A House Divided - (Harriet & Matthew Rowsley Victorian Mystery) by Judith Cutler (Paperback)

About the Book

May 1861, Victorian England. Harriet and Matthew Rowsley find themselves stranded at a house party at Clunston Park due to flooding when shockingly, one of the guests is murdered! The finger is pointed at Clara, an eleven-year-old maid, and convinced she cannot be the culprit, Harriet and Matthew agree to investigate!

Book Synopsis

Stranded at a house party - when a murderer strikes!

May 1861, Victorian England. When Matthew and Harriet Rowsley are invited to a house party at Clunston Park by Matthew's cousin, Colonel Barrington Rowsley and his wife Lady Hortensia, Harriet is nervous - surely the aristocratic guests will snub her? After all, they are but mere servants in their eyes! Her fears are realized on their first evening when the only person who deigns to speak to her is the spiteful Gräfin Weiser and confirmed when she commits a major faux pas at the cricket match the following day.

But there's no escape! The cricket match is abandoned due to a storm, and flooding leaves the house guests stranded. Things worsen when Gräfin Weiser is found murdered and the finger is quickly pointed at Clara, an eleven-year-old maid, as the culprit. Convinced that she cannot be guilty, Harriet and Matthew agree to investigate.

The aristocratic façade begins to crumble under their scrutiny, and they start to unlock the secrets of Clunston Park. Why does the Colonel allow his bullying friend Major Jameson so much leeway? Is there more to the befuddled Lord Pidgeon than meets the eye? Harriet and Matthew must uncover the truth, before they find themselves in deadly danger . . .

Review Quotes

A gripping locked-room mystery with a suitably twisty plot, Cutler's latest also offers an intriguing look at social customs and gender roles during the Victorian period.-- "Booklist on Death's Long Shadow "

A historical novelist with a superb grasp of her craft-- " Andrew Taylor , bestselling crime and historical novelist, and Diamond Dagger winner"

Judith Cutler is an author as engaging as she is prolific. I've enjoyed her various series over many years.-- " Martin Edwards , crime novelist and winner of the Diamond Dagger 2020 "

A captivating series launch . Readers will look forward to seeing more of this enterprising duo

-- "Publishers Weekly on The Wages of Sin"

A lively, enjoyable book . Recommended for fans of Downton Abbey

-- " Library Journal on The Wages of Sin "

A Victorian twist on the ever popular upstairs-downstairs storyline

-- "Kirkus Reviews on The Wages of Sin"

Sparkling . A tight plot complements the diverse and entertaining cast of characters

-- " Publishers Weekly on Death in Elysium "

Fans of other married sleuths, such as Anne Perry's Charlotte and Thomas Pitt, may want to check this out-- "Publishers Weekly"

Offbeat cozy of manners-- "Kirkus Reviews"

With twists and turns aplenty, Cutler's variation on the classic locked-house mystery combines the requisite cast of colorful characters-in particular, the amiable sleuths-with a vivid depiction of upstairs-downstairs life in the Victorian era-- "Booklist"

About the Author

Judith Cutler has been shortlisted for the CWA Dagger and the Barry Award. Her prize-winning short stories appear regularly in anthologies and leading crime fiction magazines. She is married to fellow crime-writer Edward Marston and is sometimes referred to as Birmingham's Queen of Crime!