The Mitford Murders: Nancy Mitford and the murder of Florence Nightingale Shore

Description

'A lively, well-written, entertaining whodunit' THE TIMES Lose yourself in the sumptuous first novel in a new series of Golden Age mysteries set amid the lives of the glamorous Mitford sisters. It's 1919, and Louisa Cannon dreams of escaping her life of poverty in London, and most of all her oppressive and dangerous uncle. Louisa's salvation is a position within the Mitford household at Asthall Manor, in the Oxfordshire countryside. There she will become nurserymaid, chaperone and confidante to the Mitford sisters, especially sixteen-year-old Nancy - an acerbic, bright young woman in love with stories. But when a nurse - Florence Nightingale Shore, goddaughter of her famous namesake - is killed on a train in broad daylight, Nancy and amateur sleuth Louisa find that in postwar England, everyone has something to hide . . . Written by Jessica Fellowes, author of the number one-bestselling DOWNTON ABBEY books, THE MITFORD MURDERS is the perfect new obsession for fans of Daisy Goodwin, Anthony Horowitz and Agatha Christie - and is based on a real unsolved crime. 'An extraordinary meld of fact and fiction' GRAHAM NORTON 'True and glorious indulgence. A dazzling example of a Golden Age mystery' DAISY GOODWIN 'Exactly the sort of book you might enjoy with the fire blazing, the snow falling. The solution is neat and the writing always enjoyable' ANTHONY HOROWITZ 'Oh how delicious! This terrific start to what promises to be a must-read series is exactly what we all need in these gloomy times. Inventive, glittering, clever, ingenious. I devoured THE MITFORD MURDERS... so will you. Give it to absolutely everyone for Christmas, then pre-order the next one' SUSAN HILL 'All the blissful escapism of a Sunday-night period drama in a book' THE POOL 'Keeps the reader guessing to the very end. An accomplished crime debut and huge fun to read' EVENING STANDARD 'This story is drenched in detail and feels both authentic and fun. Curl up in your favourite reading spot and enjoy' HEAT 'The plan is that each book will focus on a different Mitford sister. On the strength of this initial entry, success is assured' FINANCIAL TIMES 'Elegant, whipsmart and brilliantly twisty-turny, this DOWNTON-style mystery had me hooked from the first page' VIV GROSKOP 'Full of period pleasure' WOMAN & HOME 'An audacious and glorious foray into the Golden Age of mystery fiction. Breathtaking' ALEX GRAY 'A real murder, a real family and a brand new crime fiction h

Jessica Fellowes is an author, journalist and public speaker. Her bestselling The Mitford Murders series has been nominated for awards in Britain, France, Germany and Italy, and sold into eighteen territories. Jessica is also the author of five official companion books to Downton Abbey, various of which hit the New York Times and Sunday Times bestseller lists. She has written short stories for Vogue Italia and L'Uomo Vogue, and made numerous appearances on radio, podcasts and television. She lives in Oxfordshire with her family. www.jessicafellowes.com Twitter: @jessicafellowes Instagram: @author_jessicafellowes

A lively, well-written, entertaining whodunit * The Times (Crime Fiction Book of the Month) * Exactly the sort of book you might enjoy with the fire blazing, the snow falling etc. The solution is neat and the writing always enjoyable. (Best Crime Books of 2017) * Anthony Horowitz * An extraordinary meld of fact and fiction * Graham Norton * True and glorious indulgence. A dazzling example of a golden age mystery. * Daisy Goodwin * All the blissful escapism of a Sunday-night period drama in a book. * The Pool * Keeps the reader guessing to the very end. An accomplished crime debut and huge fun to read. * Evening Standard * This story is drenched in detail and feels both authentic and fun. Curl up in your favourite reading spot and enjoy. * Heat * The plan is that each book will focus on a different Mitford sister. On the strength of this initial entry, success is assured. * Financial Times * Elegant, whipsmart and brilliantly twisty-turny, this Downton-style mystery had me hooked from the first page * Viv Groskop * Full of period pleasure. * Woman & Home * Jessica Fellowes' deliciously immersive, effortlessly easy novel has a strong feel for period and a rollicking plot. * Metro * This novel truly is a wonderful surprise. Bring on the sequel! * Elle (France) * With nearly as much period detail as an episode of Downton, this delightful romp satisfies like a cup of strong nursery tea accompanied by a Battenburg cake * Washington Post * What a captivating crime novel and heroine Jessica has created in The Mitford Murders. The instant reassurance of being in the hands of a true storyteller with a feel for period detail makes this a real treat. * Amanda Craig * A locked room mystery . . . I enjoyed this cosy crime caper. * Red * Downton Abbey fans, rejoice. For those who miss Lady Mary and Bates, the Mitford series is a winner. * Globe & Mail * The premise is clever . . . a zippy read for those interested in the 1920s. * The Lady * Perfect for those missing their Downton Abbey fix. * Belfast Telegraph * Remarkably assured and with pitch-perfect period detail * Country Life * It's the perfect cosy crime read; an escapist, Sunday-night period drama wrapped up in a book. The start of a series that doesn't disappoint, and one I suspect the Mitford sisters would have approved of. * Image Magazine * It is impossible to not like this book . . . a light and entertaining read best saved for when it gets cold outside and you need something to cosy up with. * Crime Fiction Lover * Read it if you like Europe of mid-twenties and want to get immersed in the post-war goings on. * Snow Queen SVT (blog) * Everything in one book. Crime, mystery, romance, humour, gritty reality, fact, fiction and so much more. This book is special, and I can guarantee I'll be looking out for the next one. A 'Must read' highly recommended by me. * Starts At 60 (blog) * This is an outstanding first book in a series. Wonderful pacing, characters, and depth * Book Lover's Book Reviews (blog) * The Mitford Murders is a captivating read. Fellowes, perhaps best known for her Downtown Abbey books, is very good at what she does * Sandy's Book a Day Blog * It's well written and researched, touching on a lot of issues of the time * Debbish (blog) *