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Books > Fiction > Genre fiction > Crime & mystery > Historical mysteries
'Exquisite' - Will Dean, author of Dark Pines 'This is a book that
will stay with you' - Ann Cleeves, bestselling author of the Vera
series 'Compelling, twisty and wonderfully suspenseful' - Claire
Fuller, author of Unsettled Ground In a lonely cottage on a
deserted stretch of shore, a moment of tragedy between lovers
becomes a horrific murder. And two women who should never have met
are connected for ever . . . Six years after the end of the Great
War, a nation is still in mourning. Thousands of husbands, fathers,
sons and sweethearts were lost in Europe; millions more came back
wounded and permanently damaged. Beatrice Cade is an orphan,
unmarried and childless - and given the dearth of men, likely to
remain that way. London is full of women like her: not wives, not
widows, not mothers. There is no name for these invisible women,
and no place for their grief. Determined to carve out a richer and
more fulfilling way to live as a single woman, Bea takes a room in
a Bloomsbury ladies' club and a job in the City. Then a fleeting
encounter changes everything. Bea's emerging independence is
destroyed when she falls in love for the first time. Kate Ryan is
an ordinary wife and mother who has managed to build an enviable
life with her handsome husband and her daughter. To anyone looking
in from the outside, they seem like a normal, happy family - until
two policemen knock on her door one morning and threaten to destroy
the facade Kate has created. From the author of Little Deaths,
longlisted for the Bailey's Women's Prize for Fiction, comes the
sensational Other Women. Mesmerising, haunting and utterly
remarkable, this is a devastating story of fantasy, obsession
inspired by a murder that took place almost a hundred years ago.
The Palace Pier Theatre. Brighton. 1933. Renowned murder mystery
playwright Bertie Carroll turns real life detective when his
leading lady is shot and killed on stage, in full view of an
unsuspecting audience. Once the curtain falls and the applause
subsides, the horrible truth begins to dawn on the cast of suspects
backstage. But as motives, secrets and old rivalries begin to come
to light, the murderer is still waiting in the wings. With the help
of Chief Detective Hugh Chapman, an old friend from school, Bertie
must put his amateur sleuthing skills to the test to unravel the
ultimate whodunnit. The debut novel from Jamie West is set in and
around The Palace Pier Theatre in Brighton, a lost theatre,
lovingly recreated.
Turn a Blind Eye is the third instalment in the gripping story of
Detective Inspector William Warwick, by the master storyteller and
Sunday Times number one bestselling author of the Clifton
Chronicles. William Warwick, now a Detective Inspector, is tasked
with a dangerous new line of work, to go undercover and expose
crime of another kind: corruption at the heart of the Metropolitan
Police Force. His team is focused on following Detective Jerry
Summers, a young officer whose lifestyle appears to exceed his
income. But as a personal relationship develops with a member of
William's team, it threatens to compromise the whole investigation.
Meanwhile, a notorious drug baron goes on trial, with the
prosecution case led by William's father and sister. And William's
wife Beth, now a mother to twins, renews an old acquaintance who
appears to have turned over a new leaf, or has she? As the
undercover officers start to draw the threads together, William
realizes that the corruption may go deeper still, and more of his
colleagues than he first thought might be willing to turn a blind
eye. 'Peerless master of the page-turner' - Daily Mail
From The Times bestselling author of The Other Mrs Walker -
Waterstones Scottish Book of the Year 2017 - comes Mary
Paulson-Ellis's second stunning historical mystery, The Inheritance
of Solomon Farthing. Solomon knew that he had one advantage. A pawn
ticket belonging to a dead man tucked into his top pocket - the
only clue to the truth . . . An old soldier dies alone in his
Edinburgh nursing home. No known relatives, and no Will to enact.
Just a pawn ticket found amongst his belongings, and fifty thousand
pounds in used notes sewn into the lining of his burial suit . . .
Heir Hunter, Solomon Farthing - down on his luck, until, perhaps,
now - is tipped off on this unexplained fortune. Armed with only
the deceased's name and the crumpled pawn ticket, he must find the
dead man's closest living relative if he is to get a cut of this
much-needed cash. But in trawling through the deceased's family
tree, Solomon uncovers a mystery that goes back to 1918 and a group
of eleven soldiers abandoned in a farmhouse billet in France in the
weeks leading up to the armistice. Set between contemporary
Edinburgh and the final brutal days of the First World War as the
soldiers await their orders, The Inheritance of Solomon Farthing
shows us how the debts of the present can never be settled unless
those of the past have been paid first . . .
In 1592, Prague is a relatively safe refuge for Jews who live
within the gated walls of its ghetto. But the peace is threatened
when a young Christian girl is found with her throat slashed in a
Jewish shop on the eve of Passover. Charged with blood libel, the
shopkeeper and his family are arrested, and all that stands in the
way of a rabid Christian mob is a clever Talmudic scholar, newly
arrived from Poland, named Benyamin Ben-Akiva. Granted just three
days to bring the true killer to justice--hampered by rabbinic law,
with no allies or connections, and only his wits, knowledge, and
faith to guide him--Benyamin sets off on a desperate search for
answers. Following a twisting trail from the streets to the shul,
from the forbidden back rooms of a ghetto brothel to the emperor
Rudolf II's lavish palace, he will dare the impossible--and commit
the unthinkable--to save the Jews of Prague . . . and himself.
Winner of the CWA John Creasey New Blood Dagger for Best Debut
Crime Novel of the Year. Shortlisted for the Theakston's Crime
Novel of the Year Award. As recommended on the Radio 2 Arts Show
with Claudia Winkleman. Inspired by a true story, set against the
heady backdrop of jazz-filled, mob-ruled New Orleans, The Axeman's
Jazz by Ray Celestin is a gripping thriller announcing a major
talent in historical crime fiction. New Orleans, 1919. As a dark
serial killer - the Axeman - stalks the city, three individuals set
out to unmask him: Detective Lieutenant Michael Talbot - heading up
the official investigation, but struggling to find leads, and
harbouring a grave secret of his own. Former detective Luca
d'Andrea - now working for the mafia; his need to solve the mystery
of the Axeman is every bit as urgent as that of the authorities.
And Ida - a secretary at the Pinkerton Detective Agency. Obsessed
with Sherlock Holmes and dreaming of a better life, she stumbles
across a clue which lures her and her musician friend, Louis
Armstrong, to the case - and into terrible danger . . . As Michael,
Luca and Ida each draw closer to discovering the killer's identity,
the Axeman himself will issue a challenge to the people of New
Orleans: play jazz or risk becoming the next victim. The Axeman's
Jazz is the first book in Ray Celestin's prize-winning City Blues
quartet. It is followed by the second installment, Dead Man's
Blues.
Hidden in Plain Sight is the second brilliant and captivating novel
featuring William Warwick by the master storyteller and bestselling
author of the Clifton Chronicles, Jeffrey Archer. Newly promoted,
Detective Sergeant William Warwick has been reassigned to the drugs
squad. His first case: to investigate a notorious south London drug
lord known as the Viper. But as William and his team close the net
around a criminal network unlike any they have ever encountered, he
is also faced with an old enemy, Miles Faulkner. It will take all
of William's cunning to devise a means to bring both men to
justice; a trap neither will expect, one that is hidden in plain
sight . . . Filled with Jeffrey Archer's trademark twists and
turns, Hidden in Plain Sight is the gripping next instalment in the
life of William Warwick. It follows on from Nothing Ventured, but
can be read as a standalone story.
Discover Sherlock Holmes and Dr Watson through the eyes of those
who knew them best. From familiar faces like Mrs Hudson to minor
characters like Lomax the sub-librarian, Observations by Gaslight -
told through diaries, telegrams, and even grocery lists - paints a
masterful portrait of Holmes and Watson as you have never seen them
before. See Irene Adler team up with her former adversary in an
eerie and near-deadly enquiry. Learn of the case that cemented the
friendship between Holmes and Inspector Lestrade of Scotland Yard.
And witness Stanley Hopkins' first meeting with the remote logician
he idolizes. Lyndsay Faye, two-time Edgar Award nominee, debuted
with Dust and Shadow, her much-admired novel pitting Sherlock
Holmes against Jack the Ripper. Now Faye is back with a thrilling
volume of new and previously published short stories and novellas
narrated by those who knew the Great Detective best. Reviewers on
Observations by Gaslight: 'Faye is an expert on all things
Sherlockian, she has unparalleled flair.' CrimeReads 'Meat and
drink for fans of the Canon of the Sacred Writings.' Kirkus
Pre order the next beautiful historical romance 'Good Taste' from
Caroline Scott now. From the highly acclaimed author of The
Photographer of the Lost, a BBC Radio 2 Book Club Pick, comes a
tale of a young war widow and one life-changing, sun-drenched visit
to Cornwall in the summer of 1923... 1923. Esme Nicholls is to
spend the summer in Cornwall. Her late husband Alec, who died
fighting in WWI, grew up in Penzance, and she's hoping to learn
more about the man she loved and lost. While there, she will stay
with Gilbert, in his rambling seaside house, where he lives with
his former brothers in arms. Esme is nervous at first to be the
only woman in this community of eccentric artists and former
soldiers. But as she gets to know the men and their stories, she
begins to feel this summer might be exactly what she needs. But
everything is not as idyllic as it seems - a mysterious new arrival
later in the summer will turn Esme's world upside down, and make
her question everything she thought she knew about her life, and
the people in it. Full of light, laughter and larger-than-life
characters, The Visitors is a novel of one woman finally finding
her voice and choosing her own path forwards. Praise for Caroline
Scott: 'A page-turning literary gem about grief, loss and the
impact of war on those left behind' The Times, Best Books of 2020
'A touching novel of love and loss' Sunday Times 'There's only one
word for this novel... and that's epic... A beautifully written
must-read' heat 'A gripping, devastating novel about the lost and
the ones they left behind' Sarra Manning, RED 'Scott has done an
amazing job of drawing on real stories to craft a powerful novel'
Good Housekeeping 'A heartbreaking read... I highly recommend it'
Anita Frank 'Breathtaking exploration of loss, love and precious
memories' My Weekly, Pick of the Month 'Achingly moving and most
beautifully written' Rachel Hore 'This beautiful book packs a huge
emotional punch' Fabulous 'Drew me in from the first line and held
me enthralled until the very end' Fiona Valpy 'Quietly devastating'
Daily Mail 'A compulsive, heart-wrenching read' Liz Trenow
'Powerful' Woman & Home 'Page turning, mysterious, engrossing
and compelling' Lorna Cook 'A carefully nuanced, complex story'
Woman's Weekly 'Caroline Scott evokes the damage and desolation of
the Great War with aching authenticity' Iona Grey 'Poignant' Best
'Momentous, revelatory and astonishing historical fiction!'
Historical Novel Society 'Wonderful and evocative' Suzanne Goldring
'Based on true events, this is a powerful story' Bella 'Immersive,
poignant, intricately woven' Judith Kinghorn 'An evocative read'
heat 'The story left me breathless. Powerful, heartrending, and oh
so tender' Kate Furnivall 'Tense and compelling' Lancashire Post
'Scott litters her tale with clues and red herrings in the best
mystery-writer way so we are kept guessing as to where the truth
really lies' The BookBag 'A poignant hymn to those who gave up
their lives for their country and to those who were left behind'
Fanny Blake, author of A Summer Reunion 'I was utterly captivated
by this novel, which swept me away, broke my heart, then shone
wonderful light through all the pieces' Isabelle Broom, author of
One Winter Morning
***A TIMES HISTORICAL FICTION BOOK OF THE YEAR*** 'A joy from start
to finish' - ANDREW TAYLOR 'Thrilling... Deserves to be huge' -
EMMA STONEX This is the confession of Laurence Jago. Clerk.
Gentleman. Spy. July 1794, and London is filled with rumours of
revolution. The war against the French is not going in Britain's
favour, and negotiations with America are on a knife edge. Laurence
Jago, Foreign Office clerk, is ever more reliant on opium - the
Black Drop - to ease his nightmares. A highly sensitive letter,
whose contents could lead to the destruction of the British Army,
has been leaked to the press and Laurence is a suspect. Then he
discovers the body of a fellow clerk - a supposed suicide - and it
seems clear where the blame truly lies. But Laurence is certain
both of his friend's innocence, and that he was murdered. But after
years of hiding his own secrets from his powerful employers, can
Laurence find the true culprit without ending up on the gallows
himself?
Death descends on the New Forest in Ann Granger's gripping eighth
Victorian mystery featuring Scotland Yard's Inspector Ben Ross and
his wife Lizzie. It is Spring 1871 when Lizzie Ross accompanies her
formidable Aunt Parry on a restorative trip to the south coast.
Lizzie's husband, Ben, is kept busy at Scotland Yard and urges his
wife to stay out of harm's way. But when Lizzie and her aunt are
invited to dine with other guests at the home of wealthy landowner
Sir Henry Meager, and he is found shot dead in his bed the next
morning, no one feels safe. On Lizzie's last visit to the New
Forest, another gruesome murder took place, and the superstitious
locals now see her as a bad omen. But Lizzie suspects that Sir
Henry had a number of bitter enemies, many of whom might have
wanted him dead. And once Ben arrives to help with the
investigation, he and Lizzie must work together to expose Sir
Henry's darkest secrets and a ruthless killer intent on revenge...
Evoking the golden age of crime, and for fans of Raymond Chandler
and Agatha Christie, comes the second book in the Aloysius Archer
series, A Gambling Man from one of the world's bestselling thriller
writers, David Baldacci. A lucky roll of the dice California, 1949.
Aloysius Archer is on his way to start a new job with a renowned
Private Investigator in Bay Town. Feeling lucky, he stops off at a
casino in Reno, where he meets an aspiring actress, Liberty
Callahan. Together, they head west on a journey filled with danger
and surprises - because Archer isn't the only one with a secretive
past. A risk worth taking Arriving in a town rife with corruption,
Archer is tasked with finding out who is doing everything they can
to disrupt the appointment of a top official. Then two seemingly
unconnected people are murdered at a burlesque club. In a
tight-lipped community, Archer must dig deep to reveal the
connection between the victims. All bets are off As the final
perilous showdown unfurls, Archer will need all of his skills to
decipher the truth from the lies and finally, to prove she's a star
in the making, will Liberty have her moment in the spotlight?
'Outstanding. Heartstopping. Brilliant. A story that scorches the
page, searing in its honesty and profoundly moving in its emotional
impact. The characters reach out to you and challenge your
preconceptions in this testament to a tragic chapter of history
that moved me to tears. It holds up a dark and shocking mirror to
our world, yet ultimately it is a triumphant tale of light within
darkness. This is an important, powerful novel that everyone should
read' KATE FURNIVALL SHE CAN'T HAVE A FUTURE UNTIL SHE HAS A PAST.
1944 LEO STERN arrives at the Nazi camp at Borek with his wife
Irena and his two daughters. The Sterns are spared from the gas
chamber when they witness a murder. But in a place that humanity
has deserted, Leo is forced to make unimaginable choices to try to
keep his family alive. 1961 For seventeen years, Hanna has been
unable to remember her identity and how she was separated from her
family at the end of the war, until the discovery of a letter among
her late uncle's possessions reveals her real name - HANNA STERN -
and leads her to Berlin in search of her lost past. Helped by
former lover Peter, Hanna begins to piece together the shocking
final days of Borek. But Hanna isn't the only one with an interest
in the camp, and lurking in the shadows is someone who would prefer
Hanna's history to remain silent. Based on in-depth research and
beautifully written, this a novel of memory and identity, and the
long shadow of war. 'Taking the reader from the atmospheric
Fenlands of Cambridgeshire to the ghost-filled forests of wartime
Poland and finally into Cold War-era Berlin, The Silent Child is a
thought-provoking and compelling novel about the long-lasting
aftershocks of war. This is great storytelling, full of mysteries
and twists, epic in its sweep, but precise and respectful in its
historical details. J. G. Kelly's vividly evoked scenes will stay
with me for a long time' CAROLINE SCOTT 'This book was such a
beautifully written book that will stay with me for a long time.
The storyline was emotive and heart wrenching and the characters
were well developed and have a special place in my heart. I didn't
want this book to end. Nothing I could say would do this book
justice, I cannot recommend this book enough' Reader review 'It's
beautifully written with a story that draws you in so quickly, it's
very well researched and heartbreakingly realistic. A book I wanted
and needed to finish. The sort of book everyone should read. The
most compelling book I've read this year' Reader review 'Utterly
impossible for me to put down. A heartbreaking story... I found I
had devoured the entire book in just one sitting... I have loved
this book so much, I wish I could give it five hundred stars. All I
can say is "WOW - read it. You won't be disappointed' Reader review
'I was engrossed in the story. The author has done tremendous
research about the war and did a good job of drawing the reader
into the story' Reader review
The perfect murder mystery for fans of Richard Osman and Robert
Thorogood. 'Spotswood understands that [...] spending time with
unforgettable characters is paramount.' - New York Times 'A loving,
intricately plotted tribute to the great days of American noir.' -
Daily Mail New York, 1946: The last time Will Parker let a case get
personal, she walked away with a broken face, a bruised ego, and
the solemn promise never again to let her heart get in the way of
her job. But she called Hart and Halloway's Travelling Circus and
Sideshow home for five years, and Ruby Donner, the circus's
tattooed ingenue, was her friend. To make matters worse the prime
suspect is Valentin Kalishenko, the man who taught Will everything
she knows about putting a knife where it needs to go. To uncover
the real killer and keep Kalishenko from a date with the electric
chair, Will and Ms. Pentecost join the circus in sleepy Stoppard,
Virginia, where the locals like their cocktails mild, the past
buried, and big-city detectives not at all. The two swiftly find
themselves lost in a funhouse of lies as Will begins to realize
that her former circus compatriots aren't playing it straight, and
that her murdered friend might have been hiding a lot of secrets
beneath all that ink. Dodging fistfights, firebombs, and flying
lead, Will puts a lot more than her heart on the line in the search
of the truth. Can she find it before someone stops her ticker for
good? Praise for Stephen Spotswood: 'Razor-sharp, tons of flair. A
really good noir novel.' Tana French 'Spotswood's stellar debut
puts a modern spin on classic hard-boiled fiction. . . The deep and
sensitive characterization of the two protagonists, coupled with
rich description and tonally spot-on humour, make this a novel to
remember. Spotswood is definitely a writer to watch.' Publishers
Weekly 'This novel not only offers fun, offbeat characters and an
exceptional flavour of the time, it's utterly charming too.'
Woman's Weekly 'This hugely enjoyable debut is a deft melange of
Agatha Christie-style locked-room murder mystery and 1940s
Chandler-esque pulp crime fiction with a feisty narrator' Irish
Independent Review 'Persuasive in its attention to period detail
and dialogue, with well-constructed set piece scenes deftly staged,
this is a highly accomplished, auspicious first entry in what we
must hope will be a long-running series' The Irish Times
From No.1 bestselling author Andrew Taylor comes the sequel to the
phenomenally successful The Ashes of London Over 1 Million Andrew
Taylor Novels Sold! A time of terrible danger... The Great Fire has
ravaged London. Now, guided by the Fire Court, the city is
rebuilding, but times are volatile and danger is only ever a
heartbeat away. Two mysterious deaths... James Marwood, a traitor's
son, is thrust into this treacherous environment when his father
discovers a dead woman in the very place where the Fire Court sits.
The next day his father is run down. Accident? Or another
murder...? A race to stop a murderer... Determined to uncover the
truth, Marwood turns to the one person he can trust - Cat Lovett,
the daughter of a despised regicide. Then comes a third death...
and Marwood and Cat are forced to confront a vicious killer who
threatens the future of the city itself.
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.
The only way to win this murderer's deadly game... is to play
along.Summer, 1380. Brutal and sudden death is not uncommon in the
foul alleys and streets of London. The corpse of a clerk has been
pulled from the Thames. They drowned, but not before receiving a
vicious blow to the back of the head. Then Bartholomew Drayton, a
usurer and money-lender, is found dead in his strongroom, a
crossbow bolt firmly embedded in his chest: a real mystery because
the windowless strongroom was locked and barred from the inside. So
who killed him? And how? And are the deaths connected? Sir John
Cranston comes to survey the scene. When other clerks are murdered,
each with a riddle pinned to his corpse, Cranston enlists the help
of Brother Athelstan - and together they must pit their wits
against a deadly adversary bent on murder and mayhem. Another
thrilling historical mystery from a true master of the genre,
perfect for fans of S. G. MacLean, S. J. Parris and C. J. Sansom.
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