Mark Ellis
@markell1953.bsky.social
Welsh author of the popular #FrankMerlin #WW2 London detective series. New book #DeathOfAnOfficer (Merlin 6) out from Headline 29/5/25.
The DCI Frank Merlin series features a Scotland Yard detective in WW2 London battling against a crime boom on the wartime Home Front. Here are the 6 books currently available.
“Immersive, authentic, evocative’ Financial Times
‘A must-read’ Daily Mail
‘A truly remarkable series’ Tom Mead author
“Immersive, authentic, evocative’ Financial Times
‘A must-read’ Daily Mail
‘A truly remarkable series’ Tom Mead author
December 23, 2025 at 6:23 AM
The DCI Frank Merlin series features a Scotland Yard detective in WW2 London battling against a crime boom on the wartime Home Front. Here are the 6 books currently available.
“Immersive, authentic, evocative’ Financial Times
‘A must-read’ Daily Mail
‘A truly remarkable series’ Tom Mead author
“Immersive, authentic, evocative’ Financial Times
‘A must-read’ Daily Mail
‘A truly remarkable series’ Tom Mead author
Off to New Orleans today to attend #Bouchercon, the world’s largest crime fiction event where I’m on some great panels. #DeathOfAnOfficer, my new #FrankMerlin #WW2 London detective mystery is published in the US this week.
September 3, 2025 at 5:55 AM
Off to New Orleans today to attend #Bouchercon, the world’s largest crime fiction event where I’m on some great panels. #DeathOfAnOfficer, my new #FrankMerlin #WW2 London detective mystery is published in the US this week.
Death Of An Officer, the latest in the Frank Merlin WW2 London detective series, is now available online and at all good book stores
‘A must-read for murder mystery lovers’ @dailymail.co.uk
‘Immersive, authentic, evocative’ @financialtimes.com
‘Remarkable’ @tommeadauthor.bsky.social
‘A must-read for murder mystery lovers’ @dailymail.co.uk
‘Immersive, authentic, evocative’ @financialtimes.com
‘Remarkable’ @tommeadauthor.bsky.social
August 5, 2025 at 5:40 AM
Death Of An Officer, the latest in the Frank Merlin WW2 London detective series, is now available online and at all good book stores
‘A must-read for murder mystery lovers’ @dailymail.co.uk
‘Immersive, authentic, evocative’ @financialtimes.com
‘Remarkable’ @tommeadauthor.bsky.social
‘A must-read for murder mystery lovers’ @dailymail.co.uk
‘Immersive, authentic, evocative’ @financialtimes.com
‘Remarkable’ @tommeadauthor.bsky.social
And there was I thinking I’d made Frank Merlin up!
August 5, 2025 at 5:32 AM
And there was I thinking I’d made Frank Merlin up!
Lovely Financial Times review of my new #FrankMerlin book #DeathOfAnOfficer in today’s edition. ‘Ellis conjures up an immersive, authentic world in this evocative series.’
July 14, 2025 at 7:10 PM
Lovely Financial Times review of my new #FrankMerlin book #DeathOfAnOfficer in today’s edition. ‘Ellis conjures up an immersive, authentic world in this evocative series.’
Know there was a crime boom in #WW2 London? Gangsters, killers, black marketeers and other villains made hay in the bombed-out capital. For a fictional take on wartime criminality try #DeathOfAnOfficer, the new #FrankMerlin detective thriller. For facts try #BoomTime, my new WW2 true crime history.
June 11, 2025 at 12:15 PM
Know there was a crime boom in #WW2 London? Gangsters, killers, black marketeers and other villains made hay in the bombed-out capital. For a fictional take on wartime criminality try #DeathOfAnOfficer, the new #FrankMerlin detective thriller. For facts try #BoomTime, my new WW2 true crime history.
Happy days! Got my author copies of the new #FrankMerlin detective thriller #DeathOfAnOfficer. Out from Headline 29/5. Early #netgalley reviewers say: ‘I loved it… a great read…the first Merlin I’ve read and it certainly won’t be the last…twisty, intriguing…superb entertainment…his best yet!’
May 8, 2025 at 9:10 AM
Happy days! Got my author copies of the new #FrankMerlin detective thriller #DeathOfAnOfficer. Out from Headline 29/5. Early #netgalley reviewers say: ‘I loved it… a great read…the first Merlin I’ve read and it certainly won’t be the last…twisty, intriguing…superb entertainment…his best yet!’
In the Oxfordshire gloaming
May 3, 2025 at 5:59 PM
In the Oxfordshire gloaming
#DeathOfAnOfficer, #6 in the #FrankMerlin #WW2 detective series, is out 29/5. All books are stand alone but if you want to start at the beginning, #TheEmbassyMurders kicks the series off. In a recent review the Daily Mail said of #1: ‘A real page-turner…juicy enough to devour in 1 sitting.’
April 23, 2025 at 2:50 PM
#DeathOfAnOfficer, #6 in the #FrankMerlin #WW2 detective series, is out 29/5. All books are stand alone but if you want to start at the beginning, #TheEmbassyMurders kicks the series off. In a recent review the Daily Mail said of #1: ‘A real page-turner…juicy enough to devour in 1 sitting.’
On some good panels again at #CrimeFest in Bristol next month. Sadly this will be the last but a fittingly stellar list of authors attending. Advance copies of my new #FrankMerlin adventure, #DeathOfAnOfficer, will be on sale. Get your tickets now!
April 6, 2025 at 7:06 AM
On some good panels again at #CrimeFest in Bristol next month. Sadly this will be the last but a fittingly stellar list of authors attending. Advance copies of my new #FrankMerlin adventure, #DeathOfAnOfficer, will be on sale. Get your tickets now!
Again on some great panels at @crimefest in Bristol in May. Sadly the last one so a stellar cast attending. Get your tickets now!
April 5, 2025 at 5:26 PM
Again on some great panels at @crimefest in Bristol in May. Sadly the last one so a stellar cast attending. Get your tickets now!
#TheEmbassyMurders (#FrankMerlin 1) is recommended today in #MailOnline’s Special Mother’s Day Gift Guide. ‘A real page-turner…a gripping tale of life in #WW2 London…juicy enough to devour in one sitting, you’ll immediately want to order the next in the series.’ #historicalcrimefiction
March 23, 2025 at 1:06 PM
#TheEmbassyMurders (#FrankMerlin 1) is recommended today in #MailOnline’s Special Mother’s Day Gift Guide. ‘A real page-turner…a gripping tale of life in #WW2 London…juicy enough to devour in one sitting, you’ll immediately want to order the next in the series.’ #historicalcrimefiction
Last couple of weeks of my X Thames painting posts
March 22, 2025 at 8:07 AM
Last couple of weeks of my X Thames painting posts
‘Tightly plotted, meticulously researched, and written with wonderful panache. #DeathOfAnOfficer is an excellent entry in a truly remarkable historical mystery series.’
Bestselling author Tom Mead’s verdict on the latest in the #FrankMerlin #WW2 London detective series out 29/5 from Headline.
Bestselling author Tom Mead’s verdict on the latest in the #FrankMerlin #WW2 London detective series out 29/5 from Headline.
March 6, 2025 at 9:11 AM
‘Tightly plotted, meticulously researched, and written with wonderful panache. #DeathOfAnOfficer is an excellent entry in a truly remarkable historical mystery series.’
Bestselling author Tom Mead’s verdict on the latest in the #FrankMerlin #WW2 London detective series out 29/5 from Headline.
Bestselling author Tom Mead’s verdict on the latest in the #FrankMerlin #WW2 London detective series out 29/5 from Headline.
Blurb now out for #DeathOfAnOfficer the 6th in the ‘masterly…compelling…unputdownable’ #FrankMerlin #WW2 London detective series. Out 29/5/25 from Headline.
February 12, 2025 at 4:49 PM
Blurb now out for #DeathOfAnOfficer the 6th in the ‘masterly…compelling…unputdownable’ #FrankMerlin #WW2 London detective series. Out 29/5/25 from Headline.
The Great Fire of London,1666. c.1667. Liev Verschuier.
February 9, 2025 at 8:33 AM
The Great Fire of London,1666. c.1667. Liev Verschuier.
Today’s Thames Painting:
Westminster from Lambeth Bridge. 1912. Albert Goodwin.
Westminster from Lambeth Bridge. 1912. Albert Goodwin.
January 31, 2025 at 9:39 AM
Today’s Thames Painting:
Westminster from Lambeth Bridge. 1912. Albert Goodwin.
Westminster from Lambeth Bridge. 1912. Albert Goodwin.
Today’s Thames Painting:
The Thames at Chiswick. 1865. Samuel Bough.
The Thames at Chiswick. 1865. Samuel Bough.
January 30, 2025 at 6:31 AM
Today’s Thames Painting:
The Thames at Chiswick. 1865. Samuel Bough.
The Thames at Chiswick. 1865. Samuel Bough.
Today’s Thames Pa8nting:
View on the Thames with Westminster Bridge. 1743-44. Samuel Scott.
View on the Thames with Westminster Bridge. 1743-44. Samuel Scott.
January 26, 2025 at 11:49 AM
Today’s Thames Pa8nting:
View on the Thames with Westminster Bridge. 1743-44. Samuel Scott.
View on the Thames with Westminster Bridge. 1743-44. Samuel Scott.
Yesterday and Today’s Thames Paintings:
Left: The Royal Hospital from the South Bank of the River Thames. Early 18th century. Peter Tillemans.
Right: Opening of Old Hungerford Bridge. 1845. James Holland.
Left: The Royal Hospital from the South Bank of the River Thames. Early 18th century. Peter Tillemans.
Right: Opening of Old Hungerford Bridge. 1845. James Holland.
January 25, 2025 at 3:20 PM
Yesterday and Today’s Thames Paintings:
Left: The Royal Hospital from the South Bank of the River Thames. Early 18th century. Peter Tillemans.
Right: Opening of Old Hungerford Bridge. 1845. James Holland.
Left: The Royal Hospital from the South Bank of the River Thames. Early 18th century. Peter Tillemans.
Right: Opening of Old Hungerford Bridge. 1845. James Holland.
Today’s Thames Painting:
The Thames at Richmond from the Middlesex Bank, Looking towards Richmond Bridge. Early 19th century. Ramsay Richard Reinagle.
The Thames at Richmond from the Middlesex Bank, Looking towards Richmond Bridge. Early 19th century. Ramsay Richard Reinagle.
January 23, 2025 at 11:11 AM
Today’s Thames Painting:
The Thames at Richmond from the Middlesex Bank, Looking towards Richmond Bridge. Early 19th century. Ramsay Richard Reinagle.
The Thames at Richmond from the Middlesex Bank, Looking towards Richmond Bridge. Early 19th century. Ramsay Richard Reinagle.
The last eleven days of my Thames painting posts
January 23, 2025 at 10:50 AM
The last eleven days of my Thames painting posts
Today’s Thames Painting:
Blackwall, Looking Towards Greenwich, London. Early 18th century. John Ward.
Blackwall, Looking Towards Greenwich, London. Early 18th century. John Ward.
January 20, 2025 at 7:56 PM
Today’s Thames Painting:
Blackwall, Looking Towards Greenwich, London. Early 18th century. John Ward.
Blackwall, Looking Towards Greenwich, London. Early 18th century. John Ward.
Today’s Thames Picture:
Westminster. c.1870s. Giuseppe de Nittis.
Westminster. c.1870s. Giuseppe de Nittis.
January 19, 2025 at 7:55 PM
Today’s Thames Picture:
Westminster. c.1870s. Giuseppe de Nittis.
Westminster. c.1870s. Giuseppe de Nittis.
Today’s Thames Painting:
Waterloo Bridge from the Thames. 1889. John MacVicar Anderson.
Waterloo Bridge from the Thames. 1889. John MacVicar Anderson.
January 16, 2025 at 11:26 AM
Today’s Thames Painting:
Waterloo Bridge from the Thames. 1889. John MacVicar Anderson.
Waterloo Bridge from the Thames. 1889. John MacVicar Anderson.