HANNAH IVORY VICTORIAN MYSTERIES
The Mrs Imogene Lynch Series
The Unsolved Case of the Secret Christmas Baby
A presumed dead baby who's just turned fifty, a grieving widow on a mission, a female haberdasher hiding a scandalous secret
The Cotswolds, England, December 1895
Fifty-year-old Imogene Lynch has recently moved to the tight-knit community of Dartmond after her husband passed away.
In the decades of her husband's job as chief constable of the neighboring Landdulton, the childless Imogene often assisted him in solving seemingly unsolvable crimes. On his deathbed Thaddeus Lynch has one last request to his wife: solve the secret Christmas baby's mystery.
Overcome by grief, but with the promise as a stamp on her heart, Imogene sets out in her roundabout way to unearth Sir Finley Lowther's mysterious origins. The first trace leads to Miss Eloise Platt, a well-respected Dartmond shopkeeper.
But when a baby's skull is dredged up from the bottom of Tiverstock Lake and Miss Eloise confesses to the murder, Mrs Imogene Lynch faces a stalemate. While the Dartmonders squabble over Miss Platt's fate, the widow-turned-detective worries she'll never fulfil her promise.
To break through her impasse, she pays a visit to the elderly Lady Lowther in Ridgeview Asylum with far-reaching consequences. For Imogene, the mystery is now solved, but getting Miss Platt to tell the truth is another matter.
With her characteristic quirky style, Mrs Lynch confides in the most unlikely candidate in her arsenal, her landlord, Mr Richard Hopewell. If the mute bookkeeper can shed light on what he witnessed on that fateful Christmas Day in 1845, she has the ally she needs to confront Miss Platt.
After fifty-one years, Constable Thaddeus Lynch's brown file on the Secret Christmas Baby can be closed for good. With Finley's adoption mystery solved and Miss Platt redeemed, all Dartmond joins in the merry 1896 Christmas celebrations.
This first book in the Victorian Cozy Mystery Series introduces Mrs Imogene Lynch, a willy-nilly detective who talks too much and eats too little.
The Peculiar Vanishing Act of Mr Ralph Herriot
A Cotswold industrialist vanishing off the face of the earth, a heat-affected widow on her first vacation, a female archaeologist digging too deeply
Cairo, Egypt, June 1896
Lady Catherine Lowther is simply irresistible. But when Catherine announces her cousin Imogene must vacation with her at the famous Shepheard's Hotel in Cairo, Imogene fights the ludicrous proposal with tooth and nail.
Finally, back in her own house in Landdulton and still mourning Thaddeus, her constable husband, all Imogene wants is to be left alone. But does she really?
Cairo is hot, hoity-toity, and hazardous. As Imogene soon finds out. Jam-packed with British officers, aristocrats, and self-made millionaires. The last persons she expects to run into are Mr Ralph Herriot, the opulent Dartmond industrialist and his self-important wife, Winnifred.
Until Ralph Herriot disappears during a visit to an excavation site at the Pyramids and a hysterical Winnifred begs Mrs Lynch to find her husband for her.
What history do Catherine and Ralph share and does Imogene want to know? And how is it possible that a second Ralph Herriot seems to have taken over the Dartmond factory, claiming he's the actual owner?
Far away from home and without her constable husband to assist her, Mrs Imogene Lynch must tap into all her detective knowledge and skills to solve the peculiar vanishing act of Mr Ralph Herriot.
The Deadly Rivalry for Cunninghold Farm
Step into the enchanting world of Victorian England with "The Mrs. Imogene Lynch Series," where mysteries lurk beneath the genteel facade of rural society.
The Cotswolds, 1893
In the picturesque village of Landdulton, where tea is always brewing and gossip flows like fine wine, Imogene Lynch, the wife of the esteemed chief constable Thaddeus Lynch, finds herself at the heart of every curious case that unfolds.
As the new year dawns, Imogene is determined to keep her resolution: to ensure her husband takes a well-deserved rest from his constabulary duties. But when a double shooting rocks Cunninghold Farm, Imogene's sleuthing instincts are awakened, thrusting her into a web of secrets and suspicion.
From lavish funerals to quaint library visits, Imogene's keen eye and sharp wit uncover clues that lead her deeper into the tangled web of the Cunninghold family’s history. As she delves deeper, she must tread carefully to unravel the truth before it's too late.
Will she uncover the cunning schemes that threaten to tear apart the fabric of their tranquil village? And can she protect her loved ones from the shadows that lurk in the shadowy corners of Landdulton?
Join Imogene Lynch as she solves yet another mystery, in which love, betrayal, and intrigue collide in a suspenseful tale. "The Mrs. Imogene Lynch Series" will keep you guessing until the very end, leaving you eagerly awaiting the next book in this delightful cozy mystery series.
About
Historical mystery author Hannah Ivory’s crib stood near the Seine in Paris, but she was raised in the south of Holland by Anglo-Dutch parents.
She writes quirky historical mysteries set in the late Victorian era under the pen name Hannah Ivory. The Mrs Imogene Lynch Series stars the kind but opinionated Victorian widow of Constable Thaddeus Lynch.
Under the nom de plume Hannah Byron, she writes her main body of work: inspirational historical fiction about the World Wars. The Hannah Ivory books are the light and fun detective books.
As an independent author, Hannah publishes both pen names with her own publishing firm Hannah Byron Books. The biggest advantage of self-publishing is always being close to the readers.
Strong women are at the core of Ivory’s books in both genres. Every book is a tribute to the generations that started the liberation of women on the world stage.
Whether it’s the traditionally thinking but curious widow Mrs Lynch, or the “resistance girls” in the world wars, who got dirty in overalls, flew planes, and did intelligence work. Today’s girl bosses can but stand on the shoulders of their (great)grandmothers.
Side-by-side with their male counterparts, Ivory’s heroines stand for freedom, equality and… love.
Newsletter
Join the Hannah Byron Reader Society.
Here's what you can expect.
My small publishing firm Hannah Byron Books publishes all my books, so I'm an independent author and not traditionally published. The advantage of this is that I'm close to my readers and they to me.
By subscribing to my newsletter you will get a glimpse into my author life, my research adventures, intriguing historical tidbits, and sometimes even a puzzle or survey to keep things engaging.
As I'm an avid reader myself, I will regularly share book recommendations and special book-related promos with you. These books will be similar to mine, but may be in a different genre.
Join, stay up to date and receive a free Victorian Mystery!
Contact
My small publishing firm Hannah Byron Books publishes all my books, so I'm an independent author and not traditionally published. The advantage of this is that I'm close to my readers and they to me. Feel free to contact me by email (hannah@hannahbyron.com) or by using the contact field below.
Thank you for your lovely emails! I treasure them all and will reply on the last Friday of the month.
For press and media inquiries, please contact me by email via hannah@hannahbyron.com
HANNAH BYRON
Social links
© 2024 Hannah Byron