Book excerpt: MURDER IN THE ACADEMY is a gripping must-read thriller - perfect for fans of THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO by Steig Larsson, THE BODY IN THE LIBRARY by Agatha Christie and THE CUCKOO'S CALLING by Robert Galbraith. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'A new crime series set in Belfast. Cleverly constructred, with a plot that will keep you reading until the end.' Áine Toner, Belfast Telegraph Reluctant sleuth Alice Fox uncovers some dirty secrets in Belfast. A new year, a new term and the staff of the Department of Peace and Reconciliation return from the Christmas break with renewed hope and energy. One person is missing, however. Then a violent storm reveals a grisly murder. It soon becomes clear to DI Caroline Paton that the victim, Dr Helen Breen, was almost universally disliked among the college staff - but surely departmental politics or boardroom squabbles would not unleash such a level of brutality? Alice Fox, visiting research fellow, agrees and finds herself distracted from her studies as she is drawn back into old patterns of life as a detective in the States. She soon finds herself playing a key support role in Caroline Paton's murder investigation. How did Helen Breen arouse such murderous rage? Or are there more sinister forces at work?