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Marked for Death

Clever, quirky and irresistibly fun - the most entertaining murder mystery of 2026
Brief Description
Reader love R. O. Thorp's murder mysteries: 'Think Christie but funnier, with more heart.' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'Fast-paced, funny and full of intrigue. Loved every minute of it and can't wait for the next one!' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Scientist Finn Blanchard is trying not to think about murder. The university... Read More
Format: Paperback / softback
$2799
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Releases 4th August 2026 (Approx. Date) Pre-order  "Marked for Death" now to secure your copy from our first shipment

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A dead body and a missing Shakespeare play lead to a faculty of suspects in this modern murder mystery

A dead body and a missing Shakespeare play lead to a faculty of suspects in this modern murder mystery

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

Reader love R. O. Thorp's murder mysteries:

'Think Christie but funnier, with more heart.' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

'Fast-paced, funny and full of intrigue. Loved every minute of it and can't wait for the next one!' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Scientist Finn Blanchard is trying not to think about murder. The university administrator Nina Hussar may have fallen to her death down stairs she'd used for years, but the only mystery Finn wants to investigate is whether there's a shark in the local lake.

But when a professor's sudden death unearths cryptic clues to a missing Shakespeare play, Finn is forced to admit his research isn't the fishiest part of university life. After all, as his detective ex-boyfriend says, there's nothing more suspicious than a fall down some stairs.

And if Finn can't figure out who the killer is soon, the next blood in the water might be his own...

Praise for the Blanchard twins series:

'Brilliant.' Ian Moore

'Fun ahoy!' Orlando Murrin

'Clever, quirky and irresistibly fun.' Jessica Bull

Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9780571387038

Publisher: Faber & Faber

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 07 May 2026

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: Faber & Faber

Edition: Main

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Width: 129.0mm

Height: 198.0mm

Weight: 0g

Pages: 432

About the Author

R. O. Thorp is an Australian living in Cork, Ireland, where she writes lyrics and herds cats. She was one of the Observer's top 10 debut novelists of 2021, and her writing has won the London Short Story Award and been shortlisted for the BBC Opening Lines Prize. Death on Ice (2025) was her first foray into murder mysteries.

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