Victorian Suspense

April 1865. Having been an eyewitness to the assassination of President Lincoln, Matthew Grand, a former captain of the 3rd Cavalry of the Potomac, has come to London on an undercover assignment to hunt down the assassin's coconspirators. Ambitious young journalist Jim Batchelor has been charged with writing a feature article on the visiting American. Both men are distracted from their missions by the discovery of a body in London's Soho district.

Disowned by the cruel father who has always despised her, she has nowhere to turn until she is taken under the wing of a glamorous relative she never knew: the former Duchess of Ellsworth, who has scandalized society by remarrying soon after her first husband's death. At the opulent seaside estate of Ellsmere, Oriel thinks she has found a safe haven - but the darkly handsome young duke, Herron, believes otherwise. Haunted by the death of his father, he suspects that Ellsmere is sheltering a murderer.

The Secret Agent was one of the first espionage novels ever written, and it is certainly one of the finest in the oeuvre of Joseph Conrad. The story concerns the attempt by a group of back-alley revolutionaries to destroy one of London's most famous landmarks and thereby set off a revolution.

Maisie Thomas spends every summer at Grange House, a hotel on the coast of Maine ruled by the elegant Miss Grange. In 1896, when Maisie turns 17, her visit marks a turning point. On the morning after her arrival, local fishermen make a gruesome discovery: drowned lovers, found clasped in each other's arms. It's only the first in a series of events that casts a shadow over Maisie's summer. As she considers the attentions of two very different young men, Maisie also falls under the gaze of Miss Grange, who begins to tell her disturbing stories of her past.

The Mt. Vernon Affairby Harper Stanwick, Sr. is a historical romance mystery set in New York during the 1890s. Embark on a journey of love, betrayal, and mystery in this captivating tale that weaves together the fates of three intriguing characters. When the stunning Teresa Drysdale returns from her European tour, she catches the eye of Howard Rutherford, the charming son of a New York millionaire. Their flirtation is cut short as Howard's interests shift upon meeting the beautiful and carefree Paola Flanders, also known as "Fly-away Pay." Paola's dark family history, linked to the ominous ...

Emily Wilkins has led a glamorous life, part of a famous Circus family she has her own Act and a loving family. But a dramatic accident in the Ring means she has to face up to the fact that she never felt she fitted in. With her faithful donkey Claude she sets out for Montana to heal and find herself, but she gets much more than she ever bargained for. Widower Matthew Simmons wants something more than he always has had.

Clean Regency romance with a surprising time travel twist! They say time waits for now one except for the one person who can control it! Her Time for Love is an exciting historical romance classic unraveling in a beautiful European setting filled with mystery, madness and mayhem. Desperately looking for love and willing to do whatever it takes to find the man of her dreams Abigail Leeds sets out on a not so typical adventure in Paris. The city of Amour is the perfect setting for this clean and wholesome love story. Julien Lachance a young entrepreneur with a particular eye for beautiful ...

‘The Signalman’ (1866) is a short story by the English writer Charles Dickens (1812-1870). In the story, a practical-minded narrator meets a railway worker who has been seeing supernatural visions. The narrator doubts the man at first, but at the story’s conclusion a strange event makes him a believer.

Can Miss Louisa Smallwood trust the man who has stolen her heart? Or, should she heed the warnings of the companion her father has chosen? Given one more Season by her father, Miss Louisa Smallwood is delighted when he finds a companion for her, a Miss Martin. However, things do not go according to plan when Miss Martin attempts to prevent Louisa from spending any time with Lord Williamson. Viscount Daniel Williamson has never felt any such affection for anyone before, but now that he has met Miss Smallwood, he can think of nothing other than being in her company. However, Daniel is caught ...

Miss Calamity Calloway is the epitome of efficiency as long as she’s typing travel reports, but when she’s out in the world, the troubles start. Tripping over laces, bumping into people on the street, and tumbling into awkward situations is the order of her days, and unfortunately, her handsome neighbor is usually a witness. All she longs for is a bit of trouble-free adventure.

As a young medical student at Edinburgh, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle took classes with the remarkable Dr. Joseph Bell in forensic medicine. Dr. Bell exhibited many of the characteristics that Doyle would later synthesize into the personage of Sherlock Holmes: complete faith in human reason, meticulous powers of observation, and encyclopedic knowledge of the activities and methods of the criminal classes.

Samuel Black must make a decision: to be a spy like his father or follow his heart. Either is likely to give his mother chest pains.

An ill-fated grave-robbery unearths a corpse with a most disturbing symbol on it. The very same sign is daubed in blood on the walls of Edinburgh's lunatic asylum, on the night that one of the patients is murdered. The mark in question? The mark of the devil. The prime suspect: Amy McGray, the asylum's most infamous inmate, a young woman who has grown up behind bars after she killed her parents many years ago. Her brother, Detective 'Nine-Nails' McGray, knows the evidence is stacked against her. To prove her innocence, he needs the help of an old friend.

London, April 1891. When the severed torso of a woman washes up on the bank of the river Thames, London believes a serial killer from the past has struck again. Crime photographer and investigator Sarah Bain Barrett is on the scene with her friends Mick O’Reilly and Lord Hugh Staunton. This is their chance to solve a cold case and deliver a monster to justice, with help from Sarah’s husband Detective Sergeant Thomas Barrett; her sister Sally Albert, an intrepid newspaper reporter; and Hugh’s psychologist, Dr. Joshua Lewes, a pioneer in the new science of criminal profiling.

Miss Julia Hawkins and Lord Stephen Paxton must learn to work together to solve a mystery. Miss Julia Hawkins is delighted to be back in London and amongst her friends, and she longs for some excitement. An evening ball at Lord Atherton’s newly purchased townhouse throws her headlong into a deep and dark mystery. Lord Atherton is brutally attacked, rumors of a curse are brought to life once more and Julia finds herself drawn into the puzzle of uncovering the truth. Lord Stephen Paxton never expected to be caught up in such a whirlwind. With his brother close to death, he clings to Miss ...

Miss Lucinda Williams has very rarely felt happiness. With an overbearing father dictating her every move, she finds herself longing for just a moment of freedom. When she meets Lord Wiltshire, a viscount and gentleman, Lucinda finds herself immediately drawn to him – but her father, instead, pushes her towards the arrogant Viscount Astley. When she continues to enjoy the company of Lord Wiltshire, much to her horror, he suffers a dreadful accident which she is certain is Lord Astley's doing. Fearing for Lord Wiltshire’s safety, Lucinda pulls back from their acquaintance and resigns ...

Do No Harm by Harper Stanwick, Sr. is a captivating mystery fiction and psychological mystery fiction novel set in Victorian England. This story delves deep into the psychological and medical enigmas of the time, unraveling a dark and suspenseful plot that will keep readers on the edge of their seats. Follow Dr. Petrie, a dedicated physician, as he uncovers sinister plots and faces life-threatening dangers in the heart of London. Experience the chilling atmosphere of Victorian society, from its grandiose mansions to its shadowy alleyways. Encounter a web of secrets involving high-ranking ...

After her late husband leaves her in debt to some dangerous people, Lady Gabrielle McCullough is forced to become a thief. In the intervening years, her skills have not gone unnoticed. After being recruited by the Scarlet Pimpernel, the mysterious do-gooder spiriting aristocrats out of revolutionary France, Gabrielle crosses the Channel for the most daring mission of her life. Accompanying her is the Earl of Sedgwick, a thief in his own right and an enticingly masculine presence. The man is not to be trusted - nor is Gabrielle's body when he's near.

Florida, 1884. It's a new year and Cassie Gwynne is determined to be done with the unseemly business of murder. Unfortunately, fate has other plans . . . The very next day, she happens upon the body of a newcomer to town—customs collector Chester Pence—floating beneath the boardwalk. Never one to shy away from a puzzle, Cassie can't resist getting involved in the investigation. It's no secret that Chester made a number of enemies in his short time in Fernandina: confiscating a beleaguered bride's wedding dress and a bossy businessman's cigars among many other mean acts.

This collection brings together three novellas by USA Today best-selling author M. Louisa Locke: Violet Vanquishes a Villain, Katherine Catches a Killer, and Dandy Delivers. These shorter works contain the light romance, humor, and suspense of the novels in her cozy Victorian San Francisco mystery series and are an excellent introduction to the gas-lit world of late 19th-century San Francisco.