The Widow's Secret - Hardcover
Meet Bella Wallis—a charismatic Victorian widow with a sideline in sensationalist novels, and a fierce determination to seek revenge in print for what can never be achieved in real life Bella Wallis is a respectable society woman with a secret identity: in an office buried deep within the seedy backstreets of London, she writes sensationalist novels under the pen name Henry Ellis Margam, exposing the scoundrels that litter high society. So when a crested cigar case is found near the body of a murdered prostitute, Bella and her friends are determined to trace the murderer and write a mystery that will avenge the poor girl's untimely death. But the owner of the cigar case is a dangerous—and rich—man who has already destroyed the lives of others who have crossed him. Will Bella see justice done, or will she meet the same fate as so many of her characters? The first in the Bella Wallis series of mysteries takes readers from London to Paris, from the highest of society to the lowest of the low. It is an entertaining, effervescent romp and a wonderful introduction to this most charismatic of sleuths.
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About the Author:
Brian Thompson has written two award-winning volumes of memoir: Keeping Mum, winner of the Costa Prize for Biography and the PEN/Ackerley Prize, and Clever Girl, longlisted for the Samuel Johnson Prize.
Review:
"Drops us headfirst into the realm of 19th-century sensation fiction the lurid stuff of Wilkie Collins and old-fashioned penny dreadfuls. . . . As the curtain-raiser for a new detective series, this novel is a bold beginning." Sunday Telegraph
"A neo-Victorian yarn that rattles on merrily and rings true. We are told that more instalments of Bella's exploits are on the way. Let them come, say I." Financial Times
"Entertaining, indeed dazzling. Dickensian in its humour, its vivid evocation of a criminal underworld, and the poverty and filth of the Victorian city." Times Literary Supplement
"Thompson manages to bring his Victorian manhunt to a satisfying conclusion while leaving readers with some very tantalizing threads for the next book."—Mystery Scene
"A neo-Victorian yarn that rattles on merrily and rings true. We are told that more instalments of Bella's exploits are on the way. Let them come, say I." Financial Times
"Entertaining, indeed dazzling. Dickensian in its humour, its vivid evocation of a criminal underworld, and the poverty and filth of the Victorian city." Times Literary Supplement
"Thompson manages to bring his Victorian manhunt to a satisfying conclusion while leaving readers with some very tantalizing threads for the next book."—Mystery Scene
"About this title" may belong to another edition of this title.
- PublisherAtlantic Books
- Publication date2008
- ISBN 10 1843547171
- ISBN 13 9781843547174
- BindingHardcover
- Number of pages288
- Rating
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The Widow's Secret
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ISBN 10: 1843547171
ISBN 13: 9781843547174
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Book Description Hardback. Condition: Very Good. The book has been read, but is in excellent condition. Pages are intact and not marred by notes or highlighting. The spine remains undamaged. Seller Inventory # GOR002593031
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The Widow's Secret
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Book Description Condition: Very Good. 1623148044. 1/1/0001 12:00:00 AM. Seller Inventory # U9781843547174
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Book Description Hardcover. Condition: Good. Dust Jacket Condition: Good. Hardcover. First edition, first printing. Several light marks on dust jacket. Jacket leading corners, edges and spine ends are worn. Small tears on spine head and rear leading corners of jacket. ISBN sticker on rear of jacket. Hardcover spine ends are a little bumped. Page block foot is marked. Binding is intact, contents are clean and clear. AM. Used. Seller Inventory # 294151
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Book Description Hardcover. Condition: Fine. Dust Jacket Condition: Fine. 1st Edition. First edition first printing of the first novel in the Bella Wallis series. In fine / fine condition. Seller Inventory # 20203
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Book Description Hardcover. Condition: Fine. Dust Jacket Condition: Fine. First UK edition/First Printing. Mylar protected. Signed and Dated By Author. Seller Inventory # 003445
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Book Description Hardcover. Condition: Near Fine. Dust Jacket Condition: Near Fine. 1st Edition. Both book and dust jacket are in near fine condition. First edition, First printing. Seller Inventory # 000626
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The Widow's Secret (FINE COPY OF FIRST EDITION, FIRST PRINTING SIGNED BY THE AUTHOR)
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Book Description Hardback. Condition: Fine. Dust Jacket Condition: Fine. First Edition, First Printing. Fine/Fine. First edition, first printing in d/w not price clipped. SIGNED AND DATED BY AUTHOR, on title-page. Signing reads 'Brian Thompson/26.vi.08'. An historical crime novel set in Victorian London concerning a murdered prostitute. Faint age tanning to edges of pages; else a fine copy, in a fine d/w, of a first edition, first printing SIGNED BY THE AUTHOR. Signed by Author. Seller Inventory # 13320
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The Widow's Secret (Bella Wallis Mystery 1)
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Book Description Hardcover. Condition: Near Fine. Dust Jacket Condition: Fine. 1st Edition. This signed first edition first printing (1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9) is in a near fine condition with a fine jacket. The jacket comes complete with plastic protective cover. Light tanning to the page edges only. Otherwise an excellent fine copy. Signed by Author(s). Seller Inventory # 358-1
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Book Description Original Cloth. Condition: Fine. Dust Jacket Condition: Very Good. First Edition. Slight creasing to jacket edges and bit of rubbing at the top corners. First printing. Replacement ISBN label still present on the rear panel of the jacket - the '354' is printed as '534' on the jacket. Seller Inventory # 003768
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Book Description Hardback. Condition: Very Fine. Dust Jacket Condition: Very Fine. First Edition. First Printing. The Book is very fine, square and tight. It is unmarked, with clean pages, free of inscriptions or marks and has been signed and dated (26.11.08) by the author directly on to the title page. The pages show the normal yellowing due to ageing and paper quality. The Dust Jacket is very fine, unfaded, unclipped (£12.99) and is free of rips, tears or marks. First Edition, First Printing - Signed by the Author. All our books are covered with a clear, removable, chemically inert, protective wrapper before being securely bubble wrapped and dispatched in strong corrugated cardboard boxes. Signed by Author. Seller Inventory # 15067
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