The Mystery at Rake Hall C.S. Lewis investigates

<p><strong>''Satisfyingly violent''</strong> <strong><em>The Times</em>, Best Crime Fiction of 2025 So Far</strong></p><p><strong>''Sprightly and elegantly written mystery''</strong> <strong><em>The Daily Telegraph</em></strong></p><p><strong>''A marvellous literary thriller'' Clare Chase</strong></p><p><strong>''A clever and refreshing take on the mystery novel'' Jo Silva</strong></p><p><strong>?In post-war Oxford, secrets lie behind every door.</strong></p><p>In 1947, with rationing still biting and the black market thriving, university don C.S. ‘Jack’ Lewis finds himself pulled into a mystery straight from one of his friend Dorothy Sayers’ novels. Susan Temple, his brightest student, has hidden herself away at Rake Hall — a hostel for unmarried, outcast mothers – and hasn’t been heard from since.</p><p>With no experience beyond catching the occasional student plagiarist, Lewis is hardly a detective. But when Susan’s absence continues to haunt him, he teams up with her concerned friend Lucy and together they delve into the disturbing rumours of a nasty racket at Rake Hall. Can Lewis’s nose for the truth separate fact from fiction?</p><p>In <em>The Mystery at Rake Hall</em>, Maureen Paton – whose mother lived at the real-life Rake Hall while pregnant with Maureen – brilliantly recreates a post-war Oxford world, as well as imagining an alternative life for one of its most famous residents.</p><p><strong>RAVE READER REVIEWS</strong></p><ul><li><strong>''An homage to post war Oxford ... an entertaining read with a mystery to solve''</strong></li><li><strong>''Blends historical authenticity with a compelling "whodunit"''</strong></li><li><strong>''Very easy to read, a page-turner and a real sense of Oxford''</strong></li><li><strong>''I loved this mystery .. the author brought to life the time beautifully … I cannot wait to see what she offers for her second book but this one will be hard to top''</strong></li><li><strong>''An enjoyable, atmospheric and very cosy read''</strong></li><li><strong>''A famous real-life writer solving a mystery … I really enjoyed it''</strong></li></ul>