London, 1920. In the aftermath of the Great War and a devastating family tragedy, Laurence Bartram has turned his back on the world. But with a well-timed letter, an old flame manages to draw him back in. Mary Emmetts brother Johnlike Laurence, an officer during the warhas apparently killed himself while in the care of a remote veterans hospital, and Mary needs to know why.Aided by his friend Charlesa dauntless gentleman with detective skills cadged from mystery novelsLaurence begins asking difficult questions. What connects a group of war poets, a bitter feud within Emmetts regiment, and a hidden love affair? Was Emmetts death really a suicide, or the missing piece in a puzzling series of murders? As veterans tied to Emmett continue to turn up dead, and Laurence is forced to face the darkest corners of his own war experiences, his own survival may depend on uncovering the truth.At once a compelling mystery and an elegant literary debut, The Return of Captain John Emmett blends the psychological depth of Pat Barkers Regeneration trilogy with lively storytelling from the golden age of British crime fiction.This book features a teaser chapter from The Strange Fate of Kitty Easton, the sequel to Elizabeth Spellers thrilling debut novel.