British Historical Mysteries

Some say the Hotel Tempesta is cursed, but its owner, Mr. Gallo, refuses to believe it. When he's brutally murdered one night, the suspicion falls on his guests. Ten suspects in total. And Penny Green is one of them. Does Mr Gallo's murder have anything to do with the criminal mastermind on the run from America? Penny and Inspector James Blakely must negotiate a world of courtesans, stolen paintings, and secret codes to prove Penny's innocence and uncover the truth.

There's a new man in charge at Bow Street Magistrates' Court and all is not well. His ambition is to split up Lavender and Woods—and to add to Lavender's woes, someone is leaking exaggerated stories about his investigations to The Times. Lavender is tasked with solving the theft of an aristocrat's precious jewels, while Woods is instructed to track down a libeler. But after a series of vicious murders and surprising coincidences, they discover that these apparently unconnected crimes have more in common than they could ever have imagined.

When a woman with a past is brutally murdered, the detectives assigned to the investigation discover that there’s no shortage of motives and suspects. A faceless corpse is found in a local park. DCI Tyler and DS Mills establish that the dead woman was working at two brothels in the city, and operating under the name Scarlet. A wealth of suspects and motives are uncovered, and Scarlet, a complex young woman with an interesting past, appears to have been leading a secret life. The investigation stalls, and Tyler’s long-suffering boss goes off sick, his ambitious replacement demanding a ...

New York on New Year’s Eve 1921 glitters like a diamond in a police searchlight… Kit and Mary Aston join Aunt Agatha and Uncle Alastair in New York to usher in 1922. At a lavish murder mystery party hosted by the charismatic writer, Amory Beaufort, tensions simmer among the elite guests before his murder throws the party off its Foxtrot and into a a wild chase to prevent the next death. Containing a short mystery story within a story, The New Year’s Eve Murders is perfect holiday reading for murder mystery fans of all ages who like Agatha Christie with a dash of PG Wodehouse and Damon...

Detective Chief Inspector John Shadow is doing his best to ignore the madness of York's annual Viking Festival when duty calls. The body of a wealthy businessman, who was playing the role of the Viking king, is found slain by his own ancient sword. The murder scene looks staged, but before Shadow can compile a list of people to question a second body is found. Shadow doesn't have to look far for suspects-the victims were by no means model citizens.

England, 1865: Newspaper columnist Lady Katherine Bascomb finds herself the subject of speculation when her latest article leads to an arrest in the murders plaguing London. The English believe women ought not to write about such vulgar things as crime, and a particularly attractive detective inspector is incensed that she's interfered with his investigation. To escape her sudden notoriety, Katherine heads to the country - only to witness a murder upon her arrival.

He’s trying to forget all about crime. But now targeted as a suspect, can he keep from going down for murder? England, 1964. Retired inspector Tom Ramsay wants to leave the past behind. Hoping to get on with his plans to hike the beauty spots of his homeland, a vacation to North Yorkshire strikes him as just the ticket. Yet while exploring the beach with his young border collie, he’s shocked to discover a decomposing body hidden in a cave. Happy to put the case in the hands of local police, he’s relieved not to be involved in the ugly matter. But as the small-town rumor mill churns ...

July 1912. Lady Hardcastle and her tenacious lady’s maid, Florence Armstrong, are enjoying a convivial gathering at the home of their dear friends, the Farley-Strouds. The only fly in the idyllic ointment seems to be the lack of musical entertainment for the forthcoming summer party—until, that is, Lady Hardcastle’s brother Harry calls with news of a murder.

Morris dancing, maypoles and…murder As the picturesque village of Upper Outwell buzzes with anticipation for its May Day festivities—complete with Morris dancers, flower garlands, and enough Victoria sponge cakes to require emergency reinforcement of the trestle tables—a shadow falls over the celebrations. A man is discovered dead in the vicarage library, his identity as enigmatic as the circumstances of his murder. Who was he? Why was he killed? Kit and Mary Aston, a sharp-witted husband-and-wife duo with an uncanny talent for uncovering trouble, investigate. Alongside them is ...

Cooper is a riveting murder mystery book set in 1930s London. Join Superintendent Cooper and private investigator Larry Dernier as they navigate the dark alleys and grand mansions of London, unearthing secrets that could shake the foundations of power. When the Home Secretary is found murdered in his residence, a chilling phone call from the self-proclaimed killer sets off a chain of events that thrusts Cooper and Dernier into a complex web of deceit and intrigue. The case seems straightforward at first, but every clue uncovered leads to more questions. The meticulous planning of the murder...

A crucified priest. A detective haunted by the past. A day of reckoning. When a priest is found crucified, following the desecration of local churches, hysterical media coverage focuses on terrorism, and a satanic cult operating out in the wilds of North Staffordshire. Panic grips the city. DCI Tyler and DS Mills are under pressure as the toxic atmosphere deepens. One line of enquiry, involving historic allegations against the murdered priest, is close to home for Tyler and threatens to tip him over the edge. But Mills has a hunch that could lead the investigation in a different direction, ...

Lady Marion is most displeased. Her father, Lord Audley, is determined that she should marry a gentleman of his choice. However, when his favored suitor is one Lord Haddington, Marion finds herself bitterly disappointed. Alexander, the Earl of Haddington, finds himself quite caught up with Lady Marion. Determined that he will not allow himself to feel anything for her, he seeks to court her but holds his emotions back. However, a sudden illness begins to strike Alexander down each time he draws close to Lady Marion. Weak and confused, he does his best to find a remedy but finds himself ...

London, July 1889. Eight months have passed since the horrific murder of Mary Jane Kelly. The residents of Whitechapel have begun breathing easy again - daring to leave windows open and walk about at twilight. But when old Alice McKenzie is found dead, throat slashed from ear to ear, the whispers begin once more: Jack the Ripper is back. Constance Piper, a flower seller with a psychic gift, was a friend to both women. With the supernatural help of her late mentor and her more grounded ally, police detective Thaddeus Hawkins, she uncovers links between the murders and a Fenian gang.

Step into a captivating story where Victorian elegance meets ancient intrigue as French bestselling author Ena Fitzbel unravels secrets hidden beneath the sun-kissed sands of Egypt. This delightful series weaves together humor, charm, and the allure of forgotten treasures, promising an enchanting adventure filled with unexpected twists and the warmth of cozy companionship. Sesily, a well-bred lady with a meticulously ordered life, has never ventured beyond England's shores. Her world is turned upside down when her father and brother, both esteemed archaeologists, suddenly vanish without a ...

Feisty, passionate Beatrice Steele has never fit the definition of a true lady, according to the strict code of conduct that reigns in Swampshire, her small English township—she is terrible at needlework, has absolutely no musical ability, and her artwork is so bad it frightens people. Nevertheless, she lives a perfectly agreeable life with her marriage-scheming mother, prankster father, and two younger sisters— beautiful Louisa and forgettable Mary. But she harbors a dark secret: She is obsessed with the true crime cases she reads about in the newspaper.

May 1912. After the previous year’s deadly heatwave, it’s been an uneventful spring in Littleton Cotterell. Though for Lady Hardcastle and her fiercely loyal lady’s maid Flo, at least there are the provincial delights of the village’s inaugural art exhibition—and bicycle race—to look forward to. But at the exhibition opening, there’s a panicked shout of ‘Fire!’ In the confusion, the main attraction—an extremely expensive book—is stolen from under everyone’s nose, as is a valuable painting lent by Sir Hector Farley-Stroud.

London, 1925. With their band the Dizzy Heights, jazz musicians Ivor ‘Skins’ Maloney and Bartholomew ‘Barty’ Dunn are used to improvising as they play the Charleston for flappers and toffs, but things are about to take a surprising turn.

After her wedding day, Alice never saw her husband again. She must now take charge of her own life if she is to ever know happiness! Miss Alice Henstridge married the Marquess of Worthington when her father arranged the union. Although she had never met her future husband, Alice was always a dutiful daughter. On her wedding day, Lord Worthington hardly took one look at Alice before saying, “I do.” Then, he sent her off to his country estate by herself. For three years, Alice has lived at her husband’s home without even a visit from the marquess. Alice believes that her husband does ...

Lord Lindale wants the truth. Lady Ellen wants to keep her family’s secret hidden. One lady intrigues the new Marquess of Lindale. He is interested in getting to know Lady Ellen. However, Lord Lindale does not believe she is entirely trustworthy. He even believes that she stole something of great importance from his house. *** Lady Ellen does not trust anybody who holds the Marquess of Lindale title. How could the new marquess be any different from his late uncle? When Ellen does the unthinkable and steals from Lord Lindale, she believes it will right the Lindale line's wrongs. What she ...

In spite of being ejected from Miss Bodycote's Female Academy in Canada, 12-year-old Flavia de Luce is excited to be sailing home to England. But instead of a joyous homecoming, she is greeted on the docks with unfortunate news: Her father has fallen ill, and a hospital visit will have to wait while he rests. But with Flavia's blasted sisters and insufferable cousin underfoot, Buckshaw now seems both too empty - and not empty enough.