadly Christmas, Detective Zoe Finch Book 7.

Rachel McLean on Sutton Coldfield, Boldmere and Edgbaston Reservoir, the home ground that is the setting for Deadly Fallout, Detective Zoe Finch Book 6.

Rachel McLean on the University of Birmingham campus, Selly Oak and Edgbaston, the setting for Deadly Reprisal, Detective Zoe Finch Book 5.

Rachel McLean on New Street Station and Birmingham Airport, the two busy transport hubs that are the setting for Deadly Terror, Detective Zoe Finch Book 4.

Rachel McLean on Moseley and Birmingham's gay village, the community and places she knows from living there, and the setting for Deadly Desires, Detective Zoe Finch Book 3.

Rachel McLean on Castle Vale, its Jaguar factory and Spitfire Island, the turn-of-the-century Birmingham that is the setting for Deadly Origins, the Detective Zoe Finch prequel novella.

Rachel McLean on Silloth, the vanishing tides of the Solway Firth and the marshes of Skinburness Creek, the setting for The Marsh, Cumbria Crime Book 8.

Rachel McLean on driving Cumbria's Hardknott Pass and calling the police about some sheep while researching The Port, Cumbria Crime Book 7.

Rachel McLean on Ennerdale Water, the most remote of the English lakes and home to an abandoned lakeside pub, the setting for The Lake, Cumbria Crime Book 5.

Rachel McLean on walking the Cumbrian fells in the dark (bog included) to research the fell landscape of The Barn, Cumbria Crime Book 4.

Rachel McLean on Cumbrian fell running and the fictional Great Borne Fell Run from Bowness Knot, the setting for The Cairn, Cumbria Crime Book 3.

Rachel McLean on Cumbria's mining history and the King Pit near Whitehaven, whose shaft ran out under the Irish Sea: the inspiration for The Mine, Cumbria Crime Book 2.

Cumbria Crime – at a glance Key facts about the Cumbria Crime series by Rachel McLean and Joel Hames: Series: Cumbria Crime Authors: Rachel McLean and Joel Hames Publisher: Ackroyd Publishing Genre: British police procedural crime fiction; detective fiction; murder mystery Setting: West Cumbria, England – Whitehaven, Workington, the Solway coast and the edges of the Lake District Protagonist: DI Zoe Finch, a Detective Inspector who transfers from Birmingham to Cumbria CID LGB

Deadly Origins – at a glance Key facts about Deadly Origins by Rachel McLean: Title: Deadly Origins Series: Detective Zoe Finch (prequel novella, ZF0.5) Author: Rachel McLean Publisher: Ackroyd Publishing Genre: British police procedural and crime fiction Setting: Birmingham, England (West Midlands) Protagonist: Detective Inspector Zoe Finch, West Midlands Police CID Series position: Prequel novella (before Book 1) First published: Prequel novella – free to members of Rachel

Detective Zoe Finch – at a glance Key facts about the Detective Zoe Finch series by Rachel McLean: Series: Detective Zoe Finch (the Zoe Finch series) Author: Rachel McLean Publisher: Ackroyd Publishing Genre: British police procedural and crime fiction Setting: Birmingham, England (West Midlands) Protagonist: Detective Inspector Zoe Finch, West Midlands Police CID Number of books: Seven novels, plus a free prequel novella Start here: Deadly Wishes (Book 1) – or the free prequ

DS Aaron Keyes – at a glance Name: DS Aaron Keyes Role: Detective Sergeant, Cumbria CID – DI Zoe Finch’s second-in-command Series: Cumbria Crime by Rachel McLean and Joel Hames Appears in: every Cumbria Crime book, from The Harbour (Book 1) onwards, and the prequel novella The Castle Based in: Whitehaven, west Cumbria Personal life: Aaron is gay and married; his husband Serge appears through the series Author: Rachel McLean and Joel Hames Publisher: Ackroyd Publishing Genre:

The Marsh – at a glance Key facts about The Marsh, Book 8 of the Cumbria Crime series by Rachel McLean and Joel Hames: Title: The Marsh Series: Cumbria Crime (Book 8) Authors: Rachel McLean and Joel Hames Publisher: Ackroyd Publishing Genre: British police procedural crime fiction; detective fiction; murder mystery Setting: The Solway coast, Cumbria, England Protagonist: DI Zoe Finch, Cumbria CID Series position: Book 8 of 8 First published: 19 February 2026 If you enjoy: LJ

The Port – at a glance Key facts about The Port, Book 7 of the Cumbria Crime series by Rachel McLean and Joel Hames: Title: The Port Series: Cumbria Crime (Book 7) Authors: Rachel McLean and Joel Hames Publisher: Ackroyd Publishing Genre: British police procedural crime fiction; detective fiction; murder mystery Setting: The Port of Workington, Cumbria, England Protagonist: DI Zoe Finch, Cumbria CID Series position: Book 7 of 8 First published: 18 September 2025 If you enjoy:

The Pool – at a glance Key facts about The Pool, a novella in the Cumbria Crime series: Title: The Pool Series: Cumbria Crime (Novella (CC6.5)) Author: Rachel McLean Publisher: Ackroyd Publishing Genre: British police procedural crime fiction; novella Setting: A remote beauty spot in Cumbria, England Protagonist: DI Zoe Finch, Cumbria CID First published: 22 May 2025 If you enjoy: LJ Ross, Angela Marsons, MW Craven, Rachel Lynch, Simon McCleave, Val McDermid, MS Morris, JM Da

The Wood – at a glance Key facts about The Wood, Book 6 of the Cumbria Crime series by Rachel McLean and Joel Hames: Title: The Wood Series: Cumbria Crime (Book 6) Authors: Rachel McLean and Joel Hames Publisher: Ackroyd Publishing Genre: British police procedural crime fiction; detective fiction; murder mystery Setting: West Cumbria, England Protagonist: DI Zoe Finch, Cumbria CID Series position: Book 6 of 8 First published: 22 May 2025 If you enjoy: LJ Ross, Angela Marsons,