It is November of 1880, and the future looks promising for Annie and Nate Dawson. Nate’s law practice is taking off. Annie has made the transition from pretend clairvoyant to a successful financial consultant, and as a couple, they are looking forward to spending their first Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays together. For Robert Livingston, the owner San Francisco’s newest grand emporium, the holidays are shaping up to be a dismal failure if he can’t figure out how to stop whoever is stealing from his department store, the Silver Strike Bazaar. When he hires the Dawsons to investigate, Annie and Nate discover that behind the doors of Livingston’s “Palace of Plenty,” nothing is quite what it seems. Pilfered Promises, by USA Today bestselling author, M. Louisa Locke, is the fifth full-length historical mystery in the cozy Victorian San Francisco mystery series featuring Annie and Nate Dawson and their friends and family in the O’Farrell Street boarding house. Locke’s shorter works, found in Victorian San Francisco Stories, Vol 1 and 2 and Victorian San Francisco Novellas, feature minor characters from the series.

?? Named a 2025 Kansas Notable Book ??Winner of the Midwest Book Award for Cover DesignBefore The Porcelain Menagerie, Jillian Forsberg introduced readers to the dazzling and dangerous world of 18th-century Europe in The Rhino Keeper—a sweeping tale of wonder, obsession, and the fragile line between curiosity and control.Based on the true story of a Dutch sea captain who toured the continent with an Indian rhinoceros named Clara, The Rhino Keeper brings to life an age when science, art, and spectacle collided in breathtaking—and sometimes perilous—ways.2022 — College student Andrea Clarkson uncovers a centuries-old mystery in Holland: strange documents, a carved rhinoceros on an ancient grave, and a secret buried deep beneath the earth. What she finds will challenge her understanding of history—and of herself.1740 — Ship captain Douwemout van der Meer possesses what no European has seen in generations: a living rhinoceros. Together, he and Clara travel across Europe, thrilling peasants and queens alike. But when devotion turns to obsession, and admiration to fear, Douwe must face the limits of his own wonder.Among those enchanted by Clara is a young artist named Johann Joachim Kändler, whose porcelain creations capture the creature’s grace—and whose ambition will one day take center stage in Forsberg’s companion novel, The Porcelain Menagerie.Narrated by Caroline Hewitt, The Rhino Keeper evokes the marvel of discovery and the danger of desire. Continue the journey with The Porcelain Menagerie, also from History Through Fiction—where the artist who sculpted Clara’s likeness becomes the master of a court built on fragile beauty.

From the author of the bestselling Phryne Fisher Series comes Murder on the Ballarat Train, the next historical mystery featuring the intrepid amateur sleuth Phryne Fisher. What happens when this train reaches its deadly destination? Phryne is determined to find out…"Greenwood's stories are brief, but she holds her own, writing well-thought-out plots starring the intelligent, sexy, liberated, and wealthy Phryne."—Library JournalLooking for the perfect historical murder mystery novels? This series hits all the sweet spots:Perfect for fans of Jacqueline Winspear and Dorothy SayersInspired the Netflix show Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries, starring Essie DavisMovie Now Streaming on Acorn TVWhen the roaring 1920s' most glamorous lady detective, the Honourable Miss Phryne Fisher, arranges to go to Ballarat for the week, she eschews the excitement of her red Hispano-Suiza racing car for the sedate safety of the train. The last thing she expects is to have to use her trusty Beretta .32 to save the passengers' lives. As they sleep, they are poisoned with chloroform.Phryne is left to piece together the clues after this restful country sojourn turns into the stuff of nightmares with a young girl who can't remember anything, rumors of slavery and black magic, and the body of an old woman missing her emerald rings. Unlike typical 1920s books, Phryne dives right into the fray, convention be damned. Will she be able to derail this mystery train before it's too late? Then there is the rowing team and the choristers, all deliciously engaging young men. They're a pleasant diversions, but they seem to be up to something...

A classic British mystery anthology containing the last twelve stories featuring the most famous fictional detective of all time.  Enter the world of Sherlock Holmes for this final collection of short stories showcasing one of English literature's greatest sleuths as he solves some of his more puzzling cases. From the criminal London underworld to the estates of the most illustrious aristocrats, Holmes engages his trademark deductive reasoning to locate a missing war veteran, recover a stolen gem, track down a Sussex vampire, and even discover why a university professor has begun to creep about like a beast. These are just a few of the mysteries that have come to the attention of Holmes and his loyal companion, Dr. Watson, some of which have baffled even the ranks of Scotland Yard. For Sherlock Holmes enthusiasts and lovers of classic British detective fiction, The Case-Book of Sherlock Holmes is a must-read compendium of crime fiction from Sir Arthur Conan Doyle about one his most beloved literary creations. "The whole Sherlock Holmes saga is a triumphant illustration of art's supremacy over life." —Christopher Morley, author and founder of The Baker Street Irregulars