Your cart (0)
Your cart is empty
Tax included and shipping calculated at checkout
Faith Martin
About the book
A gripping crime, golden age murder mystery from multimillion bestseller author of A Fatal Obsession, Faith Martin, to read in 2026!
'A masterfully constructed pageturner of a murder mystery. Clever, compelling, and intriguing. An excellent read' T.A. Williams
'Suspicious notes, a lethal hat pin and a body in the library … As far as I'm concerned Faith Martin is the Grand Dame of Country House Crime!' J. M. Hall
'A charming, cleverly-constructed caper, chock-full of captivating characters. I loved it' Matt Dunn
'Hugely entertaining with an ingenious solution! I loved it!' Clare Chase
Yorkshire, 1926. Gentleman ghost-hunter Arbuthnot 'Arbie' Swift and his old friend Val arrive at Cleeves Lea Manor, looking forward to the promise of a lavish weekend party.
The lady of the house, an avid reader of Arbie’s books, is eager to show him off to her distinguished guests. Amidst the festivities, Arbie is also tasked with investigating rumours of a ‘ghost train spitting fire’ for the third instalment of the increasingly popular (to Arbie’s great surprise) Gentleman’s Guide to Ghost-hunting.
But when the guests start dying, Arbie instead finds himself thrust into the middle of a murder investigation. With time running out, will he and Val be able to uncover the truth?
PRAISE FOR THE VAL AND ARBIE MYSTERIES:
‘Brilliant characters that leap off the page’The Sun on Murder by Candlelight
‘Amuses and intrigues in equal measure’ Daily Mail
‘A golden-age world with an energy that is totally contemporary’ J.M. Hall
‘A charming and clever take on a locked room murder’ Sarah Yarwood-Lovett
‘A wonderful Wodehousian world of intrigue and suspicion and a tricky puzzle to solve.’ Helena Dixon
‘All the ingredients of a classic mystery – engaging characters and an impossible crime. The story races along like a runaway locomotive… enormous fun.’ Orlando Murrin
‘A beautiful written 1920’s murder mystery series full of fun, wit and red herrings’ Anita Davison
'The perfect "country house" murder mystery. The book is terrific fun.' Jane Bettany
'We devoured this whoddunit in one sitting!' Bella
'With murder, intrigue, and ghostly happenings, this will satisfy cosy crime fans.' Heat
Published on by Harper Collins.
This book has 288 pages and is a Hardcover.
Be Notified When This Piece Becomes Available
We sell both brand-new books and pre-loved treasures through our secondhand imprint, Second Chapter. Every book is clearly labelled with its condition:
- Newly Summoned — Brand new, untouched by mortal hands. Fresh from the publisher.
- Barely Haunted — Pre-loved but in lovely condition. Light shelf wear at most; any previous owner left barely a trace.
- Clearly Haunted — A book that's lived a little. Expect visible wear — creased spines, tanned pages or scuffed corners — but fully readable and full of character.
- Exorcism Needed — Heavily worn and priced accordingly. These books have stories beyond the one printed inside. Perfect for readers who love a battle-scarred companion (or crafters after materials).
No, we on offer shipping to the United Kingdom for now.
We offer complimentary shipping on all orders over £35.
Orders are dispatched via Royal Mail 48 Tracked, posted through our local Post Office. You'll receive tracking details once your order is on its way.
Royal Mail 48 typically arrives within 2–3 working days of dispatch, though it isn't a guaranteed service — occasionally the postal spirits take a little longer.
We aim to dispatch orders within 2 working days of purchase. Please note some new titles are fulfilled directly from our distributor, which can affect dispatch times — see Availability below.
Eligible items may be returned within 14 days of delivery, provided they are unharmed and in original condition.
The fastest way to exchange an item is to return it and place a new order.
In-stock items are held by us and dispatched directly.
New books may be fulfilled from our trusted UK book distributor. These usually dispatch within [X–X working days] — the product page will indicate estimated timings.
Second Chapter books are one of a kind. When it's gone, it's gone (that's rather the point). If you love it, don't leave it lingering in your basket — carts do not reserve stock, and another Spooky Reader may spirit it away.
If something's out of stock, sign up for a back-in-stock notification on the product page, or contact us — we're often able to order titles in.
Yes we do, however we need to do this manually. If you'd like to make a purchase with your tokens, please get in touch and we will put through a custom order for you.
Final Selection
- Product label: Sold out
