Book After Book

Publication: 24th September 2026 – One More Chapter

It’s (almost) Halloween in Penstowan, and strange things are afoot…

When a developer buys the abandoned convent and cottage hospital of St Ann’s on the edge of town, locals are aghast at his plans to turn the site into apartments. And when menacing voodoo-like dolls are found hidden inside the walls, it looks like the building’s past inhabitants are against it, too.

As the town prepares for the annual Bonfire Parade taking place on Halloween night, ex-police officer Jodie Parker finds herself in a world of witches and Wiccans, whispering voices and ghostly babies crying, as she tries to find out who’s behind the campaign to stop the development. Then one of the builders is found dead at the bottom of a staircase. Has a spectre from the convent’s past come back to take revenge on the living, or are Jodie and her husband, DCI Nathan Withers, looking for a killer of flesh and blood?

AMAZON

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An abandoned nunnery, creepy dolls that appear out of nowhere, and a dead body on Halloween night are at the center of a new mystery for ex-police officer Jodie Nosey Parker. The Cornish Halloween Murder is the eleventh book in the Nosey Parker Mystery series and, this time, Jodie is asked by a construction developer to investigate the strange appearance of old dolls on his construction site, formerly a convent. The investigation takes a darker turn when a body is found on the site on Halloween night during the Bonfire Parade, and Jodie is, once again, helping the police solve a homicide.

I love this series so much and The Cornish Halloween Murder is yet another gripping and entertaining read. As usual, Jodie manages to squeeze her way into the investigation and help her husband, DCI Nathan Withers, and his team solve the murder which was quite intriguing and the Halloween atmosphere added a sinister element to it. The story focuses also on other themes, such as the past cruel treatment of young women who found themselves in difficult situations and ended up in the care of the convent.

The usual cast of quirky and engaging characters is present and my all-favourite Shirley (Jodie’s mother) is as hilarious as always. And, of course, we can’t forget the adorable Pomeranian Germaine. Overall, The Cornish Halloween Murder is a thrilling and immersive read: there is a mysterious murder, delicious food, and fantastic characters… highly recommended!

A huge thank you to One More Chapter and NetGalley for providing me with a proof of the novel.

Fiona Leitch is a novelist and screenwriter with a chequered past. She’s written for footballing and motoring magazines, childbirth videos and mail order catalogues; DJ’ed at illegal raves in London, been told off by a children’s TV presenter during a studio debate; and was the Australasian face of a series of TV commercials for a cleaning product. All of which has given her a thorough grounding in the ridiculous, and helped her to write funny stuff.

Publication: 17th September 2026 – Michael Joseph

Jane Austen is preparing for the summer season.

As guests of their wealthy relatives Mr and Mrs Leigh-Perrot, Jane and her sister Cassandra will be holidaying in Bath Spa – the world-famous health resort, and more importantly, the epicentre of the marriage mart.

For many, the summer will be spent hunting husbands. But for Jane, when a series of murders breaks out across the city, she must chase down a killer instead.

With her beloved sister by her side, Jane is determined to bring the murderer to justice. Can she stop this villain from taking any more victims, before the summer ends? Or will her only dance of the season be with death…

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I was thrilled to return to the world of the Miss Austen Investigates series in which my favourite author turns into an amateur detective and solves crimes. Pride, Prejudice and Peril is the fourth book in this thrilling series and we see Jane and her sister Cassandra visiting Bath, in 1799, as guests of their wealthy Leigh-Perrot relatives. While Jane hopes to be introduced to literary people who may help her publish her novels, her relatives’ focus, especially her brother Edward and his wife Elizabeth (who are also visiting Bath), is to find a husband for an unenthusiastic Cassandra, two years after the death of her fiancé, Tom Fowle.

While Jane and Cassandra visit the streets of Bath and the Pump Room in a way that reminded me of Catherine Morland in Northanger Abbey, her aunt, Mrs Leigh-Perrot, is involved in a scandal that lands her in jail for shoplifting. Jane, with the help of Cassandra, is determined to prove her innocence, so she starts investigating but, as in the previous novels, her obsession with the investigation puts her in danger.

The author masterly draws from Jane Austen’s two real-life visits to Bath to create an intriguing and witty story. Jane Austen first visited Bath in 1797 and stayed with Mr. and Mrs. James Leigh-Perrot at the Paragon. She visited again in 1799, this time with her brother Edward and his wife Elizabeth. If you are familiar with Jane Austen’s biography, you know that in 1799, Mrs Leigh-Perrot was arrested for theft and held in jail and her husband stayed with her. Mrs. Austen offered to send Jane and Cassandra to the Ilchester gaol to keep her company, but the offer was turned down. At that time, theft of any item worth five shillings or more was punishable by hanging or deportation to Australia for 14 years (and we see Mr. Leigh-Perrot considering moving to Australia to be with his wife). In March 1800, Mrs. Leigh-Perrot was found not guilty. The author uses this event to create a terrific and captivating mystery involving blackmail, murder, and deceit.

I loved the setting of Bath, with its Season and its society, the beautiful houses and the streets that are familiar if you’ve read Jane Austen’s novels or any Regency romance set in Bath. The story is well-written and engaging, but my favourite part is the strong bond between the two sisters which is perfectly portrayed in this novel. Pride, Prejudice and Peril is yet another excellent historical mystery and I am already looking forward to the next one!

A huge thank you to MichaelJoseph and NetGalley for providing me with a proof of this fantastic novel.

Jessica Bull grew up in South East London, where she still lives with her husband, two daughters, and far too many pets. She’s addicted to stories and studied English Literature at Bristol University, and Information Science at City University, London. She began work as a librarian (under the false impression she could sit and read all day), before becoming a communications consultant.

Her debut novel, Miss Austen Investigates, has sold in eighteen territories and counting. A Fortune Most Fatal is the highly-anticipated second book in the series.

Publication: 25th August 2026 (eBook), 13th October 2026 (paperback, audiobook) – Perfectly Proper Press

A spirited Victorian beauty with a fondness for fairytales unwittingly falls under the power of a beastly, scandal-plagued nobleman in the first book in USA Today bestselling author Mimi Matthews’s new Daughters of Somerset series.

Charlotte Beresford has spent far too long under the iron rule of strict governesses and unflinching finishing school teachers. When she’s offered a brief window of freedom—an invitation to spend the summer with a recent acquaintance in a remote corner of Yorkshire, far from societal expectations—she jumps at the chance. Never mind that her new friend is odd, their chaperone questionable, and the village rumored to be cursed. Charlotte knows how to look after herself. All she must do is show a friendly face, keep her wits about her, and—above all—avoid the derelict manor house that stands on the edge of the moors…

Battle-scarred and bad tempered, Magnus Sterling never intended to return to England, let alone Yorkshire. But now he’s inherited the title, it’s his responsibility to settle his late father’s affairs. It should be simple enough to do without riling up the superstitious locals. Indeed, they don’t even need to know that the infamous son of the equally infamous Earl of Eversleigh is back on British soil. Magnus will keep to himself, and to the crumbling manor house, and for once in his miserable life avoid any cloud of scandal. A straightforward enough plan, or so he believes, until he catches sight of the bold, auburn-haired intruder infiltrating the grounds of his estate…

AMAZON

I was really sad when the last book in the Somerset Series was published. I love all of Mimi Matthews’ novels, but the Somerset Series is my favourite: the characters and their families, their stories, and the settings kept me completely engrossed and I didn’t want to end. So when the author announced the new series, the Daughters of Somerset, I was thrilled, especially when I received a copy of the first book, Miss Beresford and the Beast.

Set in North Yorkshire, we have an abandoned manor on the moor, a cursed village, a young woman full of dreams and a hero haunted by his past. The two protagonists couldn’t be more different. Charlotte Beresford is the youngest daughter of Viscount St. Clare and Hannah Heywood. She likes riding, reading, and sketching, and talking to herself (“the person I like the best”). She is loyal, full of life, bold, and inquisitive, always in search of adventures. And it’s her love for adventures and her care for animals (like her mother and grandmother) that lead her to Moorcross Manor where the new Earl of Eversleigh is tearing the house apart in search of his inheritance. Magnus Stirling has left the British Navy to reclaim his inheritance and spent the rest of his days in solitude, but first he needs to find it. The guilt from something that happened in his past still haunts him as well as his complicated relationship with his father. Scarred, grumpy, and stubborn, Charlotte seems to be the only one to see through his real character, even if it means going against an entire village, her friend, and her own family.

Miss Beresford and the Beast is yet another wonderful, addictive, and immersive Victorian novel from Mimi Matthews. It features an intriguing cast of characters, including a fool valet and an abandoned dog who provide humour to the story, a heroine with amnesia and a hero who plays along with it, a village full of superstition, and a slow burn romance that was perfection. I loved every page of it and I can’t wait for the next one!

A huge thank you to Mimi Matthews for providing me with a proof of this fantastic novel.

USA Today bestselling author Mimi Matthews writes both historical nonfiction and award-winning Victorian romances, including The Siren of Sussex, a 2023 RUSA Reading List shortlist pick for Best Romance; Fair as a Star, a Library Journal Best Romance of 2020; Gentleman Jim, a Kirkus Best Book of 2020; and The Work of Art, winner of the 2020 HOLT Medallion and a 2021 Daphne du Maurier Award nominee. Mimi’s novels have received starred reviews in Publishers Weekly, Library Journal, Booklist, Kirkus, and Shelf Awareness, and her articles have been featured on the Victorian Web, the Journal of Victorian Culture, and in syndication at BUST Magazine.

In her other life, Mimi is an attorney. She resides in California with her family, which includes a retired Andalusian dressage horse, a Sheltie, and two Siamese cats. To learn more, please visit www.MimiMatthews.com

Publication: 25th August 2026 – Kensington Books

In Victorian England, Bath is the destination to restore a lady’s health. But after accompanying Mrs. Frogerton to the spa town, a poison-pen campaign and a locked-room murder lead lady’s companion Caroline Morton into troubled waters…

On the advice of her doctor, Mrs. Frogerton has arranged a visit to Bath to take the waters and regain her health and good spirits. While she reflects on her own next steps in light of her changing circumstances, Caroline goes with her to ensure the good lady’s well-being. Daily life in Bath takes on a routine of its own, with visits to the spa interspersed with social occasions and new acquaintances, including a group of women who live on Queen Square and gather to drink tea, play cards, and gossip.

When it comes to light that some of the ladies are recipients of poison pen letters, a rejuvenated Mrs. Frogerton offers to help. Sorting through the social dynamics of the group for motive and opportunity, she talks with the ladies while Caroline questions their companions.

The situation becomes more grave when Lady Greatmere, the oldest and most unpleasant of the ladies, is discovered strangled in her own locked drawing room, a half-finished epistle on her dressing table suggesting she might be the author of the poison pen letters. As Lady Greatmere’s companion falls under the suspicion of the Bath constabulary, Caroline and Mrs. Frogerton attempt to read between the lines to force the killer to come clean…

AMAZON

I’ve really enjoyed reading Miss Morton Takes the Waters. It was a fun and engaging read, the mystery was quite intriguing and it features two strong female protagonists which I quite liked. Also, I love the setting of Bath and its vivid descriptions and as I am writing this I realize that this is the third book I’ve read this month that is set in Bath (all historical fiction, some romance, some mystery, and I’ve enjoyed them all immensely).

The protagonist of the series is Caroline Morton, a resourceful young woman forced to find employment after her father ruined the family’s fortune. Her employer is Mrs. Frogerton, a wealthy (from trade, not aristocracy, which was a big difference at the time) open-minded lady who, after suffering some ill-health, travels to Bath to recover. The relationship between Caroline and Mrs. Frogerton is quite easy and respectful and almost on the same level, which was unusual at the time, and the theme of the relationship between a lady and her companion is quite central to the story as, throughout the novel, the author explores the different kinds of relationships between ladies and their companions.

Mrs. Frogerton and Caroline have rented rooms at Bath and their neighbours are of the greatest variety. They soon find out that they are all blackmailed by poison pen letters and when one of them is found murdered in a locked room, they start investigating, questioning their new friends and uncovering secrets. Overall, the plot was diverting, with a few surprises, a steady pace, and an interesting cast of characters.

I read Miss Morton Takes the Waters, the fifth book in the Miss Morton series, without having read the previous books, so I can say that it can easily be read as a stand-alone, as there are many references to past events, but I am looking forward to reading them all!

A huge thank you to Kensington Books and NetGalley for providing me with a proof of this intriguing novel.

Catherine Lloyd is the acclaimed author of Regency-set historical mysteries, including the Kurland St. Mary Mystery series and the Miss Morton Mysteries. Born just outside London, England into a large family of dreamers, artists, and history lovers, she holds a master’s degree in history from the University College of Wales, Aberystwyth. She currently lives with her family in the UK and can be found online at Catherine-Lloyd.com.

Publication: 13th August 2026 – Zaffre Books

A mysterious letter. A silenced scholar. A city paved with injustice.

When mysterious symbols appear as graffiti around Oxford, lexicographer Martha Thornhill recognises them from an alphabet created by a deceased writer whose papers she once worked on. But this is no publicity stunt, and tensions intensify when further graffiti is found near the body of a university lecturer.

Martha is not the only one to have doubts when the suspicious death is assumed by police to be a suicide. Called upon to lend their linguistic expertise to the case, she and her colleagues begin to unearth a tragedy that extends beyond the ancient walls of the university. As new messages portend more death, it’s clear that a spirit of vengeance is stalking the city’s streets, and may be reaching out towards them too.

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Death Writ Large is the second book in the Clarendon Lexicographer series, but, even though I follow the author on social media and love her linguistic posts, somehow I missed that there was a first book until I was already fully immersed in the story of this second book. Anyway, even though I am confused about a few things about the protagonist’s past (I am going to read Guilty by Definition soon!) I still really enjoyed this novel: I loved the mystery, the cast of characters is interesting and well-written, the setting of Oxford is quite atmospheric (and it’s one of my favourite places in the world), and I found the world of lexicography interesting.

A man falls to his death from a church tower. Is it suicide or someone pushed him? The runes appearing all around Oxford make the police think there is more to the story than an academic lecturer killing himself and Martha, senior editor at the Clarendon English Dictionary, and her friends are there to help the police figure it out.

The plot is clever, intriguing, and well-developed. I loved how Martha and her friends use their knowledge of the language, explaining words and their origins, to decipher the runes invented by a fictional contemporary of Tolkien, how the mystery, full of secrets and enigmatic clues, blends with their private lives, which are interesting as well. I really enjoyed Death Writ Large, it is a compelling and fascinating read, and I look forward to reading more from this author! 

A huge thank you to Bonnier and NetGalley for providing me with a proof of this novel!

Susie Dent is a writer and broadcaster on language. She recently celebrated thirty years as a co-presenter and resident word expert on Channel 4’s Countdown, and also appears on the show’s comedy sister 8 out of 10 Cats Does Countdown. Susie comments regularly on TV and radio on words in the news, and is the author of several non-fiction books on words and language. Her debut novel, Guilty by Definition, was an instant Sunday Times bestseller and was shortlisted for Book of the Year – Crime/Thriller at the British Book Awards 2025.

Publication: 13th August 2026 – Century

The new authorised novel from Georgette Heyer, the original Queen of Regency Romance -written by SUNDAY TIMES bestselling author Sophie Irwin – perfect for fans of Bridgerton!


Henrietta has secretly loved Arthur, Lord Allerton, since childhood. He is the only man who is interested in her rather than her fortune – just not in the way that she wants.

After three years away at war, Arthur has returned to London to find everything changed. His finances are ruined, his family in chaos. And sweet, shy Hetty is … different.

For Hetty has set herself a challenge: she has one summer to become the charming, dashing Diamond she’s always wished to be. And either Arthur will notice her, or she’ll give up her dreams entirely.

But in a glittering Season plagued by scandal and intrigue, is there still room for love… ?

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Being a huge fan of Georgette Heyer’s novels, which I am still going through, and having enjoyed Sophie Irwin’s previous novels I was really looking forward to reading Henrietta and, despite a bit of a slow start and a more modern language, I really enjoyed it.

The story of Henrietta and Arthur reminded me a bit of Penelope and Colin’s story in Bridgerton. They are childhood friends raised together when she became a ward of the Allerton family as her father travels around the world as a renowned professor. She’s always been in love with Arthur while for him, she’s always been only his close confidant. And while at balls Arthur charmed all the women, Hetty was on the sidelines watching and hoping. On returning to London after three years in Europe fighting in the Peninsula war, Arthur finds Hetty changed and offers to help her win over an imaginary European noble Hetty is supposed to be in love with, not realising that her unrequired love is himself.

Henrietta is a charming and enjoyable read: there are fake relationships, embarrassing misunderstandings, duels, elopements, and some quite hilarious scenes. I liked the character of Henrietta. She is funny, clever, and loyal, and always ready to help others. I wasn’t a big fan of Arthur (a bit too self-righteous), but I liked his siblings, daring debutante Trixie and wannabe dandy Timothy. Overall, Henrietta is a witty, warm, and amusing Regency romance that kept me entertained from start to finish.

A huge thank you to Century and NetGalley for providing me with a proof of this fantastic novel.

Sophie Irwin grew up in Dorset. She spent years immersed in historical fiction, first as a student when she wrote her undergraduate thesis on Georgette Heyer, and then as an editor, before she began writing her own. Her debut novel, A Lady’s Guide to Fortune Hunting, was a Sunday Times bestseller, and has been translated into twenty languages worldwide.

Publication: 28th July 2026 – Headline Eternal

There is nothing Duke Leopold Sloane takes more seriously than the safety of those he loves. So, when one of his sisters is injured at a protest rally, he drags his family to Bath for the summer, hiring a chaperone to keep them safe. The one thing he doesn’t plan for is his overwhelming but inexplicable attraction to the chaperone herself – an outspoken conundrum of a woman who soon causes him more trouble than both his sisters combined.

From the moment Portia Kendall read her first revolutionary pamphlet, she realised her true calling was to make the world a fairer place. That led her to Equitas, a radical newspaper championing reform. But writing doesn’t pay the bills, and to make a living, she must push aside her principles and serve the very people she despises. Working as a chaperone in a rich family couldn’t be further from her ideal job, but the more time she spends with him, Portia realises she might have misjudged the surprisingly dashing duke . . .

Dare she risk her principles for love, or will her pride get in the way?

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Every new novel by Virginia Heath always cheers me up and it quickly becomes my new favourite and the same happened with this latest one, Pride Comes Before a Fall. The third book in the Miss Prentice’s Protegees series features a headstrong protagonist, Portia Kendall, who, after reading A Vindication of the Rights of Woman by Mary Wollstonecraft when she was sixteen years old, has dedicated her life to advocate for the reform of society. Now Portia is in Bath, having left her job as a governess in Mayfair to dedicate herself to the publication of the radical newspaper Equitas, not realising that the job is unpaid. In need of employment, she has no choice but to accept the job of chaperone of two spoiled young women forced to spend the summer in Bath by their overbearing brother after being involved in a few scandals in London.

Leopold Sloane, the 11th Duke of Debden, is everything Portia is fighting against and yet she can’t deny that she is attracted to him, especially his dimples, and the more time they spend together, the more she realises that maybe not all dukes are bad.

Pride Comes Before a Fall is such a funny and intriguing read. Portia is determined, witty, and smart, strong in her belief, no matter the risk, while Leopold is stubborn and so overprotective towards those he loves that sometimes he doesn’t stop to think before reacting. I was completely immersed in their story as their worlds collide and the sexual tension becomes inevitable. Virginia Heath is such an amazing storyteller and her stories capture me from the first to the last page and I can’t wait for the next book (romantic Kitty)!

A huge thank you to Headline Eternal and NetGalley for providing me with a proof of this fantastic novel!

When Virginia Heath was a little girl it took her ages to fall asleep, so she made up stories in her head to help pass the time while she was staring at the ceiling. As she got older, the stories became more complicated, sometimes taking weeks to get to the happy ending. Then one day, she decided to embrace the insomnia and start writing them down. Twenty-one books and two Romantic Novel of the Year Award nominations later, and it still takes her forever to fall asleep.

Publication: 10th July 2026 (paperback); 17th July 2026 (eBook) – Storm Books

A maid found bludgeoned, a priceless treasure stolen, and the likely suspect gone without a trace…

When an old flame from Marius Quin’s past turns up at his door with knowledge of a shocking crime, he is drawn into a new case. A devoted maid has been brutally attacked, a valuable jewellery box stolen, and the head gardener has fled from the grand estate where they work.

With his sleuthing partner, Lady Bella, alongside him, Marius descends on Cherkley Court, the home of the domineering business magnate Lord Sheridan. But conflicting accounts from the man, his glamorous wife, a trio of young artists, and the troubled staff only lead to more questions. Although plenty of evidence points to the missing gardener, Marius isn’t convinced, and his hunch is proven right when the killer strikes again.

Faced with a conspiracy that reaches into the heart of the household itself, can Marius and Bella unravel a devious plot or will the killer get away with murder twice over?

A twisting, atmospheric 1920s country house mystery with a devastating final act. Perfect for fans of Agatha Christie, T E Kinsey and Lee Strauss.

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I have been reading the Marius Quin Mystery series since the first book came out and I’ve been enjoying each one of them, completely immersed in the mystery and often laughing out aloud at Marius’s adventures. The Cherkley Court Conundrum is the seventh book in the series and Marius still hasn’t confessed his undying love to his first love and now partner-in-investigation Lady Bella Montague, there are still a couple of mysteries to solve from the previous books, i.e. his father’s disappearance and the murder of Bella’s fiance, and his dog Percy still shows more loyalty to strangers than to him.

The story opens with Marius and Bella’s lovely evening together being interrupted by the arrival of a woman from Marius’s past who asks for their help in solving the brutal attack on a maid at Cherkley Court, the immense estate where she works as a tutor. Also asking for their help is their friend, Inspector Lovebrook, who finds the case quite confusing. 

The mystery is quite engaging and fast-paced. There are twists and turns, everything seems laid out perfectly and then something happens that put everything on the table and Marius and Bella will have to interrogate a cast of interesting characters, from the unusual lady of the house to the three artists she is hosting, from the arrogant owner of the house to the suspicious staff.   

The Cherkley Court Conundrum is yet another charming and enjoyable addition to this fantastic series and I am already looking forward to the next one!

A huge thank you to Storm Books and NetGalley for providing me with a proof of this novel.

I’m a Welsh-Irish-Englishman originally from South London but now living in Burgos, a beautiful city in the north of Spain, with my French-Spanish wife and our two young children.

Writing has always been my passion. It was my favourite half-an-hour a week at primary school, and I started on my first, truly abysmal book as a teenager. So it wasn’t a difficult decision to study literature at university which led to an MA in Creative Writing.

I grew up in a crime-fiction-mad family and had made a few clumsy attempts at writing one over the years before coming up with the idea for my contemporary whodunits “The Izzy Palmer Mysteries”. My second series, the 1920s-set “Lord Edgington Investigates…”, has been a great success, with each of the books becoming a bestseller. I have a new series called “The Marius Quin Mysteries” coming in November 2023.

If you’d like to tell me what you think about my detectives, my writing or the world at large, I’d love to hear from you, so feel free to get in touch at www.benedictbrown.net where you can also download my free mystery novellas and join my readers’ club.

Publication: 16th July 2026 – Hemlock Press

A SCORCHING SUMMER

Down in the seaside town of Teignmouth, ex-Met detective Eden Driscoll is growing restless after a long summer caring for his nine-year-old nephew.

A DESPERATE MAN’S PLEA

When a man knocks at Eden’s door for help, claiming someone is trying to kill him, Eden jumps at the chance to solve a mystery. But before he can ask more questions, the stranger disappears.

A DEADLY FIRE

That same night a house along the coast is burnt to the ground and human remains are discovered amongst the ashes. In the days after, Eden’s curiosity only grows. He soon finds himself investigating, and begins to uncover a web of deception, jealousy and corruption.

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Having enjoyed The Red Shore last year, I was looking forward to its sequel, The Burning Tide, and I wasn’t disappointed.

Following the events of the previous book, former Met detective Eden has left his single life back in London and moved to Devon to take care of his orphaned nine-year-old nephew, Finn. And as they are both adapting to this new life together, a new mystery lands at their feet when a man knocks on his door claiming that someone wants to kill him and asking for his help. And when the man’s house burns to the ground, Eden has no choice but to get involved in the investigation, especially when the lead detective in the case asks for his help.

This was such an intriguing and complex mystery, with quite a few twists and turns, and the perfect setting and landscape of Devon make it even more interesting. However, I must admit that what I enjoyed most of this novel is Eden and Finn’s relationship as they learn to navigate their new life together. Eden misses his single life in London and the freedom he had. He is suddenly a parent to a child who barely knows him and that brings back memories of a childhood he had tried to forget. I loved how they both try to work together to become a family and to trust each other.

The Burning Tide is an immersive novel, with a cast of engaging characters, a well-developed mystery, and a final twist at the end that I saw coming and it makes me look forward to reading the next book!

A huge thank you to Hemlock Press and NetGalley for providing me with a proof of this thrilling novel.

William Shaw has been a journalist, writing for the Observer, New York Times and Wired, among others. He has written over 10 crime novels and has been shortlisted for the CWA Historical Dagger, longlisted for the CWA Gold Dagger and the Theakston Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year and nominated for a Barry Award. His new series features DI Eden Driscoll, and is set in Devon.

Publication: 19th June 2026 – Boldwood Books

Aunt Violet and her niece Hannah have a bookshop to run. But after a customer comes in asking for a rare book, Hannah takes a visit to the reading room of the British Library – a glorious domed building in the middle of the British Museum courtyard – to find out more

Hannah has barely finished making her request when a man at one of the hundreds of desks slumps over his work. Within moments, it becomes clear he is dead, stabbed in broad daylight, in the middle of the reading room surrounded by oblivious academics.

The reading room is an exclusive space where no one can enter or leave without detection. Yet the initial investigation yields no weapon, no witnesses, and no apparent motive.

But then Aunt Violet discovers the victim had been researching the unearthing of a lost piece of Italian sculpture. And Hannah –despite her new husband’s firm insistence that she let the police do their job – finds herself unable to resist the temptation of investigating just one more murder

A totally gripping cozy crime novel, perfect for fans of Agatha Christie, Helena Dixon and Verity Bright.

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Murder in the Reading Room is the sixth book in the Miss Merrill and Aunt Violet Mysteries series featuring Hannah Clifford (formerly Merrill) and her aunt Violet as they solve mysteries as World War I rages in Europe.

I really love this series not only for its intriguing mysteries, but also for its historical accuracy, as the war is in the backdrop and often central to the story. In this sixth book, Hannah is no longer a single woman living with her aunt and working in a bookshop. Now she is a married woman, still working in the bookshop, but also thinking about starting a family. Her aunt Violet is still retaining her independence, but she is in a committed relationship with former Scotland Yard police chief Aidan Farrell and they are running a hotel together.

The story begins with Hannah going to the British Library in search of a book for a client and stumbling on a dead man. What, at first, appears to be an accidental death, quickly turns out to be a homicide involving lost artifacts and family legends. Helped by her aunt Violet, Aidan, and her new friend and journalist Matilda Gilmartin, Hannah investigates, putting herself in danger.

I really enjoyed this novel. The mystery was fascinating as it takes us back to the Renaissance and the history of Medicis. The historical moment in which the story is set is also important: the end of World War I and Armistice Day only a month before, but the shortages are still felt in every household. Also, for the first time women had the right to vote and aunt Violet was thrilled to take part in this historical event. Entertaining and immersive, I believe this is the last book in this series, but I will keep my fingers crossed for more and I will also look forward to reading the author’s next series!

A huge thank you to Boldwood Books and NetGalley for providing me with a proof of this fantastic novel.

Anita Davison is the author of the Flora Maguire Mysteries and the Miss Merrill and Aunt Violet Mysteries set in WWI from Boldwood Books.

Anita’s cosy mysteries might appeal to readers of Felicity Penn, Helena Dixon, Isabella Bassett, Verity Bright and Marty Wingate.