A murder mystery inspired by and with the back drop of a Cotswold hotel has hit book shelves.

'Murder at the Manor' is the sixth novel from crime and thriller writer Colin Wade.

Wade found the inspiration for the novel when he stayed at Charingworth Manor near Chipping Campden.

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He said: "The location of the story was inspired by a hotel we stayed at in the Cotswolds.

"As soon as I saw the facade of the 14th-century manor house and the surrounding area, I knew it was where I wanted to set my sixth novel."

He added: "I had an idea of setting a modern-day murder mystery story in a country hotel, inspired by my love of Agatha Christie.

"The hotel we stayed in proved to be the inspiration that brought the story to life."

The novel follows Detective Chief Inspector Chloe Taylor as she investigates the death of a hotel guest.

The investigation begins after two witnesses hear an argument followed by a loud thud from a neighbouring room on a Friday evening.

The following morning, a maid finds the room vacated, with a dried bloodstain on the carpet as the only trace of its previous occupant.

DCI Taylor is called to the scene, and a body in the hotel's lake soon turns the affair into a murder inquiry.

As the plot unfolds, she finds herself caught in a web of deceit, suspicious characters, and fake identities, with one suspect linked to a terrorism case.

Her investigation takes on an added layer of complexity when a DCI from the Counter Terrorism Unit is assigned to work alongside her.

As the pressure mounts, DCI Taylor is forced to make impulsive decisions, putting her own life at risk.

Wade, who has been writing since 2016, has previously published five books including 'The Lost Years' and 'Deadly Connections'.