Dartmoor author David Sharp returns with second detective novel

Ivybridge author David Sharp is now publishing his second novel, following the positive reception of his debut, For All Your Endeavours, which sold well locally

The Moorlander previously reported on his first book’s launch, highlighting its strong local reception.

Now Mr Sharp is preparing to release the second book in his detective series, continuing the story of DI David Lancaster and DS Marie Vidêt.

The new novel, titled One of the Few, will be published by Cranthorpe Millner on 30 September 2025. 

David moved to Ivybridge in the 1980s and has long combined community work with a love of writing.

He told The Moorlander that the success of his first book had given him the confidence to continue with the series.

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A launch event is scheduled at The Ivybridge Bookshop on Thursday, 2 October at 5.30pm, where readers will be able to hear more about the series and meet the author in person.

This latest story takes Lancaster and Vidêt to the island of Jersey, where they reopen a case dating back twenty years. 

The death of retired Spitfire pilot Peter Urbawicz had been officially recorded as accidental, but his daughter has long suspected otherwise. 

As the detectives pursue the truth, the investigation grows more complex, drawing in threads of counter-terrorism, Cold War history, and hidden family secrets.

As with his debut, Mr Sharp places a strong focus on character. DI Lancaster is portrayed as neurodivergent, with a perspective that offers both challenges and unique insights. 

Mr Sharp has said this quality is central to how Lancaster pieces together evidence that others might overlook.

With One of the Few now arriving on shelves, he continues to put Dartmoor’s creative talent firmly on the literary map.