The English Lady Murderers' Society


Book Description

Janet Bretherton, a widow at 60, suspected of her husband's murder and involvement in the fraud which brought his company down, exiles herself to Puybrun, a small village in a picturesque corner of south-west France, where she nurses her grief and tries to rebuild her shattered world. She meets six other Englishwomen who live the expatriate life. Earthy has fled from a hippy camp in a damp corner of Wales. Carol claims to have slept with every man in the world called Dave. Belle has a husband, Charlie, who may or may not be real because no one has ever seen him. Joy is married to the appalling Arnold. And Veronica and Poppy try to discover the basis for the love they have for each other. The women form a group in which they take turns to teach each other the lessons life has taught them. At the same time, they grow more confident and gradually reveal the secrets of their pasts. When Janet finds she has attracted the attention of Leon, thirty years younger than she is, yet seems to find her still sexually desirable as he invites her to go dancing with him, she asks herself: What are his real motives? And does she care? In the end, the process of discovery reveals a terrible secret which forces the women to decide how much they love each other: how far they can rely upon each other ... even when the question is one of murder.




An Old Money Murder in Mayfair


Book Description

Midnight treasure hunts, fancy-dress parties, and a blue-blooded murder . . . November, 1923. Olive’s school chum, Gigi, invites Olive to London because Gigi’s dotty grandmother fears for her life—or so she’s said to Gigi. However Olive is surprised to find that the dowager is far from muddled. The sharp and imperious matriarch refuses to admit to her worries and sends Olive on her way. Without a client or case, Olive is swept into the glittering lifestyle of the “fast set,” and their decadent excess. But then among the cocktails and champagne, a murderer strikes during a frivolous party game, and Olive realizes the dowager’s fears were well-founded. Can Olive unmask the upper crust culprit before the party’s over for a Bright Young Person? An Old Money Murder in Mayfair is the fifth installment in the popular High Society Lady Detective series from USA Today bestselling author Sara Rosett. Join Olive and her dapper sleuthing partner, Jasper, as they navigate the extravagant parties of the Bright Young People as well as their own budding relationship . . .




The Egyptian Antiquities Murder


Book Description

An opulent London townhouse, a mummy curse . . . . . . and a plucky lady detective. It’s October, 1923, and Olive Belgrave has a new case. Her client, Lady Agnes doesn’t believe in curses, and she hires Olive to prove her Egyptologist uncle wasn’t the victim of a malevolent mummy. Olive investigates and discovers the truth is much worse—it’s murder. Can Olive debunk the curse and reveal the true culprit before the supposed curse claims another victim? The Egyptian Antiquities Murder is the third book in the High Society Lady Detective series, a historical mystery series set in 1920s England. If you enjoy lighthearted novels reminiscent of the Golden Age of detective fiction with spirited protagonists, perplexing mysteries, and atmospheric settings, you’ll love the High Society Lady Detective series from USA Today bestseller Sara Rosett. Get your copy today!




Murder at the Mansions


Book Description

South Regent Mansions has all the modern conveniences . . . including murder London, February, 1924. Discreet sleuth for the high society set, Olive Belgrave is delighted with her new flat at South Regent Mansions where she’s made several friends, including the modern career woman, Minerva, who draws a popular cartoon about a flapper for a London newspaper. But then Minerva comes to Olive for help after catching a glimpse of a disturbing sight—a dead body. At least, that’s what Minerva thought she saw, but there’s not a dead body anywhere in the posh building, and the residents are continuing with their lives as they normally do. Is Minerva seeing things? Is she barmy? Or is there a more sinister explanation? To help restore Minerva’s peace of mind, Olive investigates her neighbors. They include: society’s “it” girl of the moment, an accountant with a fondness for gadgets, a snooty society matron, and a school teacher turned bridge instructor. Olive uncovers rivalries, clandestine affairs, and hidden jealousies. With dashing Jasper at her side, Olive must discover whose secret is worth killing for. If you like sophisticated whodunits, charming characters, and novels with a lighthearted tone, you’ll enjoy the seventh installment of the High Society Lady Detective series, Murder at the Mansions, from USA Today bestselling author, Sara Rosett.




A Very British Murder


Book Description

This is the story of a national obsession. Ever since the Ratcliffe Highway Murders caused a nation-wide panic in Regency England, the British have taken an almost ghoulish pleasure in 'a good murder'. This fascination helped create a whole new world of entertainment, inspiring novels, plays and films, puppet shows, paintings and true-crime journalism - as well as an army of fictional detectives who still enthrall us today. A Very British Murder is Lucy Worsley's captivating account of this curious national obsession. It is a tale of dark deeds and guilty pleasures, a riveting investigation into the British soul by one of our finest historians.




Murder in Black Tie


Book Description

Top hats and tails. Mink and murder . . . November, 1923. An invitation to a house party at the estate of Parkview Hall is a welcome respite for Olive Belgrave, a newly minted working girl who’s become the solver of high society’s trickiest problems. But when the sumptuous black tie event turns deadly, Olive’s cousin Peter becomes the main suspect. Olive must unmask a sophisticated killer before an innocent man takes the blame . . . because murder doesn’t RSVP. Murder in Black Tie is the fourth standalone installment in the High Society Lady Detective series. If you like mysteries with elegant settings, charming characters, and a whodunit that will keep you guessing, you’ll love USA Today bestselling author Sara Rosett’s series of delightful historical mysteries. Escape into an elegant country home mystery with Murder in Black Tie.




BRITISH MURDER MYSTERIES – 10 Classics in One Volume: Girl Who Had Nothing, House by the Lock, Second Latchkey, Castle of Shadows, The Motor Maid, Guests of Hercules, Brightener and more


Book Description

The 'BRITISH MURDER MYSTERIES 10 Classics in One Volume' serves as a compelling anthology that showcases the evolution and diversity of the British detective story, from the enigmatic puzzles of the countryside to the dark, twisting alleys of London. The collection is remarkable for its range of literary styles, seamlessly blending the atmospheric tension of gothic literature with the intellectual rigor of golden-age detective fiction. Among its standout pieces, readers will find narratives that explore the depths of human psychology, each accompanied by a unique narrative style that adds to the rich tapestry of British mystery literature. The Williamson duo, Charles Norris and Alice Muriel, who serve both as contributors and as compilers, bind these tales together, offering a curated journey through the shadows of the British Isles. Their work illuminates the critical period of transition in early 20th-century British literature from Victorian to modernist sensibilities, underscoring the anthology's literary significance. Collectively, these authors provide a panoramic view of the British cultural landscape, capturing its nuances and complexities. Their backgrounds, ranging from journalism to travel writing, inject a unique realism and depth into the stories, reflecting broader historical and cultural movements of their time. This collection aligns with the burgeoning interest in crime fiction as a lens to explore societal change, offering diverse perspectives on morality, justice, and the human condition. 'BRITISH MURDER MYSTERIES 10 Classics in One Volume' invites readers into a richly woven world of intrigue and mystery, making it an essential addition for those interested in the intersections of culture, history, and literature. This anthology not only satisfies the appetite of mystery enthusiasts but also provides a scholarly exploration of the genre's development, encouraging readers to appreciate the depth and breadth of early 20th-century British literature. By engaging with this collection, readers are offered a unique opportunity to witness the evolution of the mystery genre and explore the multifaceted narratives that have captivated the imaginations of millions.




Narratives of Women and Murder in England, 1680–1760


Book Description

Arguing that the female criminal subject was central to the rise of the British novel, Kirsten T. Saxton provides fresh and convincing insights into the deeply complex ways in which categories of criminality, gender, and fiction intersected in the long eighteenth century. She offers the figure of the murderess as evidence of the constitutive relationship between eighteenth-century legal and fictional texts, comparing non-fiction representations of homicidal women in biographies of Newgate Ordinaries and in trial reports with those in the early novels of Aphra Behn, Delariviere Manley, Daniel Defoe, and Henry Fielding. As Saxton demonstrates that legal narratives informed the budding genre of the novel and fictional texts shaped the development of legal narratives, her study of deadly plots becomes a feminist intervention in scholarship on the literature of crime that simultaneously insists on the centrality of crime literature in feminist histories of the novel. Her epilogue shows that more than two centuries later, we still contend with displays of female violence that defy and define our notions of textual and sexual license and continue to shape legal and literary mandates, even as the lines between the real and the fictive remain blurred.




Women, Murder, and Equity in Early Modern England


Book Description

This book presents the first comprehensive study of over 120 printed news reports of murders and infanticides committed by early modern women. It offers an interdisciplinary analysis of female homicide in post-Reformation news formats ranging from ballads to newspapers. Individual cases are illuminated in relation to changing legal, religious, and political contexts, as well as the dynamic growth of commercial crime-news and readership.




The Best Murders Are British


Book Description

A staple of television since the early years of the BBC, British crime drama first crossed the Atlantic on public broadcasting stations and specialty cable channels, and later through streaming services. Often engaging with domestic anxieties about the government's power (or lack thereof), and with larger issues of social justice like gender equality, racism, and homophobia, it has constantly evolved to reflect social and cultural changes while adapting U.S. and Nordic noir influences in a way that retains its characteristically British elements. This collection examines the continuing appeal of British crime drama from The Sweeney through Sherlock, Marcella, and Happy Valley. Individual essays focus on male melodrama, nostalgia, definitions of community, gender and LGBTQ representation, and neoliberalism. The persistence of the English murder, as each chapter of this collection reveals, points to the complexity of British crime drama's engagement with social, political, and cultural issues. It is precisely the mix of British stereotypes, coupled with a willingness to engage with broader global social and political issues, that makes British crime drama such a successful cultural export.