The Locked Room

Pandemic lockdowns have Ruth Galloway feeling isolated from everyone but a new neighbor--until Nelson comes calling, investigating a decades-long string of murder-suicides that's looming ever closer, in USA Today Elly Griffiths' penultimate novel in the beloved series. Three years after her mother's death, Ruth is finally sorting through her things when she finds a curious relic: a decades-old photograph of her own Norfolk cottage-- before she lived there--with a peculiar inscription on the back. Ruth returns to the cot-tage to uncover its meaning as Norfolk's first cases of Covid-19 make headlines, leaving her and Kate to shelter in place there. They struggle to stave off isolation by clapping for frontline workers each evening and befriending a kind neighbor, Zoe, from a distance. Meanwhile, Nelson is investigating a series of deaths of women that may or may not be suicide. When he links a case to an archaeological dis-covery, he breaks curfew to visit Ruth and enlist her help. But the further Nelson investigates the deaths, the closer he gets to Ruth's isolated cot-tage--until Ruth, Zoe, and Kate all go missing, and Nelson is left scrambling to find them before it's too late. PRAISE FOR ELLY GRIFFITHS AND THE RUTH GALLOWAY SERIES Winner of the Edgar Award for Best Novel Winner of the Mary Higgins Clark Award Winner of the CWA Dagger in the Library Award "Galloway is an everywoman, smart, successful and a little bit unsure of herself. Readers will look forward to learning more about her." -- USA Today "Elly Griffiths draws us all the way back to prehistoric times . . . Highly atmospheric." -- New York Times Book Review "Forensic archeologist and academic Ruth Galloway is a captivating amateur sleuth--an inspired creation. I identified with her insecurities and struggles, and cheered her on." --Louise Penny

**THE NUMBER ONE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER** Forensic archaeologist Dr Ruth Galloway and DCI Harry Nelson are on the hunt for a murderer when Covid rears its ugly head. But can they find the killer despite lockdown? 'GALLOWAY NOW SEEMS AS REAL AS MARPLE AND MORSE' The Times 'INTENSELY ATMOSPHERIC AND GREAT' India Knight Forensic archaeologist Dr Ruth is in London clearing out her mother's belongings when she makes a surprising discovery: a photograph of her Norfolk cottage taken before Ruth lived there. Her mother always hated the cottage, so why does she have a picture of the place? The only clue is written on the back of the photo: Dawn, 1963. Ruth returns to Norfolk determined to solve the mystery, but then Covid rears its ugly head. Ruth and her daughter are locked down in their cottage, attempting to continue with work and home-schooling. Happily, the house next door is rented by a nice woman called Zoe, who they become friendly with while standing on their doorsteps clapping for carers. Nelson, meanwhile, is investigating a series of deaths of women that may or may not be suicide. When he links the deaths to an archaeological discovery, he breaks curfew to visit the cottage where he finds Ruth chatting to her neighbour whom he remembers as a carer who was once tried for murdering her employer. Only then her name wasn't Zoe. It was Dawn. ******************************** PRAISE FOR THE LOCKED ROOM 'Intelligent and gripping' Daily Express 'A terrific story' The Times 'This is Griffiths on top form' Mail on Sunday 'Charming from start to finish' Irish Independent A Sunday Times bestseller w/c 07/02/2022

**THE NUMBER ONE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER** Forensic archaeologist Dr Ruth Galloway and DCI Harry Nelson are on the hunt for a murderer when Covid rears its ugly head. But can they find the killer despite lockdown? 'GALLOWAY NOW SEEMS AS REAL AS MARPLE AND MORSE' The Times 'INTENSELY ATMOSPHERIC AND GREAT' India Knight Forensic archaeologist Dr Ruth is in London clearing out her mother's belongings when she makes a surprising discovery: a photograph of her Norfolk cottage taken before Ruth lived there. Her mother always hated the cottage, so why does she have a picture of the place? The only clue is written on the back of the photo: Dawn, 1963. Ruth returns to Norfolk determined to solve the mystery, but then Covid rears its ugly head. Ruth and her daughter are locked down in their cottage, attempting to continue with work and home-schooling. Happily, the house next door is rented by a nice woman called Zoe, who they become friendly with while standing on their doorsteps clapping for carers. Nelson, meanwhile, is investigating a series of deaths of women that may or may not be suicide. When he links the deaths to an archaeological discovery, he breaks curfew to visit the cottage where he finds Ruth chatting to her neighbour whom he remembers as a carer who was once tried for murdering her employer. Only then her name wasn't Zoe. It was Dawn. ******************************** PRAISE FOR THE LOCKED ROOM 'Intelligent and gripping' Daily Express 'A terrific story' The Times 'This is Griffiths on top form' Mail on Sunday 'Charming from start to finish' Irish Independent A Sunday Times bestseller w/c 07/02/2022

The BRAND NEW instalment in Holly Hepburn's Baker Street Mystery series - for fans of Sherlock Holmes! Join Harriet White in 1930's London for another glorious Sherlock Holmes-inspired mystery, for fans of Nita Prose and Janice Hallett. After a very close call on the Cambridgeshire Fens, Harriet White is about ready to hang up her deerstalker and settle back into her normal life, working in a bank on Baker Street. Until she discovers a letter in The Times newspaper challenging Sherlock Holmes to prove his status as the world s greatest detective, by solving an impossible mystery. The letter, signed Professor James Moriarty, advises Holmes that the crime will be committed within the following seven days. There will be no further clues Holmes himself must deduce which crime is the correct one to investigate. Dismissing the letter as a prank, Harry goes about her business until news breaks of the theft of valuable jewel collection from a safe in an apparently locked room in a Mayfair townhouse. Intrigued in spite of her misgivings, Harry dons a disguise and investigates. But as she begins to unpick the puzzle, a body is found. And now, a stranger, and far more deadly mystery begins to unfold around her... Praise for Holly Hepburn: Honestly I couldn t find one bad thing to say about this book! I m a new fan for sure! Goodreads review The Missing Maid is a delightful book. I loved Harry. She s warm, funny, sassy and brave. I m very much looking forward to reading what Holly brings us next in this series. Goodreads review This is such a clever idea for a cozy mystery series! I love Harry and the twisty plot of this book. Can t wait for the next book! Goodreads review I really enjoyed this cozy mystery because it is at the intersection between cozy mystery and historical fiction and it is simply brilliant. Hepburn weaves a strong plotline and Harry shines throughout. A real pleasure to read. Goodreads review I am definitely a Sherlock Holmes fan, so the premise of this story got my attention immediately, but it was the writing, characters and the new story perspective that firmly held it. Goodreads review I loved everything about this historical cozy. Harry is a wonderful character. She's clever, independent and kind. The mystery of the missing maid kept me entertained throughout. The pacey drama and easy-to-read style meant that I devoured this book in one day. Goodreads review This was my first exposure to the agile and creative scribblings of Holly Hepburn and I found her writing style to be smooth, immersive, and easy to follow, with issues and scenarios true to the period. I adored her conjured characters and look forward to more of these adventures. Goodreads review The witty and whip-smart novel is refreshing and fabulous. Talk about an excellent start to a new series, one I genuinely look forward to. Holmes' fans especially ought to enjoy this. Loved the story and the characters with a few unexpected bumps along the way. Loved this book and can t wait for the next one! Goodreads review I absolutely loved this exciting and entertaining debut into cozy crime from a favourite author. I hope this is the start of a series and can t wait to see what Harry gets up to next! Goodreads review

The BRAND NEW instalment in Holly Hepburn's Baker Street Mystery series - for fans of Sherlock Holmes! Join Harriet White in 1930's London for another glorious Sherlock Holmes-inspired mystery, for fans of Nita Prose and Janice Hallett. After a very close call on the Cambridgeshire Fens, Harriet White is about ready to hang up her deerstalker and settle back into her normal life, working in a bank on Baker Street. Until she discovers a letter in The Times newspaper challenging Sherlock Holmes to prove his status as the world s greatest detective, by solving an impossible mystery. The letter, signed Professor James Moriarty, advises Holmes that the crime will be committed within the following seven days. There will be no further clues Holmes himself must deduce which crime is the correct one to investigate. Dismissing the letter as a prank, Harry goes about her business until news breaks of the theft of valuable jewel collection from a safe in an apparently locked room in a Mayfair townhouse. Intrigued in spite of her misgivings, Harry dons a disguise and investigates. But as she begins to unpick the puzzle, a body is found. And now, a stranger, and far more deadly mystery begins to unfold around her... Praise for Holly Hepburn: Honestly I couldn t find one bad thing to say about this book! I m a new fan for sure! Goodreads review The Missing Maid is a delightful book. I loved Harry. She s warm, funny, sassy and brave. I m very much looking forward to reading what Holly brings us next in this series. Goodreads review This is such a clever idea for a cozy mystery series! I love Harry and the twisty plot of this book. Can t wait for the next book! Goodreads review I really enjoyed this cozy mystery because it is at the intersection between cozy mystery and historical fiction and it is simply brilliant. Hepburn weaves a strong plotline and Harry shines throughout. A real pleasure to read. Goodreads review I am definitely a Sherlock Holmes fan, so the premise of this story got my attention immediately, but it was the writing, characters and the new story perspective that firmly held it. Goodreads review I loved everything about this historical cozy. Harry is a wonderful character. She's clever, independent and kind. The mystery of the missing maid kept me entertained throughout. The pacey drama and easy-to-read style meant that I devoured this book in one day. Goodreads review This was my first exposure to the agile and creative scribblings of Holly Hepburn and I found her writing style to be smooth, immersive, and easy to follow, with issues and scenarios true to the period. I adored her conjured characters and look forward to more of these adventures. Goodreads review The witty and whip-smart novel is refreshing and fabulous. Talk about an excellent start to a new series, one I genuinely look forward to. Holmes' fans especially ought to enjoy this. Loved the story and the characters with a few unexpected bumps along the way. Loved this book and can t wait for the next one! Goodreads review I absolutely loved this exciting and entertaining debut into cozy crime from a favourite author. I hope this is the start of a series and can t wait to see what Harry gets up to next! Goodreads review

Pandemic lockdowns have Ruth Galloway feeling isolated from everyone but a new neighbor--until Nelson comes calling, investigating a decades-long string of murder-suicides that's looming ever closer, in USA Today Elly Griffiths' penultimate novel in the beloved series. Three years after her mother's death, Ruth is finally sorting through her things when she finds a curious relic: a decades-old photograph of her own Norfolk cottage-- before she lived there--with a peculiar inscription on the back. Ruth returns to the cot-tage to uncover its meaning as Norfolk's first cases of Covid-19 make headlines, leaving her and Kate to shelter in place there. They struggle to stave off isolation by clapping for frontline workers each evening and befriending a kind neighbor, Zoe, from a distance. Meanwhile, Nelson is investigating a series of deaths of women that may or may not be suicide. When he links a case to an archaeological dis-covery, he breaks curfew to visit Ruth and enlist her help. But the further Nelson investigates the deaths, the closer he gets to Ruth's isolated cot-tage--until Ruth, Zoe, and Kate all go missing, and Nelson is left scrambling to find them before it's too late. PRAISE FOR ELLY GRIFFITHS AND THE RUTH GALLOWAY SERIES Winner of the Edgar Award for Best Novel Winner of the Mary Higgins Clark Award Winner of the CWA Dagger in the Library Award "Galloway is an everywoman, smart, successful and a little bit unsure of herself. Readers will look forward to learning more about her." -- USA Today "Elly Griffiths draws us all the way back to prehistoric times . . . Highly atmospheric." -- New York Times Book Review "Forensic archeologist and academic Ruth Galloway is a captivating amateur sleuth--an inspired creation. I identified with her insecurities and struggles, and cheered her on." --Louise Penny

Pandemic lockdowns have Ruth Galloway feeling isolated from everyone but a new neighbor--until Nelson comes calling, investigating a decades-long string of murder-suicides that's looming ever closer, in USA Today Elly Griffiths' penultimate novel in the beloved series. Three years after her mother's death, Ruth is finally sorting through her things when she finds a curious relic: a decades-old photograph of her own Norfolk cottage-- before she lived there--with a peculiar inscription on the back. Ruth returns to the cot-tage to uncover its meaning as Norfolk's first cases of Covid-19 make headlines, leaving her and Kate to shelter in place there. They struggle to stave off isolation by clapping for frontline workers each evening and befriending a kind neighbor, Zoe, from a distance. Meanwhile, Nelson is investigating a series of deaths of women that may or may not be suicide. When he links a case to an archaeological dis-covery, he breaks curfew to visit Ruth and enlist her help. But the further Nelson investigates the deaths, the closer he gets to Ruth's isolated cot-tage--until Ruth, Zoe, and Kate all go missing, and Nelson is left scrambling to find them before it's too late. PRAISE FOR ELLY GRIFFITHS AND THE RUTH GALLOWAY SERIES Winner of the Edgar Award for Best Novel Winner of the Mary Higgins Clark Award Winner of the CWA Dagger in the Library Award "Galloway is an everywoman, smart, successful and a little bit unsure of herself. Readers will look forward to learning more about her." -- USA Today "Elly Griffiths draws us all the way back to prehistoric times . . . Highly atmospheric." -- New York Times Book Review "Forensic archeologist and academic Ruth Galloway is a captivating amateur sleuth--an inspired creation. I identified with her insecurities and struggles, and cheered her on." --Louise Penny

The stunning eighth installment in the Martin Beck mystery series by the renowned Swedish crime writing duo is a masterful take on a classic locked room mystery. With an introduction by Michael Connelly: "One of the most authentic, gripping, and profound collections of police procedurals ever accomplished." A young blonde in sunglasses robs a bank and kills a hapless citizen. Across town, a corpse with a bullet shot through its heart is found in a locked room-with no gun at the scene. The crimes seem disparate, but to Martin Beck they are two pieces of the same puzzle, and solving it becomes the one way he can escape the pains of his failed marriage and the lingering effects of a near-fatal bullet wound. Exploring the ramifications of egotism and intellect, luck and accident, this tour de force of detection bears the unmistakable substance and gravity of real life.

The stunning eighth installment in the Martin Beck mystery series by the renowned Swedish crime writing duo is a masterful take on a classic locked room mystery. With an introduction by Michael Connelly: "One of the most authentic, gripping, and profound collections of police procedurals ever accomplished." A young blonde in sunglasses robs a bank and kills a hapless citizen. Across town, a corpse with a bullet shot through its heart is found in a locked room-with no gun at the scene. The crimes seem disparate, but to Martin Beck they are two pieces of the same puzzle, and solving it becomes the one way he can escape the pains of his failed marriage and the lingering effects of a near-fatal bullet wound. Exploring the ramifications of egotism and intellect, luck and accident, this tour de force of detection bears the unmistakable substance and gravity of real life.