Recommendations based on "The Specimen"

An alluring literary mystery full of secrets and lies, when an art teacher at a psychiatric hospital in 1960s England finds her life turned upside down by the arrival of a mysterious patient who has spent decades living in complete isolation with his elderly aunts in a decrepit Victorian house. Perfect for fans of Ann Patchett, Barbara Kingsolver, and Tessa Hadley.In all failed relationships there is a tipping point. It goes unnoticed at the time but can later be identified as the beginning of the decline. For Helen it was the weekend that the Hidden Man came to Westbury Park…The London suburb of Croydon,1964: Helen Hansford is unmarried and in her thirties. Something of a disappointment to her middle-class parents, she’s an art therapist at the Westbury Park psychiatric hospital, where she has been having a rebellious love affair with her colleague Gil, a dashing but married doctor.One spring afternoon they receive a call about a disturbance at a derelict, vine-covered Victorian house a few miles up the road. There the police find a mute, thirty-seven-year-old man called William Tapping, his hair and beard down to his waist. It appears he lives in the old house with his elderly, frail aunt, who expires as soon as she’s admitted to the hospital. No one knows why William has been shut away for decades, unseen by neighbors, with only his two now-deceased aunts for company. Westbury Park becomes his refuge.When it emerges that William is not only sane but a talented artist, Helen comes to see him as something of a personal project. But as she tries to solve the puzzle of the Hidden Man’s past, Helen’s own carefully constructed life of secrets begins to unravel...A gorgeously written and life-affirming novel about life’s delicate layers of experience and connection, Shy Creatures reveals all the different ways we can be confined...and liberated.

“Delightful….[An] engrossing plot and writing of the highest caliber.”—Washington TimesA globe-trotting archeologist with more grit, wit, and fortitude than Indian Jones himself, the intrepid Amelia Peabody confronts danger and dark mystery in the desert sands of Egypt in The Ape Who Guards the Balance—a breathtaking adventure from New York Times bestselling Grandmaster Elizabeth Peters that encompasses treachery, villainy, bloodthirsty cults, the Book of the Dead…and murder most foul. The Charleston Post and Courier proclaims Elizabeth Peters “a mistress of plot,” while the New York Times Book Review declares, “Amelia remains an irrepressible delight.”

Forensic archaeologist Ruth Galloway changed her life--until a convicted killer tells her that four of his victims were never found, drawing her back to the place she left behind.Everything has changed for Ruth Galloway. She has a new job, home, and partner, and she is no longer North Norfolk police's resident forensic archaeologist. That is, until convicted murderer Ivor March offers to make DCI Nelson a deal. Nelson was always sure that March killed more women than he was charged with. Now March confirms this and offers to show Nelson where the other bodies are buried--but only if Ruth will do the digging. Curious, but wary, Ruth agrees. March tells Ruth that he killed four more women and that their bodies are buried near a village bordering the fens, said to be haunted by the Lantern Men, mysterious figures holding lights that lure travelers to their deaths. Is Ivor March himself a lantern man, luring Ruth back to Norfolk? What is his plan, and why is she so crucial to it? And are the killings really over?

INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER As Europe buckles under Nazi occupation, Maisie Dobbs investigates a possible murder that threatens devastating repercussions for Britain's war efforts in this latest installment in the New York Times bestselling mystery series. October 1941. While on a delivery, young Freddie Hackett, a message runner for a government office, witnesses an argument that ends in murder. Crouching in the doorway of a bombed-out house, Freddie waits until the coast is clear. But when he arrives at the delivery address, he's shocked to come face to face with the killer. Dismissed by the police when he attempts to report the crime, Freddie goes in search of a woman he once met when delivering a message: Maisie Dobbs. While Maisie believes the boy and wants to help, she must maintain extreme caution: she's working secretly for the Special Operations Executive, assessing candidates for crucial work with the French resistance. Her two worlds collide when she spots the killer in a place she least expects. She soon realizes she's been pulled into the orbit of a man who has his own reasons to kill--reasons that go back to the last war. As Maisie becomes entangled in a power struggle between Britain's intelligence efforts in France and the work of Free French agents operating across Europe, she must also contend with the lingering question of Freddie Hackett's state of mind. What she uncovers could hold disastrous consequences for all involved in this compelling chapter of the "series that seems to get better with every entry" (Wall Street Journal).

The fourth unputdownable mystery in the thrilling and bestselling SCARLET AND IVY series, perfect for fans of MURDER MOST UNLADYLIKE, SINCLAIR’S MYSTERIES and THE SCHOOL FOR GOOD AND EVIL. Scarlet and Ivy’s school trip takes a turn for the worse as another mystery begins to unfold... It’s summer, and the students of Rookwood School are thrilled to learn of a special trip to Shady Pines Hotel on the shores of Lake Seren.But the old hotel and the waters of the lake are covering up dark secrets. And when mysterious things start happening to hotel guests, it seems that a malicious new threat is haunting Scarlet and Ivy.Locals say that at night you can hear the ringing of the church bells and see lights under the lake. Could it be troubled souls buried in the flooded graveyard who are no longer at rest...? Discover the complete SCARLET AND IVY series, with six mesmerising mysteries to dive into. ‘A true page-turning, nail-biting mystery’ Guardian Children’s Reviews on SCARLET AND IVY

'A beguiling author who interweaves past and present' The Times When Darren Hatman first reports his daughter missing, DI Wesley Peterson isn't too concerned. Leanne Hatman is an aspiring model, keen to leave Devon for the bright lights of London. But Wesley realises something very sinister is going on when Darren is found murdered in the grounds of Eyecliffe Castle, the hotel where Leanne works. Could Leanne have met a similar fate to her father? But, if so, where is her body? Wesley begins to suspect a connection between recent events and the disappearance of two girls in the 1950s, at a mysterious ruin called the House of Eyes. As he tries to solve the puzzle, Wesley must face alarming revelations rooted in centuries of evil - as well as deal with a nightmare of his own . . . Whether you've read the whole series, or are discovering Kate Ellis's DI Wesley Peterson novels for the first time, this is the perfect page-turner if you love reading Elly Griffiths and Ann Cleeves. PRAISE FOR KATE ELLIS: 'I loved this novel . . . a powerful story of loss, malice and deception' Ann Cleeves 'Haunting' Independent 'Unputdownable' Bookseller 'The chilling plot will keep you spooked and thrilled to the end' Closer 'A gripping read' Best 'A fine storyteller, weaving the past and present in a way that makes you want to read on' Peterborough Evening Telegraph

Even the dead have a story to tell... Naples, 1566. During a sweltering summer, eighteen-year-old Giordano Bruno takes his final vows at San Domenico Maggiore and is admitted to the Dominican Order - despite doubts over his tendency to ask difficult questions. Assisting in the infirmary, Bruno witnesses an illicit autopsy performed on the body of a young woman. Her corpse reveals a dark secret, and Bruno suspects that hers may not have been an accidental death. His investigation leads him to a powerful figure who wants to keep the truth buried - and Bruno is forced to make a choice between his future in the Order, and justice for an innocent victim and her grieving family.A spellbinding and eerily poignant short story that brings the tense atmosphere of the Inquisition and the promise of the Renaissance to vivid life.

With the disappearance of a young man and his old friend Vicky Holden accused of murder, Father John O'Malley must prove his hunch that both events are connected to a dangerous sect leader known as Orlando-who has resurrected the old Shadow Dance religion.

"MAY GOD STRIKE ME DOWN WITHIN THE HOUR!"To the guests at the mourning feast for Thomas Chaucer, the last words of Sir Clement Sharpe had been enough to damn him in the eyes of God. Detested by all who knew him, his final blasphemy had turned even God's anger against him and his death would be a lesson well-remembered. None among them would ever forget the sight of God striking down a sinning man, and each would keep in their heart the need to honor God's charity and love in all the hours of their lives.But the crafty Dame Frevisse and cunning Bishop Beaufort suspect that there may be an all-too-mortal hand at work in Sir Clement's death. If their suspicions can be proved, then the only lesson to be learned is the bleakest secret of the blackest heart.PRAISE FOR THE BISHOP'S TALE"The setting for another tale of mystery, intrigue, jealousy and ambition, well drawn, well paced, and a pleasure to read." - Historical Novels Review"Rich period detail, canny characterization, and a lively plot should endear Sister Frevisse and her tales to anyone who enjoys historical mysteries." - Minneapolis Star Tribune"Truly this is a winter's tale, wintry in setting and in themes. The most powerful emotions are chilled and subdued: Cool authority, icy determination, cold despair - these are stronger than the widow's stormy, self-pitying grief, the petulant anger of a pair of young lovers, the heat of a proud man's anger, and the fiery rash which clutches and kills him." - Jeanne M. Jacobson, Drood Review of MysteryPRAISE FOR THE SISTER FREVISSE MEDIEVAL MYSTERY SERIES"Frazer is writing one of the most consistently excellent historical series in print today." - Murder Ink"Frazer successfully captures the essence of 15th century England - the sights, smells, and sounds fill the pages, drawing us in as we become immersed in the language, manners, and customs of a far off time and place." - Rendezvous"Dame Frevisse, the pious and perspective nun gives focus to this sober series... [Frazer] shows a meticulous detail that speaks of trustworthy scholarship and a sympathetic imagination." - New York Times Book Review"Once you begin to read this series, you will want to follow your new friends to the end of their personal story." - Cross Point Book Reviews"Exquisitely written... A superbly researched medieval mystery series!" - Publisher's Weekly"Everything about it bespeaks quality and care... Frazer draws us into a medieval village in England with a story of lust, greed, and murder." - St. Paul Pioneer PressA Romantic Times Top Pick.Twice nominated for the Minnesota Book Award.Twice nominated for the Edgar Award.

Winner of the 2001 Scott O'Dell Award for Historical Fiction The New York Times bestselling author of Dread Nation makes her middle grade debut with a sweeping tale of the ghosts of our past that won't stay buried, starring an unforgettable girl named Ophie. Ophelia Harrison used to live in a small house in the Georgia countryside. But that was before the night in November 1922, and the cruel act that took her home and her father from her. Which was the same night that Ophie learned she can see ghosts. Now Ophie and her mother are living in Pittsburgh with relatives they barely know. In the hopes of earning enough money to get their own place, Mama has gotten Ophie a job as a maid in the same old manor house where she works. Daffodil Manor, like the wealthy Caruthers family who owns it, is haunted by memories and prejudices of the past--and, as Ophie discovers, ghosts as well. Ghosts who have their own loves and hatreds and desires, ghosts who have wronged others and ghosts who have themselves been wronged. And as Ophie forms a friendship with one spirit whose life ended suddenly and unjustly, she wonders if she might be able to help--even as she comes to realize that Daffodil Manor may hold more secrets than she bargained for.