The Body on the Train cover art

The Body on the Train

Book 11 in the Kate Shackleton mysteries

 Preview

Get 30 days of Standard free

£5.99/mo after trial. Cancel monthly.
Try for £0.00
More purchase options
Buy Now for £14.35

Buy Now for £14.35

About this listen

 'Frances Brody has made it to the top rank of crime writers' Daily Mail

'Brody's writing is like her central character Kate Shackleton: witty, acerbic and very, very perceptive' Ann Cleeves

1929, London.

In the darkness before dawn, a London railway porter discovers a man's body as he unloads a special goods train from Yorkshire, all means of identification stripped away. Hitting a dead end, Scotland Yard call on indomitable sleuth Kate Shackleton, hoping her local Yorkshire knowledge and undoubted skills at winkling out information will produce the results they need.

1929, Yorkshire.

Fears of unrest in the Yorkshire coalfields mean that Kate must conduct her investigation with the utmost secrecy. But when she discovers that another murder occurred around the same time as the mysterious body on the train, she is convinced there must be a connection. Using her sharp instincts and persuasive charm, she begins to uncover a web of intrigue that edges her closer to the truth. But with attempts being made on her life, Kate needs all the strength and resourcefulness she can muster, before she becomes the next victim . . .

Whether you've read the whole series, or are discovering the Kate Shackleton mysteries for the first time, this is the perfect page-turner for fans of Agatha Christie, Ann Granger and Jacqueline Winspear.

What readers are saying about the Kate Shackleton mysteries:

'Kate Shackleton is a splendid heroine' Ann Granger

'Delightful' People's Friend

'Frances Brody matches a heroine of free and independent spirit with a vivid evocation of time and place . . . a novel to cherish' Barry Turner, Daily Mail

'Brody's excellent mystery splendidly captures the conflicts and attitudes of the time with well-developed characters' RT Book Reviews

'Kate Shackleton joins Jacqueline Winspear's Maisie Dobbs in a subgroup of young, female amateur detectives who survived and were matured by their wartime experiences' Literary Review©2019 Frances McNeil Cosy Detective Fiction Historical Mystery Women Sleuths Women's Fiction England

Critic reviews

Frances Brody has made it to the top rank of crime writers
The series is right up there with Miss Marple
Brody's writing is like her central character Kate Shackleton: witty, acerbic and very, very perceptive (Ann Cleeves, award-winning author of the Shetland and Vera Stanhope mysteries)
Delightful
Frances Brody matches a heroine of free and independent spirit with a vivid evocation of time and place . . . a novel to cherish (Barry Turner)
Brody's excellent mystery splendidly captures the conflicts and attitudes of the time with well-developed characters
Kate Shackleton is a splendid heroine (Ann Granger)
Kate Shackleton joins Jacqueline Winspear's Maisie Dobbs in a subgroup of young, female amateur detectives who survived and were matured by their wartime experiences. As self-reliant women in a society that still regards them a second-class citizens, they make excellent heroines
Frances Brody skilfully holds our attention, making us want to read on and then look forward to the next Kate Shackleton mystery
Kate Shackleton is a delightful leading character. The flavour of post First World War England is beautifully portrayed. An enjoyable and gripping mystery story
This is whimsical, colourful stuff and readers will warm to the entrepreneurial yet fragile Kate
Another fine entry in a consistently satisfying historical mystery series that combines a strong lead with crisp plotting and appealing period ambience
Frances Brody has a remarkable talent for evoking time and place. With a realistic setting, her characters spring to life. This is crime writing of a high order
All stars
Most relevant
An interesting and engaging listen. I’m very much enjoying this series. Apparently a review requires 15 words.

Engaging

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
I have enjoyed all her stories but I think this has been the best I couldn’t stop listening to it. Brilliant.

Fantastic story well written and read.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
I like Frances Brady’s Kate Shackleton books as a bit of enjoyable light relief if I’ve read something more gruelling or just ‘heavy’. However one or two have not been up to her usual standard but this one is great and probably my favourite. It romps along and introduces interesting characters in a story with a bit of a difference. So relaxing and entertaining. Always perfectly narrated by Anne Dover.

One of my favourites

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
Kate Shackleton mysteries never let me down! I couldn't put the book down, starting next one!

Absolutely love it!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
Gripping story, read well and written well
easy to follow along with as well and the chapters are a good length

Gripping story

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.