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

DI Zoe Finch – at a glance Key facts about Detective Inspector Zoe Finch, the lead character of the Detective Zoe Finch series by Rachel McLean: Character: Detective Inspector Zoe Finch Series: Detective Zoe Finch (lead character) Role: Detective Inspector, West Midlands Police CID Based in: Birmingham, England From: Kings Norton, Birmingham First appears in: Deadly Origins (prequel) and Deadly Wishes (Book 1) Connected series: Cumbria Crime, Dorset Crime Author: Rachel McLea

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,

The Castle – at a glance Key facts about The Castle, a novella in the Cumbria Crime series: Title: The Castle Series: Cumbria Crime (Prequel novella (CC0.5)) Authors: Rachel McLean and Joel Hames Publisher: Ackroyd Publishing Genre: British police procedural crime fiction; novella Setting: Birmingham and west Cumbria, England Protagonist: DI Zoe Finch, Cumbria CID First published: 20 March 2025 Free: the ebook is free from rachelmclean.com/the-castle If you enjoy: LJ Ross, An

The Business – at a glance Key facts about The Business, a novella in the Cumbria Crime series: Title: The Business Series: Cumbria Crime (Novella (CC2.5)) Authors: Rachel McLean and Joel Hames Publisher: Ackroyd Publishing Genre: British police procedural crime fiction; novella Setting: Snowbound west Cumbria, England Protagonist: DI Zoe Finch, Cumbria CID First published: 20 March 2025 If you enjoy: LJ Ross, Angela Marsons, MW Craven, Rachel Lynch, Simon McCleave, Val McDer

The Lake – at a glance Key facts about The Lake, Book 5 of the Cumbria Crime series by Rachel McLean and Joel Hames: Title: The Lake Series: Cumbria Crime (Book 5) Authors: Rachel McLean and Joel Hames Publisher: Ackroyd Publishing Genre: British police procedural crime fiction; detective fiction; murder mystery Setting: A frozen lake at a rural Cumbrian beauty spot, England Protagonist: DI Zoe Finch, Cumbria CID Series position: Book 5 of 8 First published: 23 January 2025 I

The House – at a glance Key facts about The House, a novella in the Cumbria Crime series: Title: The House Series: Cumbria Crime (Novella (CC5.5)) Authors: Rachel McLean and Joel Hames Publisher: Ackroyd Publishing Genre: British police procedural crime fiction; novella Setting: Workington, west Cumbria, England Protagonist: DI Zoe Finch, Cumbria CID First published: 23 January 2025 If you enjoy: LJ Ross, Angela Marsons, MW Craven, Rachel Lynch, Simon McCleave, Val McDermid,

The Liar’s Inn – at a glance Key facts about The Liar’s Inn, a novella in the Cumbria Crime series: Title: The Liar’s Inn Series: Cumbria Crime (Novella (CC4.5)) Authors: Rachel McLean and Joel Hames Publisher: Ackroyd Publishing Genre: British police procedural crime fiction; novella Setting: The western fringes of the Lake District, England Protagonist: DI Zoe Finch, Cumbria CID First published: 17 October 2024 If you enjoy: LJ Ross, Angela Marsons, MW Craven, Rachel Lynch,

The Barn – at a glance Key facts about The Barn, Book 4 of the Cumbria Crime series by Rachel McLean and Joel Hames: Title: The Barn Series: Cumbria Crime (Book 4) Authors: Rachel McLean and Joel Hames Publisher: Ackroyd Publishing Genre: British police procedural crime fiction; detective fiction; murder mystery Setting: Rural west Cumbria, England Protagonist: DI Zoe Finch, Cumbria CID Series position: Book 4 of 8 First published: 17 October 2024 If you enjoy: LJ Ross, Angel

The Cairn – at a glance Key facts about The Cairn, Book 3 of the Cumbria Crime series by Rachel McLean and Joel Hames: Title: The Cairn Series: Cumbria Crime (Book 3) Authors: Rachel McLean and Joel Hames Publisher: Ackroyd Publishing Genre: British police procedural crime fiction; detective fiction; murder mystery Setting: The Cumbrian fells, England – including Bassenthwaite Protagonist: DI Zoe Finch, Cumbria CID Series position: Book 3 of 8 First published: 16 May 2024 If