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    Grave Expectations
    A Christmas Carol Murder
    A Tale of Two Murders
    Ebook series3 titles

    A Dickens of a Crime Series

    By Heather Redmond

    3.5/5

    ()

    About this series

    In this clever reimagining of Charles Dickens’s life, he and fiancée Kate Hogarth must solve the murder of an old miser, just before Christmas . . .  

    London, December 1835: Charles and Kate are out with friends and family for a chilly night of caroling and good cheer. But their blood truly runs cold when their singing is interrupted by a body plummeting from an upper window of a house. They soon learn the dead man, his neck strangely wrapped in chains, is Jacob Harley, the business partner of the resident of the house, an unpleasant codger who owns a counting house, one Emmanuel Screws.
     
    Ever the journalist, Charles dedicates himself to discovering who's behind the diabolical defenestration. But before he can investigate further, Harley's corpse is stolen. Following that, Charles is visited in his quarters by what appears to be Harley's ghost—or is it merely Charles’s overwrought imagination? He continues to suspect Emmanuel, the same penurious penny pincher who denied his father a loan years ago, but Kate insists the old man is too weak to heave a body out a window. Their mutual affection and admiration can accommodate a difference of opinion, but matters are complicated by the unexpected arrival of an infant orphan. Charles must find the child a home while solving a murder, to ensure that the next one in chains is the guilty party . . .
     
    Praise for the Dickens of a Crime Mysteries!

    “Mystery fans and history buffs alike should cheer.”
    —KirkusSTARRED Review

    “Sharp, incisive, and delightfully twisty. I’m sure I won't be the only reader exclaiming, ‘What the Dickens?!’”
    —Anna Lee Huber, bestselling author.

    “As easy to read as one of Mr. Dickens’ actual novels and as entertaining.”
    —New York Journal of Books

    “Fans of Anne Perry will love this one.”
    —Dianne Freeman, award–winning author
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherKensington Books
    Release dateSep 1, 1982
    Grave Expectations
    A Christmas Carol Murder
    A Tale of Two Murders

    Titles in the series (3)

    • 1

      A Tale of Two Murders
      A Tale of Two Murders

      A Tale of Two Murders

      Heather Redmond
      3/5 - 2 ratings
      3/5 - 2 ratings

      “A complex mystery that cunningly explores how Dickens might have been inspired to write the plot of his most well-known book, A Tale of Two Cities.” —Anna Lee Huber, bestselling author of the Lady Darby Mysteries In the winter of 1835, young Charles Dickens is a journalist on the rise at the Evening Chronicle. Invited to dinner at the estate of the newspaper’s co-editor, Charles is smitten with his boss’s daughter, vivacious nineteen-year-old Kate Hogarth. They are having the best of times when a scream shatters the pleasant evening. Charles, Kate, and her father rush to the neighbors’ home, where Miss Christiana Lugoson lies unconscious on the floor. By morning, the poor young woman will be dead. When Charles hears from a colleague of a very similar mysterious death a year ago to the date, also a young woman, he begins to suspect poisoning and feels compelled to investigate. The lovely Kate offers to help—using her social position to gain access to the members of the upper crust, now suspects in a murder. If Charles can find justice for the victims, it will be a far, far better thing than he has ever done. But with a twist or two in this most peculiar case, he and Kate may be in for the worst of times . . . “Watching young Charles sniff out the connection between the two deaths is only part of the fun. Readers can travel through a historical London that’s vivid without being overcrowded with detail . . . Mystery fans and history buffs alike should cheer.” —Kirkus Reviews (starred review) “For Dickens fans, this charming little puzzler will prove a delight.” —Booklist

      “A complex mystery that cunningly explores how Dickens might have been inspired to write the plot of his most well-known book, A Tale of Two Cities.” —Anna Lee Huber, bestselling author of the Lady Darby Mysteries In the winter of 1835, young Charles Dickens is a journalist on the rise at the Evening Chronicle. Invited to dinner at the estate of the newspaper’s co-editor, Charles is smitten with his boss’s daughter, vivacious nineteen-year-old Kate Hogarth. They are having the best of times when a scream shatters the pleasant evening. Charles, Kate, and her father rush to the neighbors’ home, where Miss Christiana Lugoson lies unconscious on the floor. By morning, the poor young woman will be dead. When Charles hears from a colleague of a very similar mysterious death a year ago to the date, also a young woman, he begins to suspect poisoning and feels compelled to investigate. The lovely Kate offers to help—using her social position to gain access to the members of the upper crust, now suspects in a murder. If Charles can find justice for the victims, it will be a far, far better thing than he has ever done. But with a twist or two in this most peculiar case, he and Kate may be in for the worst of times . . . “Watching young Charles sniff out the connection between the two deaths is only part of the fun. Readers can travel through a historical London that’s vivid without being overcrowded with detail . . . Mystery fans and history buffs alike should cheer.” —Kirkus Reviews (starred review) “For Dickens fans, this charming little puzzler will prove a delight.” —Booklist

    • 2

      Grave Expectations
      Grave Expectations

      Grave Expectations

      Heather Redmond
      4/5 - 4 ratings
      4/5 - 4 ratings

      On the eve of Victorian England, Charles Dickens and Kate Hogarth must solve the murder of a spinster wearing a wedding gown . . .   London, June 1835: In the interest of being a good neighbor, Charles checks in on Miss Haverstock, the elderly spinster who resides in the flat above his. But as the young journalist and his fiancée Kate ascend the stairs, they are assaulted by the unmistakable smell of death. Upon entering the woman’s quarters, they find her decomposing corpse adorned in a faded gown that looks like it could have been her wedding dress, had she been married. A murderer has set the stage. But to what purpose?   As news of an escaped convict from Coldbath Fields reaches the couple, Charles reasonably expects the prisoner, Ned Blood, may be responsible. But Kate suspects more personal motives, given the time and effort in dressing the victim. When a local blacksmith is found with cut manacles in his shop and arrested, his distraught wife begs Charles and Kate to help. At the inquest, they are surprised to meet Miss Haverstock’s cold and haughty illegitimate daughter, shadowed by her miserably besotted companion. Secrets shrouded by the old woman’s past may hold the answers to this web of mystery. But Charles and Kate will have to risk their lives to unveil the truth . . .   “As easy to read as one of Mr. Dickens’ actual novels and as entertaining.” —New York Journal of Books   “Once again, Redmond mixes history, mystery, and a little bit of whimsy.” —Kirkus Reviews   “Captures the young Charles’s ebullient energy, the warmth of his circle, and the color of a fast-changing era. Readers will look forward to Charles’s further adventures.” —Publishers Weekly   “Fans of Anne Perry will love this one.” —Dianne Freeman, award winning author

      On the eve of Victorian England, Charles Dickens and Kate Hogarth must solve the murder of a spinster wearing a wedding gown . . .   London, June 1835: In the interest of being a good neighbor, Charles checks in on Miss Haverstock, the elderly spinster who resides in the flat above his. But as the young journalist and his fiancée Kate ascend the stairs, they are assaulted by the unmistakable smell of death. Upon entering the woman’s quarters, they find her decomposing corpse adorned in a faded gown that looks like it could have been her wedding dress, had she been married. A murderer has set the stage. But to what purpose?   As news of an escaped convict from Coldbath Fields reaches the couple, Charles reasonably expects the prisoner, Ned Blood, may be responsible. But Kate suspects more personal motives, given the time and effort in dressing the victim. When a local blacksmith is found with cut manacles in his shop and arrested, his distraught wife begs Charles and Kate to help. At the inquest, they are surprised to meet Miss Haverstock’s cold and haughty illegitimate daughter, shadowed by her miserably besotted companion. Secrets shrouded by the old woman’s past may hold the answers to this web of mystery. But Charles and Kate will have to risk their lives to unveil the truth . . .   “As easy to read as one of Mr. Dickens’ actual novels and as entertaining.” —New York Journal of Books   “Once again, Redmond mixes history, mystery, and a little bit of whimsy.” —Kirkus Reviews   “Captures the young Charles’s ebullient energy, the warmth of his circle, and the color of a fast-changing era. Readers will look forward to Charles’s further adventures.” —Publishers Weekly   “Fans of Anne Perry will love this one.” —Dianne Freeman, award winning author

    • 3

      A Christmas Carol Murder
      A Christmas Carol Murder

      A Christmas Carol Murder

      Heather Redmond
      0 ratings
      0 ratings

      In this clever reimagining of Charles Dickens’s life, he and fiancée Kate Hogarth must solve the murder of an old miser, just before Christmas . . .   London, December 1835: Charles and Kate are out with friends and family for a chilly night of caroling and good cheer. But their blood truly runs cold when their singing is interrupted by a body plummeting from an upper window of a house. They soon learn the dead man, his neck strangely wrapped in chains, is Jacob Harley, the business partner of the resident of the house, an unpleasant codger who owns a counting house, one Emmanuel Screws.   Ever the journalist, Charles dedicates himself to discovering who's behind the diabolical defenestration. But before he can investigate further, Harley's corpse is stolen. Following that, Charles is visited in his quarters by what appears to be Harley's ghost—or is it merely Charles’s overwrought imagination? He continues to suspect Emmanuel, the same penurious penny pincher who denied his father a loan years ago, but Kate insists the old man is too weak to heave a body out a window. Their mutual affection and admiration can accommodate a difference of opinion, but matters are complicated by the unexpected arrival of an infant orphan. Charles must find the child a home while solving a murder, to ensure that the next one in chains is the guilty party . . .   Praise for the Dickens of a Crime Mysteries! “Mystery fans and history buffs alike should cheer.” —KirkusSTARRED Review “Sharp, incisive, and delightfully twisty. I’m sure I won't be the only reader exclaiming, ‘What the Dickens?!’” —Anna Lee Huber, bestselling author. “As easy to read as one of Mr. Dickens’ actual novels and as entertaining.” —New York Journal of Books “Fans of Anne Perry will love this one.” —Dianne Freeman, award–winning author

      In this clever reimagining of Charles Dickens’s life, he and fiancée Kate Hogarth must solve the murder of an old miser, just before Christmas . . .   London, December 1835: Charles and Kate are out with friends and family for a chilly night of caroling and good cheer. But their blood truly runs cold when their singing is interrupted by a body plummeting from an upper window of a house. They soon learn the dead man, his neck strangely wrapped in chains, is Jacob Harley, the business partner of the resident of the house, an unpleasant codger who owns a counting house, one Emmanuel Screws.   Ever the journalist, Charles dedicates himself to discovering who's behind the diabolical defenestration. But before he can investigate further, Harley's corpse is stolen. Following that, Charles is visited in his quarters by what appears to be Harley's ghost—or is it merely Charles’s overwrought imagination? He continues to suspect Emmanuel, the same penurious penny pincher who denied his father a loan years ago, but Kate insists the old man is too weak to heave a body out a window. Their mutual affection and admiration can accommodate a difference of opinion, but matters are complicated by the unexpected arrival of an infant orphan. Charles must find the child a home while solving a murder, to ensure that the next one in chains is the guilty party . . .   Praise for the Dickens of a Crime Mysteries! “Mystery fans and history buffs alike should cheer.” —KirkusSTARRED Review “Sharp, incisive, and delightfully twisty. I’m sure I won't be the only reader exclaiming, ‘What the Dickens?!’” —Anna Lee Huber, bestselling author. “As easy to read as one of Mr. Dickens’ actual novels and as entertaining.” —New York Journal of Books “Fans of Anne Perry will love this one.” —Dianne Freeman, award–winning author

    Author

    Heather Redmond

    Though her last known British ancestor departed London in the 1920s, Heather Redmond is a committed anglophile, Dickens devotee, and lover of all things nineteenth century. She has lived in Illinois, California, and Texas, and now resides in a small town in Washington State with her husband and son. For more information please visit www.heatherredmond.com and twitter.com/heatheraredmond.

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