Oxford, 1925, and intrepid reporter Poppy Denby is heading to Oxford, where a young female scientist, Dr June Leighton, has been found dead.
Though June’s death is ruled an accident by the authorities, one of her colleagues, Sophie Blackburn, an old associate of Poppy’s, is convinced June was murdered for threatening to expose a male colleague for plagiarism.
However, Sophie’s mental health is fragile and doubt is cast on her version of events.
Poppy has always been reporter first, sleuth second, and whilst Poppy knows Sophie is still haunted by the death of her fiancé, Bert, something tells Poppy there is a crime to be exposed and a scoop to be had.
But as she begins to investigate, another female academic is attacked, and it doesn’t take long for Poppy herself to become a target.
Can she unmask the killer before another life is taken?
Murder of an Oxford Scientist by Fiona Veitch Smith is published on 18 February, 2025.
It’s the last book in Fiona’s Poppy Denby series.
For some insights into Fiona’s research and writing process (and some useful tips!), read her feature, How period guidebooks and maps help me write murder mysteries
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