Lady Fan Mystery Series
Meet Ottilia Fanshawe, some time companion and sleuth extraordinaire, as she unravels the clues to find the murderer. Against the background of late 18th century life, she must overcome the restrictions of being female and battle the odds for justice. Enter Lord Francis Fanshawe, stalwart at her back, fiercely loyal and more than a match for those who would seek to intimidate his courageous "Tillie".
The series is in the capable hands of Sapere Books.
The Gilded Shroud
The perfect mix of historical murder and mystery with a hint of romance! For fans of Georgette Heyer, Mary Balogh, Barbara Erskine and Jane Austen.
When a murder is committed a lady’s companion finds herself as an amateur sleuth…
1789, London
When Emily Fanshawe, Marchioness of Polbrook, is found strangled in her bedchamber, suspicion immediately falls on those residing in the grand house in Hanover Square.
Emily’s husband - Randal Fanshawe, Lord Polbrook - fled in the night and is chief suspect – much to the dismay of his family.
Ottilia Draycott is brought in as the new lady’s companion to Sybilla, Dowager Marchioness and soon finds herself assisting younger son, Lord Francis Fanshawe in his investigations.
Can Ottilia help clear the family name? Does the killer still reside in the house?
Or could there be more to the mystery than meets the eye…?
The Deathly Portent
Lady Fan returns in a thrilling historical mystery! For fans of Georgette Heyer, Mary Balogh, Barbara Erskine and Jane Austen.
When a young woman predicts a murder, she finds herself the centre of a witch hunt…
1790, England
When Lord Francis and Lady Ottilia Fanshawe’s coach breaks down they find themselves stranded in the village of Witherley.
But Ottilia, the intrepid ‘Lady Fan’, finds her curiosity piqued when she hears of a local murder.
A young woman predicted the gruesome death of the village blacksmith. And he was killed exactly as described…
Is the young woman predicting the future? Are the villagers right to call her a witch?
Or is there an even more sinister explanation…?
The Opium Purge
Lady Fan and her crime-fighting family are back! For fans of Georgette Heyer, Mary Balogh, Barbara Erskine and Jane Austen.
A dark shadow has been brought from the West Indies to an English estate…
1790, England
Lord Francis and Lady Ottilia Fanshawe are preparing for the birth of their first child.
But Lady Fan won’t let a little thing like pregnancy get in the way of solving a local mystery. Their neighbour – Sir Joslin Cadel – who recently returned from a sugar plantation in Barbados, has collapsed and died on his doorstep. And his young ward, Tamasine Roy, claims to have murdered him.
With Tamasine clearly suffering from some kind of mental disorder, and the rest of Cadel’s household acting suspiciously, it is clear all is not as it seems.
Why did Sir Joslin suddenly return to England? What happened to Tamasine’s parents?
Could this seemingly angelic young woman really be a murderess…?
The Candlelit Coffin
A thrilling mix of mystery and romance! For fans of Georgette Heyer, Mary Balogh, Barbara Erskine and Jane Austen.
Murder lurks behind the scenes…
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1791, England
Lord Francis and Lady Ottilia Fanshawe have suffered a devastating blow.
With Ottilia sunk deep into a depression, Francis is desperate to get his beloved wife back.
So when he hears about a murder at the seaside town of Weymouth, an idea starts to form…
A young girl’s body has been discovered, laid out in an open coffin, surrounded by candles.
The staged scene, and the fact that the victim was a member of a theatrical troupe, suggests one of her colleagues is the killer.
Knowing Ottilia’s sharp intuition and penchant for solving mysteries, Francis brings her to the murder site.
Can the case spark Ottilia’s interest? Will the intrepid ‘Lady Fan’ once more make an appearance?
And can she solve the mystery of the Candlelit Coffin…?
The Mortal Blow
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The intrepid Lady Fan is back! For fans of Georgette Heyer, Mary Balogh, Barbara Erskine and Jane Austen.
Lady Fan is back to full health but can she solve the trickiest case yet…?
1792, England
Lord Francis and Lady Ottilia Fanshawe are on their way home when their coach comes to a sudden stop. A woman is standing in the middle of the road — covered in blood.
The woman refuses to speak but on further investigation they find the body of a man hidden in the woods.
Ottilia insists on bringing the woman home to find out what occurred. But the more she finds out the more complicated the case becomes…
Who was the man in the woods? Did the blood-covered woman murder him?
Or did someone else strike The Mortal Blow…?
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The Fateful Marriage
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Wherever Lady Fan goes, murder follows…
1792, England
Lady Ottilia and Lord Francis Fanshawe are holidaying in Tunbridge Wells when they stumble across the scene of a horrific accident.
While visiting the High Rocks, a local tourist spot, a young woman falls to her death from the top of the climb.
It soon becomes clear that the woman is linked to the infamous Dowager Viscountess Lady Wem – an indomitable matriarch visiting Tunbridge with her extended family. The young woman was at the centre of a scandal – Lady Wem’s grandson, Daniel, eloped with her three years prior.
As Lady Fan is introduced to the family her suspicions are aroused.
Was the fall a devastating mishap? Or could the woman have been pushed?
Lady Fan must unravel dark family secrets in her quest for the truth…
The Dagger Dance
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Can Lady Fan unravel another mystery…?
1793, England
After a not-so-relaxing holiday in Tunbridge Wells, Lady Ottilia and Lord Francis Fanshawe have returned to their home with a young orphaned girl, Pertesia ‘Pretty’ Brockhurst.
After losing both her parents in tragic circumstances, Pretty had been abandoned by the rest of her family and the childless Fanshawes have delighted in having her around.
But when her estranged grandfather turns up on their doorstep, Ottilia is worried she will lose the child she is growing so close to.
Meanwhile, their footman Hemp Roy, has run into trouble. After becoming reacquainted with Dorote, a woman from his past life in Barbados, Hemp is desperate to help her when she is accused of murder in Bristol.
And who better to turn to than his trusted Lady Fan?
Can Lady Fan save Dorote – and Hemp? Will she unmask the killer?
And what will happen to the poor orphan girl under her care…?
The Unwanted Corpse
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What do you do when a dead body lands on your doorstep…?
1794, England
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When a body is unceremoniously dumped outside her home, Lady Ottilia Fanshawe is once more drawn into a murder case.
Ottilia is recovering from the birth of her first child and her husband, Lord Francis Fanshawe, is worried that she has finally taken on more than she can handle.
But Ottilia will not be diverted. Motherhood has always been her deepest desire, but solving crimes is her passion. And she is determined to balance both.
No one in her household recognises the dead man, and yet a note was left with Lady Fan’s name on it. Clearly, someone wants her to investigate the crime, but why?
Who is the dead man? Why was he killed?
And what led to him being dropped at Lady Fan’s door…?
The Vengeance Trail
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Is someone from her past trying to kill Lady Fan…?
1796, England
When Lady Ottilia Fanshawe finds herself launched into a river and fighting for her life, she becomes convinced someone pulled her under the water.
And when a dead body washes up on the riverbank, her theory becomes a certainty.
Lady Fan recognises the dead woman as someone connected to one of her past cases.
Had the woman been spying on her? Was she Lady Fan’s attacker? If so, why was she killed?
Lady Fan is desperate to unravel the mystery but her dedicated husband, Francis, is determined to keep her out of harm’s way.
She is devastated when cracks appear in her marriage, but she knows she cannot give up her sleuthing if she is to protect herself and her family.
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Who is targeting her? And why?
Can Lady Fan solve the mystery before everything she holds dear comes crumbling down around her…?
The Hanging Cheat
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Who hanged the body in the woods…?
1796, England
Heavily pregnant Lady Ottilia Fanshawe should not really be travelling. But when her sister-in-law dies, she goes with her husband Francis to comfort her brother and her two nephews.
And of course it’s not long before the services of her alter-ego, Lady Fan, are required.
While playing in the woodlands, the two boys come across a gruesome discovery. A dead man is hanging from a tree.
The corpse is quickly identified as the local justice, Hector Penkevil, a man universally disliked for his meanness.
And it’s soon clear that his death was not suicide, but murder.
With Penkevil so disliked in the community, how can Lady Fan narrow down the suspects? Will she find the killer?
And can she solve the mystery before she is forced to bed with her pregnancy…?
The Killing Cave - ON PRE-ORDER
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Corpses follow Lady Fan wherever she goes…
1799, England
A family holiday to the seaside takes a dramatic turn when Lady Ottilia Fanshawe’s young son Luke accidentally stumbles on a body in a cave.
Lady Fan and her husband Francis quickly rush to the scene and find the corpse bound and blindfolded with a bullet hole in his head.
It appears the man was executed, and with smugglers well-known to operate in the area, the local sergeant suggests it was a quarrel amongst the reprobates.
But Ottilia is not so sure. The crime scene seemed staged, and the dead man too well dressed to be a common criminal.
There is nothing else for it. The Fanshawes must extend their stay on the Norfolk coast to allow Lady Fan to take the lead.
But with her health compromised, four young children to care for and a grumbling mother-in-law in tow, can Lady Fan summon up enough strength to unravel this mystery? Or will this be the case that finally forces her into retirement?
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