Penny Green

How did an actress die twice? London, 1883. Actress Lizzie Dixie drowned in the River Thames, so how was she murdered five years later in Highgate Cemetery? Intrepid Fleet Street reporter Penny Green was a friend of Lizzie's and Scotland Yard needs her help. Does Penny unwittingly hold clues to Lizzie's mysterious death? Penny must work with Inspector James Blakely to investigate the worlds of theater, showmen, and politicians in search of the truth. But who is following her? And who is sending her threatening letters? Penny is about to discover that Lizzie's life was more complicated, and dangerous, than she could ever have imagined.

There's a killer in the slums. London 1884. When a thief robs Fleet Street reporter Penny Green, she finds herself caught up in a horrifying murder. Someone is terrorizing the residents of St Giles Rookery and Scotland Yard sends Inspector James Blakely to investigate. When the serial killer claims a victim outside the slums, Victorian London is sent into panic. Can Penny's friendship with the people of St Giles uncover the culprit? She and James must overcome their complicated relationship to work together, but each new murder threatens to derail their work for good.

The truth is rarely simple. London 1884. Victorian industrialist Alexander Glenville is a man with many secrets. Fleet Street reporter Penny Green is tasked with working undercover as a maid in his home, but tragedy strikes when Glenville's daughter is poisoned. Penny's insider knowledge is crucial for Scotland Yard's murder investigation, but someone in the Glenville household already suspects that she's more than just a servant. Can Penny and Inspector James Blakely solve the mystery before Penny's cover is blown?

London 1884. Electricity pioneer Simon Borthwick lights up Victorian London with a stunning illuminations display-then shoots himself in a hansom cab. Plucky Fleet Street reporter Penny Green witnesses the inventor's death and suspects the clue to his suicide lies in a mysterious letter he left behind. But can she persuade Inspector James Blakely of Scotland Yard that a crime has been committed? Borthwick isn't the only person who died that day and Penny soon encounters a shadowy world which the police can't get close to. When the intimidation begins, Penny starts to fear for her own safety. James does what he can to protect her, but is it enough?

A woman dies in a burglary in Fitzrovia. A man is murdered in an opium den in Limehouse. Gutsy Fleet Street reporter Penny Green suspects the two deaths are connected, but how can she prove it? The answer may lie in Whitehall where the India Office reaps the benefits of Britain's opium trade. But when Inspector James Blakely of Scotland Yard begins investigating, an unforeseen danger looms. Soon Penny is forced to act alone and is put to the ultimate test when her quest becomes personal.

London 1884. A culprit is on the run after a fatal poisoning in Bermondsey. It seems like a simple case for Penny Green to report on, until a series of macabre photographs is discovered. As the poisonings continue, Scotland Yard is convinced they have their suspect. It's not long before they're outwitted and no one is safe. Penny and Inspector James Blakely must avoid the red herrings and track down the manipulative poisoner. But could there be more than one?

Some say the Hotel Tempesta is cursed, but its owner, Mr. Gallo, refuses to believe it. When he's brutally murdered one night, the suspicion falls on his guests. Ten suspects in total. And Penny Green is one of them. Does Mr. Gallo's murder have anything to do with the criminal mastermind on the run from America? Penny and Inspector James Blakely must negotiate a world of courtesans, stolen paintings, and secret codes to prove Penny's innocence and uncover the truth.

London 1885. Something's not right at Shoreditch Workhouse and reporter Penny Green is struggling to convince someone to listen. After spending time there undercover, she knows that more can be done for the deserving poor beneath its roof. But does anyone else care? When two workhouse inmates die in a fight, the police and the coroner accept the simplest explanation. Penny undertakes her own investigation with Inspector James Blakely's help and it's not long before they make themselves unpopular. A macabre turn finally makes the authorities act, but can anyone stop the force behind the crimes?

London 1885. A gang of lady thieves is targeting Piccadilly's wealthy shoppers and no one seems able to stop them. As frustrations build, the body of a young woman is pulled from the River Thames. Reporter Penny Green has a lot to write about, and she faces a new challenge when a stranger approaches her with a riddle. Could it lead to a killer? Time is running out for Penny-her impending marriage to Inspector Blakely signals the end of her Fleet Street career. The riddle could be the last case she works on and it's not without its dangers. Someone seems keen to ensure that Penny doesn't make it to her wedding day at all.

A Victorian wife has obligations to her husband and home. But Penny Blakely is no ordinary Victorian wife. When a house in Penny's neighborhood is gutted by fire, she learns of a connection to an unsolved murder. Penny will always be a news reporter at heart and the mystery is impossible to ignore. How did a young, middle-class lady fall from grace? And who killed her? Penny's search for the truth takes her to London's East End and a notorious street once known as the Ratcliffe Highway. Her investigations stir long-buried secrets and she soon makes some unpleasant enemies. But will her new husband approve of her exploits and lend his support?

"Dead men don't just walk out of hotels . . ." Penny faces her most baffling case yet. Egyptologist Charles Hamilton is found dead in his hotel room, but then his body vanishes. With his wife missing too, Penny is perplexed. Can Mr. Hamilton really be dead? Or is it an elaborate ruse? Evidence is thin on the ground and to complicate matters, not everyone is who they claim to be. Penny must navigate her way through false identities and misleading information to solve the puzzle of the missing Egyptologists. Meanwhile, the investigation brings her into conflict with family and friends. In a test of her resolve, Penny is forced to question whether the case can ever be cracked.

A woman shot dead on her doorstep. A killer who disappears into the fog. News reporter Penny doesn't believe in spirits, so she's unimpressed with the young medium who claims to communicate with the dead. Is it harmless entertainment or something more sinister? When the spiritualist's performance is interrupted by a protestor, Penny finds an ally. Two days later, her new friend is dead. As Penny investigates, the mystery deepens. Could family money lie behind the murder? Or an affair? Soon, Penny suspects the spiritualist isn't who she claims to be. There's another puzzle to solve and increasing conflict with her police inspector husband. A second death puts a twist on the case, but Penny's running out of time. Then comes news which changes her life forever . . .

The first three mysteries in the page-turning Penny Green Victorian Mystery series: Limelight, The Rookery, and The Maid's Secret. As one of the first female reporters on 1880s Fleet Street, Penny Green has her work cut out. Whether it's investigating the mysterious death of a friend or reporting on a serial killer in the slums, Penny must rely on her wits and determination to discover the truth. Fortunately she can rely on the help of Inspector James Blakely of Scotland Yard, but will their relationship remain professional? Contains mature themes.