Pattern in the Glass

In the rain-slicked streets of 1952 Liverpool—still scarred by war, bound by ration books, and lit by flickering gas lamps. Detective William Silas Walker is called to investigate the murder of Arthur Pembleton, a quiet retired librarian found bludgeoned in his meticulously kept home. What appears to be a botched burglary quickly unravels into something far more sinister when Silas notices the broken glass didn't fall the way it should… and the only thing stolen was a decades-old photograph. As Silas digs deeper, he uncovers a hidden legacy of wartime corruption, forged deeds, and stolen lives—secrets Arthur protected not in safes or files, but sealed between the layers of antique Venetian mirrors. With the help of Arthur's grieving niece, a haunted estate advisor, and his own unshakable belief that "there are no coincidences," Silas follows a trail of reflections that leads from elegant manors to a derelict glassworks on the moors. But powerful men will do anything to keep the past buried...including setting fire to the truth itself. This is a gripping, atmospheric thriller steeped in postwar grit, forensic authenticity, and psychological depth. In a city still healing, Silas Walker must confront a conspiracy that proves some reflections are too dangerous to be seen—and some truths are worth dying for.