Hester Musson

The thrilling new historical mystery from the acclaimed, bestselling author of The Beholders

The thrilling new historical mystery from the acclaimed, bestselling author of The Beholders

The thrilling new historical mystery from the acclaimed, bestselling author of The Beholders

'Held me completely in its thrall until the very last line’ SUSAN STOKES-CHAPMAN 'I was hooked from the start' DAILY MAIL A SUNDAY TIMES HISTORICAL FICTION BOOK OF THE MONTH A TIMES BESTSELLER SHORTLISTED FOR THE HISTORICAL WRITERS' ASSOCIATION DEBUT CROWN PRIZE June, 1878. The body of a boy is pulled from the depths of the River Thames, suspected to be the beloved missing child of the widely admired Liberal MP Ralph Gethin. Four months earlier. Harriet is a young maid newly employed at Finton Hall. Fleeing the drudgery of an unwanted engagement in the small village where she grew up, Harriet is entranced by the grand country hall; she is entranced too by her glamorous mistress Clara Gethin, whose unearthly singing voice floats through the house. But Clara, though captivating, is erratic. The master of the house is a much-lauded politician, but he is strangely absent. And some of their beautiful belongings seem to tell terrible stories. Unable to ignore her growing unease, Harriet sets out to discover their secrets. When she uncovers a shocking truth, a chain of events is set in motion that could cost Harriet everything, even her freedom… What readers are saying… 'I didn't want to stop reading!' ????? 'This story has everything: murder, love, intrigue and heartbreak' ????? 'Plenty of unexpected twists and turns. A sold five stars from me!' ????? 'I couldn't put it down til the very end' ????? 'Heartbreaking, intriguing, hard to put down' ?????

'Held me completely in its thrall until the very last line' SUSAN STOKES-CHAPMAN, bestselling author of Pandora'A well-researched and thoroughly convincing page-turner' LAURA SHEPPERSON, bestselling author of The HeroinesA SUNDAY TIMES HISTORICAL FICTION BOOK OF THE MONTH

'Held me completely in its thrall until the very last line’ SUSAN STOKES-CHAPMAN 'I was hooked from the start' DAILY MAIL A SUNDAY TIMES HISTORICAL FICTION BOOK OF THE MONTH A TIMES BESTSELLER SHORTLISTED FOR THE HISTORICAL WRITERS' ASSOCIATION DEBUT CROWN PRIZE June, 1878. The body of a boy is pulled from the depths of the River Thames, suspected to be the beloved missing child of the widely admired Liberal MP Ralph Gethin. Four months earlier. Harriet is a young maid newly employed at Finton Hall. Fleeing the drudgery of an unwanted engagement in the small village where she grew up, Harriet is entranced by the grand country hall; she is entranced too by her glamorous mistress Clara Gethin, whose unearthly singing voice floats through the house. But Clara, though captivating, is erratic. The master of the house is a much-lauded politician, but he is strangely absent. And some of their beautiful belongings seem to tell terrible stories. Unable to ignore her growing unease, Harriet sets out to discover their secrets. When she uncovers a shocking truth, a chain of events is set in motion that could cost Harriet everything, even her freedom… What readers are saying… 'I didn't want to stop reading!' ????? 'This story has everything: murder, love, intrigue and heartbreak' ????? 'Plenty of unexpected twists and turns. A sold five stars from me!' ????? 'I couldn't put it down til the very end' ????? 'Heartbreaking, intriguing, hard to put down' ?????

Viktoriaaniseen Englantiin sijoittuva mysteeriromaani täynnä yllätyksiä. Nuoren palvelijattaren tarina vie syrjäisen kartanon pimeiltä käytäviltä viktoriaanisen Lontoon karkeille kaduille ja Old Baileyn oikeussaliin. Eletään vuotta 1878. Nuori Harriet on palkattu palvelijaksi Finton Halliin, jonka isäntäväki vaikuttaa samaan aikaan sekä kiehtovalta että todella oudolta. Talon emäntä Clara Gethin laulaa lumoavasti, mutta ei vaikuta olevan lainkaan kiinnostunut pienestä lapsestaan. Herra Gethin on vaikutusvaltainen ja arvostettu parlamentin jäsen, jonka käytös kotona on kuitenkin kaukana kunniallisesta. Vähä vähältä Harriet sukeltaa yhä syvemmälle Finton Hallin mysteereihin. Se, mitä hän saa selville, on paljon järkyttävämpää, kuin hän olisi voinut kuvitellakaan – ja uhkaa maksaa Harrietille hänen vapautensa. Hester Musson kietoo lukijan taidokkaasti arvoitusten ja salaisuuksien verkkoon, joka pitää otteessaan viimeisille sivuille saakka. Hester Musson (s. 1977) opiskeli englantilaista kirjallisuutta Bristol Universityssa ja hän on suorittanut draaman maisterintutkinnon Skotlannin kuninkaallisessa konservatoriossa. Finton Hallin arvoitus on hänen esikoisromaaninsa.