The Railway Detective's Christmas Case: The bestselling Victorian mystery series

In December 1864, an excursion train encounters a blockage in the Malvern Hills and is confronted by a sniper, leading to the death of Cyril Hubbleday. Inspector Robert Colbeck and Sergeant Victor Leeming are under pressure to solve the case quickly, but the hunt for the killer is complicated by enemies in the shadows and criticism from the local constabulary.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 352 pages
Publication date: 19 October 2023
Publisher: Allison & Busby

As a cold winter wind scours the Worcestershire countryside, an excursion train comes through a tunnel in the Malvern Hills to be confronted by a blockage on the line ahead. Although a disastrous derailment is averted, the passengers are alarmed. Cyril Hubbleday, the man in charge of the excursion, alights to investigate further, but the angry altercation with the driver is cut short by a shot from a sniper, straight through Hubbleday's head. Christmas is coming all too soon, and Inspector Robert Colbeck and Sergeant Victor Leeming are under pressure to solve the case quickly. However, with enemies in the shadows behind the seasonal trip, and with strong criticism from the local constabulary, the hunt for a cold-blooded killer is far from straightforward.

The train was traveling on a bright winter day, passing through the picturesque Worcestershire countryside. The passengers were enjoying the view of the rolling hills and the quaint villages as the train chugged along. Suddenly, the train came to a halt, and the passengers heard a loud noise coming from the engine.

The conductor came out of the cabin and announced that there was a blockage on the line ahead. He said that they would have to wait for the engineers to clear the blockage. The passengers were initially relieved, thinking that it was a minor inconvenience.

However, as they waited, they began to feel uneasy. The wind was picking up, and the temperature was dropping rapidly. They could see snow flurrying in the distance, and they knew that they were in for a long wait.

Suddenly, the train shook violently, and the passengers were thrown to the floor. The conductor came out of the cabin again, this time with a look of panic on his face. He said that there had been a derailment, and the train was now off the tracks.

The passengers were terrified. They knew that they were in danger, and they didn't know what to do. Some of them tried to get out of the train, but the doors were locked. Others tried to call for help, but there was no signal on their phones.

The conductor tried to calm the passengers down, but he was clearly shaken himself. He said that they were in a dangerous situation, and they needed to stay inside the train until the engineers arrived.

The passengers were trapped inside the train for hours. They huddled together for warmth, and they tried to keep their spirits up. But as the hours passed, they began to feel more and more anxious. They knew that they were in danger, and they didn't know what was going to happen.

Just when they thought it couldn't get any worse, they heard a loud noise outside the train. They looked out the window and saw a man standing in the snow, holding a rifle. He was aiming at the train, and the passengers were terrified.

The conductor tried to calm the passengers down again, but he was clearly panicking. He called the police, and they arrived on the scene quickly. The man was arrested, and the passengers were taken to safety.

The derailment was a major incident, and it caused chaos in the local community. The passengers were traumatized by the experience, and they were grateful to the police for their quick response. The incident also raised questions about the safety of the train system, and it led to increased security measures.

In the aftermath of the incident, Inspector Robert Colbeck and Sergeant Victor Leeming were called in to investigate. They were determined to find the person responsible for the derailment and the shooting. They worked tirelessly to gather evidence and build a case against the suspect.

However, their investigation was not without its challenges. They faced criticism from the local constabulary, who accused them of being too slow and inefficient. They also faced opposition from the suspect's family, who claimed that he was innocent and had been set up.

Despite these obstacles, Colbeck and Leeming were determined to solve the case. They worked tirelessly, day and night, to gather evidence and build a case against the suspect. They interviewed witnesses, examined the scene of the derailment, and analyzed the evidence.

Finally, after months of hard work, they were able to bring the suspect to trial. The evidence against him was overwhelming, and he was found guilty of both the derailment and the shooting. He was sentenced to life in prison, and the local community breathed a sigh of relief.

The incident had a lasting impact on the local community. The passengers were traumatized by the experience, and they were grateful to the police for their quick response. The incident also raised questions about the safety of the train system, and it led to increased security measures.

In conclusion, the derailment and shooting of the excursion train in Worcestershire in December 1864 was a major incident that had a lasting impact on the local community. The passengers were traumatized by the experience, and the police were determined to find the person responsible. Despite obstacles and criticism, they were able to bring the suspect to trial and bring him to justice. The incident also raised questions about the safety of the train system, and it led to increased security measures.

Weight: 258g
Dimension: 129 x 198 x 26 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780749027391