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A Cold Case Murder Mystery Series
Series: The Freeman Files
Brief Description
New team, old case, the clock is ticking for justice. Detective Gus Freeman isn't ready to let a cold case gather dust—especially one as flawed as Trudi Driscoll's. Years ago, the lively barmaid was murdered on her walk home, shattering her tight-knit Wiltshire community. The investigation's...
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See moreHas justice jailed the wrong man and let a killer walk free? Years after a barmaid's murder fractured a Wiltshire community, Detective Inspector Gus Freeman returns to unravel tangled evidence. As past failures resurface, solving this cold case may cost Freeman more than he's prepared to lose. Some truths carry a deadly price
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Description
New team, old case, the clock is ticking for justice. Detective Gus Freeman isn't ready to let a cold case gather dust—especially one as flawed as Trudi Driscoll's. Years ago, the lively barmaid was murdered on her walk home, shattering her tight-knit Wiltshire community. The investigation's failures led to the wrongful imprisonment of an innocent man, leaving her true killer free.
Now leading a newly formed team, Gus revisits the tangled web of evidence and missteps that derailed the original inquiry. As troubling secrets resurface, a secondary case involving the murder of Frank North casts a dangerous shadow over the investigation—and over Gus himself.
With reasoned deduction as his compass, Gus navigates a maze of gossip, personal agendas, and institutional failings. He fights to bring closure to Trudi's family while uncovering truths far darker than anyone imagined.
Last Orders, the second instalment in The Freeman Files series, is a gripping cold-case murder mystery that explores the fragile nature of justice, the power of community, and the relentless quest for truth.
Praise for Last Orders:
★ ★ ★ ★ ★ Another exciting instalment to the 'Freeman Files' I must admit this one had me scratching my head as to who the culprit was until the very end. Excellent.
★ ★ ★ ★ ★ If you enjoy British procedurals, I could not recommend a better way to spend your time than by getting into this fun series.
★ ★ ★ ★ ★ A great mystery with many twists and turns. It is hard to put this book down.
★ ★ ★ ★ ★ Really enjoyed this book and will definitely follow the series. The author put enough twists and turns to keep you guessing.
★ ★ ★ ★ ★ Gus used old school, tried and true techniques and comes out smelling like a rose.
Series: The Freeman Files
View all-
Pre-orderFatal Decision
He thought he'd left his life as a detective behind. But the past has a deadly way of catching up. Three years after losing his wife, retired DI Gus Freeman is drawn back into the force to lead a new cold case unit. His first investigation: the brutal murder of Daphne Tolliver, a widow killed during her morning walk through...Paperback$2799Unit price /UnavailableOut 29 Sep 2026Pre-order -
Pre-order
A Genuine Mistake
Was it a tragic accident, or a calculated murder? When Gerry Hogan was murdered on his doorstep, his family and friends were left reeling. A successful businessman with a spotless reputation, his death seemed both shocking and senseless. Years later, when Gus Freeman and his Crime Review Team reopen the case, they uncover more questions than answers. Missing clues and...Paperback$2799Unit price /UnavailableOut 29 Sep 2026Pre-order -
Pre-order
All Things Bright
The truth is hidden beneath the surface. Will Gus Freeman find it? When thirteen-year-old Stacey Read disappeared from her Wiltshire home, the small community was torn apart. Ten days later, her lifeless body was found in a canal, but the case went cold. Now, retired detective Gus Freeman and his Crime Review Team are determined to bring the truth to...Paperback$2799Unit price /UnavailableOut 29 Sep 2026Pre-order -
Pre-order
A Morning Murder
A missing colleague. A team in crisis. And a case that refuses to stay buried. Burnham-on-Sea is supposed to be a quiet stop for Gus Freeman's team to wrap up a cold case, but the investigation soon spirals into a dark web of interconnected crimes. As they dig deeper into the murders of Tammie Kenyon and Imogen Henderson, Gus uncovers...Paperback$2799Unit price /UnavailableOut 29 Sep 2026Pre-order -
Pre-order
A Normal November
What lies beneath the surface of an ordinary November night? In November 2016, Richard Chaloner's life was brutally cut short. A respected garage owner and newlywed, he was gunned down in what appeared to be a tragic robbery. The case went cold, leaving unanswered questions and a killer still at large. Now, years later, Gus Freeman and his Crime Review...Paperback$2799Unit price /UnavailableOut 29 Sep 2026Pre-order -
Pre-order
Barking Mad
A cold case. A deadly secret. The search for answers begins. In May 2015, Mark Malone, a much-loved pet shop owner, was shot dead in cold blood. The case went unsolved, leaving his community shattered and his murder shrouded in mystery. Years later, Detective Gus Freeman and his Crime Review Team reopen the investigation, determined to bring his killer to...Paperback$2799Unit price /UnavailableOut 29 Sep 2026Pre-order -
Pre-order
Buried Secrets
A deadly run, a life of lies and a web of secrets waiting to unravel. When Alan Duncan is murdered during his weekly run, Gus Freeman and his Crime Review Team face one of their most challenging cases yet. Alan's relationship with his girlfriend, Maddy Mills, seemed perfect on the surface, but as the team digs deeper, they uncover troubling...Paperback$2799Unit price /UnavailableOut 29 Sep 2026Pre-order -
Pre-order
Creature Discomforts
A family that won't talk. A detective who won't give up. Grant Burnside, the ruthless leader of a violent gang, was gunned down in 2014, but his murder remains unsolved. Detective Gus Freeman and his Crime Review Team take on the case, determined to crack the secrets surrounding the Burnside family. Now under the leadership of Grant's son, Gary, the...Paperback$2799Unit price /UnavailableOut 29 Sep 2026Pre-order -
Pre-order
Deadly Formula
One bullet, countless secrets, and a formula that could destroy everything. Fourteen years ago, brilliant research scientist Dr. Ian McGuire was murdered in his home with a single shotgun blast. The investigation stalled with no leads, no suspects, and no motive. Now Detective Gus Freeman and his team are uncovering the shocking truth behind McGuire's death. At the heart of...Paperback$2799Unit price /UnavailableOut 29 Sep 2026Pre-order -
Pre-order
Dead Reckoning
A farm, a murder and a trail that leads to dark truths. Wealthy landowner Kendal Guthrie was no stranger to controversy. Found dead in suspicious circumstances on his remote farm, his death was dismissed as a tragic accident. But years later, Gus Freeman and his team discover evidence that paints a very different picture. With motives ranging from revenge to...Paperback$2799Unit price /UnavailableOut 29 Sep 2026Pre-order -
Pre-order
Final Deal
A team member kidnapped and a cold case that refuses to stay buried. When DI Suzie Ferris vanishes after a cyber-crime course, Gus Freeman and his Crime Review Team face a formidable adversary—a ruthless former undercover officer, Ricky Gardiner, entangled in a web of corruption. As the team digs deeper, they unearth sinister connections within the police force to a...Paperback$2799Unit price /UnavailableOut 29 Sep 2026Pre-order -
Pre-order
Gathering Clouds
A double murder haunts a city—and one man pursues the solution. The brutal murders of John Crees and Mandy Howard shattered the peace of Salisbury, but the case has remained unsolved for years. Now, Detective Gus Freeman, who once served in the city, has returned to uncover the truth. But as Freeman digs deeper, he faces mounting resistance from those...Paperback$2799Unit price /UnavailableOut 29 Sep 2026Pre-order
Book Details
INFORMATION
ISBN: 9781036704889
Publisher: Vinci Books
Format: Paperback / softback
Date Published: 17 July 2025
Country: United Kingdom
Imprint: Vinci Books
Audience: General / adult
DIMENSIONS
Spine width: 20.0mm
Width: 129.0mm
Height: 198.0mm
Weight: 0g
Pages: 268
About the Author
Ted Tayler is the international best-selling indie author of the Freeman Files and Phoenix series. Ted lives in the English West country, where his stories are based. He was born in 1945 and has been married to Lynne since 1971. They have three children and four grandchildren. His thought-provoking mysteries appeal to readers of Sally Rigby, Joy Ellis, Pauline Rowson, and Faith Martin. His action-packed thrillers are a must for fans of Mark Dawson and J C Ryan. Gus Freeman's cold case investigations are carried out with reasoned deduction rather than bursts of frantic action. In each of the 24 books, unsolved murders are accompanied by romance, humour, and country life. The core message in the 12 Phoenix novels is that criminals should pay for their crimes. Unfortunately, the current system fails to deliver the correct punishment, so Phoenix helps redress the balance.
Also by Ted Tayler
View all-
Pre-order
Fatal Decision
He thought he'd left his life as a detective behind. But the past has a deadly way of catching up. Three years after losing his wife, retired DI Gus Freeman is drawn back into the force to lead a new cold case unit. His first investigation: the brutal murder of Daphne Tolliver, a widow killed during her morning walk through...Paperback$2799Unit price /UnavailableOut 29 Sep 2026Pre-order -
Pre-order
A Genuine Mistake
Was it a tragic accident, or a calculated murder? When Gerry Hogan was murdered on his doorstep, his family and friends were left reeling. A successful businessman with a spotless reputation, his death seemed both shocking and senseless. Years later, when Gus Freeman and his Crime Review Team reopen the case, they uncover more questions than answers. Missing clues and...Paperback$2799Unit price /UnavailableOut 29 Sep 2026Pre-order -
Pre-order
All Things Bright
The truth is hidden beneath the surface. Will Gus Freeman find it? When thirteen-year-old Stacey Read disappeared from her Wiltshire home, the small community was torn apart. Ten days later, her lifeless body was found in a canal, but the case went cold. Now, retired detective Gus Freeman and his Crime Review Team are determined to bring the truth to...Paperback$2799Unit price /UnavailableOut 29 Sep 2026Pre-order -
Pre-order
A Morning Murder
A missing colleague. A team in crisis. And a case that refuses to stay buried. Burnham-on-Sea is supposed to be a quiet stop for Gus Freeman's team to wrap up a cold case, but the investigation soon spirals into a dark web of interconnected crimes. As they dig deeper into the murders of Tammie Kenyon and Imogen Henderson, Gus uncovers...Paperback$2799Unit price /UnavailableOut 29 Sep 2026Pre-order -
Pre-order
A Normal November
What lies beneath the surface of an ordinary November night? In November 2016, Richard Chaloner's life was brutally cut short. A respected garage owner and newlywed, he was gunned down in what appeared to be a tragic robbery. The case went cold, leaving unanswered questions and a killer still at large. Now, years later, Gus Freeman and his Crime Review...Paperback$2799Unit price /UnavailableOut 29 Sep 2026Pre-order -
Pre-order
Barking Mad
A cold case. A deadly secret. The search for answers begins. In May 2015, Mark Malone, a much-loved pet shop owner, was shot dead in cold blood. The case went unsolved, leaving his community shattered and his murder shrouded in mystery. Years later, Detective Gus Freeman and his Crime Review Team reopen the investigation, determined to bring his killer to...Paperback$2799Unit price /UnavailableOut 29 Sep 2026Pre-order -
Pre-order
Buried Secrets
A deadly run, a life of lies and a web of secrets waiting to unravel. When Alan Duncan is murdered during his weekly run, Gus Freeman and his Crime Review Team face one of their most challenging cases yet. Alan's relationship with his girlfriend, Maddy Mills, seemed perfect on the surface, but as the team digs deeper, they uncover troubling...Paperback$2799Unit price /UnavailableOut 29 Sep 2026Pre-order -
Pre-order
Creature Discomforts
A family that won't talk. A detective who won't give up. Grant Burnside, the ruthless leader of a violent gang, was gunned down in 2014, but his murder remains unsolved. Detective Gus Freeman and his Crime Review Team take on the case, determined to crack the secrets surrounding the Burnside family. Now under the leadership of Grant's son, Gary, the...Paperback$2799Unit price /UnavailableOut 29 Sep 2026Pre-order -
Pre-order
Deadly Formula
One bullet, countless secrets, and a formula that could destroy everything. Fourteen years ago, brilliant research scientist Dr. Ian McGuire was murdered in his home with a single shotgun blast. The investigation stalled with no leads, no suspects, and no motive. Now Detective Gus Freeman and his team are uncovering the shocking truth behind McGuire's death. At the heart of...Paperback$2799Unit price /UnavailableOut 29 Sep 2026Pre-order -
Pre-order
Dead Reckoning
A farm, a murder and a trail that leads to dark truths. Wealthy landowner Kendal Guthrie was no stranger to controversy. Found dead in suspicious circumstances on his remote farm, his death was dismissed as a tragic accident. But years later, Gus Freeman and his team discover evidence that paints a very different picture. With motives ranging from revenge to...Paperback$2799Unit price /UnavailableOut 29 Sep 2026Pre-order -
Pre-order
Final Deal
A team member kidnapped and a cold case that refuses to stay buried. When DI Suzie Ferris vanishes after a cyber-crime course, Gus Freeman and his Crime Review Team face a formidable adversary—a ruthless former undercover officer, Ricky Gardiner, entangled in a web of corruption. As the team digs deeper, they unearth sinister connections within the police force to a...Paperback$2799Unit price /UnavailableOut 29 Sep 2026Pre-order -
Pre-order
Gathering Clouds
A double murder haunts a city—and one man pursues the solution. The brutal murders of John Crees and Mandy Howard shattered the peace of Salisbury, but the case has remained unsolved for years. Now, Detective Gus Freeman, who once served in the city, has returned to uncover the truth. But as Freeman digs deeper, he faces mounting resistance from those...Paperback$2799Unit price /UnavailableOut 29 Sep 2026Pre-order
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