The Sign of Death: A Victorian Book Club Mystery
Description
A 2022 MARY HIGGINS CLARK AWARD Nominee
USA Today bestselling author Callie Hutton returns with her second Victorian Book Club mystery, in which Lady Amy and Lord William sleuth the death of a teetotaler who took a fatal dunk in the drink.
Bath, England, 1891. Mr. James Harding was a lot of things--businessman, well-to-do, probable scoundrel--but a drinker he most assuredly was not. So when Harding is believed to have drunkenly fallen to his death into the icy River Avon, Lord William Wethington is immediately suspicious. Finding Lord William's name on a letter in the victim's pocket, the local constabulary summons William to identify the victim. Police detectives learn that William had been one of Harding's business clients--and undoubtedly not the only client the dead man had cheated.
William entreats Lady Amy Lovell, a fellow member of the Mystery Book Club of Bath, to help him deduce what really happened to the late Mr. Harding. Lady Amy, a celebrated mystery author herself, once called on William to help her solve a real-life mystery, and now she fully intends to return the favor. But it won't be easy.
Practically every one of Harding's many clients had ample reason to want to do him in. And there's precious little time to narrow down the list: William and Amy soon become prime suspects themselves when the police discover them ruffling through files in Harding's house. Lady Amy will have to be as clever as her characters if she's to save William from the gallows...and herself from Harding's real killer.
Praise for The Sign of Death: A Victorian Book Club Mystery
Praise for The Sign of Death:
A delightful combination of mystery and romance with some unexpected twists.
—Kirkus Reviews
"A fun, character-driven mystery."
—Library Journal
"A clever and entertaining 'whodunnit' novel by an author with an impressive talent and a genuine mastery of the historical mystery genre"
—Midwest Book Review
"Callie Hutton knows how to keep the reader's attention from the first page until the very last word...The way that Hutton orchestrates things is magical."
—Cozy Mystery Book Reviews
“[Hutton] does a great job of working in all the suspects and leaving clues that keep you guessing until the end.”
—Portland Book Review
"Plenty of twists in the plot lines, both mystery and romantic...a pleasant read that lovers of historical cozies should enjoy."
—Historical Novel Society
Praise for A Study in Murder:
“A cozy delight, with a charming heroine.”
—New York Journal of Books
“A breath of fresh air with a heroine that is smart, clever, and brazen.”
—Manhattan Book Review
“We’ll be looking forward to the next in the series for sure!”
—Eyes on World Culture
"This book is a delight [with] clear echoes of Jane Austen, Agatha Christie, and of course, Sherlock Holmes."
—William Bernhardt, author of The Last Chance Lawyer
“A one-of-a-kind new series that's packed with surprises and will leave readers eager for more.”
—Mary Ellen Hughes, bestselling author of A Curio Killing
"[A] lively and entertaining mystery...I predict a long run for this smart series."
—Victoria Abbott, award-winning author of The Book Collector Mysteries
"With a breezy style and alluring, low-keyed humor, Hutton crafts a charming mystery with a delightful, irrepressible sleuth."
—Madeline Hunter, New York Times bestselling author of Never Deny a Duke
