The Village Hall Vendetta

Hal Mulberry has long dreamt of owning the iconic painting, Buttermere at Dawn. And now the entrepreneur has got his hands on it, he's determined to bring it back to the Lakes where it belongs and put it on show, turning Penrith Village Hall into a cultural hotspot - with the painting at its heart.

Journalist Jason Brazel is delighted to get the exclusive. Even if his mother in law, Amita, thinks he's making a fuss about an ugly piece of modern art. But when Amita uncovers a theory that the painting is cursed, she wonders just what Hal is bringing to their door: hex, hoax or dirty-deal?

While the great and the good gather for the unveiling, someone's got murder on their mind. And it's up to Jason and Amita to find who is trying to put people out of the picture ... permanently.

Jonathan Whitelaw is a writer, award-winning journalist and broadcaster. After working on the frontline of Scottish politics, he moved into journalism, covering everything from sports to music to radioactive waste - and everything in between. He's also a regular reviewer, panellist and commentator. Find him on twitter @JDWhitelaw13.