My Musings - Favorite Historical Mystery Series Pt 2

I am continuing my series on historical mysteries loosely divided by era in today's and the next few week's posts.  I love historical mysteries and if you've been looking for a new series, or wanted to jump into this subcategory of mystery perhaps this will help.  This is in no way a comprehensive listing, that would be quite an undertaking.

In part one I covered up to the Regency era mysteries (click here). Now I am sharing the Victorian era mysteries.  

Victorian 1837-1901

Rosalind Thorne Mystery series by Darcie Wilde 

    Rosalind is the daughter of a baronet and minor heiress, but she was nearly ruined after her father abandoned the family. To survive in the only world she knew, high society and the nobility, she began to manage the affairs of some of London society’s most influential women, who have come to rely on her wit and discretion.  Now it's murder and her discretion and investigations skills are needed.

1)  A Useful Woman  (click here)

2)  A Purely Private Matter (click here)

3)  And Dangerous to Know (click here)

4)  A Lady Compromised

5)  A Counterfiet Suitor

Mayfair 100 Mystery series by Lynn Brittney 

With the blessing of London’s Chief Commissioner, Chief Inspector Beech, a young man invalided out of the war, assembles a crew of sharp, intrepid, and well-educated women to investigate.

1)  Murder in Belgravia (click here)

2)  A Death in Chelsea (click here)

3)  The Body in Berkley Square

Lady Darby mystery series by Anna Lee Huber 

A young society woman, who is a brilliant artist, is married off to a doctor who forces her to draw his disections for a medical book. The husband dies and she is an outcast, considered "unnatural." But when murder happens, she can use what she has learned to assist the investigator.

1)  The Anatomist's Wife (click here)

2)  Mortal Arts (click here)

3)  A Grave Matter (click here)

4)  A Study in Death (click here)

5)  As Death Draws Near (click here)

6)  A Brush with Shadows (click here)

7)  An Artless Demise (click here)

8)  A Stroke of Malice (click here)

9)  A Wicked Conceit

10)  A Periless Perspective

The Lady Sherlock Series by Sherry Thomas  

With her inquisitive mind, Charlotte Holmes has never felt comfortable with the demureness expected of the fairer sex in upper class society.  Charlotte, under the assumed name Sherlock Holmes, challenges society’s expectations and matchs wits against an unseen mastermind. This turns the story of the renowned Sherlock Holmes upside down.

1)  A Study In Scarlet Women (click here)

2)  A Conspiracy in Belgravia (click here)

3)  The Hollow of Fear (click here)

4)  The Art of Theft  (click here)

5)  Murder on Cold Street (click here)

6)  Miss Moriarity, I Presume? (click here)

Madam of Espionage series by Carol Carr

When Sir Archibald Latham of the War Office dies from a heart attack while visiting her brothel, Madam India Black is unexpectedly thrust into a deadly game between Russian and British agents who are seeking the military secrets Latham carried.  An unconventional sleuth who has a knack for investigating.

1)  India Black

2)  India Black and the Widow of Windsor (click here)

2.5) India Black and the Rajah's Ruby-Novella

3)  India Black and the Shadows of Anarchy (click here)

3.5) India Black in the City of Light-Novella 

4)  India Black and the Gentleman Thief (click here)

The Agency Mysteries by Y.S. Lee (grade 7 and up)

Mary Quinn, a scrappy 12-year-old orphan and accomplished thief in Victorian London, is saved from the gallows by a stranger and taken to Miss Scrimshaw's Academy for Girls.  At 17, she is recruited by the mistresses of the school to join a covert group of female spies known as The Agency. 

1) A Spy in the House (click here)

2) A Body at the Tower

3) The Traitor in the Tunnel

4) Rivals in the City

Countess of Harleigh Mysteries by Dianne Freeman

Frances Wynn, the American-born Countess of Harleigh, enjoys more freedom as a widow than she did as a wife.  But no sooner has Frances begun her new life than the Metropolitan police receive an anonymous letter implicating Frances in her husband’s death. This is a lighter historical cozy and very enjoyable. 

1)  A Lady's Guide to Etiquette and Murder (click here)

2)  A Lady's Guide to Gossip and Murder (click here)

3)  A Lady's Guide to Mischief and Murder (click here)

4)  A Fiancée's Guide to First Wives and Murder

5)  A Bride's Guide to Marriage and Murder

Fairy Tale Fatal Mystery by Maia Chance

Miss Ophelia Flax is a Victorian actress who knows all about making quick changes and even quicker exits. After being fired from her latest variety hall engagement, Ophelia acts her way into a lady’s maid position. But when her new job whisks her off to a foreboding castle straight out of a Grimm tale, with the suspected remains of Snow White’s cottage, along with a disturbing dwarf skeleton. Then her millionaire boss turns up dead—poisoned by an apple—the fantastic setting turns into a once upon a crime scene.  This gives historical setting for the fairtyales and has a cunning heroine.

1) Snow White Red-Handed (click here)

2) Cinderella Six Feet Under

3) Beauty, Beast, and Belladonna (click here)

Victorian Bookshop mysteries by Kate Parker 

Antiquarian bookseller Georgia Fenchurch, who doubles as a private investigator for the secret Archivist Society.  Georgia owns her own business in a time when women, even working class, weren't so priviledged.  The Archivist Society is a network of people who solve crimes.  This is a delightful series but hard to find all the books since the publisher discontinued and only two have been self-published. 

1) The Vanishing Thief (click here)

2) The Counterfeit Lady (click here)

3) The Royal Assassin (click here)

4) The Detecting Duchess

5) The Conspiring Woman (click here)

Inspector Faro Mysteries by Alanna Knight

Edinburgh, Scotland 1870. Because of a promise to a dying woman and his own misgivings, Inspector Faro decides to privately look into a closed case murder. A man has been hanged for two murders. He readily admitted to one but vehemently denied the second. That is the one that Inspector Faro looks into.   Author also write the Rose McQuinn historical mystery series.

1) Enter Second Murderer

2) Blood Line

3) Deadly Beloved

4) Killing Cousins

5) A Quiet Death

6) To Kill a Queen

7) The Missing Duchess

8) The Coffin Lane Murders

9) The Bull Slayers

10) Murder by Appointment

11) The Evil that Men Do

12) The Final Enemy

13) Death at Carasheen

14) Murder in Paradise (click here)

Please share your favorite Victorian era mysteries in the comments.

My Musings - Favorite Historical Mystery Series Pt 1

I will be sharing some historical mysteries loosely divided by era in today's and the next few week's posts.  I love historical mysteries and if you've been looking for a new series, or wanted to jump into this subcategory of mystery perhaps this will help.

Way Back Machine (Before 1811)

Crispin Guest Medieval Mysteries by Jeri Westerson starting with Veil of
Lies.  A disgraced knight earns a meager living as a private inquiry agent in 1383 London. There are 15 books in the series so far.  Review of Serpent in the Thorns  #2 (click here) 

and Troubled Bones #4 (click here).  I need to read more of this series, it is quite well done!

Chronicles of Brother Cadfael by Ellis Peters feature a Benedictine monk who was once a soldier, Cadfael, who aids the law by investigating and solving murders.  If you love history, definitely give these a try.  Cadfael is a layered character and the mysteries are just complex enough to keep you guessing.

Elizabethan Mystery series by Amanda Carmack set in 1558. Kate Haywood, a simple musician in the employ of a princess, will find herself involved in games of crowns as she sets out to solve the murder of the vindictive queen’s envoy.  Full of court intrigue. There are 6 books in the series. 

1) Murder at Hatfield House (click here)

2) Murder at Westminster Abbey (click here)

3) Murder in the Queen's Garden (click here)

4) Murder at the Queen's Masquerade

5) Murder at Whitehall (click here) 

6) Murder at Fountainbleu (click here)

Merlin Investigations by J.M.C. Blair are set in roughly the years 500-1500 

1 The Excalibur Murders

2 The Lancelot Murders

3 The Pendragon Murders (click here)

Regency 1811 - 1820

Lady Arianna series by Andrea Penrose  features Arianna Hadley, although a lady, her father was disgraced and died when she was 15 when she learned to survive with street smarts that she needs for investigating murders.  This is one of my favorites. 

1) Sweet Revenge (click here)

2) The Cocoa Conspiracy (click here)

3) Recipe for Treason (click here)

4) Smoke and Lies (click here)

5) A Question of Numbers

6) A Tangle of Serpents

7) A Swirl of Shadows

Wrexford & Sloan series by Andrea Penrose.  This series features  an unconventional scientist and a fearless female artist who team up to trap cold-hearted killers in London. Great characters and plots with historical detail and a dash of humor.  Another favorite.

1)  Murder on Swan Lake (click here) 

2)  Murder at Halfmoon Gate (click here) 

3)  Murder at Kensington Palace (click here) 

4)  Murder at Queen's Landing (click here)

5)  Murder at the Royal Botanical Gardens (click here)

6)  Murder at the Serpentine Bridge (due out in Sept 2022)

Captain Gabriel Lacey Regency mysteries by Ashley
Gardner features Cavalry captain Gabriel Lacey who returns to Regency London from the Napoleonic wars, burned out, fighting melancholia, his career ended, and struggling with his transition from a soldier's life to the civilian world. He finds new battles to wage in catching murderers.

1) The Hanover Square Affair (click here)

2) A Regimental Murder

3) The Glass House

4) The Sudbury School Murders

5) A Body in Berkeley Square

6) A Covent Garden Mystery

7) A Death in Norfolk

8) A Disappearance in Drury Lane

9) Murder in Grosvenor Square

10) The Thames River Murders

11) The Alexandria Affair

12) A Mystery at Carlton House

13) Murder in St. Giles

14) Death at Brighton Pavilon

15) The Custom House Murders

 

Sebastion St Cyr mysteries by C S Harris 

features Sebastian St. Cyr (Viscount Devlin) a veteran of the Peninsula wars with Napoleon and a nobleman who investigates murders-and who is going to argue with a Viscount that he can't? Grittier mystery, excellent characters, plot, and writing.

1. What Angels Fear 

2. When Gods Die 

3. Why Mermaids Sing 

4. Where Serpents Sleep 

5. What Remains of Heaven 

6. Where Shadows Dance (click here)

7. When Maidens Mourn (click here)

8. What Darkness Brings (click here)

9. Why Kings Confess (click here)

10. Who Buries the Dead (click here)

11. When Falcons Fall (click here)

12. Where the Dead Lie (click here)

13. Why Kill the Innocent 

14. Who Slays the Wicked 

15. Who Speaks for the Damned 

16. What the Devil Knows 

17. When Blood Lies 

-- Malcom & Suzanne Rannoch mysteries by Teresa Grant 

What happens when British Intelligence Agent Malcolm Rannoch marries a French woman amidst Napolean and the turmoil he is generating that breeds an atmosphere of intrigue and espionage with murder thrown in? You get this addictive series.

The order is a little confusing so this list should help: 

0.5) His Spanish Bride (novella)

0.6) London Interlude (novella)

1) Vienna Waltz

2) Imperial Scandal

3) The Paris Affair (click here)

3.5) The Paris Plot (novella)

4) Beneath a Silent Moon

5) The Berkeley Square Affair

6) The Mayfair Affair

6.5) Incident in Berkeley Square (novella)

7) London Gambit

8) Mission for a Queen

9) Daughter of the Game / Secrets of a Lady

10) The Mask of Night 

Atlas Catesby Mysteries by D.M. Quincy 

Atlas Catesby, youngest son of a Baron, finds he is quite good at solving murders when his chivalrous nature and strong sense of right and wrong see a woman being railroaded. To his surprise, the strong willed woman and he make an even better investigative team.  I love these characters and plots.

1) Murder in Mayfair (click here)

2) Murder in Bloomsbury (click here)

3) Murder at the Opera (click here)

Lily Adler Mysteries by Katharine Schellman features newly-widowed Lily Adler who is returning to a society that frowns on independent women after two years of mourning. She didn't expect her new life to include investigating murders, but she isn't opposed to it.

1) Body in the Garden (click here)

2) Silence in the Library (review coming this week)

3) Death at the Manor (coming August 2022)

I hope this provided a few ideas.  Be looking for the next listing that will include Victorian era mysteries.