The thrilling sequel to the prize-winning historical murder mystery, The Tumbling Girl

'Historical crime fiction at its most beguiling' Financial Times

'Rich with theatrical detail and brimming with brilliant characters, this is a series not to be missed' S.J. Bennett, author of Murder Most Royal

'Victorian crime at its grittiest, most exciting best' Essie Fox

Still reeling from the gruesome murders of the previous year, Minnie Ward is appointed manager of the Variety Palace. Times are hard, with performers shunning the 'cursed' music hall, and Minnie's relationship with detective Albert Easterbrook is more complicated than ever.

But when another killer begins to terrorise the city's streets, Minnie and Albert are thrown together once more. The crimes seem connected to a notorious tragedy that left nearly two hundred dead-and with so many lives affected by the incident, practically everyone is a suspect...

"Praise for the Variety Palace Mysteries" - --

"Historical crime fiction at its most beguiling" - Financial Times

"Walsh, who clearly knows her Victorians, writes with gusto... time past is so vividly evoked that one can almost smell it. Highly recommended." - Guardian

"Triumphant . . . Vivid period detail, clever plotting, and thoughtful characterizations. This series merits a long run" - Publishers Weekly (starred review)