The Margaret Code

89-year-old Margaret has lived on Garnon Crescent all her life, except for those few years she never talks about. She knows all the neighbours; their hopes, their heartbreaks.

Only recently, Margaret’s memory isn’t what it used to be. She is sure Barbara, her best friend and neighbour, told her something important. Something she was supposed to remember.

When Barbara is found dead, Margaret determines to recover her missing memory. She and her grandson James begin to investigate, but soon strange incidents occur in her home. Margaret’s daughter thinks her memory is getting worse, but Margaret knows somebody wants her out of the way.

Because Margaret holds the key to solving this crime. If only she could remember where she put it.

Richard Hooton was born and brought up in Mansfield, Nottinghamshire, and studied English Literature at the University of Wolverhampton before becoming a journalist and communications officer. He has won prizes in numerous short story and flash fiction competitions and has been highly commended in the Bath Flash Fiction Awards and shortlisted in the Bridport Prize and Cambridge Prize. Richard lives near Manchester. He is represented by Sam Copeland at RCW Literary Agency.