A Murder at Rosamund's Gate
Minotaur/St. Martin's Press (April 23, 2013)
When someone she loves faces hanging for the murder of a fellow servant, Lucy Campion—a seventeenth-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...
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Barnes & Noble Bookseller's Selection
("Mystery Pick" and "Featured New Arrival")
Read an Excerpt!!!
When someone she loves faces hanging for the murder of a fellow servant, Lucy Campion—a seventeenth-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...
Available where all books are sold!
Great for Book Clubs!
Click here for more information!
Barnes & Noble Bookseller's Selection
("Mystery Pick" and "Featured New Arrival")
Read an Excerpt!!!
“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
"Calkins's debut mystery places her unusual detective in a world rich in carefully researched historical detail." --Kirkus
"...the high-quality writing augurs well for future outings." --Publisher's Weekly
"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
"Calkins's debut mystery places her unusual detective in a world rich in carefully researched historical detail." --Kirkus
"...the high-quality writing augurs well for future outings." --Publisher's Weekly
See what other reviewers are saying...
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."
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From the Charred Remains (Working Title)
(Minotaur/St. Martin's Press: Early 2014)
Weeks after the Great Fire ravaged London, Lucy Campion—formerly a chambermaid, now a printer’s apprentice—is helping dig through the ashes of an old tavern, when a body is found stuffed into an old malt barrel, a knife through his chest. On the corpse is a small leather bag, promptly pickpocketed by a passing thief, and passed accidentally to Lucy. Inside the bag, Lucy discovers a strange collection of objects—the winnings from the last card game ever played at the tavern and a poem. These are also the only clues to the victim and his murderer. Not realizing that the poem is in code, Lucy persuades her new employer to publish the poem. This action leads to a chain of events that once again brings Lucy in direct confrontation with a murderer.
Weeks after the Great Fire ravaged London, Lucy Campion—formerly a chambermaid, now a printer’s apprentice—is helping dig through the ashes of an old tavern, when a body is found stuffed into an old malt barrel, a knife through his chest. On the corpse is a small leather bag, promptly pickpocketed by a passing thief, and passed accidentally to Lucy. Inside the bag, Lucy discovers a strange collection of objects—the winnings from the last card game ever played at the tavern and a poem. These are also the only clues to the victim and his murderer. Not realizing that the poem is in code, Lucy persuades her new employer to publish the poem. This action leads to a chain of events that once again brings Lucy in direct confrontation with a murderer.
