This was the author's maiden novel and it introduced the amateur detective, Graydon McKelvie, to the reading public. This mystery novel involves a hidden room, a gunshot, and a wrongful arrest. The McKelvie detective stories went on to become a much sought-after collection of stories.

A castle filled with intrigue, a plotting duchess and a mysterious death in Catherine Bailey's The Secret Rooms. At 6 am on 21 April 1940 John the 9th Duke of Rutland, and one of Britain's wealthiest men, ended his days, virtually alone, lying on a makeshift bed in a dank cramped suite of rooms in the servants' quarters of his own home, Belvoir Castle, in Leicestershire. For weeks, as his health deteriorated, his family, his servants - even the King's doctor - pleaded with him to come out, but he refused. After his death, his son and heir, Charles, the 10th Duke of Rutland, ordered that the rooms be locked up and they remained untouched for sixty years. What lay behind this extraordinary set of circumstances? For the first time, in The Secret Rooms, Catherine Bailey unravels a complex and compelling tale of love, honour and betrayal, played out in the grand salons of Britain's stately homes at the turn of the twentieth century, and on the battlefields of the Western Front. At its core is a secret so dark that it consumed the life of the man who fought to his death to keep it hidden. This extraordinary mystery from the author of Black Diamonds, perfect for lovers of Downton Abbey, Brideshead Revisited and The Suspicions of Mr Whicher. Praise for The Secret Rooms: 'Reads like the best kind of mystery story. It is a tale of mistresses and heirlooms, cowardice and connivance, and a deeply dysfunctional family...gripping' Sunday Times 'Astonishing...jaw-dropping...It would spoil the book if I revealed the whole works, suffice it to say...what a family' Sunday Telegraph 'An extraordinary detective operation' John Julius Norwich

For fans of Downton Abbey, this New York Times bestseller is the enthralling true story of family secrets and aristocratic intrigue in the days before WWI After the Ninth Duke of Rutland, one of the wealthiest men in Britain, died alone in a cramped room in the servants’ quarters of Belvoir Castle on April 21, 1940, his son and heir ordered the room, which contained the Rutland family archives, sealed. Sixty years later, Catherine Bailey became the first historian given access. What she discovered was a mystery: The Duke had painstakingly erased three periods of his life from all family records—but why? As Bailey uncovers the answers, she also provides an intimate portrait of the very top of British society in the turbulent days leading up to World War I.

Life is good for Laurie and Martha. They have three great kids, a much-loved home in the countryside, and after years of struggle, Laurie's career as an architect is taking off at last. Everything's perfect. Except, it isn't. Someone is about to walk into their happy family and tear it apart. Laurie has been hiding from him for years. The question is, now that he's found her, can she keep her family safe? And just how far will she go to protect them?

Dive into the enigmatic world of Ravenwood Manor, where the echoes of the past reverberate within its ancient walls. In "The Secret of the Hidden Room: A Mystery of Intrigue," follow Evelyn, a determined detective, as she unravels the veil of secrecy cloaking this mysterious estate. Amidst the moonlit corridors and whispered legends, Ravenwood Manor holds untold secrets, each locked away behind hidden passages and obscured truths. When Evelyn receives a cryptic invitation to delve into the mysteries of this foreboding estate, she embarks on a journey that will test her wits, courage, and determination. As she navigates the labyrinthine halls, Evelyn encounters a tangled web of alliances, elusive clues, and a haunting history that refuses to stay buried. Shadows dance across the walls, and whispers echo through forgotten chambers, guiding her closer to the heart of the estate's enigmatic past. With each revelation, Evelyn inches closer to unraveling the estate's ultimate truth-a truth that has remained concealed for centuries, guarded by a legacy veiled in deception and hidden motives. From deciphering cryptic codes to confronting dark revelations, she faces a daunting quest to bring light to the obscured narrative of Ravenwood Manor. As she uncovers the secrets hidden within the estate's spectral echoes, Evelyn grapples with the weight of its history-a legacy fraught with intrigue, suspense, and the enduring allure of the unknown. The mystery deepens, the stakes heighten, and the truth lies just beyond the hidden room-a room that holds the key to unlocking the mansion's ultimate secret. "The Secret of the Hidden Room: A Mystery of Intrigue" is an enthralling tale of deception, suspense, and the relentless pursuit of truth. Join Evelyn on an unforgettable journey through the shadows and uncover the hidden truths that dwell within the heart of Ravenwood Manor.

Grade level: 4, 5, 6, 7, e, i.

A mysterious scroll transports a brother and sister back in time to God's creation of the world in the first installment of this action-packed chapter book series for emerging readers. The Secret of the Hidden Scrolls series follows siblings Peter and Mary and their dog, Hank, as they discover ancient scrolls that transport them back to key moments in biblical history. In the first adventure in the series, Peter and Mary find themselves witnesses to the creation of the world just as God is speaking it into existence. Can they unlock the mystery of the scrolls before they get trapped in history forever? Children will discover the answer as the two characters ride rhinos, meet the angel Michael, and talk to a certain snake in the Garden of Eden. Riveting text and engaging illustrations bring this beloved Bible story to riotous life.

Ted Hammond learns that in a very small town, there's no such thing as an isolated event. And the solution of one mystery is often the beginning of another. Ted Hammond loves a good mystery, and in the spring of his fifth-grade year, he's working on a big one. How can his school in the little town of Plattsford stay open next year if there are going to be only five students? Out here on the Great Plains in western Nebraska, everyone understands that if you lose the school, you lose the town. But the mystery that has Ted's full attention at the moment is about that face, the face he sees in the upper window of the Andersons' house as he rides past on his paper route. The Andersons moved away two years ago, and their old farmhouse is empty, boarded up tight. At least it's supposed to be. A shrinking school in a dying town. A face in the window of an empty house. At first these facts don't seem to be related. But...

In the Art Institute of Chicago's miniature Thorne Rooms, the Thorne Rooms key and a mysterious set of rings lead Ruth and Jack to new historical eras and a woman who went missing as a young girl.