Victoria Benchley
Victoria Benchley lives with her husband of over twenty years and their two children on the West Coast of the United States. She grew up reading the classics and counts Dickens and the Bronte Sisters as her favorite authors. After a career in corporate America, spanning public accounting, cash management, and real estate investments, at national and international firms, she chose to become a stay-at-home mom and full time taxi cab driver for her children. She is a Christian and enjoys quilting, cooking, and traveling (road trips included!), as well as reading and writing.
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The Merlon Murders - Book 1
When hot shot investigator and math genius Duncan Dewar decides to head a life insurance inquiry, he has no idea what he's soon to encounter. Hoping to learn more about his ancestry, Duncan is drawn to the village of Taye, Scotland, where his past and future are about to collide, altering the trajectory of his life forever. Was the laird of Castle Taye accidently crushed by a merlon from his own battlement, or are more sinister forces at work? Is the alluring widow and beneficiary of eleven million pounds to blame, or innocent? Is a ghost seeking vengeance against members of Clan MacNab for the slaughter of her loved one hundreds of years ago? Will Duncan be the next victim of the merlon murders? Follow Duncan on a culinary tour of breathtaking Scotland as he navigates through relationships with the villagers of Taye in his quest for answers.
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Merlon Murders - Book 2
Mystery
Tracking down a killer could be deadly for hot shot insurance investigator Duncan Dewar. Someone or something just tried to push him from the battlement of Castle Taye. As Duncan falls deeper for Caroline, he discovers evidence that points to something sinister. Hoping to learn what really happened at the castle, Duncan travels from beautiful Scotland to London and back again, sampling local cuisine along the way. Will the evidence lead to an accident, conspiracy, or crime of passion? Can Duncan unravel the case and protect Caroline in the process? Who will be the next victim of the merlon murders? |
A Crime at the Bakery
Mystery - Short Story
This short story is part of the Duncan Dewar Mystery Series. While Duncan is away in Spain working on his next case, something strange goes on in Taye. The bakery across from the Blue Bell Inn becomes the target of a thief. Special Constable Donald Merriwether is called upon to solve the crime and the prime suspect is his old flame and nemesis, Abigail Neward. While Duncan does not appear in this tale, many of his friends from the village of Taye are featured. |
The Snail Man
Romantic Suspense
The choice between a stalker and the ideal man should be easy for Kathryn, if she can tell them apart. Kathryn has just been stood up for a blind date with the man of her dreams. Will she retreat to the world of grief and loneliness she usually inhabits, or pair up with the mysterious Art who reminds her so much of her deceased husband? Will the worldly Roger sweep her off her feet? This haunting, mystery novel will keep the reader in suspense until the end. The Snail Man is a clean read with a charming cast of quirky characters. "Kudos to Ms. Benchley for a well-crafted, very intriguing story… unlike anything I have ever read." - Amazon Reviewer |
The Cook's Comeuppance
Mystery
Hoping to combine work with pleasure and jumpstart his new company, Duncan takes a lucrative case in Spain investigating an accidental death at an exclusive artist enclave. Almost immediately he senses something is amiss. Did a chef use a stove to kill a cook? What other secrets lurk in the charming village and artist colony? Duncan must solve a murder without motive. Joined by family members and associates, can he crack the case? Travel with the Scottish investigator as he experiences Spanish cuisine, culture, and peril in Book 3 of the Duncan Dewar Mystery Series. |
The Laird's Labyrinth
Mystery, Inspirational Fiction, Christian Mystery
By all accounts, Lindisfarne Island in Northumberland is a special place. For more than a thousand years, visitors have sensed The Other there, more so than anywhere else. The veil between the physical and spiritual realms is known to be thin on Holy Island, an isolated spot cutoff from mainland England twice a day by the North Sea. When Scottish detective Duncan Dewar agrees to solve an age old mystery on the island, he has his doubts. Discovering clues hidden in an ancient labyrinth at Norcroft Manor and uncovering an almost century old murder could get him killed. Will he meet the same fate as his predecessor or discover an early monastery's hidden riches? Follow Duncan as he explores England's Cradle of Christianity while navigating romance, family relationships, and his latest nemesis, Viking. |
The Christmas Contest
Mystery, Romantic Comedy
The Scots didn't celebrate Christmas for 400 years and the village of Taye is about to make up for it! Hoping for a relaxing holiday and a chance to solidify his relationship with Angela, Duncan finds himself in the middle of numerous contests, ancient Hogmanay traditions, misunderstandings, and a jewel theft. Will Duncan win the contest for Angela's heart? Joined by family and friends, Duncan is sure this will be a holiday no one will ever forget. Can Duncan solve the mystery and survive this romantic comedy? Snuggle up with a hot cider and find out! |
The Siamese Suicides
Inspirational Fiction, Christian Mystery
For Scottish detective Duncan Dewar, do bad things really come in threes? People connected to the investigator keep dying, and he has to wonder. Will the past drag him from the promise of a bright future? Offered a chance to consult with his former employer, Duncan investigates the apparent suicide of an art dealer in Edinburgh. In a case right out of today's headlines, he learns that the art business has its shady side. Professionally successful once again and engaged, he's finally ready to move on to the next chapter of his life. However, the past has a way of haunting the Scottish detective, and things aren't always as they seem. Explore Old Town and see if you can solve the case of the Siamese Suicides. This stand alone novel is book 6 in the Duncan Dewar Mystery Series. |
The Pernicious Pachyderm
Inspirational Fiction, Christian Mystery
Will a murder interrupt Duncan's wedding plans? Has-beens, errant siblings, a gruesome crime, and an elephant combine to make this case a real circus! Whodunnit? Read the Pernicious Pachyderm to find out! When a boutique circus arrives in Taye, tourism is on the rise, but so is murder. Preparing for his upcoming nuptials and refurbishing his cottage aren't enough to keep Duncan occupied. A gruesome crime intrudes on the idyllic village, and as the detective becomes embroiled in the murky case, a specter from the past returns, threatening his happy ending. Can Duncan absolve an elephant accused of killing his ringmaster? Can he find the real killer before he or she strikes again? Will a jealous spirit from ancient Clan Neish hinder the Scotsman's wedding and harm his fiancée? Suspects abound as Dewar returns, joined by the usual cast of family and friends and several newcomers in his latest mystery set in beautiful Perthshire, Scotland. |