Two murders. Ten years apart. But what’s the connection?
When the cause of a fire is investigated in vacated Victoria Crescent, not only are the charred remains of a vagrant discovered, but also the headless, mummified body of a young woman dubbed Vicky by the officers involved.
Vicky has been dead for nearly 10 years, and yet she was never discovered.
Could there have been a connection between these deaths?
Could Jacob Bisset, the last owner of the house, be involved with either crime?
To Detective Superintendent Mike Hallows and his team, it seems unlikely since Bisset has been severely disabled with osteoporosis for many years.
His inability to climb stairs left the upper floor of his house completely empty, or did it?
Something is not quite right about Bisset, but Hallows can’t quite put his fingers on it.
While Detective Chief Inspector Roy Kennet sets about searching for Vicky's identity and the means of her death, Detective Chief Inspector Liz 'Ferret' Ireton begins enquiries into Bisset's background.
Piece by piece the jigsaw of his life is slotted together, revealing a disturbing picture.
As Kennet and Ferret pursue parallel investigations, a blackmailer grasps at opportunity.
With another death, Hallows joins his team on the front line in the search for a fearless, ruthless killer.
The cases are linked, but how much so?
With the clock ticking, will they find the killer before it’s too late?
An Evil Kindling is an intricately chilling portrait of villainy at its worst.
Robyn Sheffield, born and educated in Surrey, lives in Devon with her husband, formerly a research scientist and now a professional watercolourist. They have an adult son and daughter. She trained as a diagnostic radiographer and then as a teacher and has worked in London, the Home Counties and the West of England. She also spent six years helping in the management of a family business. Since 1986 she has concentrated on writing plays and fiction.