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Books > Fiction > Genre fiction > Crime & mystery > Historical mysteries
Holmes and Watson Return in These New Sherlock Holmes Stories "Sometimes a brief zap of great writing is just what you're in the mood for or have time for. That's when anthologies like his are ideal....intellectually outstanding."-New York Journal of Books Recognized as "the best short mystery and crime fiction of the year" by Leonard Carpenter, Maxim Jakubowski presents a collection of never before seen fiction short stories from some of the best mystery and thriller writers today. Your favorite sleuths return. An icon of detective fiction, readers have come across Sherlock Holmes and his mythical stories of crime and adventure for generations. In this new short story anthology, literature reunites with the beloved British detective, his powers of deduction, and his unerring quest for the truth. A cornucopia of British detectives, dark deeds, and derring-do. Collected by one of the genre's eminent editors, The Book of Extraordinary New Sherlock Holmes Stories features the timeless detective alongside favorite Sherlock Holmes characters, like Moriarty, Holmes, and Watson. Bringing together some of the most renowned American and British authors of crime today, this bumper volume of short stories for adults features: Jon Courtenay Grimwood Lavie Tidhar David Stuart Davies John Grant Rose Biggins David N.Smith O'Neil De Noux Rhys Hughes Catherine Lundoff Mark Mower Matthew Booth Martin Daley Jan Edwards Ashley Lister Keith Brooke Naching T.Kassa Phillip Vine Bev Vincent Keith Moray and Nick Sweet If you're looking for British historical mysteries, detective mystery books, or anthology bookss-or enjoy Anthony Horrowitz novels The Complete Sherlock Holmes or The Best American Mystery Stories 2019-then you'll love The Book of Extraordinary New Sherlock Holmes Stories.
The Silent House (1899) is a mystery novel by Fergus Hume. Although not as successful as The Mystery of a Hansom Cab (1886), an immediate bestseller for Hume, The Silent House is a gripping novel with an atmospheric intensity and tightly wound mystery worthy of the best of Victorian fiction. From an author whose work inspired Arthur Conan Doyle, The Silent House is a story of murder with a haunting, original conclusion. At twenty-five, Lucian Denzil is at the very beginning of his career as a barrister. Settling into a serious life, he rents a modest home in Pimlico on Geneva Square. Although he endeavors to focus and live only for his work, Lucian cannot help but notice the stories told by neighbors and servants about No. 13, a home near his own on the square. Decades prior to his settling in Pimlico, No. 13, now known as "the silent house," was the site of a gruesome murder. Over the years, it had gone unoccupied and fallen into general disrepair. In 1895, a quiet, reclusive man named Mark Berwin moved into the home, where he lived alone, and to which he could not infrequently be seen returning in the dead of night in a drunken, disturbed state. One night, while walking through Geneva Square to his own home, Lucian encounters Berwin who, intoxicated and confused, requires the young man's assistance. Helping the older gentleman make his way to No. 13, Lucian feels a growing unease, a sense of something that will lead him not only to the heart of a local mystery, but into the depths of the silent house itself. With a beautifully designed cover and professionally typeset manuscript, this edition of Fergus Hume's The Silent House is a classic of English mystery and detective fiction reimagined for modern readers.
Miss Mephistopheles (1890) is a mystery novel by Fergus Hume. Although not as successful as The Mystery of a Hansom Cab (1886), an immediate bestseller for Hume, Miss Mephistopheles is a gripping novel with forbidden romance and a tightly wound mystery worthy of the best of Victorian fiction. A sequel to Madame Midas (1888), a story of fortune and loss set in the shadow of Australia's nineteenth century gold rush, Miss Mephistopheles examines the solidarity between women abused and abandoned by men. Having lost her family fortune to a deceitful husband, Mrs. Villiers flees to Ballarat, where she turns her attention to managing her father's mine. Known to the local people as Madame Midas, she maintains a hard exterior in order not only to hide the truth of her past, but to guard herself from the cruelty of men. There, she rescues a young girl named Kitty Marchurst, a preacher's daughter misled by a wicked ex-convict. Raising her daughter Meg, Marchurst becomes a star in the Melbourne burlesque scene, acquiring wealth and fame beyond her wildest dreams. When her beloved diamonds are stolen, however, her world-and the city itself-threaten to come crashing down. Enmeshed in this mystery are an American insurance agent and Mrs. Villiers' estranged husband, shadowy figures who move in and out of respectable society looking for vulnerable marks. Miss Mephistopheles is a tale of violence and greed set in a country built on wealth gathered too quickly to last. With a beautifully designed cover and professionally typeset manuscript, this edition of Fergus Hume's Miss Mephistopheles is a classic of Australian mystery and detective fiction reimagined for modern readers.
Paul Ferroll (1855) is a novel by Caroline Clive. Published to widespread critical and commercial acclaim, Paul Ferroll gained comparisons to Jane Eyre and predated the rise of popular detective fiction, but has since been largely forgotten. A captivating novel of Victorian social conventions with elements of Gothic horror, Paul Ferroll is an underrecognized work of literature that remains both entertaining and ultimately open ended. Paul Ferroll, a respected English magistrate, lives with his loving wife and young daughter at their comfortable country estate. When Ferroll's wife is found murdered in her bed, the family's idyllic image is disrupted forever. Although a servant is quickly arrested for the crime, a lack of evidence leads to his subsequent acquittal, raising questions about Ferroll's increasingly reclusive behavior. Despite remarrying, Ferroll clearly harbors a dark secret. He turns away from friends and neighbors, forcing his daughter to raise herself. While an outbreak of cholera devastates the local village, Ferroll, a formerly generous public servant, turns a blind eye to their suffering. As acquaintances speculate, unsure if Ferroll remains in mourning or if his change of heart signals something much darker, his home becomes haunted with ghosts of the living. Building slowly toward its unbearable conclusion, Paul Ferroll investigates the motives that lead to murder, illuminating the condition of the male psyche with expert precision. With a beautifully designed cover and professionally typeset manuscript, this edition of Caroline Clive's Paul Ferroll is a classic of English literature reimagined for modern readers.
The Dead Secret (1856) is a novel by Wilkie Collins. Written in the aftermath of Antonina (1850), his successful debut, The Dead Secret finds the author honing the trademark sense of mystery and psychological unease that would make him a household name around the world. Recognized as an important Victorian novelist and pioneer of detective fiction, Wilkie Collins was a writer with a gift for thoughtful entertainment, stories written for a popular audience that continue to resonate with scholars and readers today. Born in Porthgenna Tower, Rosamond Treverton is a child of secrecy. Her birthmother, Sarah Leeson, became pregnant after an affair with a local miner. Unable to raise her daughter, she allowed her to be adopted by Mrs. Treverton, the lady of the Tower, herself unable to bear children. Sworn to silence, Sarah leaves a hidden note in a room at Porthgenna before disappearing into the night. Years later, the Tower has been inherited by Rosamond, who continues to live there with her husband Leonard Frankland. When she becomes pregnant, a strange nurse arrives to take care of her and soon reveals the secret of her birth, threatening Rosamond's control of Porthgenna Tower and the Treverton family fortune. Beyond its sensational plot, The Dead Secret is a masterpiece of Gothic suspense and mystery for seasoned readers of Victorian fiction and newcomers alike. With a beautifully designed cover and professionally typeset manuscript, this edition of Wilkie Collins' The Dead Secret is a classic work of English literature reimagined for modern readers.
Hide and Seek (1854) is a novel by Wilkie Collins. Written in the aftermath of Antonina (1850), his successful debut, Hide and Seek finds the author honing the trademark sense of mystery and psychological unease that would make him a household name around the world. Recognized as an important Victorian novelist and pioneer of detective fiction, Wilkie Collins was a writer with a gift for thoughtful entertainment, stories written for a popular audience that continue to resonate with scholars and readers today. Mary Grice, a young woman of wealth and social standing, becomes pregnant after a brief affair with a man calling himself Arthur Carr. Banished from her home, she dies during childbirth in the care of a group of circus performers, who adopt the baby as their own. Raised by Martha Peckover, the wife of a clown, young Mary is exploited by the circus owner following an accident with a horse, which leaves her deaf and mute. In order to save her, Martha brings Mary to a minister, who ensures she is adopted into a good home. Taken in by the Blyth family, Mary becomes known as Madonna for her beauty and grace, and soon catches the eye of Zack Thorpe. As the story unfolds, a mystery involving Mary's father begins to take shape, with implications for her blossoming romance with Zack. Beyond its sensational plot, Hide and Seek is a masterpiece of Gothic suspense and mystery for seasoned readers of Victorian fiction and newcomers alike. With a beautifully designed cover and professionally typeset manuscript, this edition of Wilkie Collins' Hide and Seek is a classic work of English literature reimagined for modern readers.
The House by the Church-Yard (1863) is a novel by Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu. An important source for James Joyce's Finnegans Wake, The House by the Church-Yard is a hybrid of the mystery and historical genres of fiction. With its complex use of side plots and extensive frame narrative, the novel is central to Le Fanu's legacy as an innovator whose literary works inspired Bram Stoker and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. During a routine interment at a churchyard in the historic village of Chapelizod, a grave is disturbed revealing a skull buried a century earlier. Upon examination, a gruesome discovery is made-not only does the skull show signs of severe head trauma, it contains a hole from an emergency trepanning procedure. Stirred by the discovery, an old man named Charles de Cresseron pieces together the story of a time the village had nearly forgotten. In the eighteenth century, a coffin was secretly buried in the churchyard, with no defining characteristics except for the initials "R.D." As the story unfolds, it becomes clear that this burial is somehow related to a series of mysterious events-a love triangle between a general's daughter, a local official, and a man who has taken residence in a home rumored to be haunted; the suicide of a disgraced prisoner; and a rivalry between a deeply indebted doctor and the agent of a local lord whose home has been infiltrated by a dubious imposter. As these plots swirl and converge, The House by the Church-Yard emerges as a masterpiece of suspense, a thriller that delights its reader just as much as it demands their attention. With a beautifully designed cover and professionally typeset manuscript, this edition of Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu's The House by the Church-Yard is a classic of Irish literature reimagined for modern readers.
A young apprentice is framed for the murder of her mentor, a wealthy woman who had a serious penchant for spiritualism, theatrics and staged seances. When the woman is suddenly killed all signs point to her longstanding partner. Madame Dauvray was captivated by the supernatural world. She and her companion, Celia Harland, would often engage the public as spiritual mediums. Yet, their presentations were a farce fueled by trickery and performance. One day, Madame Dauvray is found strangled to death at the illustrious Villa Rose. Her maid is indisposed, and her jewels are stolen. Due to proximity and the nature of their business, Celia is made the prime suspect. In an effort to clear her name, the young Englishman, Harry Wethermill asks Inspector Hanaud to crack the case. At the Villa Rose is a thrilling detective story full of misdirects and shocking twists. The beloved character, Inspector Hanaud, makes a memorable debut in the first of six novels. With an eye-catching new cover, and professionally typeset manuscript, this edition of At the Villa Rose is both modern and readable.
Hide and Seek (1854) is a novel by Wilkie Collins. Written in the aftermath of Antonina (1850), his successful debut, Hide and Seek finds the author honing the trademark sense of mystery and psychological unease that would make him a household name around the world. Recognized as an important Victorian novelist and pioneer of detective fiction, Wilkie Collins was a writer with a gift for thoughtful entertainment, stories written for a popular audience that continue to resonate with scholars and readers today. Mary Grice, a young woman of wealth and social standing, becomes pregnant after a brief affair with a man calling himself Arthur Carr. Banished from her home, she dies during childbirth in the care of a group of circus performers, who adopt the baby as their own. Raised by Martha Peckover, the wife of a clown, young Mary is exploited by the circus owner following an accident with a horse, which leaves her deaf and mute. In order to save her, Martha brings Mary to a minister, who ensures she is adopted into a good home. Taken in by the Blyth family, Mary becomes known as Madonna for her beauty and grace, and soon catches the eye of Zack Thorpe. As the story unfolds, a mystery involving Mary's father begins to take shape, with implications for her blossoming romance with Zack. Beyond its sensational plot, Hide and Seek is a masterpiece of Gothic suspense and mystery for seasoned readers of Victorian fiction and newcomers alike. With a beautifully designed cover and professionally typeset manuscript, this edition of Wilkie Collins' Hide and Seek is a classic work of English literature reimagined for modern readers.
At a local tea shop, a lady journalist encounters a brilliant detective who's able to decode and solve some of the city's most complicated crimes. This is a thrilling narrative that hinges on the unique dynamic between its two protagonists. Polly Burton is a young journalist who stumbles across an elderly man at a London tea shop. She soon discovers his peculiar personality and dazzling intellect. Through a series of conversations, they discuss the city's most infamous criminal cases. With superior deductive skills, the old man's able to solve each mystery without leaving the comfort of his chair. Some of the stories featured in this vibrant collection include "The Theft at the English Provident Bank," "The Fenchurch Street Mystery" and " The Regent's Park Murder." The Old Man in the Corner is Baroness Orczy's take on the detective genre, which highlights a quirky and unexpected hero. Fans of Sherlock Holmes will adore these clever stories led by the surprisingly perceptive sleuth. With an eye-catching new cover, and professionally typeset manuscript, this edition of The Old Man in the Corner is both modern and readable.
The recently married Valeria Brinton uncovers an unsettling truth about her new husband, including a false identity and the potential murder of his first wife. Valeria is determined to solve the mystery of her husband's previous marriage and presumed guilt. Shortly after her wedding, Valeria Brinton learns her husband, Eustace Woodville, has been living a lie. His real name is Eustace Macallan and he was previously accused of murdering his first wife. Although he wasn't convicted, the Scottish verdict "not proven" left plenty of room for speculation. Yet, Valeria is committed to her husband and believes he's innocent. Despite the naysayers, she embarks on a journey to find the truth, clearing Eustace's name once and for all. The Law and the Lady is one of Wilkie Collins classic detective novels. It's a timeless tale of perseverance despite the looming judgement of nineteenth century society. The protagonist's unwavering faith and inquisitive nature makes for a compelling read that captivates one's spirit and imagination. With an eye-catching new cover, and professionally typeset manuscript, this edition of The Law and the Lady is both modern and readable.
A maritime mystery from Edward Marston, author of the bestselling Railway Detective series. September 1907. George Dillman sets sail from Liverpool to New York on the Lusitania's maiden voyage. Posing as a passenger, Dillman is in fact an undercover detective hired by the Cunard Line to keep an eye out for petty crimes. But after some uneventful days aboard, the ship's blueprints are stolen and then a body is found. As Dillman works to get to the bottom of the crimes, he makes an unusual friend, first-class passenger Genevieve Masefield, and the two uncover secrets aboard the ship that prove explosive. The Lusitania was a British ocean liner that was sunk in 1915 by a German U-boat off the coast of Ireland, killing 1,198 passengers and crew. Lusitania held the Blue Riband prize for the fastest Atlantic crossing and was briefly the world's largest passenger ship until the completion of the Mauretania. Previously published under the name Conrad Allen, the Ocean Liner series is relaunched for a new generation of readers.
An intensely gripping story of two extraordinary families from bestseller Teresa Crane1929: Siobhan Clough and her three children are enjoying a holiday on the English coast. With them is Mary McCarthy and her volatile son, Liam. All is well until the arrival of Siobhan's husband George. A man of strong views and even stronger temper, he browbeats his gentle wife, belittles his daughter Christine and treats Liam like a servant... A year later, on a visit to Ireland, Liam unexpectedly comes face to face with the father he has never known. Liam wants nothing to do with him, but when George Clough throws him out, he has little choice but to enter his father's dangerous world of Irish politics... As the Clough children grow up they each react to their domineering father in different ways, and his daughter Christine finds herself attracted to the man her father would disapprove of above all others, the wild card Liam McCarthy... Perfect for fans of Emily Gunnis, Fiona Valpy and Santa Montefiore, The Wild Card is an intensely gripping and unforgettable read.
'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.
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?
October, 1940. Bombs are falling on Stratford when air-raid warden Sylvia Parks sees a house with a light shining like a beacon to the enemy aircraft overhead, violating the strict blackout regulations. With no answer at the door she manages to break in, only to discover the body of a young woman - and she's been strangled with a stocking. For Detective Inspector John Jago, the scene brings back memories of the gruesome Soho Strangler, who murdered four women in the mid-1930s but has never been caught. Is there a connection? As the investigation develops, it leads him into a web of family jealousies, violence, robbery and the underworld of political terrorism.
A dazzling Dickensian thriller set in a Victorian underworld inspired by Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol. It's the Christmas season, and Tiny Tim is now grown up. No longer the pious child the world thought he was, he has just buried his father and is struggling to shed his financial ties to his benevolent 'Uncle' Ebenezer by losing himself in London's dark underbelly. He spends his nights dredging the Thames for dead bodies and the treasures contained in their pockets. One day he comes across a girl's body, branded with a mysterious 'G'. Then he finds another girl with a similar brand - but she is still alive. Determined to protect Philomela and get to the bottom of the mystery, Tim embarks on an astonishing adventure... 'With its linguistic razzle-dazzle, Mr. Timothy is a mock-Victorian tour de force - a chilling shocker that touches the heart and makes it race' Wall Street Journal
New York Times bestselling author James Lovegrove's continues the story of Sherlock Holmes and The Hound of the Baskervilles, as five years later, another monstrous creature stalks across Dartmoor... 1894. The monstrous Hound of the Baskervilles has been dead for five years, along with its no less monstrous owner, the naturalist Jack Stapleton. Sir Henry Baskerville is living contentedly at Baskerville Hall with his new wife Audrey and their three-year-old son Harry. Until, that is, Audrey's lifeless body is found on the moors, drained of blood. It would appear some fiendish creature is once more at large on Dartmoor and has, like its predecessor, targeted the unfortunate Baskerville family. Sherlock Holmes and Dr Watson are summoned to Sir Henry's aid, and our heroes must face a marauding beast that is the very stuff of nightmares. It seems that Stapleton may not have perished in the Great Grimpen Mire after all, as Holmes believed, and is hell-bent on revenge...
'Teeming with details of the Brontes, of the times and the city, this is such a pleasurable read' - NB Magazine 'Captivating' - Crime Monthly 'Filled with twists, turns and Gothic touches, and a strong feminist streak' - Bradford Telegraph The Bronte sisters' first poetry collection has just been published, potentially marking an end to their careers as amateur detectors, when Anne receives a letter from her former pupil Lydia Robinson. Lydia has eloped with a young actor, Harry Roxby, and following her disinheritance, the couple been living in poverty in London. Harry has become embroiled with a criminal gang and is in terrible danger after allegedly losing something very valuable that he was meant to deliver to their leader. The desperate and heavily pregnant Lydia has a week to return what her husband supposedly stole, or he will be killed. She knows there are few people who she can turn to in this time of need, but the sisters agree to help Lydia, beginning a race against time to save Harry's life. In doing so, our intrepid sisters come face to face with a terrifying adversary whom even the toughest of the slum-dwellers are afraid of . . . The Red Monarch. Praise for Bella Ellis and the series: 'Evocative and utterly enchanting' Sarah Hilary 'Bella Ellis is a very special talent' Angela Clarke 'Brilliantly entertaining and original' C.L. Taylor 'More heart-warming than blood-chilling' Sunday Express 'Ellis's writing flows beautifully' Yorkshire Magazine 'Elegant, witty and compulsively readable - I think the Bronte sisters would have been delighted' Rosie Walsh 'A breath-taking concept . . . Fun, charming and intriguing' Araminta Hall 'A delight' Wall Street Journal
If you love Lucinda Riley and Elizabeth Edmondson, you'll love this perfect summer read from the author of Islands of Secrets and Villa of Secrets. Sent away to a convent school in Dublin at the age of five, Irini McGuire has always had a strained and distant relationship with her mother, Bridget, a celebrated archaeologist who lives on the paradise island of Santorini. So, when Irini receives news that Bridget has been injured at a dig and is in a coma, she knows it is finally time to return to the island of her birth. Reading through her mother's notes at her bedside, Irini starts to realise how little she knows about Bridget's life. Now, driven by rumours that her mother's injury was no accident, Irini must uncover the dark secrets behind her family's separation. Will she discover the truth about her parents and her past before it is too late? What readers have said about Patricia Wilson's Islands of Secrets and Villa of Secrets: 'Island of Secrets is a book full of raw emotions, family vendettas, hidden secrets and three very strong women. It's a book I enjoyed very much and one which fans of Victoria Hislop and Debbie Rix are sure to enjoy' 'So well written and utterly heartbreaking . . . a story that needs to be told' 'Page-turning, enthralling and heartbreaking by turns' 'Made me laugh and cry, just couldn't put this book down' 'A perfect read' 'Heart-wrenching and heart-warming at the same time' 'What a thoroughly engrossing book' 'Written with such depth and understanding'
Introducing turn-of-the-century archaeologist-sleuth Margaret Murray in the first of a brilliant new historical mystery series. October, 1900. University College, London. When the spreadeagled body of one of her students is discovered in her rented room shortly after attending one of her lectures, Dr Margaret Murray is disinclined to accept the official verdict of suicide and determines to find out how and why the girl really died. As an archaeologist, Dr Murray is used to examining ancient remains, but she's never before had to investigate the circumstances surrounding a newly-dead corpse. However, of one thing Margaret is certain: if you want to know how and why a person died, you need to understand how they lived. And it soon becomes clear that the dead girl had been keeping a number of secrets. As Margaret uncovers evidence that Helen Richardson had knowledge of a truly extraordinary archaeological find, the body of a second young woman is discovered on a windswept Kent beach - and the case takes a disturbing new twist .
A gripping new thriller with a killer twist! Two bodies. Thirty years. And a secret that connects them both... 1990 A woman's body is found brutally murdered in the woods, and next to it, a shallow grave hiding a terrified young girl. 2021 When Mia and Rich move to an eco-village in Spain, they're looking for a new start. Val Verde is everything they wished for - at least to begin with. But when someone is murdered in an olive grove, Mia realises the village isn't the safe haven she was hoping for... There's a killer in the village - and they'll stop at nothing until they get revenge...
Jane Eyre meets Amy Dunne in this dark and twisted gothic thriller from the author of the Kitty Peck Mysteries. Many would find much to fear in Fyneshade's dark and crumbling corridors, its unseen master and silent servants. But not I. For they have far more to fear from me... On the day of her beloved grandmother's funeral, Marta discovers that she is to become governess to the young daughter of Sir William Pritchard. Separated from her lover and discarded by her family, Marta has no choice but to journey to Pritchard's ancient and crumbling house, Fyneshade, in the wilds of Derbyshire. All is not well at Fyneshade. Marta's pupil, little Grace, can be taught nothing, and Marta takes no comfort from the silent servants who will not meet her eye. More intriguing is that Sir William is mysteriously absent, and his son and heir Vaughan is forbidden to enter the house. Marta finds herself drawn to Vaughan, despite the warnings of the housekeeper that he is a danger to all around him. But Marta is no innocent to be preyed upon. Guided by the dark gift taught to her by her grandmother, she has made her own plans. And it will take more than a family riven by murderous secrets to stop her...
GET OUT. BEFORE THEY SAVE YOU. Early 1800s. Thomasina Trelora is on her way to the colonies. Her fate: to be married to a clergyman she's never met. As the Australian coastline comes into view a storm wrecks the ship and leaves her lying on the rocks, near death. She's saved by an Aboriginal man who carries her to the door of a grand European house, Willowbrae. Tom is now free to be whoever she wants to be and a whole new life opens up to her. But as she's drawn deeper into the intriguing life of this grand estate, she discovers that things aren't quite as they seem. She stumbles across a horrifying secret at the heart of this world of colonial decorum - and realises she may have exchanged one kind of prison for another. The Ripping Tree is an intense, sharp shiver of a novel, which brings to mind such diverse influences as The Turn of the Screw, Rebecca and the film Get Out as much as it evokes The Secret River. A powerful and gripping tale of survival written in Nikki Gemmell's signature lyrical and evocative prose, it examines the darkness at the heart of early colonisation. Unsettling, audacious, thrilling and unputdownable.
Pre order the next beautiful historical romance 'Good Taste' from Caroline Scott now. From the highly acclaimed author of The Photographer of the Lost, a BBC Radio 2 Book Club Pick, comes a tale of a young war widow and one life-changing, sun-drenched visit to Cornwall in the summer of 1923... 1923. Esme Nicholls is to spend the summer in Cornwall. Her late husband Alec, who died fighting in WWI, grew up in Penzance, and she's hoping to learn more about the man she loved and lost. While there, she will stay with Gilbert, in his rambling seaside house, where he lives with his former brothers in arms. Esme is nervous at first to be the only woman in this community of eccentric artists and former soldiers. But as she gets to know the men and their stories, she begins to feel this summer might be exactly what she needs. But everything is not as idyllic as it seems - a mysterious new arrival later in the summer will turn Esme's world upside down, and make her question everything she thought she knew about her life, and the people in it. Full of light, laughter and larger-than-life characters, The Visitors is a novel of one woman finally finding her voice and choosing her own path forwards. Praise for Caroline Scott: 'A page-turning literary gem about grief, loss and the impact of war on those left behind' The Times, Best Books of 2020 'A touching novel of love and loss' Sunday Times 'There's only one word for this novel... and that's epic... A beautifully written must-read' heat 'A gripping, devastating novel about the lost and the ones they left behind' Sarra Manning, RED 'Scott has done an amazing job of drawing on real stories to craft a powerful novel' Good Housekeeping 'A heartbreaking read... I highly recommend it' Anita Frank 'Breathtaking exploration of loss, love and precious memories' My Weekly, Pick of the Month 'Achingly moving and most beautifully written' Rachel Hore 'This beautiful book packs a huge emotional punch' Fabulous 'Drew me in from the first line and held me enthralled until the very end' Fiona Valpy 'Quietly devastating' Daily Mail 'A compulsive, heart-wrenching read' Liz Trenow 'Powerful' Woman & Home 'Page turning, mysterious, engrossing and compelling' Lorna Cook 'A carefully nuanced, complex story' Woman's Weekly 'Caroline Scott evokes the damage and desolation of the Great War with aching authenticity' Iona Grey 'Poignant' Best 'Momentous, revelatory and astonishing historical fiction!' Historical Novel Society 'Wonderful and evocative' Suzanne Goldring 'Based on true events, this is a powerful story' Bella 'Immersive, poignant, intricately woven' Judith Kinghorn 'An evocative read' heat 'The story left me breathless. Powerful, heartrending, and oh so tender' Kate Furnivall 'Tense and compelling' Lancashire Post 'Scott litters her tale with clues and red herrings in the best mystery-writer way so we are kept guessing as to where the truth really lies' The BookBag 'A poignant hymn to those who gave up their lives for their country and to those who were left behind' Fanny Blake, author of A Summer Reunion 'I was utterly captivated by this novel, which swept me away, broke my heart, then shone wonderful light through all the pieces' Isabelle Broom, author of One Winter Morning |
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