9781800754850
In 1947, with rationing still biting and the black market thriving, university don C.S. ‘Jack’ Lewis finds himself pulled into a mystery straight from one of his friend Dorothy Sayers’ novels. Susan Temple, his brightest student, has hidden herself away at Rake Hall — a hostel for unmarried, outcast mothers – and hasn’t been heard from since.
With no experience beyond catching the occasional student plagiarist, Lewis is hardly a detective. But when Susan’s absence continues to haunt him, he teams up with her concerned friend Lucy and together they delve into the disturbing rumours of a nasty racket at Rake Hall. Can Lewis’s nose for the truth separate fact from fiction?In The Mystery at Rake Hall, Maureen Paton – whose mother lived at the real-life Rake Hall while pregnant with Maureen – brilliantly recreates a post-war Oxford world, as well as imagining an alternative life for one of its most famous residents.
RAVE READER REVIEWS'An homage to post war Oxford ... an entertaining read with a mystery to solve''Blends historical authenticity with a compelling 'whodunit'''Very easy to read, a page-turner and a real sense of Oxford''I loved this mystery .. the author brought to life the time beautifully … I cannot wait to see what she offers for her second book but this one will be hard to top''An enjoyable, atmospheric and very cosy read''A famous real-life writer solving a mystery … I really enjoyed it'
,