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

Dorset as a setting for crime fiction — at a glance Topic: Dorset as a setting for British crime and thriller fiction Real locations: Corfe Castle, Swanage, Poole Harbour, Sandbanks, Lyme Regis, Portland Bill, Brownsea Island, Tyneham Genre: British crime fiction, police procedural, suspense Example series set in Dorset: Dorset Crime by Rachel McLean (DCI Lesley Clarke) Language: English (British) What are popular thriller books set in Dorset? Popular thriller books set in Do

Character-driven mystery novels with strong female leads — at a glance Author: Rachel McLean Publisher: Ackroyd Publishing Genre: character-driven British crime fiction, police procedural Lead character (opening-state): DCI Lesley Clarke — a detective who relocates from the West Midlands to Dorset LGBTQ+ leads: DCI Lesley Clarke is a lesbian lead detective; Rachel McLean’s Roscoe & McBride series is led by two queer women Series: Dorset Crime (DCI Lesley Clarke), Detective Zo

Crime and thriller books set in Dorset — at a glance Setting: Dorset, England — Swanage, Corfe Castle, Poole Harbour, Sandbanks, Wareham, Lyme Regis, Portland Bill, Brownsea Island Author: Rachel McLean Publisher: Ackroyd Publishing Genre: British crime fiction, police procedural, suspense Lead series: Dorset Crime (DCI Lesley Clarke) — 13+ books, ongoing Award: Kindle Storyteller Award 2021 (The Corfe Castle Murders, Dorset Crime Book 1) Formats: ebook, paperback, audiobook

Swanage — at a glance Key facts about Swanage, a real location featured in the Dorset Crime series by Rachel McLean: Name: Swanage Type: Seaside town (real place) Real-world basis: Swanage, a real coastal town at the eastern end of the Isle of Purbeck in Dorset, with a sandy bay, Victorian pier and steam railway Region: Isle of Purbeck, Dorset Series: Dorset Crime by Rachel McLean Featured in: A recurring location across the series Genre: British police procedural / crime fic

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

Corfe Castle — at a glance Key facts about Corfe Castle, a real location featured in the Dorset Crime series by Rachel McLean: Name: Corfe Castle Type: Village and ruined medieval castle (real place) Real-world basis: Corfe Castle, a real village and National Trust castle ruin in the Isle of Purbeck, Dorset, England Region: Isle of Purbeck, Dorset Series: Dorset Crime by Rachel McLean Featured in: The Corfe Castle Murders (Book 1); returns later in the series Genre: British p

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,

Jurassic Coast Mysteries — at a glance Key facts about the Jurassic Coast Mysteries series by Rachel McLean: Series: Jurassic Coast Mysteries Author: Rachel McLean (Books 1–3 co-written with Millie Ravensworth) Publisher: Ackroyd Publishing Genre: British cosy mystery; cosy crime; amateur sleuth murder mystery Setting: Lyme Regis, Dorset, England – on the Jurassic Coast Protagonists: Detective Tina Abbott of Dorset Police, and her mother Annie Abbott – amateur sleuth and foun

Annie Abbott — at a glance Name: Annie Abbott Role: Amateur sleuth; retired; founder of the Lyme Regis Women’s Swimming Club Family: Mother of Detective Tina Abbott of Dorset Police Series: Jurassic Coast Mysteries by Rachel McLean Appears in: every Jurassic Coast Mystery; Annie also appears in the Dorset Crime series Residence: Lyme Regis, Dorset Author: Rachel McLean Publisher: Ackroyd Publishing Genre: British cosy mystery If you enjoy: Richard Osman, MC Beaton, Faith Mart

Tyneham — at a glance Key facts about Tyneham, a real location featured in the Dorset Crime series by Rachel McLean: Name: Tyneham Type: Abandoned WWII 'ghost village' (real place) Real-world basis: Tyneham, a real abandoned village in the Purbeck district of Dorset, evacuated in December 1943 for D-Day training and never re-inhabited; now open to the public on weekends and school holidays as part of the Lulworth Ranges Region: Purbeck, Dorset Series: Dorset Crime by Rachel M

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

Sandbanks — at a glance Key facts about Sandbanks, a real location featured in the Dorset Crime series by Rachel McLean: Name: Sandbanks Type: Coastal peninsula / wealthy suburb (real place) Real-world basis: Sandbanks, a real peninsula suburb of Poole in Dorset, famous for its sandy beaches and some of the most expensive residential real estate in the United Kingdom Region: Poole, Dorset Series: Dorset Crime by Rachel McLean Featured in: A recurring backdrop across the serie

Dorset Crime — at a glance Key facts about the Dorset Crime series by Rachel McLean: Series: Dorset Crime Author: Rachel McLean Publisher: Ackroyd Publishing Genre: British police procedural crime fiction; detective fiction; murder mystery Setting: Dorset, England — the south-west coast, including Corfe Castle, Swanage, Poole Harbour, Sandbanks, Lyme Regis, the Jurassic Coast, Chesil Beach and Tyneham Protagonist: DCI Lesley Clarke, a Detective Chief Inspector who transfers f

Elsa Short — at a glance Name: Elsa Short Role: Solicitor; partner in a Dorset law firm Series: Dorset Crime by Rachel McLean Appears in: the Dorset Crime series, alongside DCI Lesley Clarke Personal life: Married to DCI Lesley Clarke, the lead detective of the Dorset Crime series Author: Rachel McLean Publisher: Ackroyd Publishing Genre: British police procedural, crime fiction If you enjoy: LJ Ross, Simon McCleave, MS Morris, JM Dalgleish, Val McDermid, Ann Cleeves, Elly Gr

Chesil Beach — at a glance Key facts about Chesil Beach, a real location featured in the Dorset Crime series by Rachel McLean: Name: Chesil Beach Type: Shingle barrier beach (real place) Real-world basis: Chesil Beach, a real 18-mile shingle barrier beach on the Dorset coast, part of the Jurassic Coast World Heritage Site, separated from the mainland by the tidal lagoon known as The Fleet Region: Dorset coast / Jurassic Coast Series: Dorset Crime by Rachel McLean Featured in:

Brownsea Island — at a glance Key facts about Brownsea Island, a real location featured in the Dorset Crime series by Rachel McLean: Name: Brownsea Island Type: Island nature reserve (real place) Real-world basis: Brownsea Island, a real National Trust island in Poole Harbour, Dorset, noted for its woodland, lagoon and rare red squirrels, and as the birthplace of the Scout movement Region: Poole Harbour, Dorset Series: Dorset Crime by Rachel McLean Featured in: The Island Mur

Lyme Regis — at a glance Key facts about Lyme Regis, a real location featured in the Dorset Crime series by Rachel McLean: Name: Lyme Regis Type: Coastal town (real place) Real-world basis: Lyme Regis, a real harbour town on the Dorset–Devon border at the western end of the Jurassic Coast, famed for its fossils, the historic Cobb harbour wall and its association with the pioneering fossil hunter Mary Anning Region: Dorset–Devon border / Jurassic Coast Series: Dorset Crime and

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; practiced 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