A Murder at Rosamund's Gate (2013)
London 1665-1666
Macavity Award Finalist (2014)
Sue Feder Historical Mystery Award Read an Excerpt!!! Great for Book Clubs! Available where all books are sold! |
When someone she loves faces hanging for the murder of a fellow servant, Lucy Campion—a 17th century English chambermaid, must interpret the clues hidden in miniature portraits, popular ballads, and a corpse’s pointing finger to save his life, before the true murderer turns on her...
Barnes & Noble Bookseller's Selection ("Mystery Pick" and "Featured New Arrival") Chicago Book Review Best Books of 2013 "...the high-quality writing augurs well for future outings." --Publisher's Weekly "Calkins's debut mystery places her unusual detective in a world rich in carefully researched historical detail." --Kirkus |
“Susanna Calkins makes Restoration England come alive in her terrific debut, A Murder at Rosamund’s Gate. Murder, romance, and flawless social history combine into a beautifully crafted mystery that captivates until the very last page.”—Stefanie Pintoff, author of In the Shadow of Gotham
"Calkins makes Lucy’s efforts to find the real killer entirely plausible, leading to a nail-biter climax with London in flames. This history-mystery delivers a strong heroine making her way through the social labyrinth of Restoration London." --Booklist |
See what other reviewers are saying...
The Paris Star Online (Paris, Ontario)
"New Fiction Pick for Summer"
Richmond Times Dispatch (Richmond, Virginia)
"Calkins’ debut leaves the reader eagerly anticipating Lucy’s next sleuthing adventure in what
promises to be a first-rate historical series."
Washington Independent Review of Books (Washington, DC)
"In Susanna Calkins' excellently written, well-researched and engaging debut, Lucy
confronts murder, scandal, and the plague."
Limerick-Royersford-SpringCity Patch (Pennsylvania)
"...absorbing debut novel"
"New Fiction Pick for Summer"
Richmond Times Dispatch (Richmond, Virginia)
"Calkins’ debut leaves the reader eagerly anticipating Lucy’s next sleuthing adventure in what
promises to be a first-rate historical series."
Washington Independent Review of Books (Washington, DC)
"In Susanna Calkins' excellently written, well-researched and engaging debut, Lucy
confronts murder, scandal, and the plague."
Limerick-Royersford-SpringCity Patch (Pennsylvania)
"...absorbing debut novel"
Fresh Fiction
1776 Books: A Philadelphian's Literary Journey
She Blinded me with Library Science!
Book Babe
The Random Librarian
Cayocosta Book Reviews
librarycrystal
A Book and a Review
- “A MURDER AT ROSAMUND'S GATE is a historical fiction mystery must read. Susanna Calkins easily combines history, mystery, and even some romance into exciting, page turning adventure.”
- “For me, this book was more than a mystery. It was an eye-opening look at what London was like in the mid-1660s, including the plague and fire that ravaged London, class struggle, the plight of women, and the laws of the time. The author's engaging writing style made it easy to slip back into the past and experience these things with Lucy.”
1776 Books: A Philadelphian's Literary Journey
- “A Murder at Rosamund's Gate is Susanna Calkins's absorbing debut novel. Just a warning that time WILL easily slip away as you become engrossed in this historical fiction mystery.”
She Blinded me with Library Science!
- Calkins is "clearly is an excellent storyteller with a knack for character writing. I'd wholeheartedly recommend this book to a pretty wide variety of people - personally I loved it and it both met, and exceeded my expectations of what I wanted from it.”
Book Babe
- “A good yarn and a fascinating look at life in England in a time when things began to change...social classes, positions, servants' rights...all because of plague and fire.”
The Random Librarian
- “Calkins pays close attention to detail which means that the novel is historically accurate, and she only uses creative license in a few instances. I could relate easily to the different characters, and I liked that Calkins didn’t paint any of them as all good or all bad. The fast-paced plot kept me hooked throughout the novel….I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys history or a good murder mystery/thriller.”
Cayocosta Book Reviews
- “Wonderfully atmospheric, this book will grab readers at the first paragraph. Lucy is a likeable heroine and readers can only hope that this is just the first of many adventures.”
librarycrystal
- "You won’t want to miss this novel... a great choice for your next weekend at home."
A Book and a Review
- “I loved the way the author showed the differences between not only the classes, but between the acceptance and expectation of men/women."