A House Divided
by Judith Cutler

Stranded at a house party – when a murderer strikes!

May 1861, Victorian England. When Matthew and Harriet Rowsley are invited to a house party at Clunston Park by Matthew’s cousin, Colonel Barrington Rowsley and his wife Lady Hortensia, Harriet is nervous – surely the aristocratic guests will snub her? After all, they are but mere servants in their eyes! Her fears are realized on their first evening when the only person who deigns to speak to her is the spiteful Gräfin Weiser and confirmed when she commits a major faux pas at the cricket match the following day.

But there’s no escape! The cricket match is abandoned due to a storm, and flooding leaves the house guests stranded. Things worsen when Gräfin Weiser is found murdered and the finger is quickly pointed at Clara, an eleven-year-old maid, as the culprit. Convinced that she cannot be guilty, Harriet and Matthew agree to investigate.

The aristocratic façade begins to crumble under their scrutiny, and they start to unlock the secrets of Clunston Park. Why does the Colonel allow his bullying friend Major Jameson so much leeway? Is there more to the befuddled Lord Pidgeon than meets the eye? Harriet and Matthew must uncover the truth, before they find themselves in deadly danger . . .

Reviews

“With twists and turns aplenty, Cutler's variation on the classic locked-house mystery combines the requisite cast of colorful characters—in particular, the amiable sleuths—with a vivid depiction of upstairs-downstairs life in the Victorian era”

Booklist

“Offbeat cozy of manners”

Kirkus Reviews

“Fans of other married sleuths, such as Anne Perry’s Charlotte and Thomas Pitt, may want to check this out”

Publishers Weekly

“Thrilling, engaging and enjoyable from beginning to end”

Mystery People

A gripping locked-room mystery with a suitably twisty plot, Cutler’s latest also offers an intriguing look at social customs and gender roles during the Victorian period.

Booklist on Death’s Long Shadow

A lively, enjoyable book … Recommended for fans of Downton Abbey

Library Journal on The Wages of Sin

A captivating series launch … Readers will look forward to seeing more of this enterprising duo

Publishers Weekly on The Wages of Sin

A Victorian twist on the ever popular upstairs-downstairs storyline

Kirkus Reviews on The Wages of Sin

Sparkling … A tight plot complements the diverse and entertaining cast of characters

Publishers Weekly on Death in Elysium

A historical novelist with a superb grasp of her craft

Andrew Taylor , bestselling crime and historical novelist, and Diamond Dagger winner

Judith Cutler

A former secretary of the Crime Writers’ Association, Judith Cutler has taught Creative Writing at universities and colleges for over thirty years and has run occasional courses elsewhere (from a maximum-security prison to an idyllic Greek island). She is the author of more than forty novels.

View author page

Editions

A House Divided by Judith Cutler is available in the following formats

Hardback97807278502561st November 2022145 X 223mm240$29.99
Hardback97807278502561st November 2022145 X 223mm240£20.99
Ebook97814483081251st November 2022N/A240$14.99
Ebook97814483081251st November 2022N/A240£12.99
Paperback978144830813225th July 2023140 X 215mm240$18.99
Paperback978144830813225th May 2023140 X 215mm240£13.99
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