The Puzzle of Blackstone Lodge

Heiress Rachel Savernake investigates baffling deaths and disappearances that take place centuries apart in Edwards’s intricate third mystery featuring the amateur sleuth (following 2020’s Mortmain Hall). Nell Fagan, looking to reignite her career as an investigative journalist in 1930s England, enlists Rachel’s help untangling two disappearances—one in 1606, one in the early 20th century—from the locked gatehouse of the mysterious Blackstone Lodge. Then Nell disappears. With the assistance of her friend Jacob Flint (also Nell’s colleague), plus the lodge’s housemaid, cook, and one of its current guests, Rachel investigates residents of the surrounding Yorkshire village of Blackstone Fell, including employees and patients of a local sanatorium, a former soldier, a fire-and-brimstone minister, and the minister’s troubled wife. During the investigation, more disappearances occur, and the arrival of a local medium and her taciturn assistant set the stage for a riveting climax. Fans of golden age mysteries will enjoy Edwards’s smart plot twists and “clue finder” lists, which were a staple for 20th-century fair play writers. This is a satisfying puzzle for established genre fans and a good starting point for readers looking to dip their toes into Agatha Christie–adjacent fare. Agent: Claire Kennedy, Head of Zeus. (Aug.)