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Rave reviews for the Ben Abbott books:

‘Hardscape has everything a first-class mystery needs: murder most foul, naturally, plus a tough, smart and compassionate detective with a shady past, a couple of terrific dames, a setting that’s as well drawn as the characters and enough suspence to make the reader hyperventilate.’
Susan Isaacs

Stone Dust:

‘On target again, Justin Scott delivers another literate, witty and absorbing mystery staring Ben Abbott... Scott creates a mixture guaranteed to hook new readers and bring old ones back for more.’
Publishers Weekly

‘A totally brilliant display’
Daily Telegraph

‘[Ben’s] sardonic views... give this sophisticated series its unexpected and wholly delicious tartness’
New York Times

Justin Scott is back with a new Ben Abbott mystery in the series that is rapidly gaining a major following. The likable former Wall Street player-turned real estate agent gets involved in another small-town drama of scandal and corruption that could have big-time consequences.

Newbury has a new resident: ex-diplomat Harry King – close confidant of Kissinger, ‘the man who brought Reagan and Deng to the table’, heavily involved in the organization of the Vietnam War – has bought Fox Trot, a beautiful estate at the top of the mountain in Newbury. Unfortunately, King’s idyll is spoilt by his neighbour: ex-Vietnam vet Richard Butler. A strip of Butler’s land runs straight into King’s like a knife, and he ain’t budging. Ben Abbott is brought in to mediate, but before he can help resolve the issues, Butler’s ex-con son Dickie turns up dead – blown to pieces by an explosion that also destroys King’s man-made lake. And Butler is arrested as an accessory. Suddenly, Ben is in over his head as he tries to clear Butler’s name – and gets much more than he ever bargained for...