Judith Cutler 
Death in Elysium 

Introducing unconventional rector’s wife and amateur sleuth Jodie Welsh in the first of a brand-new mystery series

Highflying city career woman Jodie Welsh was prepared for a dramatic change in lifestyle when she met and married the Reverend Theo Welsh, settling down to an entirely new kind of life as the wife of a country vicar in the picturesque village of Lesser Hogben. But if she thought life as a city deal-maker was tough, nothing could have prepared her for the emotional rollercoaster of local church and village politics. As a newcomer, Jodie encounters hostility and disapproval from several of the villagers, particularly in her efforts to engage and assist Lesser Hogben’s disaffected youth.



When a local lad Jodie employed to help in her garden disappears, along with Jodie’s expensive camera, everyone around her is inclined to assume the worst. Only Jodie and the missing boy’s friend Mazza are convinced of his innocence. But Burble’s disappearance marks the start of a series of disturbing incidents which escalate in intensity – until the body shows up, and Jodie must use her well-honed negotiating and networking skills to unmask a ruthless killer.

About the author

A former secretary of the Crime Writers’ Association, Judith Cutler has taught Creative Writing at universities and colleges for over thirty years, and has run occasional courses elsewhere (from a maximum security prison to an idyllic Greek island). She has written over thirty novels, renowned for their feisty and intriguing heroines, including Josie Welford, DS Kate Power, DCS Fran Harman and antiques dealer Lina Townend.