Book Review: ‘Shot with Crimson’ by Nicola Upson

This is a brilliant new instalment in Nicola Upson’s ‘Golden Age’ crime series featuring Josephine Tey as detective. It’s a genius idea to have an actual crime writer as a detective, something that Upson has sustained beautifully over 11 books – ‘Shot with Crimson’ being the latest.

I’ve followed this series from the start and was delighted to be granted a copy of ‘Shot with Crimson’ for review by NetGalley. As always, opinions are entirely my own.

Continue reading Book Review: ‘Shot with Crimson’ by Nicola Upson

Book Review: ‘Dear Little Corpses’ by Nicola Upson

If you haven’t yet discovered Nicola Upson’s excellent historical crime series, here’s your chance.

This novel takes place in the early days of World War Two as war is declared and children evacuated en masse to the country. The Suffolk village in which Josephine Tey is living ends up with a lot more evacuees than planned, forcing those who didn’t want to take children to open their homes – the scene in the village hall where the evacuees are being homed made me really think of ‘Bedknobs and Broomsticks’ in all the best ways! When a child goes missing, Tey and the villagers start asking questions and pointing fingers…

Continue reading Book Review: ‘Dear Little Corpses’ by Nicola Upson

March 2022 Wrap-Up and April TBR

Better late than never!

March was a busy month for me…unfortunately, mainly in the work sense with an enforced Covid break in the middle. I read 9 books this month, putting me at 30/120 on my Goodreads target for the year.

Continue reading March 2022 Wrap-Up and April TBR

February 2022 Wrap-Up and March TBR

Not a great reading month for me in terms of volume – but some brilliant books, so I can’t complain!

This month, I read 8 books which isn’t great for me but keeps me (just!) ahead of my 10 books a month target (Goodreads 21/120).

Two of my 8 books were an easy FIVE STARS from me…read on to see which ones!

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Continue reading February 2022 Wrap-Up and March TBR

January Wrap-Up and February TBR

January was both approximately four years long and very busy at work.

Despite the endlessness of the month, I only managed to read 13 books – a totally respectable number, but I wonder what on earth I did with the rest of the eternal days and weeks!

This puts me on 13/120 for my Goodreads Challenge for 2022.

All links are affiliate ones - as always, thanks so much for any purchases as they are really sppreciated and help pay for my blog!
Continue reading January Wrap-Up and February TBR

Book Review: ‘The Dead of Winter’ by Nicola Upson

I love this series by Nicola Upson as was delighted to be given the opportunity to read this latest instalment – ‘The Dead of Winter’ – which is the ninth book to feature Josephine Tey as detective. Thanks to Nicola Upson, Faber Books and the power of Twitter for getting this fabulous book into my hands.

In this book, Josephine is invited to spend Christmas in Cornwall at the imposing and distinctive St Michael’s Mount – a tiny island community cut off from the mainland at high tide and presided over by the aristocratic St Aubyn family. Along with Josephine and Marta (her partner), the Cornish Christmas is to be shared with several other guests, including German film star Marlene Dietrich who is being accompanied by Josephine’s old friend and sleuthing partner, Chief Inspector Archie Penrose. This is one party, however, that will not be forgotten as the blizzards set in and two people die in mysterious circumstances…

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WWW Wednesday: 11th November, 2020

WWW Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted at Taking on a World of Words. Anyone can take part and it is a great way of sharing what you have just finished reading, what you are currently reading and what is next on the TBR.

Links are provided for books already published/pre-orders – thanks for supporting my blog with any purchases (at no extra cost to you!)


What have you recently finished reading?

I have finished reading ‘The Wrong Sort to Die’ by Paula Harmon, a historical mystery novel that is for a blog tour with Damp Pebbles. It’s an engaging story about a pioneering female pathologist in Edwardian London. My review will be on the blog tour next week.

Then I read ‘The Cousins’ by Karen McManus, a YA thriller, for a blog tour at the end of November with The Write Reads. This one is a twisty story of family lies and long-buried secrets in a small island community on Gull Cove Island in America.

Another blog tour book also turned up this week and I devoured it in one sitting! ‘How Love Actually Ruined Christmas (or Colourful Narcotics)’ by Gary Raymond is a hilarious skewering of the 2003 Richard Curtis film, ‘Love Actually’. It made me laugh so much and nod in agreement. My (extremely gushing) review will be on the blog later in the month as part of the Damp Pebbles tour.

What are you reading now?

I’ve joined a reading group on Twitter in order to (hopefully) knock through some of the NetGalley backlog – this was set up by the lovely Emandherbooks and is a supportive group of bloggers working on #NetGalleyNovember2020.

Due to them, I’ve made excellent in-roads to Laura Purcell’s ‘The Shape of Darkness’ which I am absolutely loving! It’s a historical, spooky, gothic tale involving spiritualism and murder – right up my street! This one will be published in January 2021.

I’m also reading ‘Rebecca’ by Daphne du Maurier with the fabulous bunch at The Write Reads. It’s a book that (I’m ashamed to say) I’ve failed to read on two previous occasions but I’m making progress this time.

I’m still reading ‘Pandora’s Jar’ by Natalie Haynes. I’m enjoying it but can’t seem to make much progress as it is packed with ideas and interesting stuff. I keep having to put it down to digest bits!

Finally, I’m still working my way through the audiobook of Jasper Rees’ ‘Let’s Do It’, the biography of Victoria Wood that is read by so many famous voices. Although I love the narration, I am finding it quite slow going and – coming in at about 21 hours – I have a long way to go. I’m not sure I’m going to make it.

What do you think you will read next?

I’ve just taken on another blog tour for Damp Pebbles as there was a date that needed filling so my next read is ‘The Heat’, a crime novella by Sean O’Leary.

Then it’s back to NetGalley and the brilliant ARCs vying for my attention! Top of the pile at the moment (but always subject to change) are these gems:

  1. ‘Hyde’ by Craig Russell – I loved ‘The Devil Aspect’, his previous novel, and cannot wait to immerse myself in Victorian Edinburgh with this one
  2. ‘The Dead of Winter’ by Nicola Upson – I love this detective series in which the sleuth is crime writer Josephine Tey and this is the latest
  3. ‘Lie Beside Me’ by Gytha Lodge – the latest instalment of another brilliant crime series and the blurb on this one is incredible!
  4. ‘Threadneedle’ by Cari Thomas – I’ve seen a lot about this book all over Twitter and it sounds magical
  5. ‘Nick’ by Michael Farris Smith – a novel focusing on the narrator of ‘The Great Gatsby’ before the events of that story

As always, thanks for reading and following my blog!

With thanks to the blog tour hosts, publishers, authors and NetGalley for providing me with the books in exchange for honest reviews. The only book not provided for free in this week’s round-up is ‘Rebecca’ by Daphne du Maurier.

Header photo with thanks to Jessica Fadel for sharing their work on Unsplash.

October Wrap-Up and November TBR

How is it that time again?! The end of another month and another step nearer Christmas (yay!) and the end of 2020 (*huge sigh of relief*).

This month I have read 11 books and hit my GoodReads Challenge target of 100 books for the year!

It’s been a funny month with some real reading slumps as well as some absolutely BRILLIANT books. So, without further ado, here’s what I read this month…

(Links to books already published are affiliate links – thank you for supporting my blog with any purchases).


October Wrap-Up

I started the month with the brilliant ‘More Than a Woman’ by Caitlin Moran – an often funny, fresh and brutally honest take on what it means to be a middle-aged woman. This was my first five-star read of the month – you can see my review here.

After this, I read ‘Jeeves and the Leap of Faith’ by Ben Schott, a new Jeeves and Wooster novel written with the blessing of the PG Wodehouse estate. Nothing quite hits the highs of Wodehouse’s original novels, but Schott has done a great job of the language and comic elements. You can read my review here.

Next up was a blog tour for ‘The Creak on the Stairs’ by Eva Bjorg Aegisdottir, a chilling and dark piece of Nordic Noir crime fiction. Set in Iceland, this follows Chief Investigating Officer Elma as she tries to solve a murder that is stirring up the unsavoury past of some people in the small town of Akranes. You can read my blog tour post here.

Then came ‘The Servant’ by Maggie Richell-Davies, a dark historical tale of a girl who has fallen on difficult times in Georgian London. This book won the Historical Writers’ Association award for a (then) unpublished novel and is definitely worth a read – my review is here.

One of my audiobooks (listened to in the car with my kids) this month was Roald Dahl’s ‘Boy’, read by Dan Stevens. We all enjoyed this one – a lively performance of a book that I’ve loved since childhood. It has been a joy to relive the experiences of Dahl at school at Repton, on holiday in Norway, with his eccentric family and upsetting teachers and sweet-shop owners alike.

Next up was ‘The Phoenix Project’ by Michelle Kidd for another blog tour in November. This was a fast-paced thriller with a wide scope – London, Paris, Africa, Russian spies and the British Government – and all very tense! Watch this space for my blog tour review.

Then I enjoyed Walburga Appleseed’s ‘The Princess and the Prick’, a short book with some very concise feminist retellings of fairy tales, myths and nursery rhymes. Beautifully illustrated, this managed to pack plenty of food for thought into a small space.

Another short but powerful book was ‘Essex Girls’ by Sarah Perry, a feminist celebration of the qualities of the Essex Girl stereotype. In Perry’s book, Essex becomes a state of mind rather than a geographical location and we are introduced to a host of fabulous women from history. My review is here.

Another of my five-star books this month was ‘Practically Perfect: Life Lessons from Mary Poppins’ by Katy Brand. Anyone with any love for the 1964 film should read this as it is fascinating but delightfully comforting. My review can be found here.

Then I listened to another audiobook, ‘The Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid’, a charming and funny book about Bill Bryson’s experiences of growing up in the 1950s in Des Moines in Iowa. This one is read by Bryson himself and his dry wit really comes through in the recording.

Finally, I finished the month with ‘The Devil and the Dark Water’ by Stuart Turton, a historical crime novel that I absolutely loved. You can read my review here.


November TBR

I am absolutely awful at predicting what I will read in the future – I read according to my mood and who knows where that may take me!?

However, I do have a lot of NetGalley ARCs that I should read. Here is just a selection:

  • ‘The Shape of Darkness’ by Laura Purcell – I loved her previous books and this one promises to be equally fabulous.
  • ‘The Whole Truth’ by Cara Hunter – this is the latest in a great series of police procedurals in which we follow DI Fawley as he tries to uncover truth. I’ve loved the other books so have high hopes for this.
  • ‘The Dead of Winter’ by Nicola Upson – another series I’ve followed for a long time, this one puts crime writer Josephine Tey into the role of detective against the backdrop of Europe in the lead-up to World War II.
  • ‘Hyde’ by Craig Russell – Russell’s first book, ‘The Devil Aspect’, was amazing and I hope this one will be every bit as good. Set in Victorian Edinburgh and featuring a series of mysterious ritualistic murders, this looks like it will be a dark and thrilling read.
  • ‘Mr Wilder and Me’ by Jonathan Coe – I’ve loved previous books by Coe and this, set in the heat of the 1977 summer, looks glorious.
  • ‘Nick’ by Michael Farris Smith – this new book about the early life of the fictional narrator of ‘The Great Gatsby’ looks really interesting.
  • ‘Lie Beside Me’ by Gytha Lodge – the latest in another crime series that I’ve enjoyed vey much. This is the latest to feature DCI Jonah Sheens.
  • ‘Let’s Do It: The Authorised Biography of Victoria Wood’ by Jasper Rees – I’ve been granted this one on audiobook and am looking forward to learning more about Wood from her closest friends and colleagues (some of whom narrate the book).

This is ignoring the huge stacks of books in my house and my jam-packed Kindle so we shall wait and see what I actually manage to read!


Header photo with thanks to Alex Geerts for sharing their work on Unsplash.

The Best Books About Books…Part 2!

The post I wrote last week about non-fiction books about books seemed to strike a chord with many people… It turns out (surprise!) there are plenty of us in the bookish community who love books about books!

This week, I thought I’d turn my focus to fiction – loads of the replies I got last week talked about people’s favourite stories set in the worlds of libraries and bookshops, or featuring writers and stories within stories.

Without any further ado, here are some great novels set in the world of books. As is usual with me, there is a distinct Victorian/murder mystery theme, but plenty of others too!

All links to purchase books are affiliate links – I do earn commission on these (at no extra cost to you ) and thank you for supporting my blog.


‘The Reader on the 6.27’ by Jean-Paul Didierlaurent (translated from French)

This is the first book in absolute years that I read in one sitting!

It’s the story of a man who works for a company that pulps unwanted books, much to his horror. He takes stray pages from the pulping machine and reads them aloud to commuters on the 6.27 train every morning. One day he finds a memory stick containing private diaries and his life is due to be changed forever.

This book is absolutely gorgeous and charming – the main characters (Guylian and Julie) are lovely, there are some brilliant and very funny supporting characters and the whole thing is uplifting and sweet. Highly recommended!


‘The Journal of Dora Damage’ by Belinda Starling

This was a debut (and only) novel by a writer who is sadly no longer with us – I would genuinely have loved to see what else she had up her sleeve after this one.

I picked this up in a charity shop purely because it had a pretty cover, featured Victorians (yes, my obsession) and was about bookbinders. This is easily one of the best charity shop purchases I’ve ever made!

The book is about a woman who is married to a bookbinder and has to take over his business when he becomes ill. To make ends meet, she gets embroiled with some rather unsavoury aristocratic characters and takes up binding pornography, while also becoming involved with an apprentice in the business.

What I loved about this book was the strong and resourceful women in what was clearly a man’s world. This book was full of unexpected elements and felt really fresh and interesting – plus the setting was beautifully imagined and written. It really is a surprising and engaging read.


‘Magpie Murders’ by Anthony Horowitz

Let me just say up front – I did enjoy this book, but it was odd…

The novel is essentially two books in one. Firstly, there is the ‘fictional’ murder mystery, ‘Magpie Murders’, written by Alan Conway and featuring his celebrated detective Atticus Pund. Secondly, there is the investigation into Alan Conway’s own death by a publishing executive who is involved in the publication of ‘Magpie Murders’. The two narratives are linked as the fictional story supposedly contains clues to its author’s murder.

Confused yet? I was intrigued as to how this premise could work. How could a story give clues about its creator’s death since they were obviously writing it when very much alive!? The answer lies in the book’s structure – we get the Atticus Pund mystery nearly in its entirety before the discovery that the final chapters are missing. The publishing executive then embarks on a quest to find the missing pages, uncovering clues as she goes.

Both of the narratives are pleasing, full of shady characters, red herrings and plenty of hidden motives. What is a bit strange is that we get the publisher’s views on the Pund book, which essentially boils down to Horowitz critiquing his own story. Clever or a bit weird?

Overall, I would recommend this to people who love cosy crime fiction – there’s no real tragedy or graphic forensic detail here, which I think is positive. However, readers have to be prepared to stick with the two narratives – with all their quirks and flabby bits – as the payoff is ultimately satisfying.

Horowitz has since published other crime books for adults and his latest – ‘Moonflower Murders’ – is a follow-on to ‘Magpie Murders’.


‘An Expert in Murder’ by Nicola Upson

This is the first book in an engaging historical crime series that feature the crime writer Josephine Tey as the main protagonist. Her writing (crime novels and plays) form the backdrop to these books as she takes on the role of detective with her friend, Chief Inspector Archie Penrose.

This first book in the series, centring around a production run of Tey’s play ‘Richard of Bordeaux’, isn’t the strongest of the series but is worth reading as it establishes the characters in this semi-fictional 1930s world. There are some real gems later in the series – ‘Nine Lessons’ in particular is absolutely fantastic.

An engaging series in which a writer takes centre stage – excellent!


‘The Little Paris Bookshop’ by Nina George

This is a beautifully written story about a man, Jean Perdu, who has lost 21 years of his life mourning a relationship in which his partner (who was married to someone else) left him. On hearing news of her death, he decides to travel to meet her husband and discover more of her life story.

It’s also a book about bibliotherapy, an idea I love! Perdu runs a bookshop from a boat on the Seine and ‘prescribes’ books to people. What a great way to explore the power of literature!

Overall, this is a charming story with some lovely touches – the eccentric residents of Perdu’s house in Paris are a treat!


‘Midnight at the Bright Ideas Bookstore’ by Matthew Sullivan

Lydia works at the Bright Ideas Bookshop in Denver surrounded by BookFrogs, the collection of quirky and tragic figures drawn to the warmth, security and comfort of the store. She is hiding her own tragic past, but the bookshop is somewhere that people don’t ask questions. Until Joey, a young BookFrog, kills himself in the store and Lydia is drawn into investigating her own past and the events that occurred 20 years before.

This is an inventive and compelling murder mystery, but it’s also much more than that. It’s also an exploration of human relationships and the psychology of trauma, but is so cleverly and skilfully done that you just keep turning the pages to find out what happens next. The characters are realistic and it is easy to get caught up in their lives. My only criticism – and this is a personal thing – is that it is quite bleak in places.

Highly recommended for those who like contemporary crime novels, although be warned that there is nothing cosy about this mystery.


‘Murder on the Eiffel Tower’ by Claude Izner (translated from French)

This is the first book in a series featuring Parisian bookseller Victor Legris as the investigator of a number of murders.

As with the Nicola Upson series described above, the first book isn’t the strongest of the series but it is worth a read to immerse yourself in Victor’s late nineteenth-century world. The murders are page-turning and the settings are just fabulous – the Eiffel Tower, the Pere-Lachaise cemetery, Montmartre. Plus, there’s a bookshop as a focal point…


‘The Bookish Life of Nina Hill’ by Abbi Waxman

This one was shortlisted for the Comedy Women in Print Prize 2020.

Nina Hill works in a bookshop in a quirky area of Los Angeles. She’s happy with her life, with its pub quiz fixtures, cinema trips and plenty of time scheduled for reading. In fact, Nina prefers books to people and is quite content sharing her life with Phil, her cat. However, her life changes forever when she gets the news that her absent father has died, leaving her a bequest and a big, complicated family to deal with. A handsome quiz rival further pushes Nina to question her attitude to life.

This is a jolly, light-hearted book – although Nina suffers from anxiety, it’s not all doom and gloom and there is the sense that nothing truly awful will happen. It’s cosy, escapist fiction and I think it should be appreciated as such – I enjoyed it, read it quickly and it left me feeling happy. Surely then it’s met its objectives!


‘Flaubert’s Parrot’ by Julian Barnes

A book ostensibly about Flaubert wouldn’t be a hit with me, although I did read Flaubert’s ‘Madame Bovary’ at university and remember liking it. However, in Barnes’ hands, this becomes the story of obsession as scholar Geoffrey Braithwaite grapples with life and love through his Flaubert fixation. On the way, we learn a lot about the great French writer.

This – while tackling some big issues about life and art – is readable, funny and full of in-jokes for anyone who knows ‘Madame Bovary’.


‘The Truth’ by Terry Pratchett

Anyone who reads this blog regularly will know that I’m not a massive fantasy fan. However, I can easily make an exception for the witty, wise and wonderful Terry Pratchett.

The Librarian at Unseen University (an orang-utan, for those uninitiated into Pratchett’s Discworld series) would make this list on his own merits, but instead I’ve chosen the fabulous ‘The Truth’.

It’s about writers – in this case journalists – and the introduction of the printing press to Discworld by William de Worde. As someone who unwittingly introduces the first newspaper to Discworld, he then has to deal with the can of worms he has unleashed! With its exploration of ‘fake news’ and the power of publication, this (written in 2000) feels like it really should be having its moment now.

OK, so journalism isn’t quite books, but printing is absolutely on message for this list and this book is so hilarious that I hope you forgive me wandering a little from the brief!


It is also worth mentioning some books that I’ve already featured on the blog. These would absolutely belong on this kind of list, but I thought it was cheating to feature them again when there were so many books I haven’t talked about!

  1. ‘Eight Detectives’ by Alex Pavesi – crime novel delving into the tricks of crime novels! A clever debut and reviewed here.
  2. ‘Shadowplay’ by Joseph O’Connor – brilliant novel about Bram Stoker writing Dracula during his time as manager of the Lyceum Theatre in a vividly-drawn Victorian/Edwardian world – reviewed here.
  3. ‘The Binding’ by Bridget Collins – a fantastic novel about an apprentice to a bookbinder who learns the dark and mystical secrets of the trade – reviewed as part of my ’10 Brilliant Historical Novels You Should Read’ here.
  4. ‘Swan Song’ by Kelleigh Greenberg-Jephcott – a fictionalised account of Truman Capote’s life and relationships with the women he called his ‘swans’ (but ultimately betrayed in his writing). Interesting stuff and reviewed again as part of my ’10 Brilliant Historical Novels You Should Read’ here.
  5. ‘A Theatre for Dreamers’ by Polly Samson – gloriously sun-drenched novel about a community of artists and writers (including Leonard Cohen and Charmian Clift) living on the Greek island of Hydra in the 1960s. I reviewed the audiobook here.
  6. ‘The Postscript Murders’ by Elly Griffiths – cosy, twisty mystery about the death of a ‘murder consultant’ to crime writers. Reviewed here.
  7. ‘Frankissstein’ by Jeanette Winterson – excellent modern retelling of Frankenstein with an AI twist, interspersed with scenes of Mary Shelley writing the original novel. Reviewed here.

I hope you’ve enjoyed my list – please do recommend me more books about bookshops, libraries and writers!

15 Brilliant Historical Crime Series

Today’s post is all about my absolute favourite genre: historical crime fiction. I love the pace and puzzle of the investigations, but also the rich texture of the historical settings.

While a Victorian setting is usually my go-to, I’ve found and enjoyed a whole host of excellent series covering a much wider time period – although (spoiler alert) I really can’t get on with the Tudors so there are some very popular series missing from my list!

With that little proviso up front and in no particular order, off we go with the historical crime series that I would choose over all others…

Blood and Sugar by Laura Shepherd-Robinson

1. LAURA SHEPHERD-ROBINSON’S GEORGIAN LONDON SERIES.

Firstly, a plea for you to read Laura Shepherd Robinson’s absolutely amazing ‘Blood and Sugar’. Set in London in 1781, this is an atmospheric page-turner that, while taking in slavery and a horrific murder, is so beautifully written that you won’t want it to end. The publication of the sequel, ‘Daughters of Night’, has been pushed back to January 2021 because of Covid, but I cannot praise it highly enough – and you will want to have read the first one before it comes out.

2. C.S. HARRIS – THE SEBASTIAN ST CYR GEORGIAN MYSTERIES.

What Remains of Heaven by C.S. Harris

A bit lighter than Shepherd-Robinson’s series, C.S Harris’ series is also set in Georgian England towards the end of George III’s reign and through into the Regency. Sebastian St Cyr, Viscount Devlin, is the dashing but damaged hero and there is a romance sub-plot alongside the mysteries that make these books compelling. Start with ‘What Angels Fear’ and work through the series in order – there are 15 books to enjoy in total.

Stack of mystery novels set in Georgian England

3. IMOGEN ROBERTSON’S CROWTHER AND WESTERMAN SERIES – GEORGIAN ENGLAND.

Without wanting to sound obsessed with the Georgians, this is another great series set in that time period. It pairs an unlikely duo, the lively and spirited Harriet Westerman and a reclusive anatomist Gabriel Crowther, to solve a series of murders. The first book is ‘Instruments of Darkness’ and it’s a brilliant opener to an engaging series.

4. ALAN BRADLEY’S FLAVIA DE LUCE SERIES SET IN 195OS RURAL ENGLAND.

Coming slightly more up to date is the charming and witty crime series featuring 11 year-old sleuth and amateur chemist, Flavia de Luce. If you’re not sold on the idea of a child detective, then hear me out – nor was I, but Flavia is feisty and funny and these books are a lovely, cosy crime series. The setting is an idealised 1950s England full of eccentric characters and secrets for Flavia to uncover. The series begins with ‘The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie’ and establishes Flavia’s dysfunctional family beautifully.

5. (NOT PICTURED) E.S. THOMSON’S JEM FLOCKHART SERIES SET IN VICTORIAN LONDON.

Jem Flockhart, apothecary and focus of E.S. Thomson’s series, is a fascinating character – a woman living as a man in Victorian London in order to be able to practise her trade and live in relative freedom. The mysteries, starting with ‘Beloved Poison’, are quite dark and a bit gruesome, but also fascinating and tense.

6. CLAUDE IZNER’S VICTOR LEGRIS SERIES SET IN LATE VICTORIAN-ERA PARIS.

Starting with ‘Murder on the Eiffel Tower’ and translated from the French, this is a series following Victor Legris, a Parisian bookseller, as he solves crimes in an evocatively-presented 19th century setting.

7. (NOT PICTURED) AMBROSE PARRY’S WILL RAVEN SERIES SET IN VICTORIAN EDINBURGH.

Ambrose Parry is a pseudonym – these books are written by a husband and wife, crime writer Chris Brookmyre and consultant anaesthetist Dr Marisa Haetzman. The main character, Will Raven, is a medical student in Victorian Edinburgh where the atmosphere is dark and sinister. Be warned that the writing is forensic and graphic so this isn’t for the faint hearted. ‘The Way of all Flesh’ is the first book and there is a recently published sequel, also excellent.

Two historical crime novels

8. ABIR MUKHERJEE’S WYNDHAM AND BANERJEE SERIES STARTING IN 1919 INDIA.

This series, starting with ‘A Rising Man’, is an eye-opening and always immersive trip through a period of British rule in India. Primarily focused on Calcutta, the detectives are British policeman Captain Sam Wyndham and his Indian sergeant, Banerjee. The historical setting is beautifully drawn and the political events of the period make a fascinating backdrop for the murder investigations while also providing a light-touch education on the history of empire. The fourth book in the series has just been published.

9. DEANNA RAYBOURN’S VERONICA SPEEDWELL SERIES SET IN VICTORIAN ENGLAND.

Veronica Speedwell is a highly unconventional heroine living an unlikely existence as adventurer and butterfly collector. She gets herself into scrapes, has scandalous love affairs and solves crimes too with her partner/fellow scientist/potential love interest, Stoker. These mysteries are pacy and a lot of fun but lighter on the history than some of my other choices. The series starts, appropriately, with ‘A Curious Beginning’.

Deadly Communion by Frank Tallis

10. FRANK TALLIS’ MAX LIEBERMANN SERIES SET IN 1900S VIENNA.

Max Liebermann is a doctor and early practitioner of psychoanalysis as a follower of Freud. The mysteries in this series are intelligent and accompanied by descriptions of the delicious Austrian pastries that Max enjoys during his forays into Viennese cafe society. The series begins with ‘Mortal Mischief’.

11. NICOLA UPSON’S JOSEPHINE TEY SERIES STARTING IN THE UNITED KINGDOM OF THE 1930S .

Nicola Upson’s series is a fictional imagining of the life of Josephine Tey, a real-life Golden Age novelist and playwright. The first in the series, ‘An Expert in Murder’, establishes the delicate balance of fact and fiction typical of the series. The books don’t have the pace and peril of some of my other choices, but are always thought-provoking and clever.

12. ANDREW TAYLOR’S JAMES MARWOOD SERIES SET IN THE AFTERMATH OF THE 1666 GREAT FIRE OF LONDON.

This series opens with a body found in the ruins of St. Paul’s cathedral after the Great Fire of London has ravaged the city. James Marwood is a government informer with a tendency to – against his better judgement – get caught up in the political matters of the day. The first book, ‘The Ashes of London’, sets up the complex political situation and establishes Marwood’s partnership with Cat Lovett, another figure caught up in politics because of her family history.

13. BORIS AKUNIN’S ERAST FANDORIN SERIES SET IN VICTORIAN-ERA RUSSIA.

Beginning with ‘The Winter Queen’, this is a lively and engaging series starting in 1870s Russia. The main character is Erast Fandorin, an investigator from St. Petersburg (at the start of the series). The mysteries themselves are suitable twisty and compelling with a dash of wit and plenty of charm.

14. TASHA ALEXANDER’S LADY EMILY SERIES SET IN VICTORIAN ENGLAND.

Lady Emily is widowed at the start of the series (‘And Only to Deceive’) and it is this that gives her the freedom to investigate mysteries surrounding her dead husband. Although the series starts in Victorian London, later books in the series visit other places such as Venice and St. Petersburg where Lady Emily always finds herself embroiled in mystery. This series is quite light and fun for those who don’t want anything gruesome!

Pile of historical mystery novels

15. (NOT PICTURED) ANDREA PENROSE’S WREXFORD AND SLOANE SERIES SET IN REGENCY LONDON.

This is another series featuring an unlikely pairing of detectives – this time the Earl of Wrexford and widowed artist Emily Sloane. The mysteries, beginning with ‘Murder on Black Swan Lane’, are cleverly plotted and engaging, plus the Regency setting is convincing.

I hope this list helps you find your next historical crime series. I’m now feeling guilty about all the books I’ve loved that didn’t make the list!

Over the next few days I’ll publish some of my recent reviews of books in the series mentioned above. Please do follow me to read these!