Hidden Depths (Vera Stanhope #3) by Ann Cleeves

Julie stared at him, submerged beneath the bath water, his hair rising like fronds of seaweed towards the surface. She couldn't see his body because of the flowers . . .

A hot summer on the Northumberland coast and Julie Armstrong arrives home from a night out to find her son strangled, laid out in a bath of water and covered with wild flowers.

This stylised murder has Inspector Vera Stanhope intrigued. But then another body -- that of beautiful young teacher Lily Marsh -- is discovered in a rock pool, her body strewn with flowers. Vera must work quickly to find this killer who is making art out of death.

As the local residents are forced to share their deepest darkest secrets, the killer watches, waits and plans to prepare another beautiful, watery grave . . .

Genres: Mystery - Crime - Mystery Thriller - British Literature - Thriller - Detective - Murder Mystery - Procedural - British Author