Christine Trent

Undertaker Violet Morgan enjoys her job at the business she owns with her husband Graham, until Graham is caught smuggling goods and flees the country shortly before a serial killer strikes, leaving Violet to contend with the bodies on her own.

Lady of Ashes

Susanna Kearsley

C. S. Harris

Anna Lee Huber

"Charming... Four interconnected visits to a world of danger, wit, beauty and genuine romance. Treat yourself!"--ANNE PERRY, internationally bestselling author A stellar line-up of historical mystery novelists weaves the tale of a priceless and cursed gold watch as it passes through time wreaking havoc from one owner to another. The characters are irrevocably linked by fate, each playing a key role in breaking the curse and destroying the watch once and for all. From 1733 Italy to Edinburgh in 1831 to a series of chilling murders in 1870 London, and a lethal game of revenge decades later, the watch touches lives with misfortune, until it comes into the reach of one young woman who might be able to stop it for good. This outstanding collaboration of authors includes: Susanna Kearsley - New York Timesand USA Todaybestselling author of compelling time slip fiction. C.S. Harris - bestselling author of the Sebastian St. Cyr Regency mystery series. Anna Lee Huber - award-winning author of the national bestselling Lady Darby Mysteries. Christine Trent - author of the Lady of Ashes Victorian mystery series. More praise for The Deadly Hours: "A fantastic read."--Tasha Alexander, New York Timesbestselling author "What a treat!"--Victoria Thompson, USA Todaybestselling author

The Deadly Hours

Historical fiction at its most captivating, this superb debut novel propels readers into a world of opulence, adventure, and danger, from the rough streets of 18th-century London to Paris's lavish Palace of Versailles.

The Queen's Dollmaker

Marguerite goes to Edinburgh after her husband's murder to join Marie Tussand's touring wax exhibition, but she becomes involved in a dangerous situation after she agrees to create a wax figure of Admiral Nelson.

A Royal Likeness

Commissioned by the future King George IV to provide fabrics for his Royal Pavilion, Belle Stirling finds her business and love life flourishing, until she discovers that her brother plots to kidnap the newly crowned King.

By the King's Design

"While on a much-needed respite with her husband Sam in Nottinghamshire, undertaker Violet Harper is summoned to Welbeck Abbey by the Fifth Duke of Portland to prepare a body. His Grace is known as the 'mad duke,' and Violet has more than an inkling of why when she arrives at the grand estate and discovers that the corpse in question is that of the duke's favorite raven, Aristotle. Many of the duke's servants believe a dead raven is a harbinger of doom, and the peculiar peer hopes to allay their superstitious fears with an elaborate funeral for his feathered friend. But Aristotle's demise is soon followed by the violent murder of one of the young workers on the estate. Wishing to avoid any whisper of scandal, the reclusive duke implores Violet to conduct her own discreet investigation. In her hunt for evidence, Violet wonders if the manner of the raven's death might provide a crucial clue in solving the crime before someone else--including herself--risks an untimely fate."--Page 4 of cove

Death at the Abbey

Asked to undertake the funeral of a favored viscount of Queen Victoria, Violet Harper runs into trouble when the body disappears and she is forced to investigate the theft and avoid being a victim herself.

Stolen Remains

Strong-willed Annabelle Stirling is more than capable of running the family draper shop after the untimely death of her parents. Under her father's tutelage, she became a talented cloth merchant, while her brother Wesley, the true heir, was busy philandering about Yorkshire. Knowing she must change with the times to survive, Belle installs new machinery that finishes twice the fabric in half the time it takes by hand. But not everyone is so enthusiastic. Soon, riled up by Belle's competitors, the outmoded workers seek violent revenge. Her shop destroyed, Belle travels to London to seek redress from Parliament. While there, the Prince Regent, future King George IV, commissions her to provide fabrics for his Royal Pavilion. As Belle's renown spreads, she meets handsome cabinetmaker Putnam Boyce, but worries that marriage will mean sacrificing her now flourishing shop. And after Wesley plots to kidnap the newly-crowned King—whose indiscretions are surfacing—she finds herself entangled in a duplicitous world of shifting allegiances. Painting a vivid portrait of life in the British Regency, Christine Trent spins a harrowing tale of ambition, vengeance, love, and complex loyalties against the dynamic backdrop of the early Industrial Revolution. Praise for the novels of Christine Trent "Marguerite is a strong heroine, and following her adventures is enjoyable. . ..Readers interested in the battle of Trafalgar will find this retelling compelling." --Publishers Weekly on A Royal Likeness "Readers are truly gifted with a wondrous portrait." --Romantic Times on A Royal Likeness (4 stars) "Exuberant, sparkling, beguiling. . .brims with Dickensian gusto!" --Barbara Kyle, author of The Queen's Lady on The Queen's Dollmaker "Winningly original. . .glittering with atmospheric detail!" --Leslie Carroll, author of Royal Affairs on The Queen's Dollmaker

A Victorian-era undertaker plans a funeral for an eccentric duke's pet raven—but the bird's death is soon followed by murder: “A most unusual heroine.” (Publishers Weekly). While on a much-needed respite with her husband Sam in Nottinghamshire, undertaker Violet Harper is summoned to Welbeck Abbey by the Fifth Duke of Portland to prepare a body. His Grace is known as the “mad duke,” and Violet has more than an inkling of why when she arrives at the grand estate and discovers that the corpse in question is that of the duke's favorite raven, Aristotle. Many of the duke's servants believe a dead raven is a harbinger of doom, and the peculiar peer hopes to allay their superstitious fears with an elaborate funeral for his feathered friend. But Aristotle's demise is soon followed by the violent murder of one of the young workers on the estate. Wishing to avoid any whisper of scandal, the reclusive duke implores Violet to conduct her own discreet investigation. In her hunt for evidence, Violet wonders if the manner of the raven's death might provide a crucial clue in solving the crime before someone else—including herself—risks an untimely fate.

A Lady of Ashes Mystery

An undertaker follows a mystery from Windsor Castle to Egyptian tombs: “Violet remains an engaging guide with an unusual perspective on Victorian society.” —Publishers Weekly After establishing her reputation as one of London's most highly regarded undertakers, Violet Harper decided to take her practice to the wilds of the American West. But when her mother falls ill, Violet and her husband, Samuel, are summoned back to England, where her skills are as sought-after as ever. She's honored to undertake the funeral of Anthony Fairmont, the Viscount Raybourn, a close friend of Queen Victoria who died in suspicious circumstances—but it's difficult to perform her services when his body disappears . . . As the viscount's undertaker, all eyes are on Violet as the Fairmonts and Scotland Yard begin the search for his earthly remains. Forced to exhume her latent talents as a sleuth to preserve her good name, Violet's own investigation takes her from servants' quarters, to the halls of Windsor Castle, to the tombs of ancient Egypt—and the Fairmont family's secrets quickly begin to unravel like a mummy's wrappings. But the closer Violet gets to the truth, the closer she gets to becoming the next missing body . . . Wrought with both heartfelt bravery and breathtaking suspense, Stolen Remains is a captivating tale of death and deception set against the indelible backdrop of Victorian London. Praise for Lady of Ashes “Rich with historical incidents and details.” —Publishers Weekly “A book you can sink your teeth into, with characters you'll fall in love with.” —Mystery Scene Magazine

Undertaker Violet Harper confronts the dire predictions of a fortuneteller in Queen Victoria’s court in this gripping tale by the author of Stolen Remains. Queen Victoria, still mourning her long-dead husband Prince Albert, has found solace in John Brown, an enigmatic palace servant who dabbles in the occult and keeps the grieving queen entertained with his tarot card readings. Undertaker Violet Harper is invited to attend one of Mr. Brown’s infamous readings, during which he implies that Buckingham Palace will soon be shrouded in death’s dark veil. Well acquainted with death, Violet shrugs him off as a charlatan—until his sinister divinations begin to prove true . . . Violet wonders if something foul is in the cards when the aristocratic young friends of the queen’s daughter begin to die under mysterious circumstances. Her suspicions only grow when one of London’s “moralists,” a group bent on repealing the law that forces prostitutes into hospitals, suffers a similar fate. The deaths merely buttress the queen’s enthusiasm for Mr. Brown’s ominous talents, and, concerned by the fortuneteller’s influence, Violet races against time to unearth the truth before the killer strikes again. But as she closes in on a murderer with an unearthly motive, Violet realizes she may be digging her own grave . . . Praise for the Lady of Ashes series “Violet remains an engaging guide with an unusual perspective on Victorian society.” —Publishers Weekly “Filled with informative historical tidbits on some of the less salubrious aspects of Victorian times and plenty of red herrings.” —Kirkus Reviews “A book you can sink your teeth into, with characters you’ll fall in love with.” —Mystery Scene

A Virtuous Death

A living man is rescued from a coffin on its way to the cemetery—in a puzzling whodunit with an “interesting exploration of Victorian mourning practices” (Kirkus Reviews). One of Victorian London's most respected undertakers, Violet Harper has the new duty of accompanying coffins from various undertakers on the London Necropolis Railway for respectful funerals and burials in Surrey. But on her fateful first trip, the mournful silence of the train is shattered by the shrill ringing of a coffin bell—a device that prevents a person from being buried alive. Inside the coffin Violet finds a man wide-eyed with fear, claiming he was falsely interred. When a second coffin bell is rung on another trip, Violet grows suspicious. She voices her qualms to Inspector Hurst of Scotland Yard, only to receive a puzzling reply that, after all, it is not a crime to rise from the dead. But Violet's instincts are whispering that all is not well on the London Necropolis Railway's tracks. Is this all merely the result of clumsy undertaking, or is there something more sinister afoot? Determined to get to the heart of the matter, Violet uncovers a treacherous plot and villains who will stop at nothing to keep a lid on her search for the truth . . .

The Mourning Bells

As heiress to the famous Laurent Fashion Dolls business, Marguerite Ashby's future seems secure. But France still seethes with violence in the wake of the Revolution. And when Marguerite's husband Nicholas is killed during a riot at their shop, she leaves home vowing never to return. Instead, the young widow travels to Edinburgh and joins her old friend, Marie Tussaud, who has established a touring wax exhibition. Under the great Tussaud's patient instruction, Marguerite learns to mold wax into stunningly lifelike creations. When Prime Minister William Pitt commissions a wax figure of military hero Admiral Nelson, Marguerite becomes immersed in a dangerous adventure--and earns the admiration of two very different men. And as Britain battles to overthrow Napoleon and flush out spies against the Crown, Marguerite will find her own loyalties, and her heart, under fire from all sides. With wit, flair, and a masterful eye for telling details, Christine Trent brings one of history's most fascinating eras to vibrant life in an unforgettable story of desire, ambition, treachery, and courage. Praise for Christine Trent's The Queen's Dollmaker "Exuberant, sparkling, beguiling. . .brims with Dickensian gusto!" --Barbara Kyle, author of The Queen's Lady "Winningly original. . .glittering with atmospheric detail!" --Leslie Carroll, author of Royal Affairs "Unique, imaginative. . .replete with delightful details and astounding characters, both real and imagined." --Donna Russo Morin, author of The Courtier's Secret Christine Trent writes historical fiction from her two-story home library. She lives with her wonderful bookshelf-building husband, three precocious cats, a large doll collection, and over 3,000 fully cataloged books. She and her husband are active travelers and journey regularly to England to conduct book research at historic sites. It was Christine's interest in dolls and history that led to the idea for The Queen's Dollmaker.

One of Victorian London's most respected undertakers, Violet Harper has the new duty of accompanying coffins from various undertakers on the London Necropolis Railway for respectful funerals and burials in Surrey. But on her fateful first trip, the mournful silence of the train is shattered by the shrill ringing of a coffin bell--a device that prevents a person from being buried alive. Inside the noisome coffin Violet finds a man wide-eyed with fear, claiming he was falsely interred. When a second coffin bell is rung on another trip Violet grows suspicious. She voices her qualms to Inspector Hurst of Scotland Yard, only to receive a puzzling reply that, after all, it is not a crime to rise from the dead. But Violet's instincts are whispering that all is not well on the London Necropolis Railway's tracks. Is this all merely the result of clumsy undertaking, or is there something more sinister afoot? Determined to get to the heart of the matter, Violet uncovers a treacherous plot and villains who will stop at nothing to keep a lid on her search for the truth... Praise for Lady of Ashes "A vibrant story." --Toronto Star "Rich with historical incidents and details." --Publishers Weekly "A book you can sink your teeth into, with characters you'll fall in love with." --Mystery Scene Magazine

When the tarot readings of Queen Victoria's palace servant come true, undertaker Violet Harper must discover if the mysterious deaths of the Queen's daughter's friends are coincidence or part of a larger nefarious plan.

When a young nurse dies on her watch, Florence Nightingale must uncover the deep-hidden secrets someone will kill to keep buried. It is 1853. Lady of the Lamp Florence Nightingale has just accepted the position of Superintendent of the Establishment for Gentlewomen During Temporary Illness in London. She has hardly had time to learn the names of the nurses in her charge when she suddenly finds one of them hanging in the Establishment’s library. Her name was Nurse Bellamy. Florence’s mettle is tested by the dual goals of preserving what little reputation her hospital has and bringing Nurse Bellamy’s killer to justice. Her efforts are met with upturned noses and wayward glances except for her close friend and advocate inside the House of Commons, Sidney Herbert. As Florence digs deeper, however, her attention turns to one of the hospital investors and suddenly, Sidney becomes reluctant to help. With no one but herself to count on, Florence must now puzzle out what the death of an unknown, nondescript young nurse has to do with conspiracies lurking about at the highest levels of government before she’s silenced too. For fans of Anne Perry and Laurie R. King comes No Cure for the Dead, the rich and enthralling series debut from Christine Trent.

Christine Trent

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