Book picks similar to
Now and Then Stab (Francis Bacon Mystery, #7) by Anna Castle
mystery
historical-mystery
historical-fiction-england
historical-fiction
Catherine Howard: Henry's Fifth Failure
D. Lawrence-Young - 2014
Catherine Howard, the Duke of Norfolk’s niece, is raised in the very free atmosphere of her grandmother’s palace. Here she becomes aware of her own sexuality and the exciting effect she has on the men at court around her. She is also an unknowing part of her uncle’s devious plan to obtain more influence with the king - he pushes her onto the newly-divorced and lovesick King Henry VIII who is looking for a fifth wife. Meanwhile, John Butcher has become a guard in the dreaded Tower of London. He guards the king, witnesses the executions of Anne Boleyn and Thomas More and takes part in the fighting in Ireland. However, when he returns to London, his meeting with Catherine Howard, the king’s fifth queen, produces unexpected and dramatic results. In D. Lawrence-Young’s second Tudor novel we learn how Catherine Howard’s passionate nature mixed with the murky, deadly politics of the Tudor court and a furious king produce a classic story of passionate love, disappointment and revenge on a royal scale.
A Thread of Madness
Blythe Baker - 2020
But the unexpected discovery that the killer might be in their very midst soon changes everything, sparking an urgent desperation to ferret out his identity.While assisting the local constable in his investigation, Iris stumbles across a family mystery of her own, a buried secret that calls into question everything she thinks she knows about her sister. With Iris’s once-blind faith in Lily shaken, can the sisters unite long enough to escape the schemes of a dangerous lunatic?
A Poisoning In Piccadilly
Lynda Wilcox - 2019
When he dies at her feet she suspects poison, and the police suspect her. But the vital documents Henry had brought with him for the British Government have gone missing, and Military Intelligence now suspect her, too. With the threat of an arrest imminent, Eleanor must prove herself a Bright Young Thing in every sense in order to uncover the real killer. A Poisoning In Piccadilly is a high-spirited romp through 1920s London, featuring fast cars, feisty women, and the men who love them both.
Sidney Chambers and the Shadow of Death
James Runcie - 2012
Sidney Chambers, vicar of Grantchester and honorary canon of Ely Cathedral, is a thirty-two-year-old bachelor. Tall, with dark brown hair, eyes the color of hazelnuts, and a reassuringly gentle manner, Sidney is an unconventional clerical detective. He can go where the police cannot.Together with his roguish friend, inspector Geordie Keating, Sidney inquires into the suspect suicide of a Cambridge solicitor, a scandalous jewelry theft at a New Year's Eve dinner party, the unexplained death of a jazz promoter's daughter, and a shocking art forgery that puts a close friend in danger. Sidney discovers that being a detective, like being a clergyman, means that you are never off duty, but he nonetheless manages to find time for a keen interest in cricket, warm beer, and hot jazz - as well as a curious fondness for a German widow three years his junior.With a whiff of Agatha Christie and a touch of G. K. Chesterton's Father Brown, The Grantchester Mysteries introduces a wonderful new hero into the world of detective fiction.
The Ruffler's Child
John Pilkington - 2002
it made a welcome change to discover Elizabethan England through the eyes of a lesser mortal.' The Historical Novels Review Thomas Finbow is more than just a humble falconer, in the service of Sir Robert Vicary and Lady Margaret. He is a widowed father, a skilled ex-soldier and tenacious hunter. Far from the court and corruption of London, Thomas resides in the picturesque Berkshire Downs. All is as it should be until Lady Margaret’s loathsome brother is found murdered. To distract from her mourning, Lady Margaret travels to London, in search of gryfalcons, with Thomas accompanying her. However, when they reach the city things take a dark turn. Secrets begin to unravel and it becomes clear that the murder of Lady Margaret’s brother is only a small piece of a greater puzzle. Once Thomas starts to put the pieces together, he realises that he, and his Mistress, are in grave danger. With a target on his back, Thomas must come face to face with some of London’s most fearsome criminals. Chasing the truth at all costs, the falconer’s wits and strength are put to the test. A tale of murder, lust and courage, Thomas Finbow must reveal secrets of the past in order to make sense of the present. 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, including The Ruffler's Child and A Ruinous Wind. Praise for John Pilkington: ‘A sturdy and entertaining historical for fans of Elizabethan mysteries’ Library Journal ‘This latest entry in Pilkington’s Thomas the Falconer series is a vigorous adventure featuring a likeable hero, an intriguing plot and a fine sense of period ambience.’ Booklist
The Amersham Rubies
Rhys Bowen - 2011
When heirloom rubies vanish from Lady Amersham’s neck, Molly relies on her wits to solve her first case. A short story prequel to mystery series.
Sherlock Holmes At the Raffles Hotel
John Hall - 2008
After the death of his second wife, and with patient numbers falling, Doctor Watson is considering retirement. That is, until he gets an urgent telegram from Martha, the housekeeper of an old friend. Sherlock Holmes is ill. Watson must make his way o his cottage in the village of Fullworth as soon as possible. But he arrives to find Holmes alive and well, if a little melancholy. The telegram was a clever ploy by Martha to return Holmes to his former vigour. In the village, Arshak Sarkies suggests a holiday for the pair as his guests at the Raffles Hotel in Singapore – it should be just what the doctor ordered. But knowing Holmes, they will only be able to tempt him abroad with the promise of one last case... When they finally arrive at the hotel, it seems that Watson’s scheme has come true after all. The wealthy wife of a hotel resident, Mr Derek Masterton, has been found dead in her apartment, her ‘Singapore Sugarplum’ sweets laced with arsenic. With her money protected by a will, who would have the motive to kill Mrs Masterton? How could they have gotten so close, and have predicted her every move? And what of the strange goings-on reported by the butler? Thrown back into the investigating game, Holmes and Watson must use all their deductive powers to solve the case of the poisoned sugarplums. ‘Sherlock Holmes at the Raffles Hotel’ is a brilliant addition to the Holmes and Watson casebooks. 'A treat for any Holmes fan'. - Robert Foster, best-selling author of 'The Lunar Code'. John Hall spent many years in the civil service before becoming a professional writer specialising in crime fiction. His book ‘Death of a Collector’ won the Sherlock magazine’s competition for the best new fictional detective. Endeavour Press is the UK’s leading independent publisher of digital books.
Broken Voices
Andrew Taylor - 2012
Two lonely schoolboys at the end of childhood are forced into an unwanted companionship. One of them is terrified of what the future holds.Does music have its ghosts? Its victims? Something is stirring in the cathedral that both echoes an ancient tragedy and seems to offer a chance of future happiness. One thing is certain. Broken voices make false promises. And their lies may prove fatal.
The Bear and the Wolf
Ruth Downie - 2017
Her husband Brigius, a Briton who now serves Rome, is torn when the imperial prince Caracalla arrives in northern Britannia with his unit of vicious, dangerous Numidian cavalry, causing trouble and endangering the couple's once peaceful life. Heedless of the danger to both them and their world, the pair see only one way to ensure the continuation of peace in the north, and it carries a horrifying risk.From two acclaimed authors of Historical Fiction set in the world of Rome, The Bear and the Wolf is a tale for all ages sure to enthrall. Originally penned for the Alderney Literary Festival, this short story is available at this time only in eBook form.
A Murder at Rosamund's Gate
Susanna Calkins - 2013
Lucy can't believe it, but in a time where the accused are presumed guilty until proven innocent, lawyers aren't permitted to defend their clients, and—if the plague doesn't kill the suspect first—public executions draw a large crowd of spectators, Lucy knows she may never find out what really happened. Unless, that is, she can uncover the truth herself.Determined to do just that, Lucy finds herself venturing out of her expected station and into raucous printers' shops, secretive gypsy camps, the foul streets of London, and even the bowels of Newgate prison on a trail that might lead her straight into the arms of the killer.In her debut novel Murder at Rosamund's Gate, Susanna Calkins seamlessly blends historical detail, romance, and mystery in a moving and highly entertaining tale.
Like Father, Like Son
Diane Allen - 2015
. . From birth, Polly Harper seems destined for tragedy. Raised by her loving grandparents on Paradise Farm she is unknowingly tangled in a web of secrecy regarding her parentage. When she falls in love with Tobias, the wealthy son of a local landowner of disrepute, her anxious grandparents send her to work in a dairy. There she becomes instantly drawn to the handsome Matt Dinsdale, propelling her further into the depths of forbidden romance and dark family secrets. But tragedy strikes, Polly is forced to confront her past and decide the fate of her future. Will she lose everything, or will she finally realize that her roots and love lie in Paradise?
A Shadowed Livery
Charlie Garratt - 2015
Warwickshire, England, 1938While Hitler and Chamberlain are preparing to sign the Munich agreement, the murderer of a Jewish shopkeeper is being hanged in Birmingham.After witnessing the execution, Inspector James Given, who brought the killer to justice, is surprised to find he has been taken off the investigation to pursue something completely different.Grovestock House, owned by the wealthy Barleigh family has witnessed a triple death.With the terrible events neatly written off as a murder and a double suicide, Given is supposed to tidy up a few loose ends with the help of local constable, John Sawyer.But Given is sure there is more to the case than meets the eye.What dark secrets were the Barleigh family hiding? Could there be another killer involved?And how will Given react when he is forced to confront the ghosts of his past…?
A Beautiful Blue Death
Charles Finch - 2007
But when his lifelong friend Lady Jane asks for his help, Lenox cannot resist another chance to unravel a mystery, even if it means trudging through the snow to her townhouse next door.One of Jane's former servants, Prudence Smith, is dead -- an apparent suicide. But Lenox suspects something far more sinister: murder by a rare and deadly poison. The house where the girl worked is full of suspects and, though Prudence dabbled with the hearts of more than a few men, Lenox is baffled by an elusive lack of motive in the girl's death.When another body turns up during the London season's most fashionable ball, Lenox must untangle a web of loyalties and animosities. Was it jealousy that killed Prudence? Or was it something else entirely, something that Lenox alone can uncover before the killer strikes again -- disturbingly close to home?
Limelight
Emily Organ - 2017
Actress Lizzie Dixie drowned in the River Thames, so how was she murdered five years later in Highgate Cemetery?Intrepid Fleet Street reporter Penny Green was a friend of Lizzie’s and Scotland Yard needs her help. Does Penny unwittingly hold clues to Lizzie’s mysterious death? Penny must work with Inspector James Blakely to investigate the worlds of theatre, showmen and politicians in search of the truth.But who is following her? And who is sending her threatening letters?Penny is about to discover that Lizzie’s life was more complicated, and dangerous, than she could ever have imagined.If you like a murder mystery then you'll love this atmospheric Victorian mystery by Emily Organ.
The Secret: A Novel of Anne Boleyn
Lesley Jepson - 2015
But what if Anne loved someone else? Upon returning to England after a girlhood spent serving at the Court of France, Anne is astonished to catch the eye of King Henry VIII. Despite being in love with a man she can never marry, Anne is ordered by her powerful family to wed the King. Drawn into a court filled with intrigue and deception, can Anne keep the secret that, if discovered, will cost her life, and the life of the one man she truly loves?