December in London, and Maximilian Cortado, the world famous violinist, has disappeared, the only clue being the unexpected delivery to his townhouse of a basket containing a live hen.

When it emerges that a number of other notable members of society have been receiving similarly unexplained fowl, the deliveries begin to appear more sinister.

Sherlock Holmes, however, seems more intrigued by a trivial incident in Sussex, where someone has been damaging Christmas trees intended for a local stately home. So when he is asked by the wife of a famous artist to investigate a robbery carried out twenty-three years before, Mrs Hudson sees an opportunity to assist.

At the centre of that mystery is the Christmas Canary, a solid gold decoration of mesmerising beauty, hand-crafted for the fifth Lord Empingham. For years it had graced the top of the Christmas tree at Frawling Hall...]]> Tue, 13 Dec 2022 13:25:30 +0200 https://library.land/martin-davies/715814-mrs_hudson_and_the_blue_daisy_affair.html https://library.land/martin-davies/715814-mrs_hudson_and_the_blue_daisy_affair.html

A bloodstained room, a missing woman, a passionate affair gone wrong.

September in London, and the city basks in a glorious Indian summer. Sherlock Holmes has more work than he can handle, and when the Home Office asks him to sniff out a plot by Russian assassins on radical politician George Dashing, Holmes and Watson find themselves distracted by more pressing cases.

Meanwhile, there is scandal at the home of Dashing's great political rival, Sir Henry Catanache. When Sir Henry's housemaid goes missing, leaving only a pool of blood behind, his son is the prime suspect. Can Sherlock discover the truth? Or will the Catanache family be rescued by

Laurence Martin, a detective newly arrived in London who is dazzling society with some remarkable triumphs?

Martin proves a surprising and enigmatic figure, and Mrs Hudson and Flotsam, her intrepid helper, soon find themselves as intrigued by the detective as they are...]]> Fri, 26 Nov 2021 19:35:35 +0200 https://library.land/martin-davies/384047-mrs_hudson_and_the_malabar_rose.html https://library.land/martin-davies/384047-mrs_hudson_and_the_malabar_rose.html
What if the real brains of Baker Street weren't Sherlock's at all?
As snow falls on Baker Street, the wintry city is abuzz with rumour and excitement: the Malabar Rose – a fabled and frankly enormous ruby – has been sent as a gift to Her Majesty Queen Victoria by the Marharajah of Marjoudh. An extraordinary condition is attached to the gift, though: the gem must be displayed at London's sumptuous Blenheim Hotel to be admired by all. How can the safety of this priceless jewel be assured? The authorities wisely enlist the help of Sherlock Holmes and his colleague Dr Watson... but fortunately for them, they are also on the receiving end of help from Holmes's redoubtable housekeeper Mrs Hudson and her able assistant, Flotsam the housemaid.
The Malabar Rose isn't the only exotic attraction stirring up excitement in the city, however. World famous magician the Great Salmanazar will be amazing the lucky few who can secure tickets at a once-in-a-lifetime...]]> Fri, 24 Nov 2017 21:50:43 +0200 https://library.land/martin-davies/384048-mrs_hudson_and_the_lazarus_testament.html https://library.land/martin-davies/384048-mrs_hudson_and_the_lazarus_testament.html
]]> Tue, 24 Nov 2015 21:50:43 +0200 https://library.land/martin-davies/384049-mrs_hudson_and_the_spirits_curse.html https://library.land/martin-davies/384049-mrs_hudson_and_the_spirits_curse.html
What if Baker Street’s most gifted resident wasn’t called Sherlock Holmes? From acclaimed Richard & Judy Book Club author Martin Davies comes a rollicking new take on Sherlock Holmes: Mrs Hudson & the Spirits’ Curse, the first Holmes & Hudson Mystery.]]> Thu, 24 Nov 2016 21:50:44 +0200 https://library.land/martin-davies/290740-the_conjurers_bird.html https://library.land/martin-davies/290740-the_conjurers_bird.html
The Conjurer's Bird is a beautiful story in the spirit of Possession that is as exciting as The Club Dumas, inspired by one of the great puzzles of natural history: that of the Mysterious Bird of Ulieta. Seen only once, in 1774, by Captain Cook's second expedition to the South Seas, a single specimen was captured, preserved, and brought back to England. The bird was given to famed naturalist Joseph Banks, who displayed it proudly in his collection until its sudden, unexplained disappearance.

Two hundred years later, naturalists continue to wonder if the world will ever get another glimpse of the elusive bird. Were it not for a colored drawing done by the ship's artist, there would be nothing to say that the bird had ever existed.

The Conjurer's Bird is a gripping literary mystery and passionate love story that tackles the intrigue surrounding the celebrated Banks, his secret affair with an enigmatic woman known only as "Miss B," and the...]]> Mon, 20 Nov 2006 07:49:51 +0200