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Murder on the Royal Crescent

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Pub Date 29 Oct 2026 | Archive Date 29 Oct 2026


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Description

Miss Marple meets Nancy Mitford in this glittering new Christmas murder mystery set in Bath, from the bestselling and award-winning author of D is for Death.

'A welcome addition to any Christmas stocking' Joanna Miller, author of The Eights
'I love this series of Golden Age crime-style murder mysteries' Good Housekeeping
'Charming, murder-y and romantic . . . Margery Allingham meets the Mitfords' Marian Keyes, author of My Favourite Mistake

On a frosty day in December 1936, librarian and part-time detective Dora Wildwood is summoned to Bath. She has no idea what will unfold but she is glad to go; recent events have left her longing to disappear.

Arriving on the world-famous Royal Crescent, Dora quickly learns of Daisy Palmer, whose unsolved murder looms large over the Georgian city. Daisy’s fiancé, Lord Frank Meroe, lives on as an eccentric recluse, his house full of clutter and abandoned treasures, as labyrinthine as it is magnificent.

Then, on the twentieth anniversary of Daisy’s death, murder is committed once more. As Christmas trees are lit and carol singers gather, Dora is drawn into a tangle of feuding families, suspicious antiquarian dealings and a conspicuous silence from everyone involved. For in the city of Jane Austen, loyalties run deep… and dangerously so.

A charming and unputdownable whodunnit and the perfect Christmas read for fans of classic crime.

READERS LOVE MURDER ON THE ROYAL CRESCENT!

'My first foray into the world of Dora Wildwood and most definitely not my last!' 5-star reader review
'Fantastic. Definitely one to cosy up by the fireside with this winter' 5-star reader review
'Dora is my new favourite character ever. #MoreDora' 5-star reader review
'Charming and clever . . . perfect for a cosy Christmas read' 5-star reader review
'Such a fun story set in 1930’s Bath, on no less than the Royal Crescent' 5-star reader review

Miss Marple meets Nancy Mitford in this glittering new Christmas murder mystery set in Bath, from the bestselling and award-winning author of D is for Death.

'A welcome addition to any Christmas...


Available Editions

EDITION Other Format
ISBN 9780241806678
PRICE £16.99 (GBP)
PAGES 304

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Average rating from 35 members


Featured Reviews

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A cosy murder mystery with Agatha Christie vibes. I really enjoyed this novel. Loved the characters and the story running through it. Recommended for those who enjoy a cosy murder mystery. I was lucky enough to receive an advance copy and leave this review voluntarily.

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I so enjoyed this book. Dora and DI Fox make a great pair of detectives together. The characters are really interesting and I love their names. You don’t hear names like that any more! There were also some humorous lines that made me smile.
I found the plot really engrossing too and really couldn’t work out who did it and why; so that was a good reveal at the end. This was my first adventure with Dora and hopefully, it won’t be my last. Loved it.

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I loved this! I am immediately rushing off to find her previous releases!
Dora is an excellent heroine; self-aware, societally-aware, bold, brave and immensely clever.
The writing is beautiful- the use of language immediately conjouring up a time long past, between the wars, when life was changing fast and, we know in hindsight, never to be the same again.
A clever mystery with the clues to the solution all there were we smart enough to spot them - which I wasn't!

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Firstly a huge thank you to the publishers for the invitation to read this via NetGalley as without their kindness, an early read would not have been possible.
This was my first foray into the world inhabited by Dora Wildwood and will most definitely not be my last!
When I was invited to read Murder on the Royal Crescent I had no preconceptions about what to expect and what followed was a hugely entertaining and exceptionally clever murder mystery. Set in the city of Bath, Dora investigates the mystery surrounding the death of a young lady, who was murdered twenty years ago. Whilst she is in the Crescent, under the guise of being hired to catalogue books in a household's library, another murder occurs. What follows is a wonderfully intricate plot woven within some literary treats from Austen and the Brontë sisters all set against the backdrop of a pre WW2 England that is navigating its way though the class society and the ripples from WW1. A brilliantly entertaining and engaging read.

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Having recently visited bath the book cover pulled me in. A fantastic cosy murder mystery. I loved the story line and characters. Definitely one to cozy up by the fireside with this winter

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Charming and clever, feels very much a nod to Agatha Christie - I could see it being perfect for a cozy Christmas read. Thank you to netgalley for the early look.

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Dora is my new favourite character ever. I love how the story is set in the run up to Christmas. Luckily for me - mince pies and sherry are in shops already. I can’t wait to read more Dora. #MoreDora

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Oh, I loved this one. Such a fun story set in 1930’s Bath on no less than the Royal Crescent. I really enjoyed D for Death, the first book by Harriet F. Townson about Dora Wildwood who is once again, in this story, pulled headfirst into a mystery involving two murders that took place twenty years apart. Travelling to Bath at the behest of her godmother, Lady Dreda, Dora, a librarian is soon puzzling over an intriguing case that her amateur detective mind just has to get involved with.
I am loving this series and can’t wait to read more about Dora. This one has a lovely winter feel, ideal for curling up with a glass of mulled wine and a Bath Oliver biscuit.

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This isn't the first story with Dora as the intrepid detective but you certainly don't need to have read the previous stories to enjoy this one. The book is set with the backdrop of a changing world in the lead up to WW2 as class lines became blurred, women gained more independence and the consequences of WW1 were still being felt. Dora is set the task of investigating an unsolved murder dating 20 years ago, but when she arrives in Bath she is immediately embroiled in another murder!
I loved the storyline, I loved the setting of Bath and I loved the literary links to Austen and Bronte that featured throughout the book. It was a cleverly written cosy murder mystery with plenty of suspects and clues scattered throughout, plus a developing relationship between Dora and DI Fox. Overall, a very enjoyable read and this would make a perfect cosy read this autumn!

**Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and author for the opportunity to read an advanced e-copy of this book. All opinions are my own **

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I really enjoyed the combination of a classic murder mystery with the elegant setting of the Royal Crescent. The atmosphere is one of the book’s strongest features, and I liked how the investigation gradually reveals new details while keeping the central mystery interesting. The pacing also makes it an easy book to get into, with enough twists and suspicion to keep things moving. A charming and entertaining historical mystery.

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Mystery murder and deception all wrapped up in this cosy historical book makes it a wonderful book. The atmosphere of historic bath permeates every page.

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