The Puzzle of Blackstone Lodge
-
- $21.99
Publisher Description
"A triple-decker banquet honoring the golden age of mysteries and bidding fair to continue it to the present."—Kirkus
The Puzzle of Blackstone Lodge is a complexly layered mystery perfect for fans of impossible mysteries inspired by Agatha Christie. Martin Edwards pens the perfect locked-tower puzzle with a gothic edge set in 1930s Northern England.
1930: Nell Fagan is looking for a second chance at a career in investigative journalism and the call of Blackstone Fell’s sanatorium is irresistible.
In 1606, a man vanished from a locked gatehouse in a remote Yorkshire village, and 300 years later, it happened again. Nell confides in the best sleuth she knows, Rachel Savernake
Looking for answers, Rachel travels to lonely Blackstone Fell in Yorkshire, with its eerie moor and sinister tower. With help from her friend Jacob Flint – who's determined to expose a fraudulent clairvoyant – Rachel will risk her life to bring an end to the disappearances at Blackstone Fell where people go in, but never come out.
"A pitch-perfect blend of Golden Age charm and sinister modern suspense."—Lee Child
Originally published as Blackstone Fell in the UK.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Heiress Rachel Savernake investigates baffling deaths and disappearances that take place centuries apart in Edwards's intricate third mystery featuring the amateur sleuth (following 2020's Mortmain Hall). Nell Fagan, looking to reignite her career as an investigative journalist in 1930s England, enlists Rachel's help untangling two disappearances—one in 1606, one in the early 20th century—from the locked gatehouse of the mysterious Blackstone Lodge. Then Nell disappears. With the assistance of her friend Jacob Flint (also Nell's colleague), plus the lodge's housemaid, cook, and one of its current guests, Rachel investigates residents of the surrounding Yorkshire village of Blackstone Fell, including employees and patients of a local sanatorium, a former soldier, a fire-and-brimstone minister, and the minister's troubled wife. During the investigation, more disappearances occur, and the arrival of a local medium and her taciturn assistant set the stage for a riveting climax. Fans of golden age mysteries will enjoy Edwards's smart plot twists and "clue finder" lists, which were a staple for 20th-century fair play writers. This is a satisfying puzzle for established genre fans and a good starting point for readers looking to dip their toes into Agatha Christie–adjacent fare.
