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Searcher of the Dead
(2018)(The first book in the Bess Ellyott Mystery series)
A novel by Nancy Herriman
Join widowed herbalist Bess Ellyott as she navigates the dark side of Elizabethan London in this kick-off to a stunningly atmospheric historical mystery series.
“A treat for fans of all things Tudor. This is the book Agatha Christie would have written if she had worn a farthingale.�� —Deanna Raybourn, New York Times bestselling author of the Veronica Speedwell mysteries
Living amid the cultural flowering, religious strife, and political storms of Tudor England, Bess Ellyott is an herbalist, a widow, and a hunted woman. She fled London after her husband was brutally murdered, but the bucolic town in the countryside where she lands will offer her no solace. She still doesn’t know who killed her husband, but she knows one thing: The murderer is still out there. This becomes all too clear when Bess’s brother-in-law, a prosperous merchant, is himself found dead—dangling from a tree, an apparent suicide.
But Bess doesn’t believe that for a moment, and nor do her neighbors. Competition is cutthroat in the 17th century, and word around the town holds that the dead man is a victim of rival merchants scheming to corner the wool market. Bess, though, is convinced the killer is out to destroy her family.
Town constable Christopher Harwoode will cross members of his own family to help Bess find the killer—whose next target may very well be Queen Elizabeth I—in this unshakably gripping, devilishly unpredictable series debut that will delight fans of Alison Weir and Philippa Gregory.
Genre: Historical Mystery
“A treat for fans of all things Tudor. This is the book Agatha Christie would have written if she had worn a farthingale.�� —Deanna Raybourn, New York Times bestselling author of the Veronica Speedwell mysteries
Living amid the cultural flowering, religious strife, and political storms of Tudor England, Bess Ellyott is an herbalist, a widow, and a hunted woman. She fled London after her husband was brutally murdered, but the bucolic town in the countryside where she lands will offer her no solace. She still doesn’t know who killed her husband, but she knows one thing: The murderer is still out there. This becomes all too clear when Bess’s brother-in-law, a prosperous merchant, is himself found dead—dangling from a tree, an apparent suicide.
But Bess doesn’t believe that for a moment, and nor do her neighbors. Competition is cutthroat in the 17th century, and word around the town holds that the dead man is a victim of rival merchants scheming to corner the wool market. Bess, though, is convinced the killer is out to destroy her family.
Town constable Christopher Harwoode will cross members of his own family to help Bess find the killer—whose next target may very well be Queen Elizabeth I—in this unshakably gripping, devilishly unpredictable series debut that will delight fans of Alison Weir and Philippa Gregory.
Genre: Historical Mystery
Praise for this book
"Wonderfully atmospheric. Herriman transports us to Tudor England with the skill of a master. Historical mystery fans will rejoice!" - Tasha Alexander
"Well researched…The astonishing climax is a resourceful use of a little-known sixteenth century law." - Fiona Buckley
"The colorful and exciting Elizabethan era seen in all its drama and treachery, with a delightful sleuth! A real treat for anyone who loves historical mysteries." - Amanda Carmack
"An atmospheric and haunting mystery… Compelling…I couldn’t stop reading." - Shelley Freydont
"Nancy Herriman’s vivid tale sets us smack in the middle of the period amid all its grandeur and grit…Exciting…Bess Ellyot is an intrepid sleuth and I’m looking forward to reading more (all) of this series!" - Alyssa Maxwell
"This is the book Agatha Christie would have written if she had worn a farthingale." - Deanna Raybourn
"Nancy Herriman vividly recreates Elizabethan England in the first book of her new series. You’ll love her heroine." - Victoria Thompson
"Well researched…The astonishing climax is a resourceful use of a little-known sixteenth century law." - Fiona Buckley
"The colorful and exciting Elizabethan era seen in all its drama and treachery, with a delightful sleuth! A real treat for anyone who loves historical mysteries." - Amanda Carmack
"An atmospheric and haunting mystery… Compelling…I couldn’t stop reading." - Shelley Freydont
"Nancy Herriman’s vivid tale sets us smack in the middle of the period amid all its grandeur and grit…Exciting…Bess Ellyot is an intrepid sleuth and I’m looking forward to reading more (all) of this series!" - Alyssa Maxwell
"This is the book Agatha Christie would have written if she had worn a farthingale." - Deanna Raybourn
"Nancy Herriman vividly recreates Elizabethan England in the first book of her new series. You’ll love her heroine." - Victoria Thompson
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Used availability for Nancy Herriman's Searcher of the Dead