Ever wondered how real historical greats like Charles Dickens or Mary Shelley would stack up to literary detectives like Sherlock Holmes or Mrs. Marple? We’ve got books with some ideas…
To Slip the Bonds of Earth by Amanda Flower
Katharine Wright, overshadowed by her famed brothers Wilbur and Orville, emerges as a clever sleuth in Amanda Flower’s historical mystery, set against the backdrop of the Wright Brothers’ groundbreaking flight. When their groundbreaking flyer plans are stolen at a party, it falls to Katharine to unravel the mystery and the stakes rise dramatically when her prime suspect turns up dead. Now, she must navigate a perilous investigation to clear her brothers’ names, proving that her intellect and ingenuity are just as remarkable as their historic achievements.
A Murder Most French by Colleen Cambridge
In the enchanting backdrop of post-war Paris, American expat Tabitha Knight and chef-in-training Julia Child revel in the resurgence of the City of Light. Yet, their culinary delight takes a dark turn when a Cordon Bleu master chef drops dead during a public demonstration, setting off a chain of poisonings. As the investigation unfolds, Tabitha and Julia navigate the labyrinthine corridors of wartime secrets, determined to unmask a killer in this delectable blend of murder mystery and culinary intrigue.
A Twist of Murder by Heather Redmond
Charles Dickens steps into the role of amateur sleuth in this enthralling Victorian mystery, when he tries to unravel the disappearance of orphans Ollie, John, and Arthur. When Dickens finds a servant girl connected to a missing treasure map the boys are looking for strangled in an icehouse he and his fiancée, Kate Hogarth, must navigate the dangerous twists of this case, artfully dodging false leads and red herrings to rescue the boys before the sinister “X” marks the spot of their demise.
Murder by Invitation Only by Colleen Cambridge
A supposedly harmless murder-themed game takes a sinister turn when the staged corpse turns out to be a real victim. Phyllida Bright, Agatha Christie’s capable housekeeper and amateur sleuth, steps into action, guiding the local constable through a tangled web of motives and role-playing connections, Phyllida discovers that the Murder Game’s participants had more than just a fictional vendetta against their host. Now, embroiled in a fiendishly puzzling case, she must outfox a killer who refuses to play by the rules.
Death and the Sisters by Heather Redmond
In the gaslit streets of 1814 London, years before she penned Frankenstein, Mary Godwin and her stepsister Jane “Claire” Clairmont, fueled by intellect and unconventional upbringing, embark on an unexpected adventure. The arrival of Percy Bysshe Shelley, a charismatic poet and radical, sets off a chain of events leading to a shocking murder investigation. As Mary, Jane, and Shelley delve into the mystery, they uncover a web of secrets within Shelley’s inner circle.
Reprinted with permission from Kensington Books.
