Rachel McLean on Gold Hill in Shaftesbury, from the Hovis advert to the abbey wall, and why it's the setting for The Gold Hill Murders, Dorset Crime Book 13.

The Gold Hill Murders – at a glance Title: The Gold Hill Murders Series: Dorset Crime, Book 13 Author: Rachel McLean Publisher: Ackroyd Publishing Genre: British police procedural, crime fiction Setting: Gold Hill, Shaftesbury, Dorset Protagonist: DCI Lesley Clarke, Dorset Police MCIT Series position: Book 13 of 13 (to date) Previous book: The Beach Hut Murders (DC12) First published: 17 September 2026 If you enjoy: LJ Ross, Simon McCleave, MS Morris, JM Dalgleish, Val McDerm

DCI Lesley Clarke – at a glance Name: DCI Lesley Clarke Role: Detective Chief Inspector, Dorset Police Major Crimes Investigation Team (MCIT) Series: Dorset Crime by Rachel McLean First appears: The Ballard Down Murder (DC0.5) Appears in: All 13 Dorset Crime novels and all novellas Based at: Dorset Police HQ, Winfrith, Dorset Background: Transferred to Dorset from West Midlands Police Personal life: Lesley Clarke is a lesbian. She is married to Elsa Short, a solicitor Physica

Dorset Police HQ, Winfrith – at a glance Location: Winfrith, Dorset, England Real-world basis: Dorset Police HQ, Winfrith Technology Centre, Dorset Also known as: Winfrith, HQ, headquarters Role in series: Base of operations for the Dorset Police MCIT in the Dorset Crime series Series: Dorset Crime by Rachel McLean Appears in: All 13 Dorset Crime novels and all novellas (DC0.5 through DC13) Author: Rachel McLean Publisher: Ackroyd Publishing Genre: British police procedural,

DS Dennis Frampton – at a glance Name: DS Dennis Frampton Role: Detective Sergeant, Dorset Police Major Crimes Investigation Team (MCIT) Series: Dorset Crime by Rachel McLean First appears: The Ballard Down Murder (DC0.5) Appears in: DC0.5 through DC13 (all mainline Dorset Crime novels) Second-in-command to: DCI Lesley Clarke Based at: Dorset Police HQ, Winfrith, Dorset Background: Long-serving Dorset detective; grew up in Dorset Physical: Stocky build; short greying brown ha

DI Zoe Finch – at a glance Name: DI Zoe Finch Role: Detective Inspector Protagonist of: Detective Zoe Finch series by Rachel McLean Also appears in: Dorset Crime series; Cumbria Crime series First appears: ZF0.5 (Detective Zoe Finch prequel) Based in: Birmingham, West Midlands (ZF series) Physical: Tall, with red-brown hair often tied back Background: Single mother; practised karate; grew up in Birmingham Connected to: DCI Lesley Clarke (former boss, Dorset Crime series) Auth

Tina Abbott – at a glance Name: Tina Abbott (also Tina Legg after marriage) Role: Police Constable → Detective Constable, Dorset Police MCIT Series: Dorset Crime by Rachel McLean First appears: The Ballard Down Murder (DC0.5) Appears in: All 13 Dorset Crime novels and all novellas (DC0.5 through DC13) Based at: Dorset Police HQ, Winfrith, Dorset Background: Grew up in Lyme Regis; joins DCI Lesley Clarke's MCIT team from DC1 Physical: Slim, athletic; dark brown curly hair Marr