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C.J. Archer

It was the most fashionable place to stay in London, until murder made a reservation. Solve the puzzle in this new mystery from USA Today bestselling author of the Glass and Steele series.

December 1899. After the death of her beloved grandmother, Cleopatra Fox moves into the luxury hotel owned by her estranged uncle in the hopes of putting hardship and loneliness behind her. But the poisoning of a guest on Christmas eve throws her new life, and the hotel, into chaos.

Cleo quickly realizes no one can be trusted, not Scotland Yard and especially not the hotel’s charming assistant manager. With the New Year’s Eve ball approaching fast and the hotel’s reputation hanging by a thread, Cleo must find the killer before the ball, and the hotel itself, are ruined. But catching a murderer proves just as difficult as navigating the hotel’s hierarchy and the peculiarities of her family.

Can Cleo find the killer before the new century begins? Or will someone get away with murder?

Marian Hussey

Cleopatra Fox Mysteries

Murder at the Mayfair Hotel: Cleopatra Fox Mysteries, Book 1

She was admired by women and desired by men, until jealousy and past secrets took center stage. Help Cleo and her friends solve the murder of one of London’s leading actresses. 

When a hotel guest’s mistress is found dead in the stalls of the Piccadilly Playhouse, a verdict of suicide is given. Convinced his lover didn’t kill herself, Lord Rumford wants the truth uncovered. Against his better judgement, he hires Cleo Fox to find the murderer. Cleo needs to solve this case if she wants to make a living from being a private detective.

But she quickly learns that the truth is buried beneath years of secrets; secrets that powerful people want desperately to keep. With the help of her friends from the Mayfair Hotel, Cleo exposes the bitter rivalry and jealousy of London’s West End.

But can she find the killer before the final curtain closes on the Playhouse?

Murder at the Piccadilly Playhouse: Cleopatra Fox Mysteries, book 2

Scandal, secrets and bawdy photographs are uncovered when the wife of a politician is murdered. Untangle the lies with Cleo and her friends and find the killer.

When Harry Armitage passes an investigation to Cleo involving adultery, they both think it will end in divorce. But when the client’s wife is found stabbed in her drawing room, it becomes clear that marital problems are only part of the story. Reluctantly joining forces, Cleo and Harry realize the wrong person was targeted, but the police think they have their killer and refuse to look elsewhere. 

Taking on the investigation themselves, they peel back the lies and expose the sordid details of a marriage in tatters, and see firsthand how gossip and politics fuel the machinations of high society. 

Meanwhile, at the Mayfair Hotel, expansion plans are on the menu, causing tensions to heat up in the kitchen between the chef and Cleo’s uncle. To make matters worse, Cleo’s family notices her spending less time at the hotel and more time investigating – and some members don’t like it.

Murder in the Drawing Room: Cleopatra Fox Mysteries, book 3

As fashion designer to London’s elite, she had an eye for detail and a flare for the dramatic. But there’s nothing stylish about her cold-blooded murder. 

With the social season just around the corner, the women in Cleo’s family are having new outfits made by the most sought-after designer in the city. Madame Poitiers is bold, self-absorbed and not French, despite her claims.

When Cleo stumbles on her dead body in the salon, she is in a unique position to gather clues and speak to witnesses. But she doesn’t expect to find Harry Armitage’s business card in Madame’s possession. What is the alluring private detective’s connection to the victim? And why is he avoiding Cleo? 

As she peeks behind the veil of lies, Cleo uncovers the secrets Madame Poitiers tried to hide. But which secret led to her murder? And which one of the suspects turned the fashion icon into a fashion victim?

Murder at the Dressmaker's Salon: Cleopatra Fox Mysteries, book 4

In this 5th installment of the bestselling mystery series, Cleopatra Fox gets entangled in a web of betrayal and blackmail that leaves the high society matchmakers scandalized.

When a notorious cad is bludgeoned to death with a candlestick in the library at the most important ball of the London social season, Cleo finds herself in the prime position to solve the crime. After all, she stumbled across the body soon after the victim’s demise and is a witness to the evening’s events. 

But when a footman is arrested with a stolen painting in his possession, she finds her services are not required. Yet several things don’t add up, and the lead detective is convinced the man he was forced to arrest isn’t guilty. 

With the aid of Harry Armitage and her friends from the Mayfair Hotel, Cleo sets out to uncover the truth. They’re soon neck-deep in the scandalous secrets the victim unearthed about members of society. Secrets that could ruin marriages, reputations and futures if exposed.

But which secret is worth killing for? And which suspect is hiding the most explosive secret of all?

Murder at the Debutante Ball: Cleopatra Fox Mysteries, book 5

A wealthy businessman with a reputation for taking risks rose from the slums to the height of success. But success comes at a price, especially when it’s achieved at the expense of others. 

 When a former guest of the hotel is found dead in a dockside tavern, the police rule it suicide. After all, some say his negligence caused one of his company’s ships to go down in a storm, along with all its cargo and several members of the crew. The guilt would be too much for many. But when evidence of murder is uncovered, Cleo feels compelled to bring the killer to justice.

 With Harry Armitage on a separate case that involves many of the same suspects, their paths cross and sparks fly. And there are more suspects emerging every day. With a victim whose past was shrouded in mystery, who was a bully to some and a brilliant businessman to others, it’s difficult to separate fact from fiction. 

 As Cleo and Harry peel back the layers of lies, one fact is undeniable—a man’s past follows him to the grave, something Harry knows all too well.

Murder at the Crown and Anchor: Cleopatra Fox Mysteries, book 6

The sport of kings is the backdrop for a game of murder where one player loses more than the match. Can Cleo solve the case, or will the murderer win?

Summer has arrived along with a plethora of social events that keep Cleo and her cousins busy. Between balls, dinners, concerts and picnics, they attend the final match between two proud polo clubs. When the winning team’s captain is found murdered in the stables, everyone assumes the opposing team’s captain killed him. After all, he was found holding the murder weapon, and everyone knows they hated each other. 

But Cleo isn’t convinced. She sets out to prove his innocence alongside Harry Armitage, who was employed to investigate the accused man’s family. With their cases overlapping, it makes sense to work together. 

The more they get to know the victim, the more they realize the handsome athlete sported a dark side that few people saw. Those who did had a reason to kill him. Which suspect struck the victim with his own polo mallet? His wife, lover, friends or colleagues? 

Or did the rivalry between two opposing captains spill over to their personal lives, and lead to murder?

Murder at the Polo Club: Cleopatra Fox Mysteries, book 7

Gossip, scandal and murder collide on the express train to London. Did the journalist fall from the first-class carriage, or was she pushed?

Cleo’s holiday with her family to the seaside resort town of Brighton is everything she hoped it would be…until she receives a blackmail note. The blackmailer demands Cleo help her or a story revealing Cleo’s investigating will appear in the newspaper. With her uncle warning her to keep her detecting activities private, Cleo agrees to meet the blackmailer when they return to London. But when the woman is seen getting on the train but not off, Cleo grows concerned.

She enlists the help of the hotel staff to search for the body along the railway line. Finding it confirms her suspicions and leads her to discover that her blackmailer was a gossip columnist. What scandal had the victim uncovered that led to her death? And which fellow passenger had a secret worth killing for? 

With Harry Armitage’s assistance, Cleo attempts to track down the murderer. Meanwhile, pressure is mounting on the hotel staff to host a society wedding that will be featured in the social pages for all the right reasons.

Cleopatra Fox Mysteries - The book series

Cleopatra Fox Mysteries - The book series

Cleopatra Fox Mysteries books in order

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