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Books > Fiction > Genre fiction > Crime & mystery > Historical mysteries
'Brilliantly entertaining and original' C.L. Taylor 'A standout
book' Rosie Walsh From the Sunday Times-bestselling author Rowan
Coleman, comes a special new series featuring the Bronte sisters,
written under the name Bella Ellis Yorkshire, 1845, and dark
rumours are spreading across the moors. Everything indicates that
Mrs Elizabeth Chester of Chester Grange has been brutally murdered
in her home - but nobody can find her body. As the dark murmurs
reach Emily, Anne and Charlotte Bronte, the sisters are horrified,
yet intrigued. Before they know it, the siblings become embroiled
in the quest to find the vanished bride, sparking their
imaginations but placing their lives at great peril . . . Loved The
Vanished Bride? Pre-order The Diabolical Bones, the next book in
the Bronte Mysteries series now! Praise for The Vanished Bride:
'Evocative and utterly enchanting' Sarah Hilary 'A gripping, twisty
mystery' Angela Clarke 'A splendid adventure' Guardian 'A treat
from start to finish' Jane Casey 'Happily, more Bronte mysteries
are to be expected' TLS
Sister Fidelma returns in the thirty-second Celtic mystery by Peter
Tremayne. Ireland. AD 672. The Feast of Beltaine is approaching and
the seven senior princes of the kingdom of Muman are gathering at
Cashel to discuss King Colgu's policies. Just days before the
council meets, Brother Conchobhar, the keeper of the sacred sword,
is found murdered. Sister Fidelma and her brother Colgu fear that
the killer had been trying to steal the sword that symbolises the
King's authority to rule. And as rumours begin to spread of an
attempt to overthrow Colgu, news reaches Cashel that a plague ship
has landed at a nearby port, bringing the deadly pestilence to its
shores. Amid fear and panic, Fidelma, Eadulf and Enda must work
together to catch a killer as the death toll starts to mount . . .
A series of grisly deaths are linked to the sacred Stone of Scone
in this compelling medieval mystery featuring friar-sleuth Brother
Athelstan. "This abbey is a strange place, Brother Athelstan. A
hall of ghosts, a place of flitting shadows. The dead throng here.
I can hear them whispering as they ride the air." During the harsh
winter of 1381 murder stalks the streets of London in all its
grisly forms. The city's prostitutes are falling prey to a silent,
deadly assassin known as The Flayer who carefully peels his
victims' skins for his collection. At the same time, Westminster
Abbey, which houses the sacred Stone of Scone, is plagued by a
series of hideous poisonings. Could there be a connection between
these brutally violent deaths and the stone, which the English
crown cherishes as a symbol of its rule over Scotland? Then there
are the two former Upright Men, leaders of the Great Revolt, who
are found mysteriously hanged in the Piebald Tavern, close to
Brother Athelstan's parish church of St Erconwald - and Athelstan
is faced with his most baffling investigation to date. Can he
navigate this deadly maze of murder and intrigue and pull the
various threads together?
November 1911. Lady Emily Hardcastle is celebrating her birthday by
seeing a play at the Duke's Theatre in Bristol with her maid and
confidante, the inimitable Flo. Act One is a triumph. Then Act Two
opens with a body on stage-a real one. One of the cast has been
brutally murdered during the interval. When other matters get in
the way of Inspector Sunderland overseeing the case himself, he
asks the ever-resourceful Lady H to keep a watchful eye on the
suspects-and his police colleagues. Rustling up some cunning
disguises of their own, she and Flo are soon in deep cover among
the cast and crew, pulling back the curtain on some shocking
secrets and rivalries... The problem is, everyone seems to have a
motive, and everyone seems to have an alibi...In this locked-room
mystery in which nothing is as it seems, the amateur sleuths need
to put on the performances of their lives if they're to stand a
chance of shining a spotlight on the truth...
"As always, Todd's intense feelings for the traumatized survivors
of war make one mother's son the broken hero of an entire
generation of lost souls." - The New York Times Book Review In the
aftermath of World War I, English nurse Bess Crawford attempts to
save a troubled officer from a mysterious killer in this eleventh
book in the acclaimed Bess Crawford mystery series. The Armistice
of November 1918 ended the fighting, but the Great War will not be
over until a Peace Treaty is drawn up and signed by all parties
involved. Representatives from the Allies are gathering in Paris,
and already ominous signs of disagreement have appeared. Sister
Bess Crawford, who has been working with the severely wounded in
England in the war's wake, is asked to carry out a personal mission
in Paris for a Matron at the London headquarters of The Queen
Alexandra's. Bess is facing decisions about her own future, even as
she searches for Lawrence Minton. When she finally locates him,
instead of the intelligent, ambitious officer she expects, she
finds a bitter and disturbed man who has abdicated his duties at
the Peace Conference and is well on his way toward an addiction to
opiates. Indeed, he tells her that he doesn't care if he lives or
dies, he only wants oblivion. But what has changed him? What is it
that haunts him? It seems the truth is buried so deep in his mind
that he can only relive it in wild nightmares. When Minton goes
missing, bent on suicide, Bess must race to unlock his past before
he succeeds. Reluctant to trust an officer in Minton's regiment, a
man with secrets of his own, and uncertain of the loyalties of
Matron's friends in Paris, Bess must rely on her own instincts and
experience-and sometimes in desperation on a stranger who claims he
never met Minton. Could whatever happened to Minton in Paris
somehow be connected to his war? And why did he not kill Bess when
he had the chance-then later, viciously attack her without warning?
What is destroying Lieutenant Minton? Or is it who? And what horror
will she have to confront, if she is to save him? In this, the
eleventh novel in the award-winning Bess Crawford series, New York
Times bestselling author Charles Todd delivers a rich and
atmospheric portrait that illuminates the cost of war on human
lives-the lingering pain and horror that no peace, no matter how
earned, can assuage.
A story of second chances and secrets, this mysterious Regency romance
will transport you to 19th-century England as one young lady reunites
with her childhood love to find his missing sister.
Her friend is missing.
After five years abroad, Charity Halliwell finally returns to Loxby
Manor, the home of dear friends—and her lost love. No longer a young
girl, she is now haunted by a painful secret and the demise of her
dreams. Instead of the healing and happiness she hopes to find, she
encounters a darkness lurking in the shadows of the once-familiar
house. When her friend, Seline, disappears the very night of her
arrival, Charity is determined to uncover the truth.
Her only hope is the man who broke her heart.
Branded a coward, Piers Cavanaugh has lived the last five years as an
outcast far from his family home. When his sister presumably elopes
with a stable hand, Piers joins forces with an unlikely partner—the one
woman he thought he’d never see again. Together they launch an
investigation that leads to strange nightly meetings in the ruins of an
old abbey and disturbing whispers of a secret organization. The more
they learn, the more desperate the situation becomes.
The house seems determined to keep its secrets.
As they struggle to piece together the clues, Charity and Piers also
endeavor to rebuild their friendship. One cryptic letter changed
everything between them. To find happiness they will have to overcome
the grief and shame keeping them apart. But first they must discover
why Seline vanished and confront the growing fear that she may never
return.
Settle in, because once you start The Vanishing at Loxby Manor, you
won’t be able to put it down.
She is their youngest, sweetest sister, yet she is fated to become
their strongest leader . . . The Coritani are a matriarchal line of
great power, blessed with three princesses to carry the royal
bloodline forward. Confident, fiery Goneril; fierce, earthy Regan;
and gentle, water-blessed Cordelia. The future, the druids are
certain, is secure. But when Goneril decides she wants power on her
own terms, even at the expense of her fragile father, the
princesses' triple bond is threatened and then tragically broken.
Quiet Cordelia finds herself cast adrift, forced to flee for her
life across dark, stormy seas. Can Cordelia find the strength to
challenge her sisters and their pet druids, and bring truth, right
and justice back to the Coritani before it's too late for them all?
This is Shakespeare's Cordelia as you've never seen her before.
Joanna Courtney's sweeping Historical trilogy is perfect for fans
of Elizabeth Chadwick and Anne O'Brien Praise for Joanna Courtney:
'A glorious, rich, epic story of love, friendship and sacrifice
which will sweep you up and transport you to another time. I
absolutely loved this and can't wait for the next book in the
series' Rachael Lucas, author of Sealed With A Kiss and Coming Up
Roses 'Lovely writing and a terrific sense of narrative drive.
Superb!' Carol McGrath, author of The Daughters of Hastings trilogy
IF YOU DON'T KNOW SIMON SCARROW, YOU DON'T KNOW ROME! BROTHERS IN
BLOOD is the unputdownable thirteenth novel in Simon Scarrow's
bestselling Eagles of the Empire series. Perfect for fans of
Bernard Cornwell. Praise for Simon Scarrow's compelling novels:
'Gripping and moving' The Times The Roman Empire's conquest of
Britannia is under threat from within. A messenger on the streets
of Rome has been intercepted and tortured, revealing a plot to
sabotage the Roman army's campaign against Caratacus, commander of
Britannia's native tribes. A treacherous agent's mission is to open
a second front of attack against them and eliminate the two Roman
soldiers who could stand in the way. Unwarned, Prefect Cato and
Centurion Macro are with the Roman army pursuing Caratacus and his
men through the mountains of Britannia. Defeating Caratacus seems
within their grasp. But the plot against the two heroes threatens
not only their military goals but also their lives. Includes 2 maps
and Roman army organisation chart.
'I adore Sarah Jio's novels.' Santa Montefiore A haunting story of
love, family and the secrets that can destroy us... 1933. Vera Ray
kisses her young son goodnight and leaves to work the night-shift
at a local hotel. The next morning, she discovers an sudden
snowfall has blanketed the city, and her son has vanished, the snow
covering up any trace of his tracks, or the perpetrator's. 2010.
Journalist Claire Aldridge has been burying herself in work to
avoid her own pain. When she is assigned to cover the 'blackberry
winter' storm she learns of the disappearance of a three-year-old
boy. He was never found. Claire vows to find the truth, but as she
immerses herself in the mysteries of the past, Claire discovers
that not all secrets should be revealed. An emotional story of a
mother's love, a missing child and the search for the truth.
Perfect for fans of Kathryn Hughes, Lucinda Riley and Tracy Rees.
Delve into the world of fourteenth-century England in this
thrilling historical mystery, the fifteenth in the brilliant
Chronicles of Hugh de Singleton. Edmund Harkins has gone missing.
Few in Bampton liked him, knowing him to be a wife-beater and
distinctly unsavoury character, so when some hungry pigs unearth
his corpse from a shallow grave, there is hardly an outpouring of
grief. As bailiff, it is Hugh de Singleton's duty to bring Edmund's
killer to justice. But where is he to start investigating when
almost everyone in the village has a motive? And when everyone is
pleased to see the scoundrel dead, who knows how far they might go
to help someone get away with murder? To further complicate Hugh's
life, the Bishop of Exeter has appointed his nephew as Bampton's
new vicar. But as well as an obsession with discovering any
heretical views Hugh might hold, he could not be more unpriestly -
he not only acts appallingly with Lady Katherine's maid, but is
contributing to the unhealthy atmosphere of suppression and
suspicion that has come to pervade the village . . . Fast paced and
full of twists and turns, Suppression and Suspicion is a brilliant
medieval murder mystery perfect for fans of Susanna Gregory and
Peter Ellis. Mel Starr paints an immersive and atmospheric picture
of fourteenth-century England, and weaves a compelling mystery that
will keep you on the edge of your seat until the last page. The
fifteenth volume in the Chronicles of Hugh de Singleton,
Suppression and Suspicion will be thoroughly enjoyed by long time
fans of the series but can also be read as a standalone novel.
A quest to find the ancient sword Excalibur quickly turns into a
hunt for a determined killer for Crispin Guest. London, 1396. A
trip to the swordsmith shop for Crispin Guest, Tracker of London,
and his apprentice Jack Tucker takes an unexpected turn when
Crispin crosses paths with Carantok Teague, a Cornish treasure
hunter. Carantok has a map he is convinced will lead him to the
sword of Excalibur - a magnificent relic dating back to King Arthur
and the Knights of the Round Table - and he wants Crispin to help
him find it. Travelling to Tintagel Castle in Cornwall with
Carantok and Jack, Crispin is soon reunited with an old flame as he
attempts to locate the legendary sword. But does Excalibur really
exist, or is he on an impossible quest? When a body is discovered,
Crispin's search for treasure suddenly turns into a hunt for a
dangerous killer.
*** The epic and long-awaited new romance from the author of
Letters to the Lost, winner of the RNA Award *** 'An epic story of
joyous hedonism and desperate heartache. Just beautiful' Catherine
Isaac 'Stunning' Veronica Henry 'Gorgeously written ... I loved it'
Jill Mansell 'An enchanting, evocative read' The Sun 1925. The war
is over and a new generation is coming of age, keen to put the
trauma of the previous one behind them. Selina Lennox is a Bright
Young Thing whose life is dedicated to the pursuit of pleasure; to
parties and drinking and staying just the right side of scandal.
Lawrence Weston is a struggling artist, desperate to escape the
poverty of his upbringing and make something of himself. When their
worlds collide one summer night, neither can resist the thrill of
the forbidden, the lure of a love affair that they know cannot
possibly last. But there is a dark side to pleasure and a price to
be paid for breaking the rules. By the end of that summer
everything has changed. A decade later, nine year old Alice is
staying at Blackwood Hall with her distant grandparents, piecing
together clues from her mother's letters to discover the secrets of
the past, the truth about the present, and hope for the future.
'The perfect book to lose yourself in' heat 'Vivid and
heartbreakng' Prima 'Prepare to be swept away on an
all-encompassing journey of love, loss and discovery' Woman &
Home 'I absolutely adored this sweeping novel' Good Housekeeping
'This has beautiful writing, compelling characters and an ending
that made me cry' Red 'A beautifully written read that will envelop
you in its pages' Fabulous 'Poignant and beautifully realised'
Woman 'Emotionally fraught, evocative and redemptive, The
Glittering Hour has been well worth the wait. What a superb novel -
Iona Grey really is back with aplomb' Fiona Mitchell 'Poignant,
beautiful and sad. A must read!' Katrina Oliver 'Deeply
captivating, engaging and so irresistible. I could not put it
down!' Petra Quelch
A daring rescue reveals the true meaning of Christmas... The queen
of Victorian crime, New York Times bestselling author Anne Perry
returns with the 16th novella in her festive crime series.
Christmas is coming and the streets of London are full of festive
cheer. As young Worm returns to his home at the Portpool Lane
clinic, he encounters the most beautiful woman he has ever seen
and, spellbound, he follows her until she is dragged away by two
evil-looking men. Convinced that she is in grave danger, Worm begs
Squeaky Robinson to help him track her down. But Elouise is
embroiled with dangerous criminals who want information that only
she can tell. They will stop at nothing to get what they want and,
with Christmas day fast approaching, Worm and Squeaky must conjure
up a daring plan to help Elouise before it is too late. Praise for
Anne Perry's Christmas novellas: 'A bite-sized mystery that could
be fitted in after your Christmas lunch' Daily Telegraph
RUSSIA, 1918 The young Soviet state is in turmoil. Chekists walk
along the streets. Hunger, cold and mud crawl away in the former
aristocratic quarters of Moscow. The old order has been turned
upside down, leaving room for political infighting and dark
subterfuge. This is the world Erast Fandorin - the celebrated
detective - wakes up to after three years in a coma. His faithful
assistant Masa might have nursed him successfully back to life, but
there is no guarantee that the old Fandorin, with his razor-sharp
intellect and superhuman strength, will ever be back. Determined to
leave behind Moscow - a city he doesn't recognise anymore -
Fandorin embarks on one last great adventure. But who can he trust
in a country torn apart by civil war?
'Creepy and compelling' HARRIET TYCE 'Brilliant - filled with
tension and twists' SARAH PINBOROUGH 'An unsettling, terrifying
thriller' ABIGAIL DEAN 'Masterclass in suspense' THE TIMES 'Will
have you up all night with the lights on' ELLE What if your mother
had been writing to a serial killer? A convicted murderer with a
story to tell Serial killer Michael Reave - known as The Red Wolf -
has been locked in Belmarsh Prison for over 20 years for the brutal
and ritualistic murders of countless women. A grieving daughter
with a secret to unearth Ex-journalist Heather Evans returns to her
childhood home after her mother's inexplicable suicide and
discovers something chilling - hundreds of letters between her
mother and Reave, dating back decades. A hunt for a killer ready to
strike again When the body of a woman is found decorated with
flowers, just like his victims, Reave is the only person alive who
could help. After years of silence, he will speak to Heather, and
only Heather. If she wants to unearth the truth and stop further
bloodshed, she'll have to confront a monster. PRAISE FOR DOG ROSE
DIRT: 'One of the creepiest serial killer thrillers I've
encountered in a long time' AMY MCCULLOCH 'I read it heart in
mouth' HARRIET TYCE 'Terrifying, fun and insightful' NATHAN RIPLEY
'Taut and stylish' E.G. SCOTT 'Brimming with secrets' MEGAN COLLINS
'Reminiscent of SHARP OBJECTS' SARAH PINBOROUGH 'Strangely
beautiful, powerful and disturbing.' HEAT 'Chilling' BELLA
Ursula travels deep into the New Forest to investigate rumours of a
plot to overthrow Queen Elizabeth in this gripping Tudor mystery.
May, 1586. Ursula and her retinue return home from a lengthy trip
to discover she has an unexpected visitor. Etheldreda Hope is a
simple countrywoman who has come to Ursula with disturbing tales of
strange goings-on in her rural village. Fearing that Etheldreda's
reports of mysterious forest rites indicate a possible conspiracy
to overthrow Queen Elizabeth in favour of her cousin, Mary Stuart,
the queen's spymaster, Sir Francis Walsingham, orders Ursula to
travel to Etheldreda's home to find out what's really going on. On
reaching Chenston village, deep in the New Forest, Ursula discovers
an isolated, suspicious community; the locals deeply in thrall to
the old pagan traditions and beliefs. But are these ancient customs
harmless - or are they part of a genuine conspiracy against the
queen? And, if so, who is behind it? It's not until the night of
Halloween that Ursula will discover the shocking truth.
In OSCAR WILDE AND THE CANDLELIGHT MURDERS, the first in Gyles
Brandreth's acclaimed Oscar Wilde Murder Mysteries series featuring
Oscar Wilde and Arthur Conan Doyle, the brutal murder of a young
rent-boy puts Oscar in grave danger... 'Intelligent, amusing and
entertaining' Alexander McCall Smith London, 1889. Oscar Wilde,
celebrated poet, wit, playwright and raconteur is the literary
sensation of his age. All Europe lies at his feet. Yet when he
chances across the naked corpse of sixteen-year-old Billy Wood,
posed by candlelight in a dark, stifling attic room, he cannot
ignore the brutal murder. With the help of fellow author Arthur
Conan Doyle he sets out to solve the crime - but it is Wilde's
unparalleled access to all degrees of late Victorian life, from
society drawing rooms and the bohemian demi-monde to the
underclass, that will prove the decisive factor in their
investigation of what turns out to be a series of brutal killings.
The Oscar Wilde Murders is a gripping detective story of corruption
and intrigue, of Wilde's growing success, of the breakdown of his
marriage, and of his fatal friendship with Aidan Fraser, Inspector
at Scotland Yard... Set against the exotic background of
fin-de-siecle London, Paris, Oxford and Edinburgh, Gyles Brandreth
recreates Oscar Wilde's trademark sardonic wit with huge flair,
intertwining all the intrigue of the classic English murder mystery
with a compelling portrait of one of the greatest characters of the
Victorian age.
First in a brand-new historical mystery series featuring Margaret
Beaufort, mother of King Henry VII and matriarch of the Tudor
dynasty. May, 1471. The Wars of the Roses are reaching their bitter
and bloody climax. Edward of York has claimed the English throne,
and his supporters are extracting a savage revenge on all who
supported the Lancastrian cause. Surrounded by enemies wherever she
turns, the position of Margaret Beaufort, Countess of Richmond and
mother to Henry Tudor, the last remaining hope of the House of
Lancaster, is precarious to say the least. Determined to protect
her son whatever it takes, Margaret must rely on her sharp-witted
clerk Christopher Ulswicke to be her eyes and ears. When four
bodies are discovered in a London tavern, their throats slit, and
Margaret herself is suspected of being behind the crime, it's up to
Ulswicke to prove his mistress's innocence and unmask the real
killer.
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