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Books > Fiction > Genre fiction > Crime & mystery > Historical mysteries
"More meticulously choreographed than a chorus line. It all pays
off."--Chelsea Cain, THE NEW YORK TIMES BOOK REVIEW
When a murder is staged at magnificent Knebworth House, Victorian writer-sleuths, Charles Dickens and Wilkie Collins investigate. August, 1856. Wilkie Collins and Charles Dickens are spending the summer at Knebworth House, the magnificent Hertfordshire home of fellow writer Lord Edward Bulwer-Lytton, where they are putting on a charity performance of one of Lord Edward's most successful plays, The Lady of Lyon. But the dress rehearsal is disrupted by the discovery of a body lying in the centre of the stage, shot to death. With everyone involved in the play coming under suspicion, the two writer-sleuths feel compelled to investigate. Their enquiries unearth a number of scandalous secrets lurking among the writers, artists and actors assembled at Knebworth. Secrets that stretch back more than twenty years. Secrets that will have devastating repercussions for the present.
Figure out whodunnit in this exciting new 1930s crime series that whisks you away to the most gorgeous escapist destinations! A beautiful French estate A wedding A murder And a novice detective intent on solving her first case! Fresh from teaching at her prestigious Swiss boarding school, Miss Atalanta Ashford suddenly finds herself the most eligible young lady in society when she inherits her grandfather's substantial fortune. But with this fortune, and an elegant new Parisian home, comes a legacy passed down from grandfather to granddaughter...sleuthing discreetly for Europe's elite. This young lady isn't one to back down from a challenge and Miss Ashford must depend on her sharp wit and charm to solve her first case, which takes her to the lush lavender fields of Provence and a wedding at the mansion of the Comte de Surmonne. Now, as murder strikes twice, Atalanta will have to race to solve the case but will she be able to stop the blushing bride from facing a fatal 'I do'? Look out for more Miss Ashford mysteries and get your passports ready as you travel with her to some of the most sought-after destinations on the continent... Book 1: Mystery in Provence Book 2: Last Seen in Santorini Book 3: A Fatal Invitation in Tuscany Book 4: Last Dance in Salzburg Readers love Mystery in Provence: 'Take me back to the mysteries of old...this talented and gifted author kept me entertained' 'Loved the characters and loved the mystery too...Look forward to more in the series' 'An engaging and entertaining whodunnit with a likeable and feisty protagonist and a colourful cast of supporting characters in the most delicious settings' 'Let the sleuthing begin and the twists and red herrings multiply ... Excellent read!' 'Who doesn't want to be transported to a wonderful location for a thrilling murder mystery?' 'Fun, engaging and spirited'
In A Death in Harlem, famed scholar Karla Holloway weaves a mystery in the bon vivant world of the Harlem Renaissance. Taking as her point of departure the tantalizingly ambiguous "death by misadventure" at the climax of Nella Larsen's 1929 best-selling novel Passing, Holloway takes readers back to the sunlit boulevards and shaded sidestreets of Jazz Age New York. A murder there will test the mettle, resourcefulness, and intuition of Harlem's first "colored" policeman, Weldon Haynie Thomas. Clear glass towers rising in Manhattan belie a city where people are often not what they seem. For some here, identity is a performance of passing-passing for another race, for another class, for someone safe to trust. Thomas's investigation illuminates the societies and secret societies, the intricate code of manners, the world of letters, and the broad social currents of 1920s Harlem. A Death in Harlem is an exquisitely crafted, briskly paced, and impeccably stylish journey back to a time still remembered as a peak of American glamour. It introduces Holloway as a fresh voice in storytelling, and Weldon Haynie Thomas as an endearing and unforgettable detective.
On a busy Friday night in 1964, a woman's partially clothed body is discovered in London's Soho Square. She has been raped and strangled. With no one reported missing, her identity remains a mystery. Assuming the victim to be a prostitute, DCI Jackson is inclined to dismiss the case. Detective Sergeant Harry Barnard disagrees. Harry's partner Kate meanwhile has been despatched to her native Liverpool to work on a magazine feature about the city's remarkable regeneration, timed to coincide with the release of the Beatles' movie, A Hard Day's Night. As Harry's investigations point to evidence of a cover-up at the highest level, Kate's assignment leads her to uncover a darker side to 1960s' Liverpool - and a possible link to the Soho murder victim. Are she and Harry getting into something too deep and dangerous for them to handle?
First Published as Fifth Column. September, 1940. As the Blitz takes its nightly toll on London and Hitler prepares his invasion fleet just across the Channel in occupied France, Britain is full of talk about enemy agents. Suspicion is at an all time high and no one is sure who can be trusted. In Canning Town, rescue workers are unsettled when they return to a damaged street and discover a body that shouldn't be there. When closer examination of the corpse reveals death by strangling, Detective Inspector John Jago is called upon to investigate. But few seem to really care about the woman's death - not even her family. As Jago digs deeper he starts to uncover a trail of deception, betrayal, and romantic entanglements.
Ursula's quiet life on her Surrey estate is thrown into chaos by the arrival of a new neighbour in this absorbing Tudor mystery. August, 1582. The queen's spymaster, Sir Francis Walsingham, has ordered Ursula to keep an eye on her new neighbour, Giles Frost, who is rumoured to be spying for King Philip of Spain. Arriving at Knoll House on the pretext of teaching his two daughters embroidery, Ursula's secret mission is to feed false information to Frost to pass on to the Spanish. Walsingham has assured Ursula that she'll be in no danger. But events take a decidedly sinister turn when a body is found in the woods near Ursula's home, a stained glass window is smashed and a bridal dowry is stolen. What secrets are contained within the Knoll House . and is Ursula being lured into a lethal trap?
A HAUNTED HOUSE Sherlock Holmes receives a request for aid from Lord Cary, whose family home, Torre Abbey, is seemingly haunted. While skeptical, Holmes believes that the Carys are in danger, a belief that proves horrifyingly accurate when a household member dies mysteriously. As strange sightings and threatening apparitions become almost commonplace, Holmes and Watson must uncover the secrets of the abbey if they are to have any hope of protecting the living and avenging the dead.
They say the girls were witches. But Beatrice Scarlet, the apothecary's daughter, is sure they were innocent victims... London, 1758: Beatrice Scarlet, the apothecary's daughter, has found a position at St Mary Magdalene's Refuge for fallen women. She enjoys the work and soon forms a close bond with her charges. The refuge is supported by a wealthy tobacco merchant, who regularly offers the girls steady work to aid their rehabilitation. But when seven girls sent to his factory disappear, Beatrice is uneasy. Their would-be benefactor claims they were a coven of witches, beholden only to Satan and his demonic misdeeds. But Beatrice is convinced something much darker than witchcraft is at play...
Healer Lassair returns to England and uncovers a secret that puts the lives of everyone she knows in grave danger, in the final Aelf Fen medieval mystery. It is the summer of 1100, and after seven long years away in Spain, Lassair is finally going home. Back to her beloved mentor Gurdyman. Back to her family. And back to young lawman Jack Chevestrier, who Lassair hopes still carries the same deep feelings for her as she does for him. Before she can reunite with her loved ones, however, Lassair has a long-overdue task to perform. Old flame - and king's spy - Rollo Guiscard left her a chest before he died, and it is finally time for her to collect it. But the chest contains more than gold, and soon Lassair is caught up in a web of danger and deception that threatens not just her own life, but the lives of everyone she holds dear. And this is not the only peril Lassair must face. For although she's left the south behind her forever, the south is not done with her yet . . . Gripping, tense and moving, the last installment of the Aelf Fen series provides both a twisty and compelling historical murder mystery and a hugely satisfying end to Lassair's story, which began over a decade ago with OUT OF THE DAWN LIGHT.
'Horowitz has captured Holmes Heaven' THE TIMES THE HOUSE OF SILK was the first official new Sherlock Holmes mystery and a SUNDAY TIMES bestseller from the author of MAGPIE MURDERS THE GAME'S AFOOT . . . It is November 1890 and London is gripped by a merciless winter. Sherlock Holmes and Dr Watson are enjoying tea by the fire when an agitated gentleman arrives unannounced at 221b Baker Street. He begs Holmes for help, telling the unnerving story of a scar-faced man with piercing eyes who has stalked him in recent weeks. Intrigued, Holmes and Watson find themselves swiftly drawn into a series of puzzling and sinister events, stretching from the gas-lit streets of London to the teeming criminal underworld of Boston and the mysterious 'House of Silk' . . .
When Jack Blackjack disobeys the orders of his spymaster, he enters dangerous waters in this lively Tudor mystery. London, 1555. Queen Mary is newly married to Philip II of Spain - and not everyone is happy about the alliance. The kingdom is divided between those loyal to Catholic Mary and those who support her half-sister, Lady Elizabeth. Former cutpurse turned paid assassin Jack Blackjack has more immediate matters to worry about. Having been ordered to kill a man, he determines to save him instead. But Jack defies his spymaster at his peril . and even the best-laid plans can sometimes go awry. When it appears that Jack has killed the wrong man, he reluctantly finds himself drawn into affairs of state, making new enemies wherever he turns. Can he survive long enough to put matters right? This engaging Tudor mystery will appeal to fans of S J PARRIS and RORY CLEMENTS.
Lover or leader? Weakling or warrior? Madwoman or misfit? Escape into the untold story of Shakespeare's Ophelia . . . As a young girl, Ofelia stood frozen as her mother threw herself on her father's funeral pyre. Such is the fate, she learned, of the devoted wife and in that moment, she swore never to belong to any man. Years later, she is a force to be reckoned with: right hand woman to the newly crowned Prince Hamlet, to whom she has sworn her sword and her undying loyalty, but refuses his true desire . . . her hand in marriage. When Hamlet's jealous uncle plots against him, Ofelia will have to use every wile at her disposal to keep her prince safe from those who wish him harm. Yet in the end, it could be her unruly heart that is the greatest betrayer of all. A brand new Historical fiction series by the bestselling author of the Queens of Conquest series, her new trilogy unearths the real women behind Shakespeare's most infamous queens . . . If you love Elizabeth Chadwick and Anne O'Brien you will adore Joanna Courtney 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
Book 3 in the Heathcliff Lennox series Halloween 1921. A castle on a rock in a lonely Scottish loch, Braeburn has been crumbling for centuries. Someone tries to remedy the rot but uncovers a skeleton behind a wall. It wears a crown upon its skull and hides a curse within its bones. Is it the ancient King of the Isles? Or is it Black Dougal? And why is it surrounded by mystery? As ghosts are heard and treasure seekers arrive, the Braeburn's call Major Heathcliff Lennox. He travels to the Highlands to help his old friends, taking his dog, his butler and his small cat. Major Heathcliff Lennox, ex-WW1 war pilot, 6 feet 3 inches, tousled, dark blond hair, age around 30 - named after the hero of Wuthering Heights by his romantically minded mother - much to his great annoyance.
Pitch-perfect World War Two crime for fans of Agatha Christie and Jasper Fforde. Detective Betty Church is forced to revisit ghosts from her past when a skeleton is found buried in the woods. July, 1914: Sixteen-year-old Etterly, running from something, hides inside the trunk of a tree and disappears. The police search but find no trace. Her family and friends wrack their brains, but come up with nothing. And so slowly life returns to normal. The hole in the tree is boarded up and the town of Sackwater moves on. Only Etterly's best friend, Betty, clings to hope, insisting she can hear her friend crying for help. June, 1940: A skeleton is discovered buried in the woods. Though most clues have long since decayed, it is wearing an unusual necklace. As soon as Inspector Betty Church sees the evidence she recognises it. The necklace belonged to Etterly. Fearing the worst, Betty is determined to solve this strange case once and for all. What happened to Etterly? And why has this secret remained buried for so long?
Poor judgements have tragic consequences... The latest in the unputdownable Teifi Valley seriesThe Teifi Valley's coroner, Harry Probert-Lloyd, is struggling: with the blindness that drove him home from London, with the county magistrates and with an estate teetering on the edge of bankruptcy. He needs an escape, so when Dr Benton Reckitt is asked to give a second opinion on the apparently natural death of young Lizzie Rees, Harry willingly goes with him. But mistakes are made. Harry becomes embroiled in local rumours and in Esther Rees's search for the truth behind her daughter's sudden death. What is Lizzie Rees's father hiding? Was somebody else in the farmhouse on the night she died? And, most crucially for Harry, will he be able to uncover the mystery, and solve personal difficulties that threaten to tear him apart? Perfect for readers of Laura Shephard-Robinson, Stuart Turton or Elly Griffiths, this is a superb historical mystery that will keep you hooked until the very end. |
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