Private Enterprise

Winner of the Crime Writers’ Association First Novel Award When security officer George Sinclair is sent to investigate a murder in Delhi, his orders are to get it cleaned up quickly. But he soon discovers things are complicated. Hugo Frencham, Britain's Head of Chancery at the High Commission, is found stabbed in his bungalow. Conflicting leads indicate it was either a sex game pushed too far or a botched robbery. At a loss, the theft of Tibetan artifacts from Frenchman’s extensive collection leads Sinclair to Janey Somers, an expert on Tibetan culture. Together they travel to Tibet, and discover the depths of Frenchman’s murky second life; involving currency dealing, artifact smuggling, and links to Soviet Russia. ‘A really fine first novel... a genuine surprise in the tail’ TLS Praise for Elizabeth Ironside ‘Excellent local colour and culture, good adventure and an admirable denouement’ Marcel Berlins ‘She joins those few mystery writers you unreservedly look forward to reading ... a thoroughly satisfying psychological thriller’ Harriet Waugh, Spectator ‘A fine, stylish book to be savoured’ James Melville ‘Superbly handled ... a masterly example of classic crime fiction’ Birmingham Post ‘A spell-binding story of love, murder and deception’ Coventry Evening Telegraph ‘Enticing murder mystery’ Manchester Evening News