{"product_id":"the-mystery-at-rake-hall-by-maureen-paton-9781800754850","title":"The Mystery at Rake Hall","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e'Satisfyingly violent' The Times, Best Crime Fiction of 2025 So Far\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e'Sprightly and elegantly written mystery' The Daily Telegraph\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e'A marvellous literary thriller' Clare Chase\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e'A clever and refreshing take on the mystery novel' Jo Silva\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eIn post-war Oxford, secrets lie behind every door.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eIn 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?\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eIn \u003cem\u003eThe Mystery at Rake Hall\u003c\/em\u003e, 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eRAVE READER REVIEWS\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e'An homage to post war Oxford ... an entertaining read with a mystery to solve'\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e'Blends historical authenticity with a compelling \"whodunit\"'\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e'Very easy to read, a page-turner and a real sense of Oxford'\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e'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'\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e'An enjoyable, atmospheric and very cosy read'\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e'A famous real-life writer solving a mystery ... I really enjoyed it'\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Allen \u0026 Unwin Aotearoa New Zealand","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47496616968428,"sku":"9781800754850","price":27.99,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/9781800754850-the-mystery-at-rake-hall.jpg?v=1775799639","url":"https:\/\/bookhero.co.nz\/products\/the-mystery-at-rake-hall-by-maureen-paton-9781800754850","provider":"Book Hero","version":"1.0","type":"link"}