Devil's Kitchen

An Inspector Drake Prequel Novella

By: Stephen Puleston

Narrated by: Richard Elfyn

A tragic accident or a murder on a mountain? Inspector Drake’s first investigation takes him to the middle of Snowdonia, but can he uncover the truth?

When two bodies are found sprawled at the bottom of the Devil's Kitchen in the mountains of Snowdonia, it looks like a murder-suicide. But something doesn't feel right to Detective Inspector Ian Drake, and his gut instinct has never let him down before.

Drake suspects at least one of the deaths could be suspicious, but who would kill such an ordinary couple, and why? This might be Drake's first murder inquiry, but his years as a detective have taught him one thing - every murder has a motive, and every killer leaves a trace.

If you enjoy crime mysteries, then you’ll love this prequel novella in the eight-book Inspector Drake series. If you enjoy clever, well-plotted mysteries with engaging characters, then don’t miss Stephen Puleston’s Inspector Drake novels.

©2016 Stephen Puleston (P)2018 Stephen Puleston

An excellent presentation for Inspector Drake ♥

A short story introducing Inspector Drake and his partner, DS Caren Waits during his first case.

It's really interesting to see this beginning, seeing Drake going to such great lengths, following his instinct that it's telling him that there is something more than a murder-suicide in this case. It's a good presentation, that highlights his sheer determination when it comes to doing what it's right.

We get to see him trying to be a good dad, but too focused on his job. We see his OCD acting and making him uncomfortable around messy places and people.

We see all that has made us love him in the rest of the stories, and that's wonderful.

I really, really liked it.

Great introduction to Inspector Drake series

Richard Elfyn brings the world of Inspector drake to life with an excellent,and mellifluous performance of this short police procedural. A quick and easy listen that seems almost certain to drag you back for more as you visit Northern Wales through the eyes of Inspector Drake. While much of what makes up the man is not on ready display in this short novella, it does more than adequately display the craft of Mr. Puleston and his understanding of the area.

Interesting jumping off place

This novella prequel is engaging and flows well. It makes me look forward to experiencing the growth of the characters and Inspector Drake's settling into his new position in the department.There are layers of relationships with multiple issues that just get scratched in this book. The crime involved is a mystery laced with intriguing twists and a healthy dose of angst. I was impressed with Richard Elfyn's ability to narrate this journey. The end of the book was not what I had surmised. I am adding Stephen Puleston's works to my TBR list.

Short murder mystery brilliantly written and narrated!

Sometimes a short story is a winner. After two losers that I returned, I was delighted to find this gem. Trying to solve a double death scene, officials meet some quirky characters. Well written and narrated, this book had an ending I ever saw coming. Looking for more in this series. Very highly recommended and worth it.

Murder-suicide in the English countryside?

I was a HUGE fan of The Inspector Lindley series on PBS so I was excited to listen to this novella...and I was not disappointed. DI Ian Drake is dispatched to investigate an apparent murder-suicide. This is Drake’s 1st case as the senior officer so he intends to not muck it up. Drake and his partner, Karen, feel that this is not a simple jealous husband killing his wife then himself but their boss thinks otherwise. Will Drake get to the bottom of the mystery, while balancing the needs of his family? This is a novella so it is short but totally worth the listen and whets the appetite for more DI Drake!