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Books > Fiction > Genre fiction > Crime & mystery > Historical mysteries
The No. 1 Sunday Times bestselling series The third book in S. J. Parris's bestselling, critically acclaimed series following Giordano Bruno, set at the time of Queen Elizabeth I London, 1584. Giordano Bruno travels to Canterbury for love. But finds only murder ... Giordano Bruno is being followed by the woman he once loved - Sophia Underhill, accused of murder and on the run. With the leave of the Queen's spymaster, he sets out to clear Sophia's name. But when more brutal killings occur a far deadlier plot emerges. A city rife with treachery. A relic steeped in blood. His hunt for the real killer leads to the shadows of the Cathedral - England's holiest shrine - and the heart of a sinister and powerful conspiracy ... Heretic, maverick, charmer: Giordano Bruno is always on his guard. Never more so than when working for Queen Elizabeth and her spymaster - for this man of letters is now an agent of intrigue and danger ... Perfect for fans of C. J. Sansom and Hilary Mantel Praise for S. J. Parris '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
A Wall Street Journal, USA Today, and Amazon Charts bestseller. From the bestselling author of The Tuscan Child comes a beautiful and heart-rending novel of a woman's love and sacrifice during the First World War. As the Great War continues to take its toll, headstrong twenty-one-year-old Emily Bryce is determined to contribute to the war effort. She is convinced by a cheeky and handsome Australian pilot that she can do more, and it is not long before she falls in love with him and accepts his proposal of marriage. When he is sent back to the front, Emily volunteers as a "land girl," tending to the neglected grounds of a large Devonshire estate. It's here that Emily discovers the long-forgotten journals of a medicine woman who devoted her life to her herbal garden. The journals inspire Emily, and in the wake of devastating news, they are her saving grace. Emily's lover has not only died a hero but has left her terrified-and with child. Since no one knows that Emily was never married, she adopts the charade of a war widow. As Emily learns more about the volatile power of healing with herbs, the found journals will bring her to the brink of disaster, but may open a path to her destiny.
The world's greatest detective, Hercule Poirot-legendary star of Agatha Christie's Murder on the Orient Express and Death on the Nile-returns to solve a fiendish new mystery. Hercule Poirot is travelling by luxury passenger coach from London to the exclusive Kingfisher Hill estate, where Richard Devonport has summoned him to prove that his fiancee, Helen, is innocent of the murder of his brother, Frank. But there is a strange condition attached to this request: Poirot must conceal his true reason for being there. The coach is forced to stop when a distressed woman demands to get off, insisting that if she stays in her seat, she will be murdered. Although the rest of the journey passes without anyone being harmed, Poirot's curiosity is aroused, and his fears are later confirmed when a body is discovered with a macabre note attached... Could this new murder and the peculiar incident on the coach be clues to solving the mystery of who killed Frank Devonport? And if Helen is innocent, can Poirot find the true culprit in time to save her from the gallows?
Bombay, 1909. Genevieve Masefield and George Dillman make a living as detectives aboard the early twentieth century's most extravagant ocean liners. From the members of first class in all their finery, to the card cheats and pickpockets plying their trade, they've experienced more than their share of humanity. For their latest voyage, the Salsette boasts a pair of travellers who feign ignorance of each other but there is clearly no love lost between them. Then there's an elderly man whose powers of deduction may be based on more earthly techniques than the mystical energy he claims to possess. And there's a young woman and her mother who find their way into the middle of every bit of trouble aboard. The lives of this group of travellers are set to intersect in ways none of them could have foreseen on dry land - including in a murder. Previously published under the name Conrad Allen, the Ocean Liner series casts off for a new generation of readers.
Britain, 1947. This captivating novel follows the coming of age and maturity of former wartime operative Elinor White. Winspear's complex heroine is a veteran of two world wars, a trained killer and protective of her anonymity. As Elinor grapples with past trauma, she finds herself in the midst of one of the most dangerous crime gangs in London. She soon begins to uncover hidden corruption spreading from Scotland Yard to the highest levels of government. Will this treacherous path ultimately lead her to a future unshackled from her troubled past?
William Falkland is a dead man. A Royalist dragoon who fought against Parliament, he is currently awaiting execution at Newgate prison. Yet when he is led away from Newgate with a sack over his head, it is not the gallows to which they take him, but to Oliver Cromwell himself. Cromwell has heard of Falkland's reputation as an investigator and now more than ever he needs a man of conscience. His New Model Army are wintering in Devon but mysterious deaths are sweeping the camp and, in return for his freedom, Falkland is despatched to uncover the truth. With few friends and a slew of enemies, Falkland soon learns there is a dark demon at work, one who won't go down without a fight. But how can he protect the troops from such a monster and, more importantly, will he be able to protect himself?
Donald Langham and Maria Dupre must navigate a rocky road to find a killer when a body is found next to a standing stone. Newlyweds Donald Langham and Maria Dupre have moved to the country. They're excited about starting a new life in the picturesque village of Ingoldby-over-Water - and about meeting their new neighbours. But they've barely moved into Yew Tree Cottage when their new neighbour at Standing Stone Manor, Professor Edwin Robertshaw, invites Donald over to discuss some 'fishy business'. Shortly after, a body is found by the professor's precious standing stone in the manor grounds. Donald and Maria discover tensions, disputes and resentment raging below the surface of this idyllic village, but can they find out which of the villagers is a cold-blooded killer?
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
"Superb. . .a fast-moving and gripping plot"- Publishers Weekly Starred Review August, 1556. Jack Blackjack is on a simple mission: make it back home to his beloved London. It should be simple, right? Wrong. He's made it as far as Exeter, but before he can secure a fresh steed in that hellish city, he's faced with a dead priest, ruthless thieves, and a devious Dean who's determined to see the back of Jack. That suits Jack just fine - he wants to leave! So when wealthy merchant Wolfe, offers passage to London via sea, Jack jumps at the chance . . . and unwittingly into further danger! With thieves, pirates and potential murderers at every turn who can Jack trust? Will he uncover the truth behind the dead priest and missing merchant ships? But more importantly, will he ever make it home to London with his purse strings and limbs intact? Set during the brief but exceedingly troubled reign of Queen Mary I, elder half-sister to the future Elizabeth I, (1553-1558) the Bloody Mary series features the amoral former cutpurse turned paid assassin, Jack Blackjack, as its cowardly, lecherous, yet strangely likeable amateur sleuth protagonist. The joke is always on Jack as he lurches from one crisis to the next, never quite sure what's going on, yet always - just about - managing to keep one step ahead of his many enemies and those who, for whatever reason, are trying to kill him.
'Historical fiction with a fantastical twist, done with verve and skill' IAN RANKIN 'An atmospheric and constantly surprising thriller' SUNDAY TIMES 'Kept me guessing until the end. An absolute masterpiece' JENNIFER SAINT 'A deliciously dark historical novel of thrilling originality' ESSIE FOX 'Spellbinding, gripping, immersive and deliciously gothic' ERIN KELLY 'Evocative, chilling, compelling' TAMMY COHEN 'Breathtakingly good' ABIR MUKHERJEE Paris, 1750. In the midst of an icy winter, as birds fall frozen from the sky, chambermaid Madeleine Chastel arrives at the home of the city's celebrated clockmaker and his clever, unworldly daughter. Madeleine is hiding a dark past, and a dangerous purpose: to discover the truth of the clockmaker's experiments and record his every move, in exchange for her own chance of freedom. For as children quietly vanish from the Parisian streets, rumours are swirling that the clockmaker's intricate mechanical creations, bejewelled birds and silver spiders, are more than they seem. And soon Madeleine fears that she has stumbled upon an even greater conspiracy. One which might reach to the very heart of Versailles... A intoxicating story of obsession, illusion and the price of freedom.
'Greenwood's strength lies in her ability to create characters that are wholly satisfying: the bad guys are bad, and the good guys are great' Vogue When a mysterious invitation arrives for the redoubtable Miss Phryne Fisher from an unknown retired Captain Herbert Spencer, Phryne's curiosity is excited. Spencer runs a retreat in Victoria's rural spa country for the many shell-shocked soldiers of the first world war. It's a cause after Phryne's own heart but what does Spencer want from her? Meanwhile, Cec, Bert and Tinker find a young woman floating face down in the harbour near the wharves. Could this be the missing friend of Ruth, Phryne's adopted daughter? With Detective-Inspector Jack Robinson seconded unwillingly to a special investigation, Mr and Mrs Butler with Detective-Sergeant Hugh Collins are left to shield Phryne's household from danger as Tinker, Jane and Ruth decide to solve what appears to be a heinous crime. Unaware of these happenings, Phryne and the faithful Dot view their rural sojourn as a short holiday but are quickly thrown into disturbing Highland gatherings, disappearing women, murder and the mystery of the Temperance Hotel. All test Phryne's resourcefulness in her search to save lives. Disappearances, murder, bombs, booby-traps and strange goings-on keep Miss Phryne Fisher right in the middle of her most exciting adventure. Praise for Kerry Greenwood: 'Elegant, fabulously wealthy and sharp as a tack, Phryne sleuths with customary panache... [she is] irresistibly charming' The Age 'Phryne Fisher is gutsy and adventurous, and endowed with plenty of grey matter' West Australian 'In a word: delightful' Herald Sun 'Miss Fisher has beauty, brains and oodles of style ... a well-constructed novel that enchants, excites, enthrals and entertains' Good Reading Magazine
With their stomachs churning on the jewels they have swallowed, the courtesan Fiammetta and her companion dwarf Bucino escape the sack of Rome. It's 1527. They head for the shimmering, decadent city of Venice. Sarah Dunant's epic novel of sixteenth-century Renaissance Italy is a story about the sins of pleasure and the pleasures of sin, an intoxicating mix of fact and fiction, and a dazzling portait of one of the worlds greatest cities at its most potent moment in history.
The Toerten Project: Murder and Crime Mysteries from a Bauhaus Estate takes readers beyond the chaste white facades of the world-renowned Bauhaus Settlement by Walter Gropius. 10 quirky narratives about mysterious entanglements, morbid secrets, and grisly intrigues.
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
The second in the classic Phryne Fisher series from Kerry
Greenwood, featuring the irresistible heroine Phryne. Whether shes
foiling kidnappers, seducing beautiful young men or simply deciding
what to wear for dinner, Phryne handles everything with her
inimitable panache and flair.
The small village of Maldon is controlled by the wealthy and rapacious Fitzcorbucion family. When the eldest son, Guy, is found murdered, his father demands justice and will stop at nothing to get it. Ralph Delchard and Gervase Bret arrive into a charged atmosphere and are entangled in a case far more dangerous than their original task.
A deftly crafted, scintillating mash-up of Victorian mystery and horror - Sherlock Holmes and Mr Hyde encounter villains with unfathomable, terrifying abilities... 1903. A darkness has descended on London. A series of grisly murders are uncovered, trophies taken, bodies arranged and soon there are whispers of Jack the Ripper's return. A new client arrives at Baker Street seeking Sherlock Holmes's help: Dr Jekyll claims his friend has been wrongfully accused of the hideous crimes, a friend called Mr Edward Hyde, whose very existence relies on a potion administered by the doctor himself. But the case becomes more complicated, more unsettling than simply proving Mr Hyde's innocence - for Holmes and Watson unearth beastly transformations, a killer who moves unseen, a secret organisation and then find a traitor in their midst...
Grieving the loss of wife and mother, Aidan and Melangell visit the renowned spiritual retreat center on the British island of Lindisfarne so Aidan can share with bright eight-year-old Melangell one of the places that inspired Jenny to write her books. There they meet up with Jenny's friend Lucy, a Methodist minister, who is teaching a course on the local Northumbrian saints. Lucy has brought Rachel, a troubled teenager, to the Holy Island in hopes that the remoteness and peace of the location will help her. But when Rachel is found dead on the beach, everyone on the island is under suspicion. As investigators and Rachel's "friends" come to the island, Aidan and Lucy learn more about Rachel, and Lucy's past as a policewoman is revealed. And so Aidan is drawn into his second mystery. Masterfully told by award-winning author Fay Sampson, Death on Lindisfarne explores the complicated motivations of fallen people against the backdrop of ancient holiness.
The spellbinding SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER and RICHARD AND JUDY BOOKCLUB PICK about old family secrets 'A captivating mystery: beautifully written, with a rich sense of place, a cast of memorable characters, and lots of deep, dark secrets' Kate Morton, bestselling author of The Clockmaker's Daughter 'Absolutely her best yet' Lisa Jewell, bestselling author of The Family Upstairs 'A wonderful, romantic, compelling mystery. Eve Chase has something of the poet in her: her descriptions of a remote manor house nestling in an ancient forest are worth reading for themselves, but the plotline of The Glass House is utterly absorbing in its own right. We loved it' Richard and Judy Book Club 'The Glass House is not really about a murder, or a creepy house, but about families - the ones we're born into, the ones we make and especially the ones we flee' New York Times _______ The truth can shatter everything . . . When the Harrington family discovers an abandoned baby deep in the shady woods, they decide to keep her a secret and raise her as their own. But within days a body is found in the grounds of their house and their perfect new family implodes. Years later, Sylvie, seeking answers to nagging questions about her life, is drawn into the wild beautiful woods where nothing is quite what it seems. Will she unearth the truth? And dare she reveal it? _______ 'I adored this beautifully-written, riveting mystery' Rosie Walsh, bestselling author of The Man Who Didn't Call 'So beautifully and insightfully written, with characters I grew to love. A compelling, moving story that kept me turning the pages right to the very last' Katherine Webb, author of The Legacy Praise for Eve Chase 'Enthralling' Kate Morton 'Simply stunning' Dinah Jefferies 'The most beautiful book you will read this year' Lisa Jewell 'Filled with intrigue' Clare Mackintosh 'Exquisite and evocative' Sarah Vaughan
Amongst the scholars, secrets and soporifics of Victorian Oxford, the truth can be a bitter pill to swallow...Jesus College, Oxford, 1881. An undergraduate is found dead at his lodgings and the medical examination reveals some shocking findings. When the young man's guardian blames the college for his death and threatens a scandal, Basil Rice, a Jesus college fellow with a secret to hide, is forced to act and finds himself drawn into Sidney Parker's sad life. The mystery soon attracts the attention of Rhiannon 'Non' Vaughan, a young Welsh polymath and one of the young women newly admitted to university lectures. But when neither the college principal nor the powerful ladies behind Oxford's new female halls will allow her to become involved, Non's fierce intelligence and determination to prove herself drive her on. Both misfits at the university, Non and Basil form an unlikely partnership, and it soon falls to them to investigate the mysterious circumstances of Parker's death. But between the corporate malfeasance and the medical quacks, they soon find the dreaming spires of Oxford are not quite what they seem... An intriguing first installment of The Oxford Mysteries series by master crime writer, Alis Hawkins. Perfect for fans of Laura Shepherd-Robinson, Sarah Waters and Kaite Welsh. Praise for A Bitter Remedy 'Fearlessly tackles taboo attitudes of the era, taking aim at misogyny, homophobia, and sexual politics. An excellent addition to the historical mystery canon. Marvellous!' Vaseem Khan, author of Midnight at Malabar House 'A Bitter Remedy is a perfect tonic for our times.' S. G. MacLean 'Absolutely brilliant! Thoughtful, complex and engrossing' Chris Lloyd, author of The Unwanted Dead 'A superb atmospheric mystery to the last page' Rachel Lynch, author of Dark Game
These are stories of the sort loved by true fans of the greatest of all detectives, in which a client tells Holmes a strange tale, drawing him into a baffling mystery. Whether in fogbound London or deep in the English countryside, these action-packed stories, set during the 1880s and early 1890s, before Holmes's disappearance at the Reichenbach Falls, faithfully recreate the atmosphere of Conan Doyle's early Holmes stories. This wonderful anthology brings together the best work of Denis O. Smith, much admired for his new Sherlock Holmes stories, including 'A Hair's Breadth', 'The Adventure of the Smiling Face' and 'An Incident in Society'. Ten of these stories have never previously been published in book form. |
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