Murder on Line One (The Sidmouth Murder Mysteries, Book 1)

By: Jeremy Vine

The instant Sunday Times bestseller. 'A deftly-written whodunnit' Jennie Godfrey

There's a killer on the airwaves… and they're calling for you.

Darkness looms over sunny Sidmouth, when an unsolved murder comes to the attention of late-night radio talk show host Edward Temmis.

Recently sacked from his beloved job, Edward meets Stevie, whose grandmother died in a suspicious fire. Well, nobody hurts his listeners and helping Stevie might just give him the purpose he needs.

Reinvigorated, Edward joins forces with Stevie and his old fling, Kim, only to uncover a sinister plot.

Can they get to the bottom of this mystery before it’s too late?

Sunday Times bestseller list 4 May 2025

Perfect for fans of Richard Osman, Anthony Horowitz and Agatha Christie-style murder mysteries.

'Hugely enjoyable' Janice Hallett

'Full of heart' C.L. Taylor

©2025 Jeremy Vine (P)2025 HarperCollins Publishers

Critic reviews

'Funny yet poignant, cosy yet complex, familiar yet unique, I loved this deftly written whodunnit’ Jennie Godfrey, The List of Suspicious Things

' Strap yourself in for a wild ride … An intriguing, complex and hugely enjoyable small-town whodunnit, with vivid characters and a sophisticated plot. Can’t wait for the next instalment of this vibrant new series!' Janice Hallett, The Examiner

'Quirky, charming and full of heart. Jam-packed with engaging and eccentric characters, wit and energy … will appeal to fans of The Satsuma Complex and A Man Called Ove ' C. L. Taylor, Every Move You Make

'A genuinely original concept, well-written with an ending that keeps you guessing' Jeffrey Archer, Traitors Gate

'Written with a fine eye for the elegant phrase, and laden with deftly sparkling comic touches, Jeremy Vine’s Murder On Line One serves both as a trenchant reflection on the grief that follows personal tragedy and a poignant love letter to a changing radio industry. A meditative and polished mystery debut' Vaseem Khan

‘Atmospheric and with lots of charm, you’ll whip right through it’ The Daily Mirror

‘A hymn to the art of a radio phone-in … a surprisingly touching and funny read’ Daily Telegraph

‘The overriding sense from his debut is that he has real affection for those who call in’ Evening Standard

‘Clever’ Literary Review

'Elegant and engaging' Daily Mail

'A compelling, clever slice of cosy mystery' Woman's Own

What a clever plot and story! Loved it.

This book is cleverly written and the plot was brilliant.

You feel like you get to know the characters - feeling their grief and sorrow, smiling at their observations, and feeling shocked about the older generation being conned and scammed out of their money and dignity - too scared to say anything.

The plot twists had me guessing from my list of suspects for a good while, and the culprit was not who I expected for so long, but then it all made sense.

Listeners to radio shows don’t always know what happens behind the scenes, this insight was key to the story.

I really enjoyed this book and hope there is another book coming along at some point.