Linda Stratmann Books In Order

Publication Order of The Early Casebook of Sherlock Holmes Books

Publication Order of Frances Doughty Books

Publication Order of Mina Scarletti Books

Publication Order of Non-Fiction Books

Publication Order of Anthologies

Linda Stratmann is a British historical mystery writer with a decent list of fiction and non-fiction writings to her name. Even though Stratmann started writing after a long career in the civil service, her love for writing started from an early age. When not writing, you’ll find Stratmann spending time in the library and archives or giving talks about her next books.

The Poisonous Seed

The Poisonous Seed is the first book in the Frances Doughty mystery series. The book features nineteen-year-old, Frances, a young girl with dreams of becoming a pharmacist. In the meantime, she’s working in her father’s chemist as an assistant. The book starts with the death of a customer of William Doughty’s chemist. Pervia Garton, a local businessman, goes to William’s chemist to get some medicine, but he dies suddenly after taking the medication administered. The cause of death is documented as strychnine poisoning. Apparently, high levels of the poison were found in the medicine that William prepared for his patient’s indigestion.

A rumor goes around that Pervia’s death is due to Williams’s negligence. The people think that because William was still mourning the death of his son, he could have mixed the tonic he gave to Pervia wrongly. William’s reputation suffers as the rumor goes on. Frances, William’s nineteen-year-old daughter, takes it upon herself to redeem her father’s reputation. She was there when the tonic was prepared, and she is sure that her father made no mistake. After doing her investigation on what really happened, Frances is convinced that the dead patient was murdered. While the facts Frances uncovered made sense, getting the police to believe her proves to be an uphill task.

Frances is no quitter, and together with her friends, she digs deeper into the case. Frances’s investigation sets the motion for this story of deception, murder, and painful truths. Things get tougher when more people continue to die, and Frances’s investigation culminates to a revelation about her past. While the revelation shakes Frances to the core, the young girl is able to solve a ten-year-old murder and bring to light a few other things. She also discovers that there was more than met the eye in Mr. Garton. There were many skeletons in the past that he shared with his friend James Keane.

This is a beautiful story set in the center of Victorian London. The story is basically about a young girl and the struggle she faces as she works to clear her family name. While it is easy to undermine Frances, the ingenious ways she devises to overcome the limitation that society places on her as a young unmarried woman are nothing but admirable. The characterization is done right, and the author is able to convey the utter desperation that Frances experiences in her search for the truth. The book also comes with other side plots and exciting twists and turns.

The Poisonous Seed is a welcome break from the detective stories that come with too much gore, guts, and blood. Instead, the book centers on a smart detective who is not limited by the circumstances around her. The main character is far from perfect. In the real sense, the story is more of her journey to self-discovery. The story is told from four perspectives. We get to see events unfold from the perspective of Frances, the upper class, the servants as well as the police. This is a perfect read that sets the tone for the other books in the series. It’ll be hard to resist the urge to know more about what happens to Frances and the other characters in this series.

Mr. Scarletti’s Ghost

Mr. Scarletti’s Ghost is the first book in the Mina Scarletti series. The story is set in the late eighteen hundreds. Psychics and mediums are all the rage as people grieving the loss of their loved ones yearn to communicate with them again. The book stars Mina Scarletti, a young woman living with her mother in London. Mina’s father has just died, and when her mum hears about the psychics who can help you communicate with the dead, she is more than willing to give her a try.

Mina Scarletti approaches the psychic craze skeptically. However, when mourning mother reaches out to a séance in a bid to communicate with her late husband, Mina agrees to take part in it, albeit half-heartedly. When she accompanies her mother to the sessions, she is concerned about the gifts bestowed to the median. Could be the gifts be her motivation to keep entertaining Mina’s mum and her friends?

Miss Eustace, the séance Mina’s mother engages has many loyal followers. This does not mean that Mina is convinced about her abilities. The fact that meetings with Miss Eustace only happen in the dark, and she keeps her address a secret sparks Mina’s curiosity. Mina is convinced that Miss Eustace is a con out to defraud her mother among other vulnerable members in society. She sets to investigate the strange woman so that everyone can know the truth about her and what better way than to go it in the guise that she wants to talk to her late father’s ghost.

Mina is determined to find out the truth, and no stone is left unturned. Does Mr. Scarletti’s ghost appear, or is Miss Eustace a fraudster keen to deceive Mina’s mum and her friends? Can Mina even convince Miss Eustace’s loyal fans that she is nothing but a cheat?

Find this all this information and so much more in the Mina Scarletti series. It’s an exciting mystery series with historical facts, a feisty female detective, and a diverse character. Set on Victorian England, this fast-paced story reads like no other, and it helps that all the characters are relatable. If you are looking for a page-turner set in a world we can only read in books, Mr. Scarletti’s Ghost is a great choice. You will fall in love with Mina as well as her mum and the other characters you meet along the way. It is easy to get carried away as you accompany Mina in her search for the truth.