At Penford Manor, the guests are arriving to celebrate the start of the grouse-hunting season: lords and ladies, barons and baronesses, a Member of Parliament — and chemistry graduate turned detective, Miss Clara Vale, an old friend of the family.
But Clara is no ordinary guest: she’s secretly investigating a blackmail plot against Lady Penford herself.
Someone in the house is already up to no good, but when the body of a local trade unionist is found in the grounds, Clara’s case gets even more complicated — because a clue left by the body links it to the blackmail note.
Who has discovered Lady Penford’s secret?
Can Clara and her trusted assistant, Bella, work together to find the murderer? And what do the cornflowers which keep popping up everywhere mean?
Amidst the glittering dresses and sparkling conversation of society, Clara must find the truth – before the killer acts again.
The Penford Manor Murders by Fiona Veitch Smith is published on 15 April, 2025. It’s her fourth Miss Clara Vale mystery.
Read Fiona’s feature about using period costume in research, including recreating (and wearing) outfits: Fashion research for historical novels.
Historia’s list of over 160 books published this year has much more historical fiction for you to browse.
