The Val & Arbie Mysteries - Murder by Candlelight (The Val & Arbie Mysteries, Book 1)
One suspicious death. Two amateur sleuths. And an utterly impossible crime…
The NUMBER ONE ebook bestseller!
‘Amuses and intrigues in equal measure… a splendid start to what promises to be a long-running series’ Daily Mail
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The Cotswolds, 1924. At the Old Forge in the quiet village of Maybury-in-the-Marsh a cry of anguish rings out: lady of the house Amy Phelps has been discovered dead. But with all the windows and doors to her room locked from inside, how – and by whom – was she killed?
Arbuthnot ‘Arbie’ Swift finds himself in the unlikely position of detective. The celebrated author of The Gentleman’s Guide to Ghost-Hunting is staying at the Old Forge to investigate a suspected spectre, but now the more pressing matter of Amy’s murder falls to him too.
With old friend Val, he soon uncovers a sorry tale of altered wills, secret love affairs and tragic losses – and plenty of motives for murder. When events take another sinister turn, Arbie must find the killer, fast. And to do so will mean cracking a most perfectly plotted crime…
Perfect for fans of The Thursday Murder Club, The Appeal and The Marlow Murder Club, don’t miss this stunning new series from the multi-million bestselling author!
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Readers LOVE Murder by Candlelight!
‘I absolutely loved this… The story grabbed me from the beginning and I devoured it.’ Reader review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
‘The perfect village mystery. A golden-age world with an energy that is totally contemporary.’ J.M. Hall, author of A Spoonful of Murder
‘A beautifully constructed puzzle… I so hope this will be the start of a series.’ Reader review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
‘Brilliant characters that leap off the page.’ The Sun
‘Very entertaining… Full of red herrings, plot twists and turns. I thought I knew who was the killer but I was wrong.’ Reader review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
‘All the ingredients of a classic mystery… enormous fun.’ Orlando Murrin, author of Knife Skills for Beginners
‘What an utterly delightful and clever mystery… I highly recommend this book.’ Reader reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
‘Terrifically good, and just great fun!… All of the clues are provided, but so are a number of very good red herrings… I can’t wait to see more of Arbie and Val.’ Reader review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
‘WOW. I loved this book.’ Reader review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
‘Absolutely perfect! This is the book I have been craving since I last read the Thursday Murder Club series!’ Reader reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Praise for Faith Martin: -
”'A gripping series noted for its labyrinthine plotting, stunning twists and turns, an exquisitely drawn cast of characters, and - without the help of modern technology - some wonderfully entertaining, good old-fashioned detective work” - The Lancashire Post
”'Absolutely loved it… The characters were some of the best I’ve read in a long time.” - Angela Marsons, no. 1 bestselling author of the Kim Stone series
”'A brilliant book! The pairing of Ryder and Loveday is a stroke of genius.” - Clare Chase, author of the Eve Mallow and Tara Thorpe mysteries
Praise for Murder by Candlelight -
”'The perfect village mystery. A golden-age world with an energy that is totally contemporary” - J.M. Hall, author of A Spoonful of Murder
”'A charming and clever take on a locked room murder” - Sarah Yarwood-Lovett, author of The Doctor Nell Ward Mysteries
”'A wonderful Wodehousian world of intrigue and suspicion and a tricky puzzle to solve.” - Helena Dixon, author of the Miss Underhay Mysteries
”'All the ingredients of a classic mystery - engaging characters and an impossible crime. The story races along like a runaway locomotive… enormous fun.” - Orlando Murrin, author of Knife Skills for Beginners
'Brilliant characters that leap off the page.' THE SUN -
'We devoured this whoddunit in one sitting!'BELLA -
'With murder, intrigue, and ghostly happenings, this will satisfy cosy crime fans.' HEAT -
'Her knowledge of the genre and easy writing style makes this an effortless and fun read.'MY WEEKLY -
'A clever mystery.' WOMAN’S OWN -
'This engaging and energetic mystery hosts an abundance of engaging characters and is great fun.' PLATINUM -