The Pitkirtly Mysteries

Where is Pitkirtly?

Pitkirtly is an imaginary small town on the south west coast of Fife, geographically somewhere near Culross but not entirely like it.

Pitkirtly does have a railway line along the river front, an old mine that leads out under the Forth, a good view of Longannet and Grangemouth, and an island that isn’t really an island, but it definitely doesn’t have picturesque historic buildings with crow-step gables.

The Pitkirtly Mystery Novels of Cecilia Peartree

All my novels may be found on Amazon UK by following this link: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Cecilia-Peartree/e/B005826ULI

On Amazon.com by following this link: http://www.amazon.com/Cecilia-Peartree/e/B005826ULI

On Smashwords by following this link: https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/peartr

ABOUT THE PITKIRTLY MYSTERY NOVELS

CRIME IN THE COMMUNITY

Christopher thinks he has his life under control until the mysterious Amaryllis arrives in the little town, spreading chaos and confusion in her wake

REUNITED IN DEATH

When Jemima Stevenson helps to organise a Pitkirtly Homecoming day she has no idea that she has invited some of her long-lost cousins into danger.

A REFORMED CHARACTER

Can anyone ever really change? Christopher and Amaryllis ask themselves this question when a young man they already know as a troublemaker knocks at the door of their holiday caravan one wet day.

DEATH AT THE HAPPINESS CLUB

While the Happiness Club brings good times to some, to others it offers only desolation and death.

FROZEN IN CRIME

As Christmas approaches, deep snow cloaks the little town of Pitkirtly, an armed robbery takes place and things can only get worse.

THE QUEEN OF SCOTS MYSTERY

The supply of Old Pictish Brew comes under threat as bad things start happening at the local pub in Pitkirtly.

A TASTEFUL CRIME

A baking competition brings out the worst in certain Pitkirtly natives and some of the visitors too.

THE CHRISTMAS PUZZLE

Pitkirtly has its own Christmas market this year – but with Jock McLean as Santa Claus and Amaryllis as an elf, the season isn’t really all that jolly.

DEATH IN A COLD SPRING

It’s a cold spring in Pitkirtly, and strange things are happening, including an art show in the church hall. What could possibly go wrong?

CLOSER TO DEATH IN A GARDEN 

Rather unexpectedly, this novel starts and ends with alpacas. But in between times, things get a lot more serious and even deadly on occasion as people who aren’t what they seem invade the town.

THE PITKIRTLY TRIANGLE

People have been disappearing and Amaryllis is on the case. But what is the connection with the feud between two local bakers? And can you have too many Empire biscuits?

A CREATIVE CRIME

An archive collection arrives at the Cultural Centre and unexpectedly provides a new mystery for Christopher, Amaryllis and friends to work on.

UNPREDICTABLE EVENTS

As Christopher embarks on a planned family holiday in Cornwall, a wedding takes place in the Cultural Centre. As might have been predicted, unpredictable events ensue.

PROMENADE WITH DEATH

An amateur theatre group plan a promenade performance on Pitkirtly Island on Hallowe’en. What could possibly go wrong?

MURDER OR WHAT YOU WILL

It’s all about the dogs – or is it? From Jock McLean and Hamish’s unexpected encounter with a pack of dogs and their walker, to the somehow connected problems at the apartments for older people which Jemima takes an interest in and Amaryllis investigates, it’s all go for the people of Pitkirtly.

THE UNEXPECTED SUSPECT

A stolen wheelbarrow gets Stewie into trouble, through no fault of his own, and before long he is in danger of losing his job and his place at college. It’s a mystery how all the plot threads come together in the end, but rest assured that they do.

SECRETS OF THE ICE PALACE

Penelope Johnstone is alone on her special birthday. But she doesn’t stay alone for long as tendrils of plot weave their way round her and it takes a combined effort by Amaryllis and others to unravel them.

UNRELATED INCIDENTS

There’s trouble afoot at Rosie’s cattery, up a hill just outside Pitkirtly. Could this be linked to rumours of a film studio being built in the area? Before long events overtake Rosie and her customers, and the excitement extends to a midnight car chase with cats, and an ill-fated trip by Christopher and Douglas to a piece of long-forgotten golf course land.

CARELESS DEATH

Mollie is somewhat surprised when the police take her in for questioning, but that’s only the start of her adventures. Abducted by a stranger, persuaded by a secret agent to take part in a boat race, it isn’t until she takes matters into her own hands that she can see a way forward.  NOTE: A FLYING VISIT TO CULROSS (SEE PICTURE) TAKES PLACE IN THIS BOOK)

THE SPY WHO CAME OUT OF THE BUSHES

Maisie Sue’s wedding day is disrupted by a visitor from the past, and the town rapidly fills up with spies and their conflicting agendas.

UNSAFE DISTANCES

NIght-time alarms in the Cultural Centre bring some familiar Pitkirtly characters out of lockdown, whereas others are determined to stay in their homes through thick and thin.

THE IDENTITY ILLUSION

(Published June 2021)

Kyle is sent to Old Pitkirtlyhill House, once the home of the Murray family and now in the possession of the local council, to review a collection of documents stored in the attics. This task is complicated by a grim discovery and by multiple questions of identity. A mysterious newcomer to Pitkirtly works with Jemima to reveal the truth.

THE CHRISTMAS CATASTROPHE

(Published November 2021)

Christmas approaches again as it does at this time every year, somewhat to Christopher’s surprise. He has lost track of Mollie’s ambitious festive plans for the Cultural Centre, but meanwhile other Pitkirtly residents have more serious matters on their minds. Mrs Petrelli’s hospital stay brings past family problems back to the surface, and Amaryllis finds herself having to spend time searching for an uninvited guest instead of helping the police to investigate a suspicious death.

CRIMINAL CLASSES

(published May 2022)

Clementine Fairfax, previously encountered in ‘The Identity Illusion’, returns to Pitkirtly under cover to investigate a computer crime which has been traced to Pitkirtly College computing department, where Zak Johnstone is currently studying. Two suspicious deaths later, she is not very much the wiser about what is going on. Meanwhile Clementine’s half-sister Amaryllis gets into a tunnel again, Christopher and others try to find something positive in changes at the Cultural Centre, and Zak is doubtful about his future.

IT’S A LONG WAY FROM PITKIRTLY

(published October 2022)

Dave and Jemima travel to Highland Perthshire to meet a cousin of Jemima’s who is over from Canada on holiday there. A series of incidents results in several more Pitkirtly residents following them there, and before long they all find themselves involved in trying to work out what’s happening and whether it has anything to do with Jemima’s cousin.

TWO STEPS TO MURDER

(published August 2023)

A music festival has infested the town of Pitkirtly and the surrounding area, with rock concerts taking place on Pitkirtly Island, a string quartet in the library and worst of all, unaccompanied folk singing at the Queen of Scots. When a murder happens in the middle of it all, many more doughnuts than usual are required to help Christopher, Amaryllis and the other usual suspects to solve it.

 

Two shorter stories entitled ‘MYSTERIOUS PITKIRTLY‘ and ‘PITKIRTLY ON TOUR‘ are also now available. Please don’t read them until you have at least finished ‘Reunited in Death’, ‘A Reformed Character’ and probably also ‘Death in a Cold Spring’.