by Caleb Carr
First published 2005
When two of Queen Victoria's servants are brutally murdered while renovating Holyrood Palace in Edinburgh, Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson are summoned to investigate. The grisly killings seem connected to the centuries-old murder of the Italian secretary David Rizzio, whose vengeful spirit may now haunt the royal residence. As Holmes delves into the palace's dark history, he and Watson must race to uncover the twisted plot behind these supernatural-tinged crimes before the killer strikes again, this time targeting the Queen herself.
Genres: historical-fiction, adventure, mystery, crime, detective, 19th-century
Vibes: atmospheric, dark, suspenseful
Tropes: historical-mystery, supernatural-elements
Setting: Edinburgh, Edinburgh (Scotland), Grande-Bretagne, Palace of Holyroodhouse (Edinburgh, Scotland), Scotland
Period: 1837-1901 (Vic.)
263 pages · Hardcover · HarperCollins Publishers