Medical Gothic · Modern Whitby
The Fifth Blood
Start here if you enjoy a modern investigation with an unsettling question at its heart: what if blood could remember?
Explore The Fifth BloodA good story begins with a choice
What kind of mystery
are you in the mood for?
A town with a secret. A friendship under pressure. A map that opens a door. Find your way into C.J. Weddell’s books, one reading mood at a time.
The adult bookshelf
Pick your particular
kind of unease.
These stories take different routes into mystery. Choose the feeling you want to follow; each introduction leads to the book’s own page, where you can explore its premise before buying.
5 books to explore · All adult reads
Historical Gothic · Dracula’s brides
The House of Four Graves
Choose this for a historical Gothic story centred on the three women waiting in Dracula’s castle, and the lives that brought them there.
Explore The House of Four Graves
Psychological suspense · Survival
30
Choose this when you want the pressure to come from people: four friends, a snowboarding holiday, a body and loyalties beginning to fracture.
Explore 30
Cosy crime · Havenwick
The Knitting Circle Murder
Start here for village secrets and a suspicious death, with the pleasure of watching small details acquire a different meaning.
Explore The Knitting Circle Murder
British folk horror · Buried bargains
The Twelve Strokes of Brackenford
Choose this for a cursed mining town, inherited guilt and a stranger who knows the price of every private hunger. A darker, supernatural reading choice.
Explore The Twelve Strokes of BrackenfordStill deciding? Explore the difference between Gothic horror and psychological suspense, or browse the full adult bookshelf.
A separate shelf / ages 8–12 & shared family reading
For the ones who ask
“What’s behind that door?”
Meet Evelyn, Elliot and their black-and-white terrier, Ozzy. The Crowe Chronicles turn coastal places, hidden symbols and forgotten history into illustrated adventures. Begin with Book One, then follow the clues to Holy Island.
The Crowe Chronicles / Book 1
The Treasure at Tynemouth Priory
Evelyn, Elliot and their terrier Ozzy follow maps, symbols and forgotten names towards a hidden door beneath Tynemouth Priory. An illustrated adventure for readers aged 8–12 and shared family reading.
Explore Book 1 ↗
The Crowe Chronicles / Book 2
The Holy Island Goblet
A tidal road, seven carved birds and a goblet lost for seventy years. The connected Evelyn & Elliot adventures continue on Holy Island, with history and a new trail of clues.
Explore Book 2 ↗
More for grown-ups: Choosing a mystery for a reader aged 8–12 · Five detective activities to try together · The free Detective Club
Before you turn the first page
A few useful answers.
Where should I start with C.J. Weddell’s books?
Choose by the kind of mystery you enjoy. Try The Fifth Blood for medical Gothic, The House of Four Graves for historical Gothic, 30 for psychological survival suspense, The Knitting Circle Murder for cosy crime, or The Twelve Strokes of Brackenford for folk horror. For families with readers aged 8–12, begin The Crowe Chronicles with The Treasure at Tynemouth Priory.
What order should I read The Crowe Chronicles in?
Begin with The Treasure at Tynemouth Priory (Book One), then read The Holy Island Goblet (Book Two). The connected adventures follow Evelyn, Elliot and Ozzy as they uncover clues and encounter Professor Malachai Crowe.
Are the adult books suitable for children?
The adult Gothic, horror, crime and thriller books are a separate reading range. For children and shared family reading, choose the Evelyn & Elliot adventures and the family activities linked below. The suggested age range for the books is 8–12; a grown-up can use the book pages to judge the right fit for an individual reader.
Can we try a family mystery before buying a book?
Yes. Crowe Case File 001: The Priory Door is a free illustrated family mystery, with a parent solution included. A parent or guardian can unlock it from The Crowe Chronicles page. The Detective Club also offers a free member starter pack through parent or guardian signup.