Prepare the body. Don't ask questions. Protect the ones you love.

Young mortician Ella Foxton has built her life around honouring the dead and guiding them to their final resting place. Her peace is shattered when Jonny Massey, a notorious gangster, arrives at her small funeral parlour demanding she provide a lavish funeral for his brother Jimmy.

DS Brian Rushton, meanwhile, suspects the Masseys are behind a shocking double murder. But no one, it seems, has the courage to back him up.

As Ella prepares Jimmy's remains, she realises it's not just a body Massey wants buried, but a lifetime of violent secrets. So, when Beatrice Hebblethwaite, head of a rival criminal family, demands Jimmy's body as payback for the Massey's involvement in the death of her son, Ella finds herself caught between the warring gangs and her own desire for the truth.

Perfect for fans of fast-paced crime thrillers with strong female leads, Sharon Bolton's The Mortician will keep you hooked until the final page.