Historical suspense

Beautiful muse, Miss Sapphire Reubens, the inspiration for her lover's latest art exhibition, is missing – items of her clothing found in the river. Worryingly, Miss Matilda Hayward and her fellow writer for the Women’s Journal, Miss Alice Doran, enjoyed a preview of the inspired work featuring Miss Reubens immersed in water. Was it a death portrait?

When another two rival artists are found murdered and posed in the manner of their painting, Matilda and her new beau, Detective Thomas Ashdown, fear the artist's inspiration may have come from ill means. There is mystery, passion and love afoot!

Matilda Hayward is determined to have a career, after all, it is 1888! While reporting for the Women’s Journal newspaper, Matilda is sent to cover the visiting ‘Freak Show’ and to interview Mrs Anna Tufton, a giantess. During the interview, the giantess slips a note to Matilda begging for help to her escape the show she is forced to do by her husband. But when the giantess’s husband is found murdered; the giantess is a likely suspect.

Matilda enlists the help of her lawyer brother, Amos, to prove the giantess is no killer and to free her from a life of exploitation. But close family friend, Detective Thomas Ashdown – who has feelings for Matilda having known her since childhood – would prefer Matilda was nowhere near his murder case. There is mystery, danger, and love afoot!

Miss Matilda Hayward has a nose for a story which serves her well as a writer for the Women’s Journal newspaper. Her beau, Detective Thomas Ashdown, is not quite as enthusiastic about her role. When Matilda’s brother, Elijah, takes up a doctor’s position at the Asylum for the Insane, she volunteers, seeking more life experience to improve her writing. Joined by her illustrator friend, Miss Georgina Urry, the two ladies are thrust into the mystery of several strange asylum deaths as patients believe they can fly. When Thomas is sent to investigate, their worlds collide. Now the race is on to find the sinister threat dwelling inside the dark and gloomy walls of the asylum. There is secrecy, danger, and love afoot!

Miss Phoebe Astin of The Economic Undertaker has always spoken with spirits as they leave this life on their way to the next, so a visit from a senior nurse asking to unburden herself was business as usual. But when the nurse's confession reveals she was frightened to death by a doll from her past, Phoebe decides it is time to tell the man who has her heart, Detective Harland Stone. Aided by her brothers, Julius and Ambrose - or hindered as the case might be as they bury bodies and interfere in her potential relationship - Phoebe is challenged to find peace and justice for the dearly departed. For the Astin family, being dead is no excuse for letting crime go unpunished.

Miss Phoebe Astin and her brothers, Julius and Ambrose, lead an unconventional life working in the family funeral business – The Economic Undertaker. But Phoebe is not just a talented mortician, she is a medium for the spirit world, and often enjoys the company of her clients before they move on to the next world. When one gentleman begs her to investigate his murder, Phoebe contacts her brother’s friend, Detective Harland Stone, and soon they uncover not only was the deceased a victim of a dastardly villain, but now several missing brides are feared murdered. For the Astin family, being dead is no excuse for letting a crime go unpunished!