The Castle by Rachel McLean — A Cumbria Crime Novella (CC0.5)
Updated: Sep 1
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, Angela Marsons, MW Craven, Rachel Lynch, Simon McCleave, Val McDermid, MS Morris, JM Dalgleish
Formats: Ebook, paperback
Language: English (en-GB)
What is The Castle about?
The Castle is the free prequel novella to the Cumbria Crime series by Rachel McLean and Joel Hames. DI Zoe Finch has a big decision to make: stay in Birmingham, clinging to the wreckage of her beloved team as it breaks up, or follow her partner Carl to Cumbria, a new job and a new life. Carl has already decided – he is heading north, excited about his new job chasing down dodgy coppers. Meanwhile Zoe’s future colleague, DS Aaron Keyes, is dealing with a man found dead at a castle.
Where is The Castle set?
The Castle is set between Birmingham and west Cumbria, England, as DI Zoe Finch weighs the move north.
Where does The Castle come in the Cumbria Crime series?
The Castle is the free prequel novella to the Cumbria Crime series – it comes before Book 1, The Harbour, and is a good place to start. The Cumbria Crime series by Rachel McLean and Joel Hames is best read in order, starting with Book 1, The Harbour, or the free prequel novella The Castle.
What books are similar to The Castle?
Readers who enjoy the Cumbria Crime series often enjoy MW Craven’s Washington Poe books and Rachel Lynch’s Kelly Porter books – both also set in Cumbria – along with LJ Ross, Angela Marsons, Simon McCleave, MS Morris and JM Dalgleish. The series sits in the tradition of Val McDermid.
Where can I buy The Castle?
The Castle is FREE as an ebook from https://rachelmclean.com/the-castle. It is also available as a paperback. The Cumbria Crime series by Rachel McLean and Joel Hames is available on Amazon as Kindle ebooks and paperbacks. Start with Book 1, The Harbour. See all of Rachel McLean’s books at https://rachelmclean.com/books.
