Murder by Candlelight

One suspicious death. Two amateur sleuths. And an utterly impossible crime…

The Cotswolds, 1924. At the Old Forge in the quiet village of Maybury-in-the-Marsh a cry of anguish rings out: lady of the house Amy Phelps has been discovered dead. But with all the windows and doors to her room locked from inside, how – and by whom – was she killed?

Arbuthnot ‘Arbie’ Swift finds himself in the unlikely position of detective. The celebrated author of The Gentleman’s Guide to Ghost-Hunting is staying at the Old Forge to investigate a suspected spectre, but now the more pressing matter of Amy’s murder falls to him too.

With old friend Val, he soon uncovers a sorry tale of altered wills, secret love affairs and tragic losses – and plenty of motives for murder. When events take another sinister turn, Arbie must find the killer, fast. And to do so will mean cracking a most perfectly plotted crime…

Perfect for fans of The Thursday Murder Club, The Appeal and The Marlow Murder Club, don’t miss this stunning new series from the multi-million bestselling author!

‘Amuses and intrigues in equal measure… a splendid start to what promises to be a long-running series’ Daily Mail

Readers LOVE Murder by Candlelight!

‘I absolutely loved this… The story grabbed me from the beginning and I devoured it.’ Reader review

‘The perfect village mystery. A golden-age world with an energy that is totally contemporary.’ J.M. Hall, author of A Spoonful of Murder

‘A beautifully constructed puzzle… I so hope this will be the start of a series.’ Reader review

‘Brilliant characters that leap off the page.’ The Sun

‘Very entertaining… Full of red herrings, plot twists and turns. I thought I knew who was the killer but I was wrong.’ Reader review

‘All the ingredients of a classic mystery… enormous fun.’ Orlando Murrin, author of Knife Skills for Beginners

‘What an utterly delightful and clever mystery… I highly recommend this book.’ Reader reviewer

‘Terrifically good, and just great fun!… All of the clues are provided, but so are a number of very good red herrings… I can’t wait to see more of Arbie and Val.’ Reader review

‘WOW. I loved this book.’ Reader review

‘Absolutely perfect! This is the book I have been craving since I last read the Thursday Murder Club series!’ Reader reviewer

Format: Paperback
Pages: 320
Imprint: HQ Fiction AU
Publication date: 01/01/2025
Series: The Val & Arbie Mysteries v1