Over several generations and from humble beginnings, the Ellard family built up an impressive group of businesses, becoming highly respected in the area. Keith Ellard is largely responsible for their management and begins to find this role increasingly demanding. As his father's health deteriorates, further responsibility falls upon him, and he struggles to cope. Under pressure, he makes an error of judgment, which causes his world to unravel. Keith battles to restore his equilibrium but has to cope with another chance event which begins to uncover a family secret, causing further turmoil in a family where grievances still exist due to decades-old family disputes. As the wider family grapples with these issues, will division or reconciliation result?

Six months ago, Sarah Needham's husband died. Now she is trying to rebuild her life. However, she makes a chance discovery which causes her to question the circumstances of her husband's death. Have some details been overlooked which cast the tragic circumstances in a new light? Just when she thought she was moving on, she is catapulted back to an era she would prefer to forget. Sarah is thrown into confusion. Should she pursue these vague suspicions or confine them to the past?At the same time, someone Sarah was romantically involved with many years ago comes into her life to offer support. Is it too early to begin a new relationship or will loyalty to her late husband cast a shadow over future happiness?

Barrister Gina Overton decides to move back to Canterbury to be nearer to her elderly mother and takes up a position at legal chambers in the city. Her move coincides with the start of the SEKare Inquiry into abuse and neglect at a group of care homes in the area. Gina specialises in prosecuting medical negligence claims and has agreed to represent the group whose vulnerable relatives suffered in the residential homes. The experience proves to be more challenging than she anticipates and she finds herself to be the subject of some subtle intimidation. Who is trying to unsettle Gina and cause her to question her decision to relocate? Without the support of her husband, Will, who is yet to move to the area and with the increasing worries of her mother's dementia, she struggles to remain in control of her life. Is she being paranoid or is someone determined to make her life difficult?Meanwhile, Melanie, with a history of self-harm becomes increasingly distressed as memories...

Layers of Deceit is the sequel to Waves of Guilt and is again set in Broadstairs by the coast.From first impressions, a sudden death appears to be a tragic accident. Or is it? DS Katy Forbes has her suspicions, but there is no forensic evidence to substantiate her doubts. Maybe the answers lie with the personalities and past histories of the people involved rather than the forensic details. As she peels away the layers, more questions arise, emphasising that so much in life is a grey area and not clear cut. A story of trust and what drives people to act as they do. Where does the blame lie, solely with one party or shared between victim and protagonist?Also, a new neighbour in Burlam Avenue creates some interest. Are his intentions honourable, or has he an ulterior motive?

The potential treatment for cancer originating from the laboratories at the University is progressing well and is soon to enter clinical trials. This discovery, along with the efforts of the three business consultants, means that the spin-off company PersCure has received backing from city investors and local businessmen and is about to be launched to much acclaim. However, the future of the clinical trial unit, ClinTry, looks in doubt unless it receives a financial lifeline. When a benefactor steps in to save the business everyone is reassured but the road ahead may be still be troublesome. The formidable Ron Radford is rebuilding his life after tragic personal events. When characters attempt to add excitement to their lives they do not anticipate the consequences. Can the momentum be halted before irreversible damage is caused? At the same time, the cosmopolitan atmosphere of Persford is under threat from factions whose aim is to spread hatred and intolerance. Can they be...

The promising treatment for glioblastoma brain cancer continues to make good progress albeit with some slight hitches along the way. Meanwhile, the University is facing its own funding crisis. The illegal drug scene moves to a new level with violent and cruel consequences for several sections of Persford. The police face new challenges if this wave of criminality is to be halted. One character caught up in the violence refuses to be intimidated and decides to wreak revenge.Ron and Maureen's relationship faces some challenges when his domineering personality becomes even more apparent and each character attempts to maintain their self-respect and position.A fast-moving story about a struggle for control on various levels where rules and laws are flouted in order to gain supremacy. As ever the story is set against a background of science and medicine.

The story continues in the world of research at BioQex. Fraud threatens to engulf the company, will it survive? Emotions are running high as grief becomes overwhelming for some characters and affects their ability to act rationally. Nick is once again on a quest to unearth the truth about suspicious activities in the workplace. He and Polly both become victims of intimidation. Lives are once more at stake, will it all end in disaster?

The sequel to Adverse Reaction. Follow the unfolding story at BioQex. A rogue chemist and a colleague on a quest to unearth the truth. Are the risks too great for both men? A suspenseful and dramatic sequence of events with tragic consequences.

The story continues in Persford for the main characters in a new venture. A university research team discovers an exciting new treatment for cancer. Matt Pearson and Brett Chandler act as consultants to advise on the business aspects with a view to forming a spin-off company. Soon events start to get out of control due to a researcher whose behaviour starts to jeopardise the whole project and an employee who leaks confidential documents. Characters from the criminal underworld become involved and lives are put at risk. A story of desperate emotions driving people to the limit with little regard for others. Dramatic events start to encompass innocent parties with tragic consequences.