MUD, MUCK AND DEAD THINGS

TITLE: MUD, MUCK AND DEAD THINGS
AUTHOR: ANN GRANGER
Pages: 281
Date: 22/03/2010
Grade: 4+
Details: no. 1 Campbell & Carter Mystery
Library

A new series by Ann Granger, whose Mitchell & Markby books I really enjoy, and this book promises a lot for what is still to come.
Lucas Burton is on his way to a secret meeting in the country-side, a place he detests since to him it's nothing but mud, muck and dead things. And he soon finds out how right he is; his shoes and car are ruined by the mud and muck he has to move through to get to the deserted farm that is the meeting place. And the murdered girl he finds in a barn certainly qualifies as a dead thing.
Panicked, Lucas flees the location, only to be spotted while speeding away and soon the police is on location, dealing with murder.
Inspector Jess Campbell is on the case, which proves to have very few leads, and to add to her problems she also has to deal with a new superintendent, Ian Carter, who is not easy to read.
Then matters are complicated further by the discovery of another murder victim and the question is, will Jess be able to solve the crimes before more lives are lost.
A very well plotted mystery with interesting main characters, quirky side characters and a few ghosts. 
This is one series I'll continue to read.