The Bells of Westminster

* A TIMES HISTORICAL FICTION BOOK OF THE YEAR * * A SUNDAY TIMES HISTORICAL FICTION PICK OF THE MONTH * 'A splendid romp from a wonderfully clever historical novelist' - TELEGRAPH 'An exhilarating voyage into another era' - FINANCIAL TIMES He looked as if he had just received some very bad news. In that he was certainly right, for he was perfectly and incontrovertibly dead... London, 1774. Susan Bell - daughter of the kindly Dean of Westminster - enjoys a pleasantly uneventful life within the confines of the abbey. That is until a group of scholars from the Society of Antiquaries comes armed with a letter from King George III, giving them permission to exhume Edward I and examine his body. As they prepare to open the tomb, a ghostly figure is seen wandering the cloisters, wearing the crown of the dead king. Then one of the Antiquaries is found viciously murdered, and the corpse of Edward I is stolen. With the abbey in uproar and her father's position under threat from the scandal, Susan feels bound to investigate. Could one of the Society's members be harbouring a deadly secret, or is one of the abbey's own a killer? The new historical mystery from the bestselling author of Black Drop, Blue Water and Scarlet Town. Perfect for readers of Andrew Taylor, Laura Shepherd-Robinson and S.J. Parris.

About the Author :
Leonora Nattrass studied eighteenth-century literature and politics, and spent ten years lecturing in English and publishing works on William Cobbett. She lives in Cornwall, in a seventeenth-century house with seventeenth-century draughts, and spins the fleeces of her Ryeland sheep into yarn. Her first novel, Black Drop, was published in 2021, and was a Sunday Times Historical Fiction Book of the Month. Her second, Blue Water, was published in 2022 and was a Waterstones Thriller of the Month. Her third novel, Scarlet Town, was published in 2023 and shortlisted for the CWA Historical Dagger award.

Review :
One of the wittiest and most entertaining historical crime novels of the year At last, a mystery story with an original crime at its heart: royal body-snatching... A splendid romp from a wonderfully clever historical novelist There's plot a plenty in Nattrass's standalone historical thriller but it's the vivid characters and wonderful descriptions of Westminster Abbey that make her fourth novel sparkle An exhilarating voyage into another era, crammed with persuasive detail Susan's wit and unwillingness to play the role that 18th-century society expects of a clergyman's daughter sustain her through a series of dangers and unwelcome revelations in this entertaining historical mystery A vivid tale of Westminster Abbey past Georgian London and the great Gothic mausoleum of Westminster Abbey provides a backdrop for Nattrass's new historical romp... A teenage William Blake, a garrulous parrot named Cuthbert, the exhumed remains of Edward I and a bunch of antiquaries make for a rich mix A brilliantly accessible whodunnit, mixing crime, history, humour and just a touch of spookiness A jaunty 18th century mystery Engaging Another thrilling, unpredictable slice of historical gothic fiction for cold autumn nights, as gripping as Nattrass's debut Black Drop A deliciously spooky romp... Leonora Nattrass is a master storyteller. She brings this world to vivid life with her sharp, lively and irreverent prose. A book that is funny, delightful, unnerving, intriguing and essential A hugely enjoyable book, filled with memorable and utterly engaging characters who come to life in the vastness, galleries, cloister walks and hidden stairways of their world. The mystery, rooted in the competing contemporary theories of science, antiquarianism and folk belief, is garlanded with enticing depictions of the abbey's treasures. I hope to hear more of Susan, Lindley and especially the marvellous Cuthbert, the parrot The Bells of Westminster delivers everything you would want from a historical crime novel. A wonderfully rendered period setting, a cast of sympathetic characters, and a compelling puzzle, one with great historical resonance. All told using the most delicious prose. A delightfully immersive historical mystery A cast of wonderfully unique characters, a beguiling mystery, a beautiful and atmospheric setting, historical accuracy and masterful storytelling... An intriguing and highly amusing read, which I highly recommend A hugely entertaining page-turner, with wonderful characterisation and an immersive setting all woven around a brilliantly intriguing murder mystery. Leonora Nattrass remains one of my favourite historical fiction authors An absolute page-turner, containing everything one could want from an historical mystery A Trollopian delight: historical murder mystery laced with delicious humour and delicate romance. Jane Austen meets Umberto Eco. Charming Delightful and intriguing. It takes a special skill to turn an abbey into a character in itself. The book crackles with an ingenious spark. Brilliant Beautifully written, extremely funny, witty, charming and absolute treasure of a book Reads like Barchester crossed with Agatha Christie with a light dusting of Austen... Fresh funny and beautifully done Jane Austen meets Agatha Christie in this witty historical puzzler with a dash of gothic Hands down Leonora Nattrass's best yet. In Susan Bell, she's found the most compelling voice in historical fiction that I've read in years. And I love the subtle subverting of period tropes. A joy Susan Bell is a captivating narrator who makes a delightful guide through this riveting murder mystery... A wonderfully eerie and suspenseful historical tour through the cloisters and tombs of Westminster Abbey, with several satisfying twists and surprising turns on the way A delightful caper around the tombs of Westminster Abbey, with a curious king, a royal corpse, a murder victim and an endearing parrot. Wonderfully told, and hugely enjoyable Susan, the Dean of Westminster's deliciously sharp-eyed daughter, guides us through this eighteenth century mystery; untangling an almighty knot of fact and fiction, science and religion, and of course, murder most foul. What more could one want? A parrot with the voice of a King, perhaps? An ingenious mystery in a historical setting that is incredibly authentic. I was utterly transported