Best of
Historical-Mystery

2020

Murder in the Crypt


Irina Shapiro - 2020
    Suspicion instantly falls on the only stranger to arrive in the village of Birch Hill just before the crime took place, but the American captain proves to be an unexpected asset. A former soldier and a skilled surgeon, Jason Redmond is not only willing to assist Haze with the investigation but will risk his own safety to apprehend the killer. With no suspects, no motive, and few leads to follow, Redmond and Haze must solve the crime before one of them becomes the murderer’s next victim. Murder in the Crypt is the exciting first installment of this Victorian murder mystery series set in a quaint British village.

The Amulet


Ann Bennett - 2020
    They start to grow close, but war threatens to engulf Singapore and tear them apart. While delving into her grandmother’s past, Lara is forced to confront betrayal and brutality as she learns some disturbing truths about families and friendships…Praise for Ann Bennett'A vivid account of a brutal period, and a searing exploration of trauma, memory and loss..' The Lady Magazine.‘Have just discovered this writer … So descriptive of the Far East. Harrowing in parts but unputdownable! Best author I have read in a very long time.’ Amazon Reviewer.‘This was a story of love, passion and cruelty I could not put down ….’ Lizeanne Lloyd - Lost in a Good BookI raced through this book in just over twenty-four hours … I literally could not put it down.’ Bibliobeth – Goodreads.‘I really loved this haunting, powerful and beautiful novel.’ Amazon Reviewer

Above the Bay of Angels


Rhys Bowen - 2020
    In her final dying moments, she thrusts a letter into Bella’s hand. It’s an offer of employment in the kitchens of Buckingham Palace, and everything the budding young chef desperately wants: an escape from the constrictions of her life as a lowly servant. In the stranger’s stead, Bella can spread her wings.Arriving as Helen Barton from Yorkshire, she pursues her passion for creating culinary delights, served to the delighted Queen Victoria herself. Best of all, she’s been chosen to accompany the queen to Nice. What fortune! Until the threat of blackmail shadows Bella to the Riviera, and a member of the queen’s retinue falls ill and dies.Having prepared the royal guest’s last meal, Bella is suspected of the poisonous crime. An investigation is sure to follow. Her charade will be over. And her new life will come crashing down—if it doesn’t send her to the gallows.

The Last Passenger


Charles Finch - 2020
    Slumped in a first-class car at Paddington Station is the body of a young, handsome gentleman. He has no luggage, empty pockets, and no sign of violence upon his person - yet Lenox knows instantly that it's not a natural death.Pursuing the investigation against the wishes of Scotland Yard, the detective encounters every obstacle London in 1855 has to offer, from obstinate royalty to class prejudice to the intense grief of his closest friend. Written in Charles Finch's unmistakably warm, witty, and winning voice, The Last Passenger is a cunning and deeply satisfying conclusion to the journey begun in The Woman in the Water and The Vanishing Man.

Death at the Frost Fair: A Detective Lavender Short Story


Karen Charlton - 2020
    When the River Thames freezes over, thousands of people descend onto the ice to enjoy the Frost Fair, an exciting, frozen extravaganza.But Detective Stephen Lavender and his loyal constable, Ned Woods, are distracted from this carnival of colour and noise by the perplexing case of a missing man. Their investigation takes on a sinister and more dangerous twist when a body is found on the rapidly thawing ice beneath the arches of Blackfriars Bridge.Set against the thrilling backdrop of London’s last Frost Fair – which is also one of history’s darkest moments – this bone-chilling short story is a superb introduction to the Detective Lavender Mysteries and a bonus read for the half a million readers who already enjoy this series.

Blood of a Gladiator


Ashley Gardner - 2020
    The sharp-witted Cassia quickly lands him a post as a bodyguard, escorting a retired senator to Ostia.The trip soon turns deadly, as Leonidas and Cassia find themselves squarely in the middle of intrigue that reaches from the slums of the Subura to the Palatine Hill and the emperor Nero himself.Book 1 of the Leonidas the Gladiator Mysteries. Events in this book take place before the novella, Blood Debts.

The Case of the Canterfell Codicil


P.J. Fitzsimmons - 2020
    Not one but two locked-room mysteries later, Boisjoly’s pitting his wits and witticisms against a subversive butler, a senile footman, a single-minded detective-inspector, an irascible goat, and the eccentric conventions of the pastoral Sussex countryside to untangle a multi-layered mystery of secret bequests, ancient writs, love triangles, revenge, and a teasing twist in the final paragraph.

The Complete Inspector Crow Mystery #1-8


Roy Lewis - 2020
    She’d only just returned from an unexplained absence of months. Peter had already taken a new lover, but there’s no real proof he killed his wife. Can Inspector John Crow solve the case before anyone else dies?BOOK 2: ERROR OF JUDGMENTA young woman is found dead in college amid a student protest. It turns out she was the principal’s secretary and there was more to her than meets the eye. Who wanted her dead and why? And what does it have to do with the student revolt led by a charismatic firebrand from Iraq?BOOK 3: THE WOODS MURDERSchoolgirl Jenny Carson is brutally murdered in Kenton Wood. Then Charles Lendon is found skewered through the heart. He was a ruthless lawyer and a shameless womaniser. Jenny’s father blames him for her murder.BOOK 4: MURDER FOR MONEYGossip-mongering journalist Charlie Rutland is found brutally slain. In his line of work, he wasn’t short of enemies. DI Crow must interrogate a long list of suspects, from a homeless Yorkshireman to an ex-Gestapo officer. Then British spy services get involved. Can Crow crack the case before it’s taken out of his hands?BOOK 5: MURDER IN THE MINEA hunt for a missing dog leads to a gruesome discovery down a Welsh mineshaft. Not just the injured dog, but a valuable piece of jewellery and the decaying corpse of a woman. A surprising confession follows. But Inspector Crow is not convinced he has his man. Can he uncover the true killer, despite the many perplexing questions surrounding the case?BOOK 6: A COTSWOLDS MURDERCaravan park manager Chuck Lindop is found with his head caved in. The locals insist he was a lovable rogue. So who wanted him dead and why? As the investigation wears on, Inspector Crow uncovers shady dealings at the caravan park. Could Chuck himself have been involved?BOOK 7: A FOX HUNTING MURDEROne crisp autumn morning, the hunt is in full swing. But instead of a fox, they find their notorious opponent: dead in a bush. Inspector Crow uncovers a side to the victim that no one has seen before. But can he trust his instincts in a case where nothing is what it seems?BOOK 8: A DARTMOOR MURDERFred Norman is found dead in a pond near the mine where he worked. DI Crow is called in to investigate and finds a community divided. Many local activists oppose the mine. Suspicion soon falls on their womanizing leader, but Crow is aware that are many false trails and too many lies. Then he learns a secret about the victim that changes everything.

Death in Delft


Graham Brack - 2020
    Only one body. Where are the others?1671, Delft.Three young girls have been abducted from their homes. The body of one has been found in a shallow grave. The other two are still missing. The murder has shocked everyone is the peaceful city of Delft and the mayor is desperate to catch the perpetrator before panic can spread any further. With the bitterly cold January weather intensifying it is doubtful that the other two girls are still alive. But whoever took them is still at large. The mayor requests the help of Master Mercurius, a gifted cleric from a nearby university, and local artist Vermeer, who uses his skills to sketch the crime scenes. Can they find the missing girls before it’s too late? Will Mercurius be able to track down the killer?Or will more victims succumb to Death in Delft…? Death in Delft is the first historical murder investigation in the Master Mercurius Mystery series - atmospheric crime thrillers set in seventeenth-century Europe.

The Witching Pool: A Justice Belstrang Mystery (Justice Belstrang Mysteries Book 2)


John Pilkington - 2020
    The girl is said to have drowned herself, driven to madness by a local widow named Agnes Mason, who is arrested on a charge of witchcraft. If found guilty, she will hang at the next Assizes.But Justice Belstrang, shrewd ex-magistrate and sceptic, does not believe a word of it. And when Agnes’s family beg him to help, he finds himself caught up in an ever-darkening mystery.Another death follows: that of Susanna’s lover, a young shepherd. He too is reported to have drowned himself at the Witching Pool, unable to face life without his beloved. But from local woodsman Ned Berritt, Belstrang learns there’s more to it – and when Berritt too is found dead soon after, he becomes even more determined to uncover the truth.The mystery grows murkier, however, as Belstrang is pitted against his old rival Justice Standish.But Belstrang’s stubbornness and passion for justice drives him on. With the help of his friend and fellow-sceptic Doctor Boyd, he unravels the terrible crimes that have lain hidden behind the doors of the great manor of Ebbfield.Belstrang must confront and apprehend his suspect - and risk his own life in the attempt.Recommended for fans of Andrew Taylor, CJ Sansom and SJ Parris.John Pilkington was born in Preston, into one of the oldest Lancashire families. He writes historical fiction as well as drama which has been adapted for radio, theatre and tv. He is the author of the Thomas the Falconer Mystery series.

Legacy: A Justice Belstrang Mystery


John Pilkington - 2020
    He locates the youth in Bedlam asylum, silent and starving himself. When he tries to free Jessop, he is warned off the case by a politic lawyer, Anstis. Soon after, Belstrang finds himself drugged, robbed and falsely imprisoned.Once released Belstrang persists in his investigation, but he is thwarted at every turn: unseen forces are at work who seemingly want Thomas Jessop to die. When Belstrang confronts Anstis, even he turns up dead.The trail grows murkier by the hour, drawing Belstrang into the fear-ridden Catholic underworld - until he uncovers a plan with its roots in the Gunpowder Plot of more than a decade ago. Young Thomas, an embittered papist, was being used in a desperate scheme to mark the anniversary of the Plot. The scheme failed – and now the conspirators seem eager to cover up the whole business.But Belstrang’s a stubborn man. With the help of ex-soldier Daniel Oldrigg, he sticks doggedly to his purpose - and stumbles on the real causes of the Anniversary Plot, which stem from the very heart of a corrupt government.Belstrang must uncover the truth, or die trying.

Murder at the Manor


Catherine Coles - 2020
    However, it turns out to be anything but dull when his uncle, the Earl of Northmoor, is shockingly murdered!Evelyn must use all of her sleuthing knowledge, gained whilst she was a member of the Police force during the war, to find out who the murderer is before the bungling local police force decide the Earl was bumped off so Tommy could inherit his title.If you enjoy the glamour of bygone eras like 1920s Downton Abbey and gentle, cozy mysteries set in the English countryside then you will love this new series.

EO-N


Dave Mason - 2020
    On the heels of her mother’s illness and crushing death, she's pulled into a seventy-four year old mystery by a chance discovery on a Norwegian glacier. 1945: RCAF Squadron Leader Jack Barton flies combat missions over occupied Europe. Major Günther Graf, a war-weary and disillusioned Luftwaffe pilot, is trapped in the unspeakable horrors of Nazi Germany. Their paths, so different yet so similar, are connected by a young victim of appalling cruelty.A story of love and loss, cruelty and kindness, guilt and redemption, EO-N's sweeping narrative takes readers on a riveting journey—from the destruction and cruelty of war to the relentless pressures of contemporary corporate greed—weaving together five seemingly separate lives to remind us that individual actions matter and that courage comes in many forms.

Mystery at the Edge of Madness: A Severine DuNoir Historical Cozy Adventure


Beth Byers - 2020
    

Corpse Path Cottage


Margaret Scutt - 2020
    And before long, one of the village's residents, Laura Grey, is mysteriously shot dead nearby. Mark's life begins to unravel before he is able to help the police solve the mystery of Laura Grey's death, uncovering in the process a tale of intrigue, bigamy and blackmail, and bringing into the open many secrets of the residents of God's Blessing, including Mark himself.

Footprints in the Sand (The Lucy Lawrence Mysteries Book 2)


Pam Lecky - 2020
    Who will pay the ultimate price? Lucy Lawrence throws caution to the wind and embarks on a journey of self-discovery to the land of the pharaohs. Travelling to Cairo as the patron of the charming French Egyptologist, Armand Moreau, Lucy discovers an archaeological community plagued by professional rivalries and intrigue. It is soon apparent that the thriving black market in antiquities threatens Egypt’s precious heritage. When the Egyptian Museum is burgled, Lucy is determined to solve the case, much to the annoyance of the local inspector of police, and the alarm of Mary, her maid. But when an archaeologist is found murdered in the Great Pyramid, Lucy is catapulted into the resulting maelstrom. Can she keep her wits about her to avoid meeting a similar fate?

The Heathcliff Lennox Series: Books 1 - 2: (The Heathcliff Lennox Series Boxset Book 1)


Karen Baugh Menuhin - 2020
    Major Heathcliff Lennox, ex-WW1 war pilot, six feet 3 inches, unruly dark blond hair, age around 30 - named after the hero of Wuthering Heights by his romantically minded mother - much to his great annoyance. Murder at Melrose Court is the first book in the Heathcliff Lennox series. It's 1920 and Christmas is coming. Major Lennox finds a body on his doorstep - why on his doorstep? Was it to do with the Countess? Was it about the ruby necklace? Lennox goes to Melrose Court home to his uncle, Lord Melrose, to uncover the mystery. But then the murders begin and it snows and it all becomes very complicated.... The Black Cat Murders is the second book in the Heathcliff Lennox series. Who killed Sir Crispin Gibbons? A wedding invitation and news of mischief that could be murder, takes Lennox to the Earl of Bloxford's country pile. He soon finds himself in a world of purloined artworks, forgeries and a priceless Bloxford Beauty. But who are the Bloxford Beauties? And why are they the focal point around which swirls death?Lennox must confront life-long friends, unscrupulous artists and dealers to finally unravel a plot so complex that even his old adversary, Chief Inspector Swift of Scotland Yard, is befuddled.

A Thin Sharp Blade: An Edwardian Mystery


Fran Smith - 2020
    

HIDDEN


Linda Gillard - 2020
    A death. Hidden for a hundred years. The new novel from the author of Kindle bestseller THE MEMORY TREE “Lady, fiancé killed, will gladly marry officer totally blinded or otherwise incapacitated by the war.” In 1917 a sense of duty and a desire for a child lead celebrated artist Esme Howard to share her life and home – 16th-century Myddleton Mote – with Captain Guy Carlyle, an officer whose face and body have been ravaged by war. But Esme knows nothing of the ugliness that lurks within Guy’s tortured mind, as he re-lives the horrors of the trenches. As a child grows within her, Esme fears Guy’s wrath will be turned on them both. A prisoner in her own home, she paints like one possessed, trusting that one day someone will hear her silent cries for help. A century later, Miranda Norton inherits Myddleton Mote and its art collection from a father she never knew and decides to move on after the end of an unhappy marriage. Inviting her extended family to join her, Miranda sets about restoring the house and turning it into a thriving business. When the moat is drained for repairs, a skeleton emerges. Then someone from Miranda’s past returns to torment her and an appalling act of vandalism reveals the Mote’s dark secrets, hidden for a hundred years. Praise for HIDDEN "An ancient moated house, a shell-shocked war hero, a female artist caught between the desire to honour her husband's sacrifice and her own free spirit - the ingredients for a page-turning read. Linda Gillard always delivers." CLARE FLYNN, author of The Gamekeeper’s Wife and The Pearl of Penang. “A powerful and atmospheric dual-time story. The way the secrets of the past and the central mystery are resolved had me breathless. So original, quite unexpected, the pages turning faster and faster, the ending wholly satisfying… HIDDEN is story-telling at its very best. I loved every moment.” ANNE WILLIAMS, Being Anne book blog ~ Praise for Linda Gillard's other novels "The emotional power in these novels makes this reviewer reflect on how Charlotte and Emily Brontë might have written if they were living and writing now." NORTHWORDS NOW "STAR GAZING was a joy to read from the first page to the last... Romantic and quirky and beautifully written." www.lovereading.co.uk "HOUSE OF SILENCE is one of those books you'll put everything else on hold for." CORNFLOWER BOOKS blog EMOTIONAL GEOLOGY - "A love story filled with passion and paint-stripping honesty." HIGHLANDS & ISLANDS ARTS JOURNAL

Midnight at Malabar House


Vaseem Khan - 2020
    Six months after joining the force she remains India's first female police detective, mistrusted, sidelined and now consigned to the midnight shift.And so, when the phone rings to report the murder of prominent English diplomat Sir James Herriot, the country's most sensational case falls into her lap.As 1950 dawns and India prepares to become the world's largest republic, Persis, accompanied by Scotland Yard criminalist Archie Blackfinch, finds herself investigating a case that is becoming more political by the second. Navigating a country and society in turmoil, Persis, smart, stubborn and untested in the crucible of male hostility that surrounds her, must find a way to solve the murder - whatever the cost.

Black-Eyed Nick


Jack Murray - 2020
    Who is the demon stalking the streets of London? Lady Agatha takes matters in hand, ably supported by golf fanatic friend, Betty Stevens, former school hockey captain, ‘Sausage’ Gossage and Talleyrand, her unlucky-in-love Basset hound.

The Marchioness Who Tempted Fate


Hanna Hamilton - 2020
    The day she finds herself at the mercy of a peculiar Marquess, she realizes that trying to steal from a nobleman, was a very bad idea.When Percival Dandridge, Marquess of Northbury, apprehends a suspiciously feminine thief in his house, he decides to offer her a position in his kitchen. He never intended to fall in love with her.But when an attempt against his life is made, all clues point to her.Realizing she is being framed, she becomes a ghost, working to prove her innocence. A dagger, an old gold pouch, and a diligent constable are all she has to solve this mystery and uncover a string of old ones…

The Lost Letters of Playfair Street


Michelle Montebello - 2020
    A chest of clues.Come find me... I’ll be waiting…1929: On the night of her engagement to austere banker Floyd Clark, Charlotte Greene meets enigmatic Sydney Harbour Bridge engineer, Alexander Young. Their encounter is brief, but their attraction instant.During a second-chance meeting, Alex invites Charlotte to play a game with him, one of daring clues and secret meeting places. She accepts and they embark on a thrilling lover’s chase across the city.But with her arranged marriage to Floyd looming, will she have the strength to let Alex go?Present Day: Paige Westwood is helping her boss establish a publishing company in his newly-purchased Playfair Street house in The Rocks, Sydney. In the attic, she discovers a chest of old clues that lead the reader on a journey across the city. Paige contacts the former owner, Ryan Greene, who explains the clues belonged to his great-aunt Charlotte, who once lived in the house, but who mysteriously disappeared in 1929.Together, they follow Charlotte and Alex’s clues to unravel a fascinating tale of lies and intrigue, of two lovers bound by hope, but also by deceit. Can they solve the mystery of Charlotte’s disappearance or has all hope been lost to the past?

A Death of Innocence


David Penny - 2020
    Together they uncover a web of deceit and lies to reveal the sad truth behind the murder.Meanwhile, another kind of death has come to Lemster—one that cannot be solved by reason alone.A Death of Innocence is the first of three prequels relating the story of how Thomas Berrington leaves England to begin his travels to Moorish al-Andalus.

A Hanging at Dawn


Charles Todd - 2020
    The two formed an inseparable bond on the dangerous Northwest Frontier where her father’s Regiment held the Khyber Pass against all intruders. It was Simon who taught Bess to ride and shoot, escorted her to the bazaars and the Maharani’s Palace, and did his best to keep her out of trouble, after the Crawford family took an interest in the tall, angry boy with a mysterious past.But the Crawfords have long guarded secrets for Simon and he owes them a debt that runs deeper than Bess could ever know. Told through the eyes of Melinda, Richard, Clarissa, and Bess, A Hanging at Dawn pieces together a mystery at the center of Bess’s family that will irrevocably change the course of her future.

The Dead of Winter


S.J. Parris - 2020
    . . Naples, 1566. During a sweltering summer, eighteen-year-old Giordano Bruno takes his final vows at San Domenico Maggiore and is admitted to the Dominican Order—despite doubts over his tendency to ask difficult questions. Assisting in the infirmary, Bruno witnesses an illicit autopsy performed on the body of a young woman. Her corpse reveals a dark secret, and Bruno suspects that hers may not have been an accidental death. His investigation leads him to a powerful figure who wants to keep the truth buried—and Bruno is forced to make a choice between his future in the Order, and justice for an innocent victim and her grieving family . . .

The Case of the Mysterious Madam


Elise M. Stone - 2020
    Scandal. Can one man’s troubled conscience save an innocent woman from a terrible fate? 1894, Whitby, Massachusetts. Hard-working attorney Titus Strong's last win left him riddled with guilt. Fleeing the shame of freeing a murderer, he retreats to a seaside community notorious for gambling, booze, and bawdy houses. But befriending the town madam becomes his newest controversy when she’s accused of murder.With the scarlet woman slammed behind bars, Titus is convinced she didn’t pull the trigger and sets about clearing her name. But between shipwrecks, hidden loot, and blackmail in the village, the persistent lawyer finds himself on the wrong end of something far more dangerous than a smoking gun.Can Titus redeem himself and free a blameless woman before she’s sentenced to death?The Case of the Mysterious Madam is the atmospheric first book in the Shipwreck Point historical mysteries series. If you like tormented heroes, small-town scandals, and complex twists and turns, then you’ll love Elise M. Stone’s tale of redemption.Buy The Case of the Mysterious Madam to crack open a treasure chest of truth today!

Mrs. O'Malley's Midnight Mystery


M. Louisa Locke - 2020
    O’Malley, especially when you have seven children and are forced to live in one of the crowded neighborhoods South of Market. Late one night, as she sat at the window of her crowded flat, sewing and worrying, she noticed something strange going on across the street. Her decision to investigate will have unexpected consequences. Mrs. O’Malley’s Midnight Mystery is a short story in the Victorian San Francisco Mystery series, and it comes right after the short story, Dandy’s Discovery, and before Lethal Remedies, the seventh novel in the series.

Death of a Flapper


Nancy Warren - 2020
    When the dowdy reporter is sent to interview a famous fashion designer she wonders if she’s made a terrible mistake. But Abby finds herself in the middle of a hard news story when her despised stepmother is murdered in the couture house. Even worse, Inspector Henri Deschamps believes she’s the prime suspect.With only high school French to defend herself, Abby’s in despair until a chance meeting with young reporter Ernest Hemingway convinces her to use her skills and clear her name by finding the real murderer.With help from new friends like Hemingway and Coco Chanel, Abby is transformed into a Parisian sensation. Can she enjoy her new bobbed hairstyle before losing her head? Because the French still punish murderers with the guillotine…

Murder on the Flying Scotsman


Jessica Baker - 2020
    Accompanied by only her maid, Molly, she thinks she’s in for another long, dull trip aboard the Flying Scotsman.The last thing she expects to find as they departed from London is a body in her compartment. Despite Molly being accused of the murder, Thea knows her maid is innocent. Aided by a young Scotland Yard inspector and an American heiress, Thea uses the detective skills she learned from reading Sherlock Holmes to track down the real murderer, but will she find them before they can strike again?

The Hidden Hand of Death


Lawrence J. Epstein - 2020
    The war with Germany has just begun. Jack Ryder, who calls himself a fixer rather than a detective, wanders the darkest nights to his office in a back booth at an all-night diner. Ryder is famous for killing members of the mob who have crossed their bosses by hurting innocent people. Ryder also helps ordinary people in trouble.An enemy—a homicide detective—comes to hire Ryder to find the detective’s missing sister. Ryder also gets involved in going up against some Nazis in New York and saving a woman on the run from gangsters.

The Sherlock Holmes Box Set


Paul D. Gilbert - 2020
    “Stay out of the affairs of my people,” he warns. “Or face the consequences.” Elsewhere, Cardinal Tosca is slain and robbed of an ancient scroll. What secrets does it hold? And do they run too deep for even the world’s most famous detective to unravel?BOOK 2: SHERLOCK HOLMES: THE FOUR-HANDED GAMEA tormented translator, an assaulted actress, a murder with the hallmarks of Jack the Ripper. Holmes finds himself faced with an unprecedented spate of cases. Yet these crimes are the work of a single deadly adversary. Has London’s most celebrated sleuth finally met his match?BOOK 3: THE ILLUMINATION OF SHERLOCK HOLMESHolmes and Watson journey to Bavaria, through icy mountains and secluded castles, in hot pursuit of their quarry. But their man eludes them. And the duo must return to London, knowing that an old adversary awaits them craving deadly revenge on Holmes. Just how far will they be willing to go to get it?THE LOST FILES OF SHERLOCK HOLMES SERIESBOOK 4: THE LOST FILES OF SHERLOCK HOLMESDr John Watson reopens his tin box of chronicles, offering up seven exhilarating new accounts of Holmes’s extraordinary skills. What is the connection between murderous attacks on a colonel’s wife and the Legend of King Arthur? Why is a disgraced ship captain stalking his neighbour? Who stole the statue of The Dying Gaul? Find the answers in this gripping compendium of adventure stories.BOOK 5: THE CHRONICLES OF SHERLOCK HOLMESDelving into the depths of his memory, Watson reveals a collection of never-before-penned cases brought before the great Sherlock Holmes. Join the beloved British detective, as he is pitted against a selection of seven truly ingenious puzzles.BOOK 6: THE ANNALS OF SHERLOCK HOLMESIn this gratifyingly perplexing anthology, Watson finally discloses the details of mysteries tantalizingly alluded to but never before unravelled. Is a mother really speaking with her drowned daughter from beyond the grave? What connects a politician, a lighthouse and a trained cormorant? Why is the depth to which the parsley has sunk into the butter dish so vital a clue?

Poison at Pemberton Hall: the first Vita Carew historical mystery (Vita Carew mysteries Book 1)


Fran Smith - 2020
    

The Coded Blue Envelope: A Sherlock Holmes and Lucy James Mystery


Anna Elliott - 2020
    

Murderess of Bayou Rosa


Ramona DeFelice Long - 2020
    

The Pardoner's Crime


Keith Moray - 2020
    M. Powell, Karen Maitland and S J Parris. All is not as it seems… 1322, Yorkshire, England Sir Richard Lee, Sergeant-at-Law, has been sent to Sandal Castle by King Edward II to preside over the court of the Manor of Wakefield. On the way, he is threatened with his life when he comes across the outlaw Robin Hood. The Hood lets Sir Richard pass, but before long a man is found murdered – with an arrow through his eye. With the vicious murder and a brutal rape to be investigated, Sir Richard must make his mark and solve the mysteries. But with the current authority against him, and Robin Hood on his trail, it may not be as easy as it first appears… THE PARDONER’S CRIME is the first book in the Sandal Castle Medieval Thriller series: historical murder mysteries set in Yorkshire. ‘anybody who enjoys a pacy story ought to find plenty to praise’ - My Shelf Blog

John Pickett Mysteries 1-5 Box Set: Clever and humorous Regency mystery series


Sheri Cobb South - 2020
    

The Head In The Ice: A Bowman Of The Yard Investigation


Richard James - 2020
    

Absence of Mercy


S.M. Goodwin - 2020
    M. Goodwin's debut novel, a sure hit for fans of Will Thomas and C. S. Harris.Jasper Lightner is a decorated Crimean War hero and the most admired Inspector in London's Metropolitan Police. Along with a chest full of medals, he's got a head injury that's left large chunks of his memory missing. But Jasper's biggest problem is his father, the Duke of Kersey, who, enraged by a series of front-page newspaper stories extolling Jasper's exploits, decides he's had enough of the embarrassment and uses his political connections to keep his son out of the headlines--and off the police force.Jasper is sent packing to New York City on a year-long assignment to train detectives, and discovers a police department hovering on the brink of armed conflict. Assigned to investigate the murder of philanthropist and reformer Stephen Finch, Jasper joins forces with a man who might be even more of an outsider than he is: Hieronymus Law, a detective who had investigated two almost identical killings--and who is rumored to have taken money to help frame an innocent woman for murder.Law is bent on restoring his good name. But can Jasper trust Hy enough to bring him into the investigation? As the city devolves into madness and law enforcement falls into the hands of dangerous gangs, this unlikely team has no choice but to work together to pursue an adversary more sinister than either has faced alone.

The Casebook of Inspector Blackstone: Part Two (A Blackstone Box Set 2)


Sally Spencer - 2020
    

Of Darkness and Light


Heidi Eljarbo - 2020
    Soli Hansen’s passion for art history is and always has been a way of life for her. While she spends her days working in an art shop, WWII is taking its toll on everyone. Apprehensive of the consequences, Soli avoids becoming entangled in the war resistance efforts. She closes her eyes in hopes the enemy will retreat and leave her beautiful country for good.But when a woman is found dead in the alley alongside the art shop and a painting from the last auction goes missing, Soli is thrown into the thickest of the fray involving both Nazi art theft and the Norwegian resistance.Once Soli finds her courage, there’s no turning back. Her personal life is turned upside-down with danger, lies, spying, and an incredible discovery.

A Dangerous Goodbye


Fliss Chester - 2020
    While war rages in Europe, Fenella Churche is doing her bit in the green fields of England. But when she finds a letter addressed to her on the scrubbed farmhouse table, she knows the news won’t be good. She hasn’t heard from her fiancé Arthur since he was posted to France on a dangerous undercover mission, and from his very first words she knows he may not be coming back.I fear this may be my last letter to you, my darling, Arthur writes. Fen won’t give up hope and calls the war office, wanting to know if Arthur is still alive; they refuse to tell her anything. Searching for answers, she returns to his letter, but parts of it just don’t make sense. Through her tears Fen realises that her darling Arthur is giving her all the clues she needs to find out what happened to him.1945. With the war behind them and nothing left for her in England, Fen travels to the deceptively pretty French village where she thinks Arthur might be, but there’s no sign of him. She’s close to giving up when she finds his silver cigarette case and another letter full of clues. But when the local priest is killed, it’s clear someone wants to keep wartime secrets buried. If Arthur, a brilliant spy, was outwitted and betrayed, can Fen stay alive long enough to find out what happened to the man she loves?

Framed in the Past (Candlestick Historical Mysteries Book 1)


R.A. Wallace - 2020
    

The Curse of Lady Clarabelle


Fanny Finch - 2020
    

An Untimely Death


Blythe Baker - 2020
    Discovering who killed the quarrelsome Colonel will require joining forces with the victim’s attractive nephew, Jerome Townson, but is the charming Mr. Townson hiding darker motives than anyone guesses?A formidable dowager, an incompetent Chief Constable, and a host of greedy relations become obstacles in Anna’s search for the truth. Will the head butler and the other inscrutable household servants become her allies? Or will Anna face her ultimate fate – and a ruthless killer – alone?

Phoebe's Secret: Phoebe's First Mystery


Sydney Tooman Betts - 2020
    They arrive to learn the victim attended the church her father has agreed to pastor and the crime took place on a leading church member’s plantation.Eager to make new friends, Phoebe forms a unique relationship that propels her into the middle of the mystery, and she begins to question several acquaintances’ motives. Will she uncover their secrets before the plantation owner’s charming son discovers hers?

Dandy's Discovery (Victorian San Francisco Story, #6)


M. Louisa Locke - 2020
    But never fear, Dandy, the Boston Terrier, will discover the culprit and all will be well. Dandy’s Discovery is a short story in the Victorian San Francisco Mystery series, and it comes right after Beatrice Bests the Burglars.

Mystery on Valentine's Day


Beth Byers - 2020
    One by one, female patrons discover that they are missing jewellery.In this closed room mystery filled with a brigade of colourful characters, Violet and Ginger join forces to put their skills of deduction to work. Can they unveil the culprit and solve the mystery in time for dessert?Don’t miss this delectable bite-sized tale. Pairs perfectly with a box of chocolate and a comfy chair!

A Christmas Groom for Maddie: A Pinkerton Matchmaker Companion Tale


Julia Ridgmont - 2020
    He's trying to convince her that he believes in her. But when everything she's worked for starts to unravel, can he help her find another dream?Denver, 1885If there’s one thing Madeline Baldwin loathes more than having to play the part of Mrs. Claus next to her childhood nemesis, Winston Reed as Santa, it’s Winston himself. Growing up in Denver, Colorado, as the daughter of a mogul, she’s perfectly aware of how others view her—as if she has everything in the world she could possibly want. But one thing that Maddie has never had is love.Winston Reed has loved Maddie from afar for many years. But, in the stupidity of youth, he turned her against him with his cutting words. Now she will hardly look at him. In fact, the only thing she seems to care for is painting. Now that a pair of art connoisseurs is asking her to go to New York to showcase her work, she’s ready to head out of Denver as soon as possible—if only she can convince her widowed father to let her. Her father wants someone else to go along with her. Winston would love to be that man. But when mysterious things start happening to Maddie’s paintings, the possibility of the art show even occurring starts to dwindle. Can Winston help her figure out who’s trying to sabotage her and convince Maddie to give him another chance? Or will their love be over almost as soon as it started?Read this exciting Pinkerton Matchmaker companion tale today!JULIA RIDGMONT'S PINKERTON MATCHMAKER STORIES:AN AGENT FOR ELIZABETHAN AGENT FOR JESSICAAN AGENT FOR HALLIEAN AGENT FOR MEGAN AGENT FOR SARAHAN AGENT FOR AMARYLLIS

Woman on Ward 13


Delphine Woods - 2020
    You must hold on to it, at any cost.’1900Asylum attendant, Katy Owen, hates the isolation, the bars on the windows, and the way the mad women watch her. She should not believe their delusional tales, but when her charge talks of murder, she is drawn into a story of tragedy and conspiracy that threatens her own sanity.1956Iris Lowe is a nurse on the infamous Ward 13 at Smedley Psychiatric Hospital. After one patient receives her first visitor in over fifty years, Iris suspects there might be more to her story than meets the eye.As she battles against buried secrets, Iris unearths harrowing and heart-wrenching atrocities that span almost a century.But is it too late to serve justice?Woman on Ward 13 is a captivating gothic time-slip novel, the first in the new series, The Iris Lowe Mysteries. Step inside the asylum and get your copy today!

A Life Renewed


Olivia Rae - 2020
    She loves the simple life and never wants to return to England. But her benefactor, a power-hungry German prince, wants to march on London and place her on the English throne again, thereby increasing his dominance in Europe. If she doesn’t agree with his plan, her beloved childhood nurse will be put to death. Desperate for help, Jane must put her trust in the mysterious spy Asher Hayes.Asher Hayes is done rounding up Protestants for “Bloody Mary” and wants nothing more than to live a quiet life as a farmer and expunge the blood of many from his hands. Except Queen Mary isn’t done with him yet. She throws his father, mother, and sister into prison on false charges in order to force him to accept one last mission – find and kill Lady Jane Grey. But when Asher discovers Lady Jane isn’t a threat to the throne as he believed her to be, he faces a devastating decision – does he sacrifice his family for the woman who reigns in his heart?

The Secret of the Forty Steps: The Fourth Chronicle of a Lady Detective (Chronicles of a Lady Detective Book 4)


K.B. Owen - 2020
    

Nowhere Man: Another John Pickett Novella


Sheri Cobb South - 2020
    As weeks go by with no responses to his newspaper advertisement, he has taken to spending his days wandering idly about London rather than admit his failure to his beloved wife Julia, the former Lady Fieldhurst.One day, while loitering amidst the crowds thronging the Covent Garden market, he wonders morosely if it might have been better had he not been born at all. Then he sees one of his former colleagues and, in an attempt to make a discreet exit, contrives instead to knock himself unconscious.He awakens to discover that his Bow Street colleague doesn’t seem to remember him, and after staggering back home to Curzon Street, he finds someone else living in the house where he lived with Julia. But still greater surprises are in store for Pickett as he attempts to navigate his way through a world in which he never existed…With a wink and a nod to Frank Capra’s classic film IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE, NOWHERE MAN offers an alternate version of many of the earlier entries in the John Pickett mystery series.

The Devil In The Dock: A Bowman Of The Yard Investigation


Richard James - 2020
    

Travels of Quinn


Sasscer Hill - 2020
    Can she escape a binding marriage contract and a life of crime?Jailed for theft, Quinn pays restitution working on a horse farm. Unfamiliar with horses, her love for them surprises her. They make her hope for a better world.Until the farm’s owner is brutally murdered and Quinn is the prime suspect.On the run, Quinn uses every scam and con she knows to save herself. Can she find the real killer before she’s imprisoned for life or murdered because she knows too much?A mystery-thriller of deceit, murder, greed and hope, by multiple award-winning author, Sasscer Hill.

A Shot of Murder


Brenda Gayle - 2020
    But when the story is murder, will she end up above the fold or buried in the back?1948: Kingston, Canada—Charley Hall knows she’s a better reporter than any man in the newsroom. Frustrated to be demoted to the women’s page so her job on the city beat can be given to a returning soldier, she refocuses her energy into locating her brother who disappeared after his latest bender. She’s horrified when her search leads to the woman last seen with him, found dead with a bullet in her neck.Driven to catch the killer and clear her brother’s name, Charley encounters a mysterious cop from out of town who’s showing an intense interest in the case. But as she uncovers the victim’s murky past, tracking down the shooter could land the intrepid journalist in the obituaries.Can this gutsy gal prove her investigative skills and live to tell the tale?A Shot of Murder is the first book in the atmospheric Charley Hall historical mystery series. If you like strong female protagonists, period pieces, and small-town misdeeds, then you’ll love Brenda Gayle’s compelling whodunit.Buy A Shot of Murder to bring justice to the front page today!

The Mystery at Mount Forest Island (Cora Tozzi Historical Mystery Series Book 3)


Pat Camalliere - 2020
    A woman whose family’s involvement in the Chicago Mob devastates lives throughout generations.When an automobile accident leaves Valerie Pawlik totally blind, she masters the daily activities of a dark world, but due to painful mysteries from her childhood, she lacks the confidence to lead the independent life she desperately longs for with her young daughter. With the help of Cora and Cisco Tozzi, Frannie Berkowitz, and Billy Nokoy, Valerie sets out to search for the mother who deserted her and for the killer of her beloved uncle. But Billy is experiencing electrifying occult moments of his own. Their quest takes them into a dangerous world of the Chicago Mob and paranormal phenomena, culminating when a stalker threatens their lives in the Palos Forest Preserves.

Manners and Monsters Collection, #1-3


Tilly Wallace - 2020
    This collection contains the first three books of the series; Manners and Monsters, Galvanism and Ghouls and Gossip and Gorgons. Manners and Monsters Hannah Miles lives a quiet existence, helping her parents conduct research into a most terrible affliction - until a gruesome murder during her best friend's engagement party pulls her from the shadows. Hannah must work with the obnoxious Viscount Wycliff to find the murderer before the season is ruined. Galvanism and Ghouls A new Unnatural horror is about to rattle Hannah Miles' quiet existence, and it's not the short-tempered viscount prowling the hallways of her home. can Hannah and Wycliff find the monster - and will it be the hand that wields the scalpel, or the creature hiding in the dark? Gossip and Gorgons The newly married Lord and Lady Wycliff are cordially invited to a house party--to be mocked and ridiculed as entertainment. But someone among the house guests has murder on their mind. The newlyweds need to determine who, as guests are immortalised is stone...

Interviewing The Dead


David Field - 2020
    When Aldgate Underground station was extended, the workmen discovered the grave and unceremoniously dumped the bones, to make way for the new track.Now, a renowned spiritualist is claiming the dead are rising to punish Londoners.Strange encounters start to be reported in London’s East End with some people dying from unexplained causes.People start to panic, and distressed parishioners consult local preacher, Matthew West, looking for reassurance.Matthew is at a loss and turns to local doctor, James Carlyle, for answers.Carlyle and West have very different views on science and religion, but they decide to work together to get the bottom of the mysterious deaths.Has a curse really been put on London? Have the dead risen from their graves?Or could a serial killer be loose in the city…?INTERVIEWING THE DEAD is the first crime thriller in an exciting new historical crime series, the Carlyle & West Victorian Mysteries, private investigations set in Victorian London and packed full of suspense.

Fraternity of Brothers: A novel about the redemptive power of friendship (Life of Galen Book 1)


Marina Pacheco - 2020
    

The Second Mrs Thistlewood


Dionne Haynes - 2020
    A land of oppression and social discontent.Arthur Thistlewood is fighting for a revolution. Susan Thistlewood is fighting for freedom. From Arthur.Battered and bruised by her violent husband, Susan finds comfort in food and books. As Arthur’s legal property, leaving the marriage seems an impossible dream — until a chance encounter with a charismatic Bow Street Runner. In the sanctuary of an inconspicuous London bookshop, the Runner’s easy manner and unexpected generosity compel Susan to pursue a life without her husband.But will the Bow Street officer provide a key to Susan’s freedom? Or will he place her in the greatest danger of all?Inspired by true events from the Cato Street Conspiracy of 1820, this is a tale of courage, determination, and love.

The Drowned Girl: A Summerfield and Kent Mystery


Anna D. Allen - 2020
    But when a body is pulled from the Thames at Windsor, Sir Walter, most wisely, sends A. E. Summerfield to investigate in his stead.With the senior surgeon ill, it falls to Mr. James Kent, assistant surgeon at St. Luke’s College Hospital, to perform the post-mortem examination--a routine matter… until Mr. Kent finds himself working with a lady--and over a half-naked female corpse, at that!Shock turns to concern. The dead girl on his slab deserves justice. And in no time, Mr. Kent finds himself assisting the indomitable Miss A. E. Summerfield to discover who the girl is, why no one is desperately searching for her, and how she came to be floating in the Thames.

Enigma of Lake Falls (Spies of Texas Book 1)


Brittany E. Brinegar - 2020
    He's a detective. But some things should stay dead and buried...Jenny boards a train for Texas in 1949. Haunted by a family scandal, she's desperate for a new life. From the moment of her arrival, the master of disguise charms her way into the heart of the small town. Sawyer Finn is the prodigal son returning home. Fighting family expectations, he opens a detective agency in a town without crime. In over his head, he accepts help from a nosy "secretary" with a plan. When a Russian spy turns Lake Falls upside-down, Sawyer and Jenny embark on a treacherous journey for the truth. In a town with more secrets than people, everyone is a suspect.Can the detectives navigate growing feelings and crack the code in time? Or will the dangerous pursuit drown them in international espionage?★ The Spies of Texas Are Upon You ★-----------------------------------------------Enigma of Lake Falls is the swashbuckling first installment in the Spies of Texas historical mystery series.Cozy Mystery meets Espionage ThrillerIf you enjoy witty banter, quirky towns folk, and unexpected plot twists, this book is for you.

Clockwork Gypsy (Enchanter Chronicles #2)


Jeri Westerson - 2020
    The beautiful and mysterious Mingli Zhao, Special Inspector to Scotland Yard, enlists the help of Leopold Kazsmer, the Great Enchanter, who uses his skills with summoning Jewish daemons to perform true magic to help solve supernatural crimes. Meanwhile, a Hungarian Romani—part man, part clockwork—will stop at nothing to kill the man he believes is responsible for his hell of an existence that is slowly grinding his mind into the nothingness of gears and pistons. It’s a race against time for Leopold to stop the fiendish plot of the railway barons, fight off a plutocratic society of goblins, struggle to gain the romantic attentions of Miss Zhao…and discover the identity of the Clockwork Gypsy before he kills again.

A Death, A Duke And Miss Mifford


Claudia Stone - 2020
    Not even the arrival of the elusive Duke of Northcott can distract Mary from her plan; until the local rector is found bludgeoned to death and Mary is named as the prime suspect. When Northcott offers to assist Mary in finding the culprit, she does not think for a second that his motives have anything to do with marriage - but as the list of suspects grows longer, Mary and the duke grow closer and closer, and she begins to wonder if she is not such a determined spinster after all.Henry William Lockheart, Sixth Duke of Northcott, has returned to his ducal seat, determined to attend to the estate he has neglected since his father's death. Nothing shall distract him from his plan, he thinks, until something - or rather someone- does.Miss Mary Mifford is hardly the ideal candidate to be his duchess - given her lack of wealth and connections, along with the bothersome fact that she is the prime suspect in a murder - but Henry is smitten. Determined to help the young lady, Henry throws himself into investigating the death of the rector, Mr Parsims, hoping to clear her name.With a long list of suspects, Henry suspects that the task might be difficult; though it might prove easier to solve a murder than to convince an earnest spinster that she should be his bride...A Death, A Duke, And Miss Mifford is the first book in the Regency Murder and Marriage Series, by Claudia Stone. A light, witty, and fun read this story is sure to delight fans of Regency Romance and Cozy Mysteries alike.

Don't You Want Me?


Richard Easter - 2020
    As race riots erupt, Prince Charles and Lady Diana prepare to marry & New Romantics dance, an identity-shifting serial killer is operating in plain sight. But no-one has realised except Detective Inspector Anna Leeding, who has secrets of her own…“Don’t You Want Me?” is a novel for fans of twists, thrillers, history, music, and popular culture.Richard Easter, author of “The General Theory Of Haunting” & “The Gentle Art Of Forgetting” turns his perspective-and-time-bending literary style to the serial killer genre with “Don’t You Want Me?”Amid the cultural and social upheaval of 1981,D.I. Leeding suspects apparent accidents and suicides could be subtle acts of revenge, and strange blue charcoal messages may be the key to something bigger and deadlier.But in this cat-and-mouse story of vengeance, no-one is quite what they seem, and in 1981, when the New Romantics played with image, first appearances can be deceptive.So to everyone who was there and those for whom this is their first time, “Don’t You Want Me?’ welcomes you to 1981. It was a hell of a year.

Murder at the Races


Carmen Radtke - 2020
    Frances Palmer is overjoyed when her brother Robreturns to Adelaide as a racecourse veterinarian. But all is notwell on the turf, and when a man is murdered, there is only onesuspect – Rob.Frances and her boyfriend, charming night club owner Jack Sullivan, along with ex-vaudevillian Uncle Sal and their friends have only one chance to unmaskthe real murderer, by infiltrating the racecourse. The odds are against them, but luckily putting on a dazzling show where everything depends on sleight of hand is what they do best.And with time running out for Rob, the race

The Secrets of Shadows


Tabetha Waite - 2020
    Twenty years ago he was cursed with the powers of an aswang, and now he’s forced to fight the beast within. But is it only metaphorical, or in truth? He is a member of the Order of the Friars of St. Francis, a cult where men of high standing perform any number of rituals. Because of these scandalous proceedings, they must protect the truth at all costs—even if it means sacrificing one of their own.Cosette du Bouir is a poor, French orphan who spends her nights toiling as a seamstress in London while calling a dilapidated workhouse home. The only key to her past is a plain, silver locket with the cryptic inscription—To Mine … Be Mine. One fateful evening she meets the duke. He’s fearsome and intimidating, and she prays that she never sees him again. However, this encounter sparks the return of her mysterious blackouts, where a phantom voice calls out to her.Thrown together in the midst of magic and secrets, their paths intersect amid desire and chaos, until it all comes to a dramatic end. But who will be crowned the victor of this miserable fate?

A Match Made in Betrayal for the Marquess


Hanna Hamilton - 2020
    The oldest of five siblings, she is hard-pressed to set a good example and marry the man that has been chosen for her.Secretly taken in by the Duchess when his mother died giving birth to him, Victor Dowding, the Marquess of Wringcaster's guilt over having a life he believes he doesn’t deserve has led him to be very charitable. A trait that has earned him the disapproval of the ton. As has his wish to marry Lady Delilah.Their hopes dim when Delilah's engagement to another is announced before Victor can make his move. Determined to save her from the clutches of a rake, Victor orchestrates a most elaborate plan. A plan that attracts the attention of a monster from his past, that has been sleeping dormant at the bottom of a teacup.

The Ghost from the Molly House. A Christmas Wish. (The Ghost from the Molly-House)


Grahame Peace - 2020
    

The Vampire's Gift


Leigh Anderson - 2020
    Now, he must search the ancient catacombs under the city's streets to find the woman he loves–and kill the monster that took her.The Vampire's Gift is a short story prequel to The Vampire's Daughter, the first book in the exciting Calmet Chronicles! Be sure to check out the entire series!

Oh, No, Octavius! (Send for Octavius Guy, #4)


Michael Gallagher - 2020
    The well-heeled residents of Highbury have a problem: the Reverend Allaston Burr, the rector who’s been foisted upon their congregation by an ancient yet legally-binding right known as an advowson. When a final appeal to Queen Victoria—as the head of the Church of England—fails to remove him from his post, they turn to Gooseberry for help.Join fifteen-year-old Octavius and his ragtag bunch of friends as they investigate the detested cleric, only to discover that someone has a far more permanent form of removal in mind.

Scarlet (The Haslewood Mysteries Book 1)


Andrew Stopyra - 2020
    Posh hotels. Avant-garde fashion. And a charming woman with a clever plan. Something so ambitious, yet so elegant, it might just make history. For all the wrong reasons.Of course, to pull it off will take more than wits and personality: it’s going to take one heck of a lot of lying.Good thing that happens to be Scarlet’s particular area of expertise. She’s made a living twisting the truth and spinning stories ever since that night she walked out of town... and left her naive, disillusioned self behind.But there are some things in life that have a way of creeping up on you, no matter how many aliases you may have.The only question is, will she keep dodging them long enough to cash in on the biggest con of her career?Or will she allow fate to spin a new story for her – a more artful tale than even Scarlet herself could have devised? ________________________ ABOUT THE SERIES:  Book 1 sets the stage for The Haslewood Mysteries, a fun and unique twist on traditional 1920’s mystery.Follow con artist-turned-sleuth Scarlet Haslewood as she discovers how to use her 'talents' for good, to sniff out and stop other cons, grifters, and unsavoury individuals.  Let her be your own personal Robin Hood when no one else can help!

A Very English Murder


Verity Bright - 2020
    Eleanor Swift has spent the last few years travelling the world: taking tea in China, tasting alligators in Peru, escaping bandits in Persia and she has just arrived in England after a chaotic forty-five-day flight from South Africa. Chipstone is about the sleepiest town you could have the misfortune to meet. And to add to these indignities – she’s now a Lady. Lady Eleanor, as she would prefer not to be known, reluctantly returns to her uncle’s home, Henley Hall. Now Lord Henley is gone, she is the owner of the cold and musty manor. What’s a girl to do? Well, befriend the household dog, Gladstone, for a start, and head straight out for a walk in the English countryside, even though a storm is brewing… But then, from the edge of a quarry, through the driving rain, Eleanor is shocked to see a man shot and killed in the distance. Before she can climb down to the spot, the villain is gone and the body has vanished. With no victim and the local police convinced she’s stirring up trouble, Eleanor vows to solve this affair by herself. And when her brakes are mysteriously cut, one thing seems sure: someone in this quiet country town has Lady Eleanor Swift in their murderous sights… If you enjoy witty dialogue, glamorous intrigue and the very best of Golden Age mysteries, then you will adore Verity Bright’s unputdownable whodunnit, perfect for fans of Agatha Christie, T E Kinsey and Downton Abbey!

The Stolen Apocalypse


Jacquelyn Benson - 2020
    

Child of the Moon


Aron Silver - 2020
    

Death in the Time of Pancho Villa


Sandra Marshall - 2020
    Unthinkable for a lady in 1911. Now she’s in El Paso, a city holding its breath, anticipating a spectacle. A decisive battle of the Mexican Revolution is about to erupt right across the Rio Grande. Rose’s husband, Leonard, sent there by his employer, Stoneman Petroleum, apparently first went native, then disappeared, leaving behind a fiery mistress and rumors he was sent to offer the rebels money in exchange for favorable drilling rights.Alone in this liminal place, Rose is befriended by two women, a retired thespian and a young Mexican expatriate, who suggest coping methods that would throw the folks back in Shaker Heights into a tizzy. A reporter recruits Rose, who is a talented amateur photographer, to immortalize the Mexican leaders: a sardonic, strawberry soda-sipping Pancho Villa and visionary Francisco Madero, who communes with the shades of Napoleon and Beníto Juárez.Rose is caught up in the intrigue of the Revolution, the unfamiliar culture of the borderlands, and the deadly competition between international oil companies. When the only person to offer real information about Leonard is killed by what is, perhaps, a stray bullet, she finds her own life in danger. Her determination to uncover the truth reveals hidden secrets, calling into question everything she thought she knew about her life back home, and threatens the well-being of everyone she holds dear.

The Woman from Bruges


S.G. MacLean - 2020
    

Little Altar Boy


John Guzlowski - 2020
    Sister Mary Philomena has seen something terrible at Saint Fidelis Church -- a violation of all she holds sacred.The next Monday, she is found murdered in the convent basement, next to a furnace stuffed with old papers and photographs.And Margaret, Hank's teenage daughter, has disappeared.Hank and his unconventional partner Marvin Bondarowicz try to force their way through a wall of ecclesiastical silence to find the killer, while their search for Margaret takes them from swank lakeside flats to drug dens to south-side basement blues clubs...and the snow keeps falling.