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>