AWARD-WINNING AUTHOR AND BROADCASTER SAMANTHA LEE HOWE RETURNS WITH A GRIPPING POST-WAR MYSTERY
A Thorn in the Rose Paperback | 12 February 2026 (Mel Greenway Investigates, Book 1)
Secrets bloom where the roses die – and one woman is determined to dig up the truth.
Acclaimed author, screenwriter, and broadcaster Samantha Lee Howe returns with A Thorn in the Rose, a richly atmospheric post-World War II crime mystery steeped in class tension, buried secrets, and second chances.
Set in post-war Britain, the novel introduces readers to the Avonby Estate – a once-grand country house now crumbling under the weight of its past. When Lady Melinda ‘Mel’ Greenway, a former army mechanic and the family’s overlooked poor relation, discovers a body hidden beneath the estate’s neglected rose garden, she is drawn into a deadly web of lies and long-simmering resentments.
Mel’s determination to uncover the truth places her on a collision course with Inspector Derrin Bradley – her wartime lover turned investigator – reigniting old passions and unresolved wounds. As the investigation exposes the sharp divide between Avonby’s privileged residents and its resentful staff, Mel finds herself increasingly isolated, mistrusted by her own family, and marked by a killer determined to keep the past buried.
Blending suspense, forbidden romance, and social history, A Thorn in the Rose is a compelling debut to the Mel Greenway Investigates series – a story of resilience and reckoning that will keep readers guessing until the final page.
Samantha Lee Howe is an award-winning screenwriter and novelist, widely recognised for her sharp characterisation and emotionally intelligent storytelling. Alongside her fiction, she is also a popular and trusted radio voice, known for her engaging on-air presence and cultural insight. Her background in screenwriting brings a cinematic pace and visual richness to her novels, while her fascination with social history gives A Thorn in the Rose its depth and authenticity.
Samantha also works closely with charities including Anna Kennedy Online, supporting autism advocacy, and IDAS, the domestic abuse charity. Samantha herself is a survivor ambassador, using her platform to raise awareness and support others.
With its unforgettable heroine, evocative setting, and twist-laden plot, A Thorn in the Rose cements Samantha Lee Howe’s reputation as a leading voice in contemporary British crime fiction.
Published by: Bedford Square Publishers https://bedfordsquarepublishers.co.uk
