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Books > Fiction > Genre fiction > Crime & mystery > Historical mysteries
The Perfume of the Lady in Black (1908) is a novel by French writer
Gaston Leroux. The Perfume of the Lady in Black marked the second
appearance of popular character Joseph Rouletabille, a reporter and
part-time sleuth who features in several of Leroux's novels.
Originally a journalist, Leroux turned to fiction after reading the
works of Arthur Conan Doyle and Edgar Allan Poe. Often considered
one of the best mysteries of all time, the novel has been adapted
several times for film. Joseph Rouletabille is more than meets the
eye. A reporter by profession, he spends his free time working as
an amateur detective, using his journalistic talents to compile
facts and track down leads. In The Mystery of the Yellow Room, he
saved the life of Mathilde Stangerson, the daughter of a prominent
professor, from the clutches of Ballmeyer, a violent criminal
mastermind gifted in the art of disguise. Unbeknownst to her
father, Mathilde had married Ballmeyer while living in America
before realizing he had been living under a false identity. Now
believed to be dead, Ballmeyer fades into history as Rouletabille,
his assistant Sainclair, and Mathilde return to their lives.
Shortly after leaving for her honeymoon with Robert Darzac,
however, Mathilde contacts Rouletabille with terrifying news-their
common enemy seems to have returned. The Perfume of the Lady in
Black is a story of mystery and suspense from one of history's
finest detective novelists. Joseph Rouletabille is without a doubt
France's answer to Sherlock Holmes. With a beautifully designed
cover and professionally typeset manuscript, this edition of Gaston
Leroux's The Perfume of the Lady in Black is a classic of French
literature reimagined for modern readers.
Whom God Hath Sundered (1910-1913) is a trilogy by Oliver Onions.
Published toward the beginning of Onions' career as a leading
novelist and short story writer specializing in genre fiction, Whom
God Hath Sundered is a largely unknown trilogy of crime novels
deemed a forgotten classic by British literary critic Martin
Seymour-Smith. From the beginning, In Accordance With the
Evidence-the first installment of the trilogy-is as much the story
of James Jeffries as it is of Archie Merridew. Unlike Jeffries, who
was "atrociously poor...in those days," Merridew was a young man
whose every opportunity seemed to have been ordained at birth: "His
folks lived at Guildford; his father paid his rent for him,
thirty-eight pounds a year; and his pleasant quarters under the
roof had everything that mine hadn't." As their story unfolds,
Jeffries falls for the beautiful Evie Soames, but jealousy and
competition with Archie threaten to derail his every move. Unhappy
with his low-paying work, luckless in love, Jeffries begins to
resent Archie with a near-violent passion. When Archie becomes
engaged to Evie, Jeffries is left with no choice. As he looks back
on his life from the distance of a dozen or more years, he recounts
his path from hardship to murder, laying bare the psychological
traumas that led him to commit his crime. In parts two and three,
The Debit Account and The Story of Louie, we see the consequences
of his heinous act unfold. With a beautifully designed cover and
professionally typeset manuscript, this edition of Oliver Onions'
Whom God Hath Sundered is a classic of British literature
reimagined for modern readers.
Adolf Verloc is working as a spy in London, when he's recruited to
commit a terrorist act that could endanger the lives of countless
citizens. It's a professional decision that has an unexpected
impact on his personal life. Adolf Verloc lives in London and runs
a shop where he sells underground books and materials. He's
considered a member of a local anarchist group but is also a spy
for a foreign government. His handler, Mr. Vladimir, instructs him
to plant a bomb in the Greenwich Observatory. Verloc initially
resists but cowers to Mr. Vladimir's threats. Using a time jump and
different perspectives, the novel examines the impact of Verloc's
fateful actions. The Secret Agent is a standout among Joseph
Conrad's stellar bibliography. With its descriptive setting and
political themes, the author creates a truly captivating tale. It's
a thrilling account of espionage, betrayal and homegrown terrorism.
With an eye-catching new cover, and professionally typeset
manuscript, this edition of The Secret Agent is both modern and
readable.
'An ingenious marriage of comedy and crime.' Olga Tokarczuk, 2018
winner of the Nobel Prize in Literature Shortlisted for the EBRD
Literature Prize 2022 For fans of The Thursday Murder Club and
Frank Tallis's Vienna Blood comes the thrilling sequel to the
critically-acclaimed Mrs Mohr Goes Missing Easter, 1895. The
biggest event in the Catholic calendar is a disaster in Zofia
Turbotynska's household. Her maid Karolina has handed in her notice
and worse, gone missing. When Karolina's body is discovered,
violated and stabbed, Zofia knows she has to investigate. Following
a trail that leads her from the poorest districts of Galicia to the
highest echelons of society, Zofia uncovers a web of gang crimes,
sex-trafficking and corruption that will force her to question
everything she knows. Set against the backdrop of the women's
cause, Karolina, or the Torn Curtain refuses to turn a blind eye to
the injustices and inequalities of its era - and ours. Praise for
the series: 'The sprightly narrative and vivid evocation of
turn-of-the-century Poland make for an enjoyable tale.' Guardian
'It's fun and sparky and the glimpse of turn-of-the-century Polish
manners and mores is beguiling.' Daily Mail 'The story fuses high
comedy with an evocative portrayal of the period.' Sunday Express
The North Atlantic, 14 April 1912. Amid the chaos of the sinking
Titanic, a young Eleanor Annenberg meets the eyes of a stranger and
is immediately captivated. As the ship buckles around them, she
follows him down into the hold and finds him leaning over an open
sarcophagus, surrounded by mutilated bodies. She catches but a
glimpse of what lies within before she's sucked into a maelstrom of
freezing brine and half-devoured corpses. Elle is pulled out of the
water, but the stranger - and the secrets she stumbled upon - are
lost. Unintentionally, however, he leaves her a gift; one so
compelling that Elle embarks on a journey that pulls her into a
world of ancient evils, vicious hunters and human prey to find the
man who saved her that fateful night. From trench warfare at Cape
Helles in 1915 to a shipwreck in the tropical shallows off the
Honduran coast, from a lost mine beneath the towering Externsteine
in a Germany on the verge of war to the gothic crypts of Highgate
Cemetery in London, Elle gets closer to a truth she has sought for
most of her life. But at what cost? Gifts, after all, are seldom
free.
The Mystery of a Hansom Cab (1886) is a mystery novel by Fergus
Hume. An immediate bestseller for Hume, The Mystery of a Hansom Cab
is a gripping novel with an atmospheric intensity and tightly wound
mystery worthy of the best of Victorian fiction. Published the year
before Arthur Conan Doyle's debut, A Study in Scarlet (1887),
Hume's novel became the first international bestseller to be
published in Australia. Adapted countless times for film, theater,
radio, and television, The Mystery of a Hansom Cab is a classic
detective story and a landmark in Australian literature. In
Melbourne, Australia, a cabman stops to pick up a presumably drunk
passenger. Helped into the cab by an unknown man, who claims to be
a friend, the gentleman settles in for the ride homeward.
Accustomed to such things, especially in the darkness of early
morning, the cabman begins his ride. When he asks his passenger for
directions, however, he receives no response, and turns to find
that the man is dead. He drives straight to the local police
station, where Detective Gorby begins his investigation. Was the
friend in fact the murderer, or was he simply a good Samaritan who
believed he was helping a drunk man make it home? When the killer
is discovered, however, the mystery remains. Over the story looms
the shadow of the Frettlby family, whose secrets threaten to
smother all of Melbourne. The Mystery of a Hansom Cab is a
masterpiece of slow-burning suspicion between the rich and the
poor, a story of law and those willing to break it. With a
beautifully designed cover and professionally typeset manuscript,
this edition of Fergus Hume's The Mystery of a Hansom Cab is a
classic of Australian mystery and detective fiction reimagined for
modern readers.
'I was seduced from John Grey's first scene' Ann Cleeves Duke's
Company actress Kitty Burgess has a stunning future before her -
until she vanishes after the opening performance of Aminta Grey's
new play, The Summer Birdcage. One of her fellow actors swears he
saw her being bundled into a black coach driven by six black horses
outside the theatre. Then no more is heard of her - until the body
of a young woman is found dead beside the road in Hertfordshire. It
appears to be Kitty, so Aminta and her husband Sir John Grey,
travel to Bishop's Stortford to identify her. The girl has been so
badly beaten it is impossible to tell who she is, but there are
three clues - the dress she is wearing, a ring and a copy of the
script of Aminta's play, left (perhaps a little too conveniently)
in the victim's hands. Back in London Aminta catches sight of a
young woman who looks exactly like Kitty but before she can do
anything, the woman runs off and is lost in the crowd. Meanwhile,
rumours abound at court that Kitty was about to become the king's
new mistress and all fingers are being pointed at Lady Castlemaine
for having arranged for her rival to be spirited away and killed.
And now John Grey finds that is no longer just his wife who is
determined to prove Kitty Burgess is alive. It would seem her
disappearance - and possible reappearance - is part of some much
wider conspiracy, and that Kitty may be about to play the most
dangerous, and possibly deadly, role of her life. A role from which
there may be no escape ... Praise for L.C. Tyler 'Len Tyler writes
with great charm and wit . . . made me laugh out loud' Susanna
Gregory 'Tyler juggles his characters, story, wit and clever one
liners with perfect balance' The Times 'A dizzying whirl of plot
and counterplot' Guardian 'Unusually accomplished' Helen Dunmore 'A
cracking pace, lively dialogue, wickedly witty one-liners salted
with sophistication . . . Why would we not want more of John Grey?'
The Bookbag
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Whose Body?
(Paperback)
Dorothy L Sayers; Contributions by Mint Editions
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R196
Discovery Miles 1 960
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Ships in 10 - 15 working days
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A nobleman with a penchant for solving mysteries works to uncover
the truth about a dead body found in the bathtub of an architect's
home. This is a peculiar case that requires the unique skills and
perspective of Lord Peter Wimsey. Lord Peter Wimsey is a war
veteran forever changed by his time in the field. Despite his
personal trauma, he spends his free time studying criminals and
dissecting cases. When a dead body appears after a financier
vanishes, many suspect an immediate connection. Yet, Lord Wimsey
believes there is more to the story. Upon further investigation he
discovers an insidious murder plot that includes notable figures in
the community. Alongside Inspector Charles Parker, Lord Wimsey
attempts to expose the truth. Whose Body? is a thrilling
introduction to the world Lord Peter Wimsey. It is a multilayered
mystery filled with humor and intrigue. Author Dorothy L. Sayers'
compelling prose delivers unforgettable characters and a classic
detective plot. With an eye-catching new cover, and professionally
typeset manuscript, this edition of Whose Body? is both modern and
readable.
Cairo, 1912. The Pasha receives an unexpected gift: a traditional
Bride Box. When opened, however, the box contains an unwelcome jolt
from the past . . . At the same time, a little girl is discovered
riding under a train from Luxor - and the Mamur Zapt, Head of the
Khedive's Secret Police, is called in to investigate.
He soon finds himself confronting a political storm as the end of
British rule approaches and his investigations uncover a tangled
web of family loyalties and betrayals, with its roots in a slave
trade long supposed to have been stamped out in Egypt.
'A dark gothic delight' JANICE HALLETT, author of THE TWYFORD CODE
'Inventive, lavish, twisty... will keep you guessing until the very
end' ALISON LITTLEWOOD, author of MISTLETOE Winter 1954, and in a
dilapidated apartment in Brooklyn, Sam Cooper realises that she has
nothing left. Her mother is dead, she has no prospects, and she
cannot afford the rent. But as she goes through her mother's
things, Sam finds a stack of hidden letters that reveal a family
and an inheritance that she never knew she had, three thousand
miles away in Yorkshire. Begars Abbey is a crumbling pile,
inhabited only by Lady Cooper, Sam's ailing grandmother, and a
handful of servants. Sam cannot understand why her mother kept its
very existence a secret, but her newly discovered diaries offer a
glimpse of a young girl growing increasingly terrified. As is Sam
herself. Built on the foundations of an old convent, Begars moves
and sings with the biting wind. Her grandmother cannot speak, and a
shadowy woman moves along the corridors at night. There are dark
places in the hidden tunnels beneath Begars. And they will not give
up their secrets easily... A chilling read that will keep you
turning the pages late into the night, Begars Abbey is a must-read
for fans of Laura Purcell, C.J. Tudor and W.C. Ryan.
The Red House Mystery (1922) is a detective novel by A.A. Milne.
Known more for his series of Winnie-the-Pooh stories and poems for
children, Milne also wrote novels and plays for adults, including
this successful whodunnit. The Red House Mystery, Milne's only
detective novel, was highly successful upon publication and is
noted for its use of an amateur sleuth as well as its intricate,
puzzle-like plot. Despite earning the ire of Raymond Chandler,
Milne's novel was reprinted in the U.S. and in Britain numerous
times. At his house in the English countryside, Mark Ablett hosts a
small party of diverse guests including a widow and her young
daughter, a retired military officer, an actress, and a young
socialite named Bill Beverley. During this party, Mark's brother
Robert unexpectedly returns home from Australia, where he has been
for some time. Shortly after this long-awaited homecoming, Robert
is found dead of a gunshot wound to the head, and, amidst the
chaos, Mark suddenly disappears. Having arrived late to the party,
Tony Gillingham, with the help of his friend Bill Beverley,
endeavors to investigate the mysterious events of the evening.
Aided, or at least tolerated, by an uninterested police force,
Gillingham does his best as an amateur detective to gather evidence
leading not only to the identity of Robert's murderer, but to the
discovery of Mark's whereabouts. The Red House Mystery is an
innovative whodunnit filled with humorous quips, twists and turns,
and a puzzle with which even the most seasoned reader of mysteries
will struggle. With a beautifully designed cover and professionally
typeset manuscript, this edition of A.A. Milne's The Red House
Mystery is a classic of British detective fiction reimagined for
modern readers.
In 1945 secrets hidden at an Italian estate could prove just as
vital to humanity's fate as the war efforts on the frontlines . . .
if nurse Diana Bolsena can get to them first. Tuscany, 1945. As the
war in Europe ends, American Red Cross nurse Diana Bolsena finds
herself separated from her unit. Unable to reconnect with the
American army, she's left to survive with nothing but her spirit,
her talents as a nurse, and her nightmares of the horror of war.
Determined to return to active duty in the Pacific, to earn her way
back Diana begins caring for a child with disabilities on the
estate of the enigmatic Signora Bugari. Amidst the ravages of war,
it is a peaceful existence until a visiting German officer, Herr
Adler, arrives demanding Bugari return what is rightfully his. When
a shocking murder attracts more people to the isolated estate,
Diana suspects Adler's hidden secrets could affect the course of
history. But who will uncover them first? And what will happen to
humanity if they fall into the wrong hands?
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Treachery
(Paperback)
S J Parris
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R328
R301
Discovery Miles 3 010
Save R27 (8%)
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Ships in 9 - 17 working days
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The No. 1 Sunday Times bestselling series The fourth book in S. J.
Parris's bestselling, critically acclaimed series following
Giordano Bruno, set at the time of Queen Elizabeth I August, 1585.
England is on the brink of war... Sir Francis Drake is preparing to
launch a daring expedition against the Spanish when a murder aboard
his ship changes everything. A relentless enemy. A treacherous
conspiracy. Giordano Bruno agrees to hunt the killer down, only to
find that more than one deadly plot is brewing in Plymouth's murky
underworld. And as he tracks a murderer through its dangerous
streets, he uncovers a conspiracy that threatens the future of
England itself. Perfect for fans of C. J. Sansom and Hilary Mantel
Praise for S. J. Parris 'S. J. Parris is one of my favourite
authors - and unquestionably our greatest living writer of
historical thrillers.' A.J. Finn, No. 1 bestselling author of The
Woman in the Window "Hugely enjoyable" Guardian 'This is historical
mystery fiction at its finest' Publishers Weekly 'Her prose is taut
and compelling. Her wielding of the historical material is always
convincing but never overwhelming' The Times 'A delicious blend of
history and thriller' The Times 'An omnipresent sense of danger'
Daily Mail 'Colourful characters, fast-moving plots and a world
where one false step in religion or politics can mean a grisly
death' Sunday Times 'Pacy, intricate, and thrilling' Observer
'Vivid, sprawling ... Well-crafted, exuberant' Financial Times
'Impossible to resist' Daily Telegraph 'Twists and turns like a
corkscrew of venomous snakes' Stuart MacBride 'It has everything -
intrigue, mystery and excellent history' Kate Mosse 'The period is
incredibly vivid and the story utterly gripping' Conn Iggulden 'A
brilliantly unusual glimpse at the intrigues surrounding Queen
Elizabeth I' Andrew Taylor
The peaceful atmosphere of the Reverend Mother's annual retreat is
shattered by sudden, violent death in this gripping historical
mystery. 1920s. Cork, Ireland. The Reverend Mother regrets the
bishop's decision to invite the five candidates for the position of
Alderman of the City Council to join them for their annual retreat.
Constantly accosted by ambitious, would-be politicians hoping to
secure the bishop's backing, she's finding the week-long sojourn at
the convent of the Sisters of Charity anything but peaceful. What
she doesn't expect to encounter however is sudden, violent death.
When a body is discovered in the convent's apple orchard cemetery,
blown to pieces by a makeshift bomb, it is assumed the IRA are
responsible. But does the killer lie closer to home? Was one of the
candidates so desperate to win the election they turned to murder?
Does someone have a hidden agenda? Once again, the Reverend Mother
must call on her renowned investigative skills to unearth the
shocking truth.
The first in a sparkling new 1950s seaside mystery series, featuring sharp-eyed former nun Nora Breen.
After thirty years in a convent, Nora Breen has thrown off her habit and set her sights on the seaside town of Gore-on-Sea. Her fellow sister Frieda has gone missing and it's up to Nora to find her.
Nora's only clue is that Frieda was last seen at Gulls Nest boarding House. So she travels down, takes a room and settles in to watch and listen. Over dubious - and sometimes downright inedible - dinners, Nora gathers evidence about the other lodgers and what they knew about Frieda.
At long last, Nora has found the perfect outlet for her powers of observation and, well, nosiness. When one of the lodgers is found dead, Nora decides she must find the murderer. Not least because she suspects the victim knew Frieda. Could solving this mystery help her to understand what has happened to her friend?
The latest adventure for the intrepid Mary Russell and her husband,
Sherlock Holmes takes readers into the frenetic world of silent
films, where the pirates are real and the shooting isn't all done
with cameras. In England's young silent-film industry, the
megalomaniacal Randolph Fflytte is king. Nevertheless, Mary Russell
is dispatched to investigate the criminal activities that surround
Fflytte's popular movie studio. So Russell is traveling undercover
to Portugal, along with the film crew that is gearing up to shoot a
cinematic extravaganza, Pirate King. But as movie make-believe
becomes true terror, Russell and Holmes themselves may experience a
final fadeout.
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