Not All Heroes Wear A Cape

By Keith McCarthy

This is the story of Charlie Beatty who is an ex-pathologist now unsuccessful PI.

Charlie Beatty used to save lives. Now he can barely make rent.

Charlie Beatty (61), a widower, has been struck off the medical register, having worked as a pathologist in Gloucestershire for many years; his younger son, Ed, is on the run for a suspicious death. Inspector Jenny Lethbridge is friendly towards Charlie, but Inspector Abbotsford is hostile. Charlie becomes an unsuccessful PI and is intimidated by rival Ian Seymour. He is about to give up when Angela Courtenay employs him to find her missing cat. Charlie meets her neighbours, Veraand Frank Reynolds, who is demented.Courtenay dies of heart failure, which surprises Charlie. Jacob Lennox, her GP, was present at the death and certifies it. Charlie now believes there is conspiracy between Lennox and Alexander Hamilton, the Coroner, to bleed estates of their money, but has no proof. John Richmond contacts him who also believes that Lennox and Hamilton have cheated him out money from his father's estate, but he dies suddenly. The death is reported natural, but Charlie performs an illegal autopsy and finds foul play. He takes a blood sample from Angela Courtenay's corpse.Charlie is attacked, he believes by Lennox and tells Abbotsford in hospital. Sherry Brant employs him to warn her son off selling drugs; Charlie likes Sherry but is rebuffed. She admits that she has previously seen Ian Seymour. Seymour attacks Charlie in a remote place and Charlie realises that the first attack was by Seymour.On the recommendation of Lennox, the Reynolds sign their estate over to Hamilton. Charlie receives an anonymous call to rescue a kidnapped Sherry. He does so, but finds Seymour, dead. As he will be framed for Seymour's murder, Charlie hides himself and Sherry. He goes with Sherry to Lennox's house. There, Charlie discovers the truth that Sherry is part of the conspiracy, as is Abbotsford.Charlie is rescued by Ed. In Charlie's absence, Ed kills Abbotsford and vanishes, although forensic evidence exonerates Charlie of Seymour's murder. Charlie can still prove nothing. Even knowing that Angela Courtenay died of an overdose of morphine is useless to him as the blood was obtained illegally. Vera Langley tells him that Lennox is visiting her husband regularly as he nears death. Charlie visits the Langleys and tries to trap Lennox but fails. Ed seems to have run to Ireland but turns up unexpectedly at Charlie's house.Ed blackmails Lennox into giving evidence against Hamilton by filming Lennox and Sherry having sex but Lennox commits suicide when he is shown it. With Charlie alongside, Ed takes Lennox's confession (forged by Ed) to Hamilton. With this he coerces Hamilton into helping his father out of his difficulties arising from the illegal autopsy and Angela Courtenay's PM blood sample. Hamilton agrees to this and remains as Coroner, untouched by the scandal but helping Charlie to escape retribution for his illegal activity.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1066849528
• ISBN13: 9781066849529
• Release Date: August 2026
• Publisher: Doctorkpm
• Length: 308 Pages
• Weight: 0.65 lbs.
• Dimensions: 8.0" x 0.8" x 5.3"