'Frances Brody has made it to the top rank of crime writers' Daily Mail
'Brody's writing is like her central character Kate Shackleton: witty, acerbic and very, very perceptive' Ann Cleeves
A lady with a secret
Kate Shackleton's sterling reputation for courageous sleuthing attracts the attention of the venerable Lady Coulton. Hidden in her past is a daughter, born out of wedlock and given up to a different family. Now, Lady Coulton is determined to find her and puts Kate on the case.
A mysterious killing in the library's basement
But as Kate delves deeper into Lady Coulton's past, she soon finds herself thrust into a scandal much closer to home. When the body of the respected Horatio Potter is found in the Leeds Library basement, the quiet literary community is suddenly turned upside down with suspicions, accusations and - much to Kate's surprise - the appearance of a particularly intelligent Capuchin monkey!
The most puzzling case in Kate's sleuthing history yet
Convinced an innocent man has been blamed, Kate sets out to discover the truth. Who would want Dr Potter dead? Does Lady Coulton's missing daughter hold a vital clue? As the stories start to emerge in the seemingly quiet Leeds Library, Kate is learning fast that in this case, she can't judge a book by its cover . . .
What readers are saying about the Kate Shackleton mysteries:
'Kate Shackleton is a splendid heroine' Ann Granger
'Delightful' People's Friend
'Frances Brody matches a heroine of free and independent spirit with a vivid evocation of time and place . . . a novel to cherish' Barry Turner,Daily Mail
'Brody's excellent mystery splendidly captures the conflicts and attitudes of the time with well-developed characters' RT Book Reviews
'Kate Shackleton joins Jacqueline Winspear's Maisie Dobbs in a subgroup of young, female amateur detectives who survived and were matured by their wartime experiences' Literary Review
Publisher: Little, Brown Book Group
ISBN: 9780349400570
Number of pages: 368
Weight: 240 g
Dimensions: 194 x 126 x 30 mm
Kate Shackleton joins Jacqueline Winspear's Maisie Dobbs in a subgroup of young, female amateur detectives who survived and were matured by their wartime experiences. As self-reliant women in a society that still regards them a second-class citizens, they make excellent heroines - Literary Review
This is whimsical, colourful stuff and readers will warm to the entrepreneurial yet fragile Kate - Take a Break
Kate Shackleton is a splendid heroine - Ann Granger
Kate Shackleton is a delightful leading character. The flavour of post First World War England is beautifully portrayed. An enjoyable and gripping mystery story - CrimeSquad.com
Refreshing and highly entertaining, especially for the winter nights - Gazette and Herald
Brody's excellent mystery splendidly captures the conflicts and attitudes of the time with well-developed characters - RT Book Reviews
I have enjoyed all five Kate Shackleton books but this is the best so far. Frances Brody has made it to the top rank of crime writers - Daily Mail
Kate Shackleton is engaged by Lady Coulton to find her long lost daughter, given up for adoption over 20 years ago. Kate soon finds her investigation hitting dead ends but has her attention distracted by another case... More
Loved this one. Another clever and intriguing book in this enjoyable series. Very strong story and the regular characters are great. Like all of the books in the series all of Kate's scenes are written first... More
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