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Having just finished his apprenticeship, apothecary John Rawlings is celebrating in Vaux Hall Gardens when he trips over the body of a young girl. Hauled before the magistrate as the prime suspect, Rawlings clears his own name and so impresses the magistrate John Fielding that he is asked instead to investigate the crime. From gaming hell to fashion house, Rawlings follows a trail of lust and intrigue which unearths a dangerous past of threatening secrets.
Apothecary John Rawlings is intrigued when a letter arrives asking him to investigate an impostor claiming to be the long-lost step-son of a wealthy Bristol merchant in possession of his dead wife's diamond inheritance. John Rawlings' father, Sir Gabriel Kent joins him on the trip to take the healing waters at Hotwell where they socialize with the crème of Bristol society. But Rawlings is compelled to try and solve the mystery and so he must trawl through the underbelly of eighteenth-century society to unearth the sordid secrets at the heart of the investigation.
A business opportunity in America leads to a case of cold-blooded murder for Apothecary John Rawlings in this “highly entertaining adventure” (Booklist). America, 1773. Following a long and perilous journey, John Rawlings has arrived in Boston, Massachusetts, to pursue a new business venture. He finds the place riven with tension and unrest. There are many who feel it’s time the colonies sought freedom from British rule, and the seething resentment erupts into outright rebellion during the notorious Boston Tea Party. But has someone taken advantage of the chaos to commit cold-blooded murder? Called in to examine a body fished out of Boston Harbor, Rawlings recognizes one of his fellow travelers from England. If he could unearth the truth about the victim’s past, he would be one step closer to catching the killer. But has Rawlings become a pawn in a bigger, even more sinister game? Death at the Boston Tea Party is the sixteenth book in the John Rawlings Mysteries, but you may enjoy reading the series in any order. “Features a fast-paced plot, plenty of action, authentic period ambience, historical detail, and intriguing characters.” —Booklist
When John Rawlings is asked to investigate a secret club and some shady goings-on, he is intrigued. The disreputable Sir Francis Dashwood is believed to be involved, as well as some illustrious members of the British aristocracy. In disguise and accompanied by the ungainly Sam Swann, John befriends Sir Dashwood and gains access to his home and family, including someone from John's past, someone whose exceptional beauty still hypnotizes him. However, evil lurks in hidden corners of Sir Dashwood's opulent home and there seems to be a sinister element behind the infamous Hellfire Club's debaucheries. Is John putting himself and Sam in danger by trying to find out the truth?
From the author of the 'John Rawlings' mysteries - The sleepy, eccentric Sussex village of Lakehurst suddenly becomes a place of terror and night shadows. After dark, it is hardly safe to go out, to the consternation of the newly arrived Vicar, trendy young Nick Lawrence, and Inspector Dominic Tennant of the Sussex Police Force. For a serial killer is on the loose: one who leaves notes at the scene of his crimes signed 'The Acting Light of the World' . . .
“Lake keeps things creepy” as Nick Lawrence must solve the mystery of a young orphan’s murder at a medieval fair (Publishers Weekly, starred review). It is May in the sleepy village of Lakehurst, Sussex, and Reverend Nick Lawrence has organized a Medieval Fair, complete with maypole dancing, archers, and a group of Morris dancers. The fair is a great success, but once the village green is deserted, a horrific event shocks the village. The young orphan Billy is shot through the heart with an arrow—and his body is found covered with maypole ribbons. It is up to Nick and Det. Inspector Dominic Tennant to find out who would commit such a horrific crime—and why. The Moonlit Door is the third book in the Nick Lawrence Mysteries, but you may enjoy reading the series in any order. “Lake continues to write Reverend Lawrence as a refreshingly well-rounded character.” —Booklist
When respected exĆanadian Forces commander Bern Fortin cuts short his military career to take a job as the coroner for a small mountain town in the heart of BC, heś hoping to leave the past behind. Bernś looking forward to a quiet life, but the memories of what he witnessed during his stints in Afghanistan and other war-torn countries haunt him still. When the body of one of the workers is found floating in the huge bottle-washing tank at the local brewery, Bern is called in for a routine investigation. What first appears to be a tragic accident takes a menacing turn when the body of the workerś girlfriend is discovered in a nearby field. Bern needs the help of brewery safety investigator Evie Chapelle, who, burdened by tragedies she might have prevented, is more determined than ever to keep her workers, and their tight-knit community, safe. Soon, Bern and Evie find themselves risking their jobsánd their livest́o uncover a killer hiding in a place where it is awfully hard to keep a secret.
An enchanting collection of delightful tales with a supernatural twist.Brought together into one collection for the first time, these spellbinding tales combine romance and rich historical settings to bring to life stories of lovers who - in one way or another - are all lost in time. Ancient ruins bring together an unlikely couple; a young woman finds herself on the verge of sanity after a visit from a mermaid; a photographer finds a pair of mysterious twins occurring in her pictures again and again... Mysteries unfold and souls are united in this new, charming collection from Deryn Lake, the mistress of historical fiction."Ingenious and highly readable" - The Times "Lake has a strong sense of history and an uncanny ability to bring it to life" - Daily Mail"Fantastic entertainment... An island of pleasure, of magic and mystery" - Mollie Hardwick, Books and Bookmen
John Rawlings, the exuberant young apothecary, is celebrating in The Devil’s Tavern, a popular if notorious haunt for sailors and smugglers. Stumbling across a corpse that has been fished out of the Thames, he identifies it as Sir William Hartfield, the bridegroom who had failed to show at his own wedding earlier that day. As the drowning reveals itself as murder, Rawlings is called upon by London’s revered sightless magistrate, John Fielding, to investigate the colourful members of Sir William’s family – from terrible old Lady Hodkin to her downtrodden daughter, and from Roger, flamboyant man of fashion to the outrageous twins who share an elaborate past.
'I've always wanted to see something of the Empire outside Rome.' AD 71. Germania Libera: dark dripping forests inhabited by bloodthirsty barbarians and legendary wild beasts, a furious prophetess who terrorises Rome, and the ghostly spirits of slaughtered Roman legionaries. Enter Falco, an Imperial agent on a special mission: to find the absconding commander of a legion whose loyalty is suspect. Easier said than done, thinks Falco, as he makes his uneasy way down the Rhenus, trying to forget that back in sunny Rome his girlfriend Helena Justina is being hotly pursued by Titus Caesar. His mood is not improved when he discovers his only allies are a woefully inadequate bunch of recruits, their embittered centurion, a rogue dog, and its innocent young master; just the right kind of support for an agent unwillingly trying to tame the Celtic hordes.