Murder Ballad A gripping mystery of love betrayal and secrets set in the musical world of 18th century Edinburgh

<p><b>'A rich, ripe, gorgeously seedy mystery.'</b> <i>- Kirstin Innes, bestselling author of </i>Scabby Queen<br><br><b>EDINBURGH, 1791. <br></b><br>Ballad singer Isobel Duguid and her friend, the famous castrato Clessidro, are <b>stars of the Edinburgh Musical Society</b>. Despite Isobel's brash singing style, Clessidro's friendship and her own shocking murder ballads keep her on stage and enjoying <b>an opulent lifestyle in Auld Reekie</b>. <br><br>Yet one night a note arrives from the mysterious Mrs Abercorn, regarding <b>Isobel's most notorious song, <i>The Fiddler's Wrath</i></b>. It's the tale of a prima donna who died of heartbreak after her husband committed murder and was sent to the gallows.<br><br>But as Isobel will discover, <b>Mrs Abercorn's curiosity is far more than just a fickle interest</b>. As Isobel recounts rising through the social classes, her role in this ill-fated tune is brought to light, awakening the chilling retribution of a once-buried secret.<br><br><b>A story of betrayal, mystery, and the secrets some would die to protect. Perfect for fans of </b><b>Patrick Süskind </b><i><b>Perfume and </b></i><b>Kate Foster's <i>The Maiden.</i></b><br><br>'This <b>glorious romp through the filth, greed and duplicity of 18th century Edinburgh</b> is a feminist delight. Highly recommended.' <i>- Mary Paulson-Ellis</i><br><br>'A <b>wildly original</b> and alarmingly readable historical novel whose <b>dark, blood-soaked narrative</b> takes us by surprise at every turn.' <i>- Andrew Taylor</i><br><br>'I couldn't put it down. The writing <b>oozes passion and guts, interlaced with a dark humour</b>.' - <i>Devika Ponnambalam</i><br><br>'Tales of opera singers and murderers, of cobbled streets and Old Town tenements, of audacious women and what can befall them. <b>The writing is sublime, I loved every word.</b>' <i>- Elissa Soave</i><br><br>'A <b>gripping and grisly </b>tale of opera, art and ownership set in eighteenth-century Edinburgh' - <i>Lynsey May</i></p>