In 1892 Arthur Conan Doyle, exhausted by his creation Sherlock Holmes, retires to the spa at Bad Homburg. But his rest cure does not go as planned. The first person he encounters is Oscar Wilde, and when the two friends make a series of macabre discoveries amongst the portmanteau of fan mail Conan Doyle has brought to answer - a severed finger, a lock of hair and finally an entire severed hand - the game is once more afoot. The trail leads to Rome, to the very heart of the Eternal City, the Vatican itself. Pope Pius IX has just died. These are uncertain times. To uncover the mystery and why the creator of Sherlock Holmes has been summoned in this way, Oscar and Conan Doyle must penetrate the innermost circle of the Catholic Church - seven men who have a very great deal to lose.

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'An exciting period murder mystery' Reader review 'If you want a fun mystery to read, I highly recommend it' Reader review 'Couldn't put it down!!' Reader review Does death await you in The Eternal City?1892: Arthur Conan Doyle is intrigued when he first begins to receive mysterious packages addressed to his famous fictional detective Sherlock Holmes.But the contents of the parcels are as gruesome and cryptic as any case Holmes himself tackled: a lock of hair, a severed finger wearing a gold ring, and the hand of a dead man.The only clue to who has sent them is the postmark from Rome.Doyle's friend and fellow author Oscar Wilde persuades him they must track down the perpetrator and identify the victims.Arriving in Italy, their investigation leads them to connect the parcels with the disappearance of a young girl and to the glittering Vatican City . . .With danger and death stalking them at every corner, can they unmask the killer before he catches up with them?A wonderfully witty and gripping cosy historical murder mystery with twists and turns aplenty. Perfect for fans of Sherlock Holmes, Agatha Christie and Richard Osman.Readers love The Vatican Murders:'The plot is constructed wonderfully . . . jumps off the page' Reader review 'A truly enjoyable read from start to finish' Reader review 'This is an excellent mystery series starring Oscar Wilde and Arthur Conan Doyle among others. Great plots with a mix of history and interesting characters. Totally entertaining' Reader review 'Simply delightful' Reader review Previously published as Oscar Wilde and the Vatican Murders.