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Books > Fiction > Genre fiction > Crime & mystery > Historical mysteries
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?
The eighth book in the Sergeant Cribb series by Peter Lovesey
London, 1888. Though Miriam Cromer has confessed to the murder of her husband's assistant, she is still confident of her acquittal. However, the jury sentence her to hang.
Miriam then says her husband was the killer, but he has an alibi. Can Sergeant Cribb and Constable Thackeray discover what really happened at Park Lodge on that fateful day in March before it's too late?
The first historical mystery in award-winning author Mary Miley's
1920s Chicago-set series introduces reluctant sleuth Maddie Pastore
and takes readers into a dark and dangerous world of mobsters,
speakeasies and seances. It's 1924, and Maddie Pastore has it made.
A nice house, a loving husband with a steady job - even if it is
connected to Chicago's violent Torrio-Capone gang - and a baby on
the way. But then Tommy is shot dead, and she learns her husband
had a secret that turns her life upside down. Penniless and
grieving, Maddie is sure of only two things: that she will survive
for the sake of her baby, and that she'll never turn to the mob for
help. So when she's invited to assist a well-meaning but fraudulent
medium, she seizes the chance. She's not proud of her work
investigating Madam Carlotta's clients, but she's proud of how well
she does it. When Maddie unearths potential evidence of a dark
crime, however, she faces a terrible dilemma: keep quiet and let a
murderer go unpunished, or follow the trail and put herself and her
baby in mortal danger . . .
Brothel madam turned spy, India Black, is feeling restless until
she is invited to meet with Prime Minister Disraeli who has a
secret mission for her. Revolt has spread across Europe and reached
the shores of England, anarchists have been assassinating the upper
classes, one by one. India has been asked to infiltrate the ranks
of the underground group responsible for these attacks, the
sinister Dark Legion. To stop their dread plot, India will go from
the murkiest slums of London to the highest levels of society,
uncovering secrets that may threaten her life.
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.
THE GRIPPING GOTHIC THRILLER Charlotte, Emily and Anne Bronte are
rather losing interest in detecting until they hear of a shocking
discovery: the bones of a child have been found interred within the
walls of a local house, Top Withens Hall, home to the scandalous
and brutish Bradshaw family. When the sisters set off to find out
more, they are confronted with an increasingly complex and sinister
case, which leads them into the dark world of orphanages, and onto
the trail of other lost, and likely murdered children. After
another local boy goes missing, Charlotte, Emily and Anne vow to
find him before it's too late. But in order to do so, they must
face their most despicable and wicked adversary yet - one that
would not hesitate to cause them the gravest of harm . . . Praise
for Bella Ellis and the series: 'Bronte aficionados are sure to
enjoy the accurate characterization and context, the twists turns
and Gothic touches of the plot, and the strong feminist streak that
manifests itself throughout, but most triumphantly at the end.
Happily, more Bronte mysteries are to be expected.' The Times
Literary Supplement 'A splendid adventure' Guardian 'A delight' The
Wall Street Journal 'Brilliantly entertaining and original' CL
Taylor 'Insightful, moving and inspiring . . . an absolute treat
from start to finish' Jane Casey 'Elegant, witty and compulsively
readable - I think the Bronte sisters would have been delighted'
Rosie Walsh
A tragic accident . . . or was it? Emperor Domitian has been
awarded (or rather, has demanded) yet another Triumph to celebrate
two so-called victories. Preparations are going smoothly until one
of the men overseeing arrangements for the celebration accidentally
falls to his death from a cliff on the symbolic Capitoline Hill.
But Flavia Albia suspects there's more to the incident than meets
the eye, as there are plenty of people who would have been
delighted to be rid of the overseer. He was an abusive swine who
couldn't organise a booze-up in a winery and was caught up in a
number of scams, including one surrounding the supply of imperial
purple dye and a family of shellfish-boilers. As Flavia finds
herself drawn into a theatrical world of carnival floats,
musicians, incense and sacrificial beasts, can she see to the heart
of the matter and catch those responsible for the unpopular man's
untimely death? ************* Praise for Lindsey Davis and the
Flavia Albia series 'Lindsey Davis has seen off all her competitors
to become the unassailable market leader in the 'crime in Ancient
Rome' genre . . . Davis's squalid, vibrant Rome is as pleasurable
as ever' - Guardian 'Davis's prose is a lively joy, and Flavia's
Rome is sinister and gloriously real' - The Times on Sunday 'For
fans of crime fiction set in the ancient world, this one is not to
be missed' - Booklist 'Davis's books crackle with wit and knowledge
. . . She has the happy knack of making the reader feel entirely
immersed in Rome' - The Times
Scotland Yard's Ian Rutledge finds himself caught in a twisted web
of vengeance, old grievances, and secrets that lead back to World
War I in the nineteenth installment of the acclaimed bestselling
series. On the eve of the bloody Battle of the Somme, a group of
English officers having a last drink before returning to the Front
make a promise to each other: if they survive the battle ahead-and
make it through the war-they will meet in Paris a year after the
fighting ends. They will celebrate their good fortune by racing
motorcars they beg, borrow, or own from Paris to Nice. In November
1919, the officers all meet as planned, and though their motorcars
are not designed for racing, they set out for Nice. But a serious
mishap mars the reunion. In the mountains just north of their
destination, two vehicles are nearly run off the road, and one man
is badly injured. No one knows-or will admit to knowing-which
driver was at the wheel of the rogue motorcar. Back in England one
year later, during a heavy rainstorm, a driver loses control on a
twisting road and is killed in the crash. Was it an accident due to
the hazardous conditions? Or premeditated murder? Is the crash
connected in some way to the unfortunate events in the mountains
above Nice the year before? The dead driver wasn't in
France-although the motorcar he drove was. If it was foul play, was
it a case of mistaken identity? Or was the dead man the intended
victim after all? Investigating this perplexing case, Scotland Yard
Inspector Ian Rutledge discovers that the truth is elusive-and that
the villages on the South Downs, where the accident happened, are
adept at keeping secrets, frustrating his search. Determined to
remain in the shadows this faceless killer is willing to strike
again to stop Rutledge from finding him. This time, the victim he
chooses is a child, and it will take all of Rutledge's skill to
stop him before an innocent young life is sacrificed.
The Reverend Mother receives a decidedly gruesome gift in this
compelling Irish historical mystery. Ireland. 1925. Like all who
seek charitable contributions, Reverend Mother Aquinas is used to
being gifted some fairly dubious items. But nothing like this. On
opening the evil-smelling trunk, labelled 'old books', the Reverend
Mother is horrified to discover it contains the dead body of one of
Cork's richest merchants, wrapped in decomposing animal hides. Many
had reason to loathe the hides and skins merchant: his rebellious,
republican son; his frustrated, clever daughter; his neighbours;
his business rivals; and those whose unbaptised babies were buried
on the site of his new tanning yard. But when suspicion falls on a
former lay sister from her convent, the Reverend Mother decides she
must help find the real killer.
The 'razor-sharp' first book in the charming, fast-paced Pentecost
and Parker mystery series. Book Two, Murder Under Her Skin, coming
December 2021! Meet your new favourite duo, audacious and iconic,
and perfect for fans of The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman,
The Marvellous Mrs. Maisel, Agatha Christie and M. C. Beaton. It's
1945 and Lillian Pentecost is the most successful private detective
in New York City, but she needs help. Enter Willowjean Parker, a
circus runaway - and the perfect assistant. Quick-witted and
street-smart, she's a jack-of-all-trades with a unique skill-set.
She can pick locks blindfolded, wrestle men twice her size, and
throw knives with deadly precision - all of which come in handy
working for Ms P. When wealthy young widow Abigail Collins is
murdered Pentecost and Parker are hired by the family to track down
the culprit. On Halloween night, there was a costume party at the
Collins' mansion, where a fortune teller performed a seance which
greatly disturbed Abigail. Several hours later her body was
discovered bludgeoned to death in her late husband's office.
Problem is, the door to the office was locked from the inside.
There was no-one else in the room, and the murder weapon was beside
the victim; the fortune teller's crystal ball. It looks like an
impossible crime, but Pentecost and Parker know there is no such
thing... A 2020 Radio 2 Book Club pick. Praise for Fortune Favours
the Dead: 'Razor-sharp, tons of flair and a snappy sense of humour'
Tana French 'Bullets, blood, bodies, and belly-laughs: all the
ingredients of a classic mystery novel. Stephen Spotswood
hard-boils with the best of 'em!' Alan Bradley, bestselling author
of the Flavia de Luce Mystery Series 'Fortune Favours the Dead
takes gritty 40s noir, shakes it up, gives it a charming twist, and
serves it up with unforgettable style. My new favourite sleuthing
duo.' Deanna Raybourn, author of the Veronica Speedwell Mysteries
'Spotswood's stellar debut puts a modern spin on classic
hard-boiled fiction. . . a novel to remember.' 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 'A highly accomplished, auspicious first entry
in what we must hope will be a long-running series' The Irish Times
When a prominent citizen is murdered, former Captain of the Guard
Owen Archer is persuaded out of retirement to investigate in this
gripping medieval mystery. 1374. When a member of one of York's
most prominent families is found dead in the woods, his throat torn
out, rumours spread like wildfire that wolves are running loose
throughout the city. Persuaded to investigate by the victim's
father, Owen Archer is convinced that a human killer is
responsible. But before he can gather sufficient evidence to prove
his case, a second body is discovered, stabbed to death. Is there a
connection? What secrets are contained within the victim's
household? And what does apprentice healer Alisoun know that she's
not telling? Teaming up with Geoffrey Chaucer, who is in York on a
secret mission on behalf of Prince Edward, Owen's enquiries will
draw him headlong into a deadly conspiracy.
A deadly plague is spreading across the land... England, 1348: as
the Black Death spreads through the country, people start to die by
the thousands. In Dorset, young Lady Anne takes control of her
lands, with her trusted steward, Thaddeus, at her side.
Compassionate and resourceful, she decides to quarantine the estate
against the terrifying pestilence, bringing some two hundred serfs
inside the moated walls. But in such a confined space, conflicts
soon arise. Ignorant of the world outside, Lady Anne's people
wrestle with the terrible uncertainty of their futures. Fearing
starvation but fearing the disease even more, who amongst them has
the courage to leave the security of the walls? And how safe is
anyone when a dreadful event threatens the uneasy status quo...?
October, 1736. Lured out of retirement to serve as Constable once
again, Richard Nottingham finds Leeds very different from the place
he remembers. Many newcomers have been attracted by the town's
growing wealth - but although the faces have changed, the crimes
remain the same, as Nottingham discovers when a body is found
floating in the River Aire, its throat cut. What has changed is the
fear that pervades the town. With more bodies emerging and
witnesses too frightened to talk, Nottingham realizes he's dealing
with a new kind of criminal, someone with no respect for anything
or anyone. Someone who believes he's beyond the law; someone
willing brutally to destroy anyone who opposes him. To stop him,
Nottingham will need to call in old favours, rely on trusted
friendships, and seek help from some very unlikely sources.
Apprentice healer Lassair heads on a perilous journey north in the
absorbing new Aelf Fen medieval mystery. October, 1093. Two young
men have been brutally beaten to death; a third viciously attacked.
All three men are of similar appearance. But could there be another
connection? Lassair meanwhile has agreed to accompany her former
lover Rollo on a perilous journey north in search of King William.
On their trail is a skilled, relentless and ruthless assassin. Who
is he - and why has he targeted Rollo? If they are to survive, the
hunted must become the hunters: Rollo and Lassair must lure their
pursuer to the treacherous fenland terrain Lassair knows so well
and turn the tables on their would-be killer.
A game of spies, a brutal murder, the fate of an Empire...The North
Sea, October 1904 - When Russian warships bombard the Hull trawler
fleet, killing innocent fishermen, public outrage pushes Britain
and Russia to the brink of war, the sparks from which could inflame
the entire Continent. Doctor Ingo Finch, once of the Royal Army
Medical Corps, is long done with military adventuring. But when a
stranger seeks him out, citing a murderous conspiracy behind the
infamous "Dogger Bank Incident", Finch is drawn back into the dark
world of espionage. With Whitehall, St Petersburg and rival
Bolsheviks vying to manipulate the political crisis, the future of
Britain, and Europe, is at stake... A gripping and compulsive
historical crime thriller, The Cold North Sea is an explosively
entertaining read for fans of Abir Mukherjee and Philip Kerr.
Praise for Jeff Dawson'Jeff is such a talented writer ... I highly,
highly recommend these' Making the Cut podcast
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