When cider-maker Desmond Perry asks Sybil Harcourt to advise on an ambitious new drinks project, the renowned wine merchant expects a pleasant weekend in the Somerset countryside.
Instead, she finds herself at the centre of a nightmare.
Desmond's family business is preparing to launch Pommeraux, a revolutionary new fortified cider that could transform the industry. But before the project can move forward, Desmond's young grandson Angus is kidnapped, and a chilling demand follows: abandon the patents or risk everything.
As Sybil, her niece Phoebe, and DS Dawn Vickery race to uncover the truth, they find themselves drawn into a web of family loyalties, hidden connections, and growing obsession. Then a desperate confrontation ends in tragedy, and the search for a missing child becomes a homicide investigation.
With lives shattered, relationships tested, and the future of the Perry family hanging in the balance, Sybil must untangle a mystery rooted not in greed, but in the dangerous certainty that one person knows what is best for everyone else.
Set amongst the orchards and cider houses of Somerset, In Cider Trading is a warm, character-driven cosy mystery filled with family secrets, gentle humour, memorable characters, and a puzzle that proves good intentions can sometimes lead to devastating consequences.
