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[[Category:New Reviews|Crime (Historical)]] __NOTOC__ <!-- Remove -->{{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=Dan Simmons0571370977|title=The Fifth Heart|rating=4|genre=Historical Fiction|summary=On a rainy night in March 1893 Henry James stands on a Paris bridge, about to end it all. Next to him sidles Sherlock Holmes, about to do the same. Instead of jumping, Holmes drags James off for a drink and decides that they will go to America to solve a 17-yearLock-old murder case. The supposed victim, socialite Clover Adams, is believed to have committed suicide but that doesn't deter Sherlock. He's off, Henry James is going with him and that's that!|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0751560952</amazonuk>}}{{newreviewUp|author=Jayne Anne Phillips|title=Quiet DellJohn Banville

|summary= Chicago – 1931. Asta Eicher It's six months since the dramatic events which we read about in [[April in Spain by John Banville|April in Spain]] and Dr Quirke is a widownow back in Dublin and living (if somewhat uneasily) with his daughter, with three children and a crippling sense Phoebe. The worst of loneliness. When Harry Powers asks her to marry him, she his grief is delighted – over but he irrationally blames DI St John Strafford for what happened and this has made the new family soon leave in order to travel to West Virginiaalready strained relationship between them more difficult. They are never seen again. Back in Chicago're brought together by Chief Inspector Hackett when the body of a young, Jewish scholar, Rosa Jacobs, Emily Thornhill is one of the few women journalists found in Chicago, and is sent to investigate the disappearance, trying to establish what happened to the familya lock-up. As she becomes ever deeper involved with the investigation At first, Emily begins to discover things it looked as though she never expected – both about the case, and 'd gassed herselfbut Quirke is convinced that it was murder rather than suicide. |amazonuk=<amazonuk>0099590255</amazonuk>

{{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=Philip Kerr1529337968|title=The Lady from Zagreb|rating=4|genre=Crime (Historical)|summary=The Lady from Zagreb begins and ends in 1956. Series detective Bernie Gunther is enduring a 'subtle kind In Place of punishment' as he watches and re-watches beautiful Dahlia Dresner, a woman he has loved and lost. This is the tenth of the novels that began with the publication of the Berlin Noir trilogy (in the early 1990s) and within a few pages the action has catapulted back to the summer of 1942 and the heartland location, Nazi Berlin. |amazonuk=<amazonuk>1782065814</amazonuk>}}{{newreviewFear|author=Barbara Cleverly|title=Enter Pale DeathCatriona McPherson|rating=3.5

|summary=It''Death by Misadventure''.' This s July 1948 and Helen Crowther is due to start work as a qualified medical almoner the following morning - on the official verdict as to day that the cause of death of Lady Lavinia Truelove, trampled NHS is born. She'll be working for Dr Deuchar and Dr Strasser in their GP surgery and her job will be to death by a notoriously illhelp patients with those non-tempered horse, medical problems which she foolishly tried to approach in its stallaffect their health. The horse panicked and reacted badly, resulting in a gruesome and bloody attack, witnessed by two boys from hardest part of the village. Most job will be to persuade people would dismiss that the event as a tragic accident, but detective Joe Sandilands suspects services she offers really are free and that this could be cold-blooded murderthey don't have to do anything to qualify for them. Could his judgement be clouded by Some of the fact that he problems will require delicate handling but Helen has a very personal axe to grind with the 'grieving' widower, who problem of her own which might give her some insight. Her marriage has never been showing increasing attentiveness to Dorcas, the girl he plans to marry?|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1616954086</amazonuk>consummated.

{{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=Leslie Charteris and John Telfer (narrator)057136358X|title=Enter the Saint|rating=4.5|genre=Thrillers|summary=When you think of thrillers written by a man April in his early twenties there's a temptation to believe that the books might not be, well, top drawer, but that would be a mistake. The first of ''The Saint'' novels was published in 1928 when Leslie Charteris was just twenty one and this collection of stories is dated 1930. You might expect the rambunctious adventurer we meet, but not the subtleties of the slightly world-weary man of the world, all-knowing about the evils to which men (and women) can sink, but they're all there. Admittedly the Saint is more boisterous and less subtle than he will become - but that speaks more about the later works than this book.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>B00OS74GQU</amazonuk>}}{{newreviewSpain|author=Antonin Varenne and Frank Wynne (translator)|title=Loser's Corner|rating=4|genre=Thrillers|summary=Meet Georges Crozat. He's a policeman in Paris, who boxes on the side. After a bout that leads to an almost embarrassing victory, he is made two offers – one from a clearly corrupt man behind the scenes in the sport, who seems to offer a few thrown fights for Georges, then some kind of status as assistant – training, guiding, profiteering; the other comes from a man known always as ''the Pakistani'' (or an unkind abbreviation of that), who has a friend of a friend who wants someone to do an enemy a mischief with their fists. Georges doesn't take too long to choose the latter. In alternating chapters, however, we're in the 1950s, and a rookie to the forces, Pascal Verini, is being shipped out to Algeria to work on the civil war causing the republic to break away and become independent from France. Like Georges, he finds his situation one which also causes what may be misguided violence, even if he has a very different attitude to it.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0857052276</amazonuk>}}{{newreview|author=G M Best |title=The Barchster MurdersJohn Banville|rating=3.5

|summary=Anthony Trollope Terry Tice was very taken with Barchester when he first visited the citya hitman, but pausing to look out at a pleasant view although he discovered the body didn't think of Thomas Rider, himself in those terms. He saw what he did as ''a bedesman at Hirammatter of making things tidy''s Hospital. At first it was suspected I couldn't resist the thought that Trollope might have been the murderer - for this he was no natural deathan extreme version of Marie Kondo. He enjoyed his job, but a stabbing - but once something which occurred to him when he proved that was in Burma with the army ''where he was got the chance to kill a professional man there on business for lot of the first little yellow fellows and had a fine old time, he found himself drawn into the investigation''. There is He was spending a secret which lot of time with Percy Antrobus - who couldn't understand why Terry didn't know the purpose of a swizzle stick - surely he wouldn't drink champagne with bubbles in the warden, ''morning''? It was after Percy's death that he saw the Reverend Septimus Harding has hidden for well over benefits of taking up a decade and it looks as though Rider might have been murdered to prevent the secret coming outjob in Spain.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1910208086</amazonuk>

{{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=Rory ClementsB08Z8BMZ7H|title=The Queen's ManMystery of Healing|author=A P McGrath

|summary=Elizabethan England - a murky, dirty world full We meet Solon in Pergamon in the second century of religious strife the common era and violent, short lives. Queen Elizabeth sits he's the physician on duty at the throne, but her seat is by no means safe munus - her first cousin, Mary, Queen the games put on for the amusement of Scots, is locked up in Sheffield Castlethe populace. Unable The remuneration isn't high but the work gives the doctor a feeling of virtue and hones his skills: Solon ''wants'' the warriors to leavelive. It's quite a spectacle: the magistri are the charge hands and when we first see them, but by no means unable they're sprinkling gold dust onto the lions' manes to plot make them look more impressive. The sagitarii are the archers and scheme the beastiarii are the condemned criminals who are going to fight for their lives with her supporters, Mary wishes to reclaim what she believes is rightfully hers - the thronewild animals. But even she cannot be prepared for Today, it's the dark twists and new plots that arisecrocodiles.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1848548486</amazonuk>

{{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=L C Tyler1529337925|title=A Cruel Necessity The Mirror Dance (A John Grey Historical MysteryDandy Gilver)|author=Catriona McPherson

|summary=Essex 1657: CromwellIt was the August Bank Holiday weekend and, as so often happened, it was cold enough to have the fire lit and Bunty the Dalmation wasn's Republic is 8 years oldt inclined to leave it to keep Dandy Gilver warm on the sofa. While John Grey sleeps off a good night The thought of drink under work was almost cheering when Dandy took the call from Sandy Bissett in Dundee. She was the eaves publisher of a cottage, a Royalist spy is murdered down magazine and had been told that the man running the road. A trainee lawyer, John also enjoys Punch and Judy show in the science local park had used copies of two of investigation her cartoon characters - Rosie Cheek and so starts looking for clues that will lead him her sister Freckle - to the murdererdrum up some local interest in his show. Although it Sandy Bissett's not easyrequest was simple: strange happenings occurred that night she wanted Gilver and Grey is having trouble persuading others Osborne to warn the man about infringement of what he saw. Meanwhile his mother has copyright - and Dandy and Alex would be cheaper than employing a solicitor to do the perfect match for himsame job. Unfortunately their ideas of perfection differ somewhat!|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1472115031</amazonuk>

{{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=C J SansomB08LKT7HSR|title=Lamentation Murder in the Belltower (Matthew ShardlakeA Miss Underhay Mystery)|author=Helena Dixon|rating=43.5

|summary=The reign In December 1933 the remains of Henry VIII is drawing to a close. It's heresy to speculate on Elowed Underhay were discovered in the death cellar of the king, but obvious to anyone who sees the bloated man who can barely walk that he cannot have much longerGlass Bottle Public House. Matthew Shardlake is still drawn to Ezekiel Hamett was sought in connection with the queen murder of Elowed and his half- Catherine Parr as brother, Denzil Hammett, whose body was - but he'd prefer to avoid court politics particularly when therealso discovered. Kitty Underhay's someone as suggestible and changeable as Henry on the thronelong search for her mother, who disappeared in June 1916 was over. Ultimately though he doesn't feel that he has much choice when heNow she's summoned to Whitehall Palace. It seems determined that the queen has a problem which could put man responsible for her life in danger - along with the lives of all those who are seen as her supportersmurder will be brought to justice.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0230744192</amazonuk>

{{newreviewFrontpage|titleauthor=Murder at the BrightwellStephen Clarke|authortitle=Ashley WeaverThe Spy Who Inspired Me

|genre=Crime (Historical)General Fiction|summary=It probably helps to be This is a fan of Agatha Christie. It probably helps to absolutely adore the sheer selfish indulgence and style of the 1930s. It probably helps to just accept the ''rich'' as being completely divorced from real life. It definitely helps if you're happy to take your crime as a puzzlespoof spy story, rather than as heart-rending, gut-wrenching rendition of reality.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0749017317</amazonuk>}}{{newreview|title=Queen of Hearts|author=Rhys Bowen|rating=2|genre=Crime (Historical)|summary=Lady Georgiana Rannoch, 35th in line for the British throne, may know how to navigate upper class society, but there arenthat isn't many acceptable career choices for a penniless almost royalabout James Bond. So when her mother, famous actress Claire Daniels, invites her on a transatlantic cruise, Georgie is looking forwards to living the highlife and relaxing for a while.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>B00M4ZGVBG</amazonuk>}}{{newreview|author=Martin Davies|title=Havana Sleeping|rating=4.5|genre=Historical Fiction|summary=Hector, a night watchman is murdered at work Or Ian Fleming. There's nothing unusual about that – But it happens all the time. The reason being that this is Havana halfway through the 19th century; features a place of intrigueman called Ian Lemming, political posturing (and worse) as pro- who dresses well and anti-slavery conflicts cause bubbles under the surface of society. It's a place where an apparently lowly British civil servant like George Backhouse can be posted to influential positions. It's a place where likes the Americans donladies't trust and who works for the Britishsecret service, the British don't trust the Americans and everyone fears what the Spanish may do. Meanwhile a courtesan named Leonarda just wants to find out why the man she loved died.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0340980451</amazonuk>}}{{newreview|author=Kate Mosse|title=The Taxidermist's Daughter|rating=5|genre=Historical Fiction|summary=Connie is the daughter of once renowned taxidermist Crowley Gifford. Times have changed though. Crowley may once have been famous with his own museum proudly exhibiting intricately prepared bird and animal tableaux but he's now addled by alcohol and deep melancholy, leaving Connie to continue the art in much reduced circumstances. A decade before Connie (then aged 10) had an accident that robbed her of her memory. The past refuses to stay hidden though, returning with a vengeance and explaining the shell that Crowley has become. 'A vengeance' isn't a throwaway choice of words either – its return will upturn all that Connie has believed and even threaten her life and the lives planning side of all those whom she holds dear.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1409153754</amazonuk>}}{{newreview|title=Sherlock Holmes - The Spirit Box|author=George Mann|rating=3.5|genre=Crime (Historical)|summary=In the London of World War One there is a man amongst the masses cowering from the nightly Zeppelin raids who knows death a lot things more than many. He is grieving for his nephew, lost to the killing fields of France; he is pining for his wife, evacuated to the country; and he is both grieving and pining for a past where he was more active, more demonstrably brave and verifiably useful – service. Lemming finds himself put on a past whose main constituent part has also gone to the countryside, to be mission with a beekeeper near Brighton. That man is Dr Watsonfemale spy called Margaux, and the otherpair end up stranded in Normandy, of course, is Sherlock Holmes. Here they're reunited at the behest of Mycroft, for three individual deaths provide with Margaux on a thorn desperate mission to unearth traitors in the side of his secret operationsresistance network, and only Holmes can pluck it out Lemming desperately trying to keep up with his singular talents. But when the evidence in the case so often revolves around mysterious photographs claiming to be of people's souls, there is a hint that this new modern age is a step too far for the once-retired sleuthing friends.her!|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1781160023</amazonuk>2952163855

{{newreviewFrontpage|isbn=0349423083|title=The First HorsemanDeath and the Brewery Queen (Kate Shackleton Mysteries)|author=DK WilsonFrances Brody

|summary=British author Derek Wilson Kate Shackleton runs her investigation agency from Batswing Cottage, ably assisted by Jim Sykes, who lives in Woodhouse and her housekeeper, Mrs Sugden. She's been approached by William Lofthouse of the Barleycorn Brewery in Masham. Something is one going wrong with his business and he'd like Kate to look into it discreetly: he's hoping that his nephew and right-hand man, James Lofthouse, will be back from a tremendously trip to Germany before long bibliography as a Historian, . James went to see what the continental brewers were doing and as an author of fictionwhat changes Barleycorn might need to make. He brings all of William is worried that to James is perhaps enjoying himself a little bit ''too'The First Horseman''', a resounding success that blends fact and fiction much or is going to create bring back a gripping, fast moving Tudor crime story that educates as well as fascinates, moving from German bride but he'd like the merchants of Cheapside business to the whores of Southwark, and mixing with figures such as Thomas Cromwell and Henry VIIIbe ship-shape before his nephew returns.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0751550361</amazonuk>

{{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=CC Humphreys0241433568|title=PlagueEight Detectives|author=Alex Pavesi

|summary=Highwayman Captain William Coke stops a carriage It's 1930 and Megan and Henry are staying with Bunny at his house in the line of his chosen career Spain. It's unbearably hot and soon discovers Bunny drank too much at lunch: he's not the first going to have assailed it. The driver is dead a rest and then he wants to talk to Megan and all those within have been brutally skeweredHenry about something serious. He flees the scene but unfortunately leaves a pistol behind. This is all thief-taker Pitman needs to arouse Only it never gets that far: when Bunny doesn't emerge after his siesta his interest and attempt to track the Captain down with a noose in mindguests find that he's been murdered. Meanwhile nature has an equally random mode of death How can thathave happened? There's soon to no one else in the house, so one of them must be let loose on London. This is 1665 and the Great Plague is about to beginkiller.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1780891423</amazonuk>

{{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=Alan Hamilton1473682401|title=StalemateThe Turning Tide (Dandy Gilver)|author=Catriona McPherson|rating=54

|summary=In Those who were with us at the summer end of 1930 Walter Bruce [[A Step So Grave (Dandy Gilver) by Catriona McPherson|A Step So Grave]] will remember that Donald was told that he had an incurable illnessengaged to Mallory Dunnoch. With nursing care They're now married and an easier job he might have a few more years to live - but without them he had a matter Mallory is having twins. When they arrive no one can doubt the charms of monthsLavinia Dahlia Cherry and her brother, Edward Hugh Lachlan Gilver. The solution would seem straightforward but Bruce had a wife - There are two drawbacks: they're noisy and she demanded to be ''kept'they' re staying with Dandy and was far too selfish to be his nurseHugh. Life ''might'' have continued much as Dandy and her detective partner, Alec Osborne, had not taken up the chance to look into a problem at the Cramond ferry when it wasoffered to them twice before, but Bruce discovered that his wife had been deceiving him about her age and background - and with ''two'' suddenly the possibility of his business colleagues. The solution was obvious: he would devise the perfect murder and then live being out his final years in comfort. Bruce was a chess player and he approached the problem much as he would a game of chess - but even the best plans rarely survive contact with realityhouse at Gilverton seems irresistible.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>178132204X</amazonuk>

{{newreviewFrontpage|titleauthor=The Marathon ConspiracySeishi Yokomizo and Louise Heal Kawai (translator)|authortitle=Gary CorbyThe Honjin Murders|rating=3.54|genre=Crime (Historical)|summary=Nicolaos has a lot on his mind. His wedding To many readers, the phrase 'locked room murder mystery' is only a few weeks away and he still has no real means of supporting a wife and familyenough to make the book one to read; preferably quantified by the words 'clever' or 'good'. The investigating game For those who need more, it seems, doesnhere is the extra background – we't pay too wellre in rural Japan in the 1930s. So when his patron Pericles asks him to investigate the murder The oldest son of a young child, Nico an esteemed family is a little reticentbelatedly getting married, especially since he although the whole affair is still waiting to really not as ostentatious as it might be paid – hardly anybody has turned up, what with it being arranged at great haste. She only has an uncle representing her family, for his previous assignmentone thing. Deciding that he can't afford to be picky Either way, Nico accepts a case which will see himthe celebrations have gone ahead as planned, amongst other things, fending off street thugs, diving only for treasure the wedded couple to be slashed to death in a sacred spring, going their private annexe before the sun rises on their marriage. What with a bear hunt, rescuing a pair man missing parts of fighting cocks and consulting a strange priestess who has a habit of running around his fingers being in the woods naked...At least he can't complain that his work is boring.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>161695387X</amazonuk>}}{{newreview|author=Shirley McKay|title=Friend neighbourhood, and Foe (A Hew Cullan Mystery)|rating=4.5|genre=Crime (Historical)|summary=1583 and King James VI some mysterious use of Scotland is paranoid and, after a traditional musical instrument at the events time of the Ruthven raid the year beforecrime, who can blame him? Surely this won't affect humble academic lawyer Hew Cullen? Oh but it will, eventually causing more turmoil than even he is used to. Back at the beginning though, while Hew continues, unaware case has a lot of what's to come, he has more pressing domestic worries that, for once, don't affect his herbalist sister Meg or his doctor brother-in-law Giles. Indeed, this time the concern is the love of Hew's own heartpeculiar about it.|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1846972175</amazonuk>1782275002

{{newreviewFrontpage|isbn=B07XLM3SM6|title=The Axeman's JazzMurder at the Dolphin Hotel|author= Ray CelestinHelena Dixon

|summary=Based on a true storyElowed Underhay was just twenty-seven when she disappeared from Dartmouth in June 1916, leaving her daughter, Kitty, ''The Axeman's Jazz'' is scriptwriter Ray Celestin's debut novelin the care of her grandmother. It tells A great deal of a serial killer money had been spent to find out what happened to her and the conclusion was that she was dead, mainly because there was no evidence to suggest otherwise. Kitty has come to terms with this and in 1933 she was running the Dolphin Hotel in New Orleans Dartmouth with her grandmother when her grandmother had to leave to look after her sister who was ill. She was reluctant to leave Kitty in 1919 charge - and Kitty could not understand why. She's always coped with the Axeman mix of holidaymakers, boating people and the naval college on the edge of town before - who torments and she's done every job in the city hotel. And she particularly cannot understand why her grandmother's friends have been roped in to keep an eye on things ''and '' why Captain Matthew Bryant has everyone talking; it seems that everyone has their theories and yet no meaningful leads are presenting themselves, as the police and citizens of New Orleans begin been hired to despair take charge of ever catching security at the killerhotel.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>144725886X</amazonuk>

{{newreviewFrontpage|isbn=0349423067|title=Sherlock Holmes: Gods of WarThe Body on the Train (Kate Shackleton Mysteries)|author=James LovegroveFrances Brody

|summary=The year is 1913 and From Christmas to Easter a train ran from Leeds City Station to King's Cross, arriving before dawn so that the storm clouds forced rhubarb it carried could be taken to Covent Garden. In early March 1929, one of war are gathering ominously on the horizon. Most people dread porters who was unloading the boxes discovered the inevitablebody of a man, but there are individuals who stand to gain from the oncoming conflict stripped naked and will stop at nothing to facilitate their plans, even if that with no means murderof identification. However, it Scotland Yard hit a dead end and called on the services of Kate Shackleton in the hope that her knowledge and connections in Yorkshire would take give them the lead they needed. Kate immediately found herself hamstrung: Commander Woodhead remembered her as a very brave (or naïve) criminal child and could not come to commit such an atrocity terms with the fact that she was now a woman experienced in the neighbourhood of Mr Sherlock Holmes, even if he is supposed to be enjoying his retirementdealing with murder. When it comes He was reluctant to investigating mysterious activity, Holmes can't resist give her all the lure of information which the chase and soon the game is afoot!|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1781165432</amazonuk>police held.

 {{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=Marco Malvaldi and Howard Curtis (translator)1472127110|title=The Art of Killing WellIndian Summer: a Mirabelle Bevan Mystery|author=Sara Sheridan

|summary=Pellegrino Artusi Life has travelled changed dramatically for Mirabelle, our favourite fifties sleuth, since the length and breadth of Italy researching his masterpiece ''The Science of Cooking war, and not always for the Art of Eating Well'' better. When she first settled in Brighton she was alone, rudderless and secretly grieving for Jack, the chance to visit the home - or rather the castle - of the seventh Barone di Roccapendente was a double bonuslover who died before he could leave his wife. He'd have the opportunity As time went by she found in herself an ability to discover the secrets of the Barone's kitchen solve crimes, made friends including an ebullient and the chance of determined young woman called Vesta who refused to let a few days rest little thing like racial prejudice stop her doing what she wanted, and possibly a boar hunt even found consolation in the Tuscan hills. What could be better? Well, his stay would have been improved had arms of a body not been discovered in the locked cellar of the castle. The cast of aristocratic suspects baffles the local police inspector and Artusi realises that he will have to become involvedrather charming policeman.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0857052942</amazonuk>

{{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=MRC Kasasian1912374439|title=The Curse Of The House Of Foskett Courier|author=Kjell Ola Dahl and Don Bartlett (The Gower Street Detective Seriestranslator)|rating=3.5

|summary=Personal (not private!) detective Sidney Grice is still smarting because heNazi-occupied Oslo, 1942. There, I's thought to have sent an innocent man to ve given the gallowsgame away. It's also hit him For in the pocket as work has dried up as a result. He's therefore pleased and intrigued when hebook that centres around a murder, I's visited by a potential client ve told you who wants him to look into did it – the Last Death ClubNazis, a group of people who have each put £2surely? Well,000 that certainly has to remain to be seen in the kittythis volume, the sum which splits its time between one of which will go war, when a young woman sees her father arrested, and their store condemned as Jewish and rushes to the last person surviving. Unfortunately they seem her best friend to be dying quicker than planned help – not knowing she will never see her alive again, and rather unnaturallythe late 1960s, when great consternation is being felt. Sidney In this timeline, a maverick agent is about to accept the case when his client drops dead back in Grice's study in front of him town, one who might have been fingered for murdering that female victim, even though she and his ward and assistant March Middleton. It may not improve his reputation anyhe lived together with their baby as a young family, but his attention has been piqued; except he'll take was thought by all to have died in the case anyway.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1781853258</amazonuk>War…

{{newreviewFrontpage|isbn=1786075431|title=An Appetite for VioletsMrs Mohr Goes Missing|author=Martine BaileyMaryla Szymiczkova and Antonia Lloyd-Jones (translator)|rating=3.5

|summary=Biddy Meet Zofia. A socially climbing wife of a medical professor, she'Obedience' Leigh s intent on making herself known as a charitable lady, and keen on her husband progressing yet through his esteemed career. In 1890s Cracow, life is the under-cook at Mawton Hallpretty good, but although she is passionate about cookingknows it could always be better. Meanwhile, her dearest wish other people's life could certainly be better – cholera is nearing the city due to marry her young man. The date is set for her lack of hygiene, and many people have to leave the Hall for married life fall on charity and almshouses to keep a roof over their heads. One such was Mrs Mohr, although she is looking forward was rich enough to itkeep private lodgings and staff in her charitable home. But the master of the house surprises everyone when he gets himself a very young wife – and Biddy’s world is rapidly changed I say ''was'', for she has vanished. Lady Carinna takes a shine Only due to BiddyZofia's help does she get found, dead and when Biddy proves in a place the near-lame woman could never reach by herself to . Just who could be resourceful killing people in a charity home, and entrepreneurial, her fate is sealed.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1444768727</amazonuk>to what end? And why does Zofia feel the need to make a name for herself by answering those questions?

{{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=Sharon Penman1786893762|title=Prince of Darkness|rating=4|genre=Crime (Historical)|summary=1193: Justin de Quincy, bastard son of the Bishop of Chester and loyal to Queen Eleanor of Aquitaine, steers clear of Eleanor's youngest son John at all costs. After all, John's henchman did try to murder him. However there's a plot afoot to frame John for a crime he didn’t commit (for a change), bringing with it somewhat of a dilemma for Justin. As much as he hates John, de Quincy realises that getting to the bottom of the plot is Things in the interests of the Queen and England. So Justin's course is set, no matter what it costs and no matter which hornets' nests it disturbs.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1781857083</amazonuk>}}{{newreviewJars|author=Bruce Crowther|title=Harlem NocturneJess Kidd|rating=4.5

|summary=Just before A child has gone missing. The detective asked to take on the beginning of case is still struggling with the Second World War shame and half frustration left by a world away from Europe previous case, where the World's Fair is taking place child was not found in New Yorktime. The British king Hardly original themes for a private eye thriller. And yet . . . take another look. This detective is a woman, and the setting is Victorian London, with all the rich and colourful paradoxes of that era: technical and queen are expected scientific progress jostling for space beside superstition and there's a Joe Louis title fight on fascination with the bizarre and the horizondownright hideous. Daniel Leland lives And before you're more than a couple of pages in Harlem, you realise just how much more unusual our heroine is than you expected. He used to be Bridie Devine may dress in half-mourning, with the NYPD a widow's cap and stout, shiny boots, but was retired after he was shot by robbers: the bullet is still tobacco she smokes in his body and perilously close her pipe (my dear, what an utterly ''fast'' thing for a lady to his spine. Right now he makes his living as do!) is mixed with a small-time private detectivenugget of something, well, let's say recreational, but business seems to be looking up when hecreated by her chemist friend Prudhoe. The fact that it's offered an investigation actually meant to cure bronchial problems is by the by. Her housemaid, being seven- and a very large retainer foot- by a manufacturer who might be suffering espionagetall, is also somewhat remarkable. Before long And then, of course, there's the ghost. Ruby Doyle, world-famous tattooed boxer (deceased) accompanies Bridie all through her investigation, and it's clear he has a murder to add into soft spot for the equation toodetermined young woman. If he really exists, that is.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1490960821</amazonuk>

{{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=Andrew Hughes0349414327|title=The Convictions A Snapshot of John DelahuntMurder (Kate Shackleton Mysteries)|author=Frances Brody

|summary=As John Delahunt sits in Even detectives need a cell break and for Kate Shackleton, photography gives her the condemned writing an account of his life, we go through it with himmental relaxation which she needs. It all begins as he witnesses a fracas between his fellow students and When the police after a visit local Photographic Society proposed an outing, Kate was keen to one of take the fine hostelries Victorian Dublin has to offer. In this way John's brought opportunity to visit Haworth and Stanbury, not least because the attention deeds of 'The Department', a pro-British intelligence unit based in the notorious Dublin Castle. John agrees to help them not realising this is never going to be an agreement he can back away from, no matter how hard he tries and no matter how much it costs him.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1781620148</amazonuk>}}{{newreview|author=Simon Sebag Montefiore|title=One Night in Winter|rating=5|genre=Crime (Historical)|summary=In June 1945 two school students Brontë Parsonage are shot dead in Moscow. These aren't just any school students; they attended Josef Stalin School 801, the academy being handed over so that taught Stalin's own children it can become a museum and the current educational establishment of choice her parents will be there for the offspring of many government and army grandeesevent. Why did they die? Did What could be better than seeing her family, witnessing a momentous event and having the seemingly innocent Fatal Romantics Club have anything opportunity to do with it? For take photographs of the children the club is a way of living their love of Pushkinsetting for ''Wuthering Heights's literature but to others it seems a little different. Stalin himself is determined to have it investigated and what Stalin wants, Stalin gets no matter how wide the ultimate spider's web of suspicion is cast and no matter whom it catches.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0099580330</amazonuk>}}{{newreview|author=Laura Wilson|title=The Riot|rating=3.5|genre=Crime|summary=DI Stratton has moved to a new posting and Notting Hill is fresh territory to him, but he’s going to have to get to know it fast when a rent collector is stabbed. ? There’s a sense of loss from the people who knew the man - he was inclined to help if he Nothing could and with landlords wanting to oust rent-controlled tenants so that they could put ‘coloured’ people or prostitutes in their place (higher rents, you see) any help was welcomego wrong. Added to this there are increasing numbers of street fights involving teddy boys. It’s 1958 - and there’s a heatwave.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1782063080</amazonuk>Or could it?