The Castleton Affair: A gripping 1920s historical mystery

Written by Benedict Brown

Narrated by George Blagden

A government aide kidnapped, a French diplomat murdered, a killer to uncover…

When mystery writer Marius Quin and his sleuthing partner Lady Bella Montague are hired by a secretive stranger to find a missing civil servant, they immediately set to work. Ernest Castleton was taken at gunpoint days earlier, but with the help of his distraught fiancée, Marius and Bella uncover a vital clue. Ernest hid a cryptic letter in the British Museum, and it sends the intrepid duo on a trail that stretches from the centre of London all the way to the English coast.

The investigation takes on a new twist when they arrive at the home of the British Foreign Secretary only to find a French diplomat murdered in the Grand Hall of the palatial property…

But who pushed Monsieur Rochefort to his death, and what does it have to do with Ernest Castleton’s disappearance? Marius and Bella must choose from a nefarious spy, a double-dealing diplomat and any number of spoilt aristocrats if they wish to catch the killer. With the clock ticking and only twenty-four hours left before the suspects disperse, they must call upon their every skill to stop more innocent people from dying…

A fast, fresh and fun 1920s murder mystery which combines the feel of a classic spy novel with a twisting whodunit, The Castleton Affair will leave you guessing until the very last chapter.

Readers love the Marius Quin mysteries:

‘My first book by this author but I absolutely loved it! Adored the period setting and how the 1920s were brought so vividly to life. This was a twisty-turny mystery that kept me guessing to the end… A cross between Agatha Christie and PG Wodehouse, this is an engaging, witty story that made me laugh and kept me hooked.’ Reader review, ??????????

‘Absolutely fabulous… While I hate to use the cliche of unputdownable, it really was. More of this crime fighting duo please.’ Reader review, ??????????

‘Jam-packed with lively wit, quirky characters, red herrings and cleverness. I felt an instant connection and was riveted to each page, even giggling out loud at times. Spellbinding books such as this are pure joy!’ Reader review, ??????????

‘A lovely cosy whodunit set in 1920s England… Lots of twists and turns and beautiful character development. A very cosy read!’ Reader review, ??????????

‘Charming, witty, and fast-paced.’ Reader review, ??????????

Readers love Benedict Brown:

‘Deserves 10 stars!… Not since Agatha Christie’s Bertram’s Hotel have I felt I was right there watching from the sidelines.’ Reader review, ??????????

‘I couldn’t put this book down, and I didn’t even come close to guessing “whodunit”! I wish it hadn’t ended so soon.’ Reader review, ??????????

‘WOW Benedict Brown has done it once again… the ending was completely astounding, the perfect climactic twist.’ Reader review, ??????????

‘Kept me totally hooked until the last page… lots of twists and turns to keep you guessing.’ Reader review, ??????????

‘Deserves more than 5 stars. I really loved this book.’ Reader review, ??????????

‘What a great read this was!… Murder, mayhem, evildoers doing evil deeds, a clever twist that I never saw coming.’ Reader review, ??????????

‘LOVE, LOVE, LOVE this book.’ Reader review, ??????????

• Language: English
• Publisher: Storm Publishing
• Release date: May 15, 2024
• ISBN: 9781805081937

Benedict Brown

I’m a Welsh-Irish-Englishman originally from South London but now living in Burgos, a beautiful city in the north of Spain, with my French-Spanish wife and our young daughter. Writing has always been my passion. It was my favourite half-an-hour a week at primary school, and I started on my first, truly abysmal book as a teenager. So it wasn’t a difficult decision to study literature at university which led to an MA in Creative Writing. I grew up in a crime-fiction-mad family and had made a few clumsy attempts at writing one over the years before coming up with the idea for my contemporary whodunits "The Izzy Palmer Mysteries". My second series, the 1920s-set "Lord Edgington Investigates...", has been a great success, with each of the books becoming a bestseller. If you'd like to tell me what you think about my detectives, my writing or the world at large, I’d love to hear from you, so feel free to get in touch at www.benedictbrown.net where you can also download my free mystery novellas and join my readers' club.

Reviews for The Castleton Affair

[Andrea Author · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

In 1920s England, mystery writer Marius and his partner Lady Bella are hired to locate a missing government aide. Their investigation leads them to the residence of the British Foreign Secretary, where a French diplomat is found dead. Uncovering a web of deceit and privilege, they must race against time to catch the killer before the body count rises.

This twisty novel offers engaging characters and an unpredictable plot. It includes hints of humor and romance, but the main focus is on the mystery.

Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC I received. This is my honest and voluntary review.