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Books > Fiction > Genre fiction > Crime & mystery > Historical mysteries
**THE THRILLING SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER** 'If only all history
mysteries could be as good as The Midnight Hour' The Times An old
man lies dead and it looks like poison, but his wife isn't the only
one who had reason to kill him. Brighton, 1965 When theatrical
impresario Bert Billington is found dead in his retirement home, no
one suspects foul play. But when the postmortem reveals that he was
poisoned, suspicion falls on his wife, eccentric ex-Music Hall star
Verity Malone. Frustrated by the police response to Bert's death
and determined to prove her innocence, Verity calls in private
detective duo Emma Holmes and Sam Collins. This is their first real
case, but as luck would have it they have a friend on the inside:
Max Mephisto is filming a remake of Dracula, starring Seth
Billington, Bert's son. But when they question Max, they feel he
isn't telling them the whole story. Emma and Sam must vie with the
police to untangle the case and bring the killer to justice.
They're sure the answers must lie in Bert's dark past and in the
glamorous, occasionally deadly, days of Music Hall. But the closer
they get to the truth, the more danger they find themselves in...
*********** PRAISE FOR THE MIDNIGHT HOUR 'An intricately plotted
whodunnit' Daily Mail 'Griffiths writes with verve and wit' Irish
Times 'An entertaining period murder mystery' Irish Independent
'Layered with a gripping plot' Belfast Telegraph A Sunday Times
bestseller w/c 24/04/2022
The world's most beloved literary characters. The gilded opulence of the Roaring Twenties. A murder that scandalises high society. And a clever young woman of unusual persistence... Be ready to re-think the world of Gatsby.
1922: You are cordially invited to summer at the Gatsby Mansion in West Egg, with the most illustrious - and the deadliest - guest list.
Freshly twenty-one and sporting a daring new bob, Greta Gatsby - younger sister to the infamous Jay - is finally free of finishing school. An idyllic summer stretches ahead of her at the Gatsby Mansion, the jewel of West Egg. But when Greta arrives at the secluded white-stone estate bathed in the late-afternoon light, she finds she isn't the only visitor. Jay is hosting an intimate gathering of New York's fashionable set: Daisy and Tom Buchanan, along with his brother Edgar, Nick Carraway and Jordan Baker.
That evening, the guests enjoy a candelabra-lit dinner party. That night, they dance to the lilt of the gramophone. The next morning, one of them is missing.
Murder has come to West Egg, the warm breeze tainted by scandal, betrayal and secrets. Turning sleuth isn't how Greta meant to spend her summer - but what choice does she have when one of them could be next?
A deliciously unputdownable whonunnit perfect for fans of The Christie Affair and Miss Austen Investigates.
The death of a runaway could spark a revolt...Devon, 1318. Peter
Bruther, who works the land for his lord, Sir William Beauscyr, is
fed up with his life of near-slavery, and has run away. Brutal
punishments usually fall on the heads of runaways, but Bruther uses
a legal loophole: on Dartmoor, tin miners enjoy special protection
from prosecution. They are accountable only to the king. Brother
swiftly sets himself up as a miner on the moors: safe... or so he
thinks. Beauscyr and his two feuding sons are furious to learn they
have no legal claim on their wayward man, and demand justice from
Bailiff Simon Puttock. They fear more runaways. But other miners
resent Bruther's appearance, too, and they do not want their
profitable extortion and protection racket destabilised. Before
dissent can spread to other serfs working for Beauscyr, Bruther is
found hanging from a tree. Simon, assisted by former Knight Templar
Sir Baldwin Furnshill, finds himself investigating cold-blooded
murder, and there is no shortage of suspects... An action-packed
historical mystery perfect for fans of Susanna Gregory, C. J.
Sansom and Rory Clements. Praise for Michael Jecks'Michael Jecks is
a national treasure' Scotland on Sunday 'Marvellously portrayed' C.
J. Sansom
Shortlisted for the 2021 Wilbur Smith Adventure Writing Prize and
longlisted for the CWA Gold Dagger 2021. City of Vengeance is an
explosive debut novel in an historical thriller series by D. V.
Bishop, set in Renaissance Florence. 'An impressive and immersive
debut set in a beautifully realized sixteenth-century Florence' -
Antonia Hodgson 'A first-class historical thriller . . . Bishop's
spirited and richly detailed story is a tour-de-force' - David
Baldacci Florence. Winter, 1536. A prominent Jewish moneylender is
murdered in his home, a death with wide implications in a city
powered by immense wealth. Cesare Aldo, a former soldier and now an
officer of the Renaissance city's most feared criminal court, is
given four days to solve the murder: catch the killer before the
feast of Epiphany - or suffer the consequences. During his
investigations Aldo uncovers a plot to overthrow the volatile ruler
of Florence, Alessandro de' Medici. If the Duke falls, it will
endanger the whole city. But a rival officer of the court is
determined to expose details about Aldo's private life that could
lead to his ruin. Can Aldo stop the conspiracy before anyone else
dies, or will his own secrets destroy him first? 'Richly
atmospheric . . . transports you to another time and place' -
Ambrose Parry, author of The Way of All Flesh Continue the
historical series with The Darkest Sin.
After rising to prominence for his role investigating the case of
Jack the Ripper, former Detective Inspector Daniel Wilson is now
retired. Known for his intelligence, investigative skills, and most
of all his discretion, he's often consulted when a case must be
solved quickly and quietly. So when a body is found in the Egyptian
Collection of the Fitzwilliam Museum in Cambridge, Wilson is called
in. As he tries to uncover the identity of the dead man and the
circumstances surrounding his demise, Wilson must contend with an
unhelpful police Inspector, and more alarmingly, Abigail McKenzie,
the archaeologist who discovered the body and is determined to
protect the Egyptian collection. Can they find a way to work
together to solve the mystery?
'An immersive and entertaining read' - Alistair Mabbot, The Herald
The year is 1317, and young squire Benedict Russell has joined the
English-held garrison of Berwick-upon-Tweed after the spectacular
Scottish victory at Bannockburn three years earlier. Serious and
self-doubting, he can't wait for his time there to come to an end.
Living on the disputed territory between Scotland and England is a
precarious existence, and as the Scots draw ever closer and the
English king does nothing to stop them, Benedict finds himself in a
race against time to solve the brutal murder of a young girl and
find the traitor who lurks within Berwick's walls.
When the body of a mysterious Englishman is found floating in New
Orleans' New Basin Canal, Benjamin January uncovers a link to
another unsolved murder in Paris nine years before. Now he must
unravel the earlier murder in order to solve this second killing.
At stake are the lives of his wife, son and unborn child.
Now a major Apple TV series starring Claire Danes and Tom
Hiddleston THE SUNDAY TIMES NUMBER ONE BESTSELLER 'A blissful novel
of unapologetic appetites ... here is a writer who understands
life' JESSIE BURTON, author of THE MINIATURIST London, 1893. When
Cora Seaborne's controlling husband dies, she steps into her new
life as a widow with as much relief as sadness. Along with her son
Francis - a curious, obsessive boy - she leaves town for Essex, in
the hope that fresh air and open space will provide refuge. On
arrival, rumours reach them that the mythical Essex Serpent, once
said to roam the marshes claiming lives, has returned to the
coastal parish of Aldwinter. Cora, a keen amateur naturalist with
no patience for superstition, is enthralled, convinced that what
the local people think is a magical beast may be a yet-undiscovered
species. As she sets out on its trail, she is introduced to William
Ransome, Aldwinter's vicar, who is also deeply suspicious of the
rumours, but thinks they are a distraction from true faith. As he
tries to calm his parishioners, Will and Cora strike up an intense
relationship, and although they agree on absolutely nothing, they
find themselves at once drawn together and torn apart, affecting
each other in ways that surprise them both. The Essex Serpent is a
thrilling and unforgettable novel of intrigue, love, and the many
forms it can take. A modern classic perfect for fans of Jessie
Burton, Sarah Waters and Stacey Halls, THE ESSEX SERPENT is now a
major Apple TV series starring Claire Danes and Tom Hiddleston.
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
'Pretty much everything I want in an historical thriller - an
absolutely terrific read' - Philip Gwynne Jones 'A great insight
into Renaissance Florence. What I love about these books is the
seamless weaving of factual history with a great story' - Abir
Mukherjee Florence. Spring, 1537. When Cesare Aldo investigates a
report of intruders at a convent in the Renaissance city's northern
quarter, he enters a community divided by bitter rivalries and
harbouring dark secrets. His case becomes far more complicated when
a man's body is found deep inside the convent, stabbed more than
two dozen times. Unthinkable as it seems, all the evidence suggests
one of the nuns must be the killer. Meanwhile, Constable Carlo
Strocchi finds human remains pulled from the Arno that belong to an
officer of the law missing since winter. The dead man had many
enemies, but who would dare kill an official of the city's most
feared criminal court? As Aldo and Strocchi close in on the truth,
identifying the killers will prove more treacherous than either of
them could ever have imagined . . . The Darkest Sin is an
atmospheric locked-room thriller by D. V. Bishop, set in
Renaissance Florence and is the sequel to City of Vengeance.
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