The Innocents

The thrilling sequel to the prize-winning historical murder mystery set in Victorian London, The Tumbling Girl “Triumphant . . . Vivid period detail, clever plotting, and thoughtful characterizations. This series merits a long run” — Publishers Weekly (starred review) “A dramatic return to the music hall, as Minnie does it again. Rich with theatrical detail and brimming with brilliant characters, this is a series not to be missed” — SJ Bennett, author of Murder Most Royal 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. Despite the success of their last case, Minnie is terrified of the feelings that have started to grow between them. She has decided it’s definitely better for all involved if they stay as far away from each other as possible… 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 200 children dead—and with so many lives affected by the incident, practically everyone is a suspect. As the investigation unfolds, dark truths begin to come to light, and Minnie is forced to confront her own past. The Innocents is the 2nd book in the Variety Palace Mystery series, which features the irresistible crime-solving duo, Minnie and Albert. The first book in the series, The Tumbling Girl, won the UEA Little, Brown Award for Crime Fiction in 2019 and the HWA Debut Crown Award, and was shortlisted for the CWA John Creasey Dagger Award.