Along the Old Pier — Jack Benton

I was only gone a half hour. When I came back, he was gone.Puppeteer Bob Harker has wandered the grey sands of Weston-Super-Mare for as long as anyone can remember, peddling his own brand of Punch'n'Judy to tourists and locals alike. Now, according to Reggie Bowles, his best friend, Bob Harker is dead.The only problem is that Bob's body has disappeared.Convinced by Reggie to investigate both Bob's death and subsequent disappearance, private investigator John Slim Hardy finds himself with a tricky case on his hands.Not only can he find no trace of Bob Harker, but it turns out that the man's life was almost as mysterious as his death.If indeed Bob is even dead...From the author of The Man by the Sea and The Clockmaker's Secret, comes a twisting mystery that will keep you reading all night.