Silence in the Library

A Lily Adler Mystery

The second Lily Adler historical mystery is “a tale of 19th-century female empowerment . . .  a clever murder puzzle, [and] an immersion in a bygone era” (Kirkus Reviews).

Regency widow Lily Adler didn’t expect to find a corpse when visiting a family friend . . .

Regency widow Lily Adler has finally settled into her new London life when her semi-estranged father arrives unexpectedly, intending to stay with her while he recovers from an illness. Hounded by his disapproval, Lily is drawn into spending time with Lady Wyatt, the new wife of an old family friend. Lily barely knows Lady Wyatt. But she and her husband, Sir Charles, seem as happy as any newly married couple until the morning Lily arrives to find the house in an uproar and Sir Charles dead.

All signs indicate that he tripped and struck his head late at night. But when Bow Street constable Simon Page is called to the scene, he suspects foul play. And it isn’t long before Lily stumbles on evidence that Sir Charles was, indeed, murdered.

Mr. Page believes the surviving family members are hiding the key to Sir Charles’ death. To uncover the truth, Lily must partner with Captain Jack Hartley—and convince her father to help catch his friend’s killer before anyone else in the Wyatt household dies.
Praise for Silence in the Library
“The fast-paced, engrossing story has a climactic confrontation worthy of Rex Stout or Agatha Christie.”
Library Journal, starred review

"Schellman’s gracefully written whodunit is equally a tale of 19th-century female empowerment and societal conventions...More than a clever murder puzzle, this is an immersion in a bygone era."
—Kirkus Reviews

“Lively character and an intricate plot keep the pages turning.”
Publishers Weekly

“Fans of Bridgerton will enjoy watching Lily, Jack, and their friend Ofelia Carroway pursue the truth.”
Booklist

“A welcome return . . . Schellman's meticulous research puts the reader right in the heart of Regency London.”
BookPage

“Refreshing . . . Fast paced, the characters are believable, the premise is a good one.”
New York Journal of Books

“Schellman does a brilliant job bringing historical accuracy and clever characters to life.”
San Francisco Book Review, 5-star review

Praise for The Body in the Garden:
“A perfect London crime novel and a masterful debut; fast-paced, expertly researched, and intricately plotted. I actually gasped when I got to the end!” —Alex Grecian, New York Times bestselling author

“[An] elegant, excellently-paced, and thoroughly engrossing mystery.”
—Ashley Weaver, author of the Amory Ames Mysteries

 "Fans of Tasha Alexander's Lady Emily mysteries will want to set aside space on their bookshelves for the adventures of widowed amateur sleuth Lily Adler."
—Greer Macallister, bestselling author
 
"Sensitive handling of class and race issues common to London in the early 1800s give the story depth...[A] smashing debut."
BookPage, starred review
 
"Schellman's well-researched fiction debut uses nuanced, elegant prose to depict a fully realized world."
Kirkus Reviews

"The mixed-race identities of her partners in crime solving and the methods through which they navigate London society add richness to the tale beyond mere Regency-era tropes.”
Booklist

“Will appeal to fans of Catherine Lloyd.”
Publishers Weekly
 
“An incredibly charming debut mystery. I look forward to more of Lily’s adventures.”
San Francisco Book Review, 5-star review

“If you need a truly enjoyable start to a new historical murder mystery series, this is your book.”
BookRiot, Unusual Suspects Newsletter
 
"Katharine Schellman’s 1815-set debut has all the glittering trappings of the era, while examining the privilege and racism at its core."
BookPage
Katharine Schellman is a former actor, one-time political consultant, and currently the author of the Lily Adler Mysteries. A graduate of the College of William & Mary, Katharine currently lives and writes in the mountains of Virginia in the company of her family and the many houseplants she keeps accidentally murdering.

About

The second Lily Adler historical mystery is “a tale of 19th-century female empowerment . . .  a clever murder puzzle, [and] an immersion in a bygone era” (Kirkus Reviews).

Regency widow Lily Adler didn’t expect to find a corpse when visiting a family friend . . .

Regency widow Lily Adler has finally settled into her new London life when her semi-estranged father arrives unexpectedly, intending to stay with her while he recovers from an illness. Hounded by his disapproval, Lily is drawn into spending time with Lady Wyatt, the new wife of an old family friend. Lily barely knows Lady Wyatt. But she and her husband, Sir Charles, seem as happy as any newly married couple until the morning Lily arrives to find the house in an uproar and Sir Charles dead.

All signs indicate that he tripped and struck his head late at night. But when Bow Street constable Simon Page is called to the scene, he suspects foul play. And it isn’t long before Lily stumbles on evidence that Sir Charles was, indeed, murdered.

Mr. Page believes the surviving family members are hiding the key to Sir Charles’ death. To uncover the truth, Lily must partner with Captain Jack Hartley—and convince her father to help catch his friend’s killer before anyone else in the Wyatt household dies.

Reviews

Praise for Silence in the Library
“The fast-paced, engrossing story has a climactic confrontation worthy of Rex Stout or Agatha Christie.”
Library Journal, starred review

"Schellman’s gracefully written whodunit is equally a tale of 19th-century female empowerment and societal conventions...More than a clever murder puzzle, this is an immersion in a bygone era."
—Kirkus Reviews

“Lively character and an intricate plot keep the pages turning.”
Publishers Weekly

“Fans of Bridgerton will enjoy watching Lily, Jack, and their friend Ofelia Carroway pursue the truth.”
Booklist

“A welcome return . . . Schellman's meticulous research puts the reader right in the heart of Regency London.”
BookPage

“Refreshing . . . Fast paced, the characters are believable, the premise is a good one.”
New York Journal of Books

“Schellman does a brilliant job bringing historical accuracy and clever characters to life.”
San Francisco Book Review, 5-star review

Praise for The Body in the Garden:
“A perfect London crime novel and a masterful debut; fast-paced, expertly researched, and intricately plotted. I actually gasped when I got to the end!” —Alex Grecian, New York Times bestselling author

“[An] elegant, excellently-paced, and thoroughly engrossing mystery.”
—Ashley Weaver, author of the Amory Ames Mysteries

 "Fans of Tasha Alexander's Lady Emily mysteries will want to set aside space on their bookshelves for the adventures of widowed amateur sleuth Lily Adler."
—Greer Macallister, bestselling author
 
"Sensitive handling of class and race issues common to London in the early 1800s give the story depth...[A] smashing debut."
BookPage, starred review
 
"Schellman's well-researched fiction debut uses nuanced, elegant prose to depict a fully realized world."
Kirkus Reviews

"The mixed-race identities of her partners in crime solving and the methods through which they navigate London society add richness to the tale beyond mere Regency-era tropes.”
Booklist

“Will appeal to fans of Catherine Lloyd.”
Publishers Weekly
 
“An incredibly charming debut mystery. I look forward to more of Lily’s adventures.”
San Francisco Book Review, 5-star review

“If you need a truly enjoyable start to a new historical murder mystery series, this is your book.”
BookRiot, Unusual Suspects Newsletter
 
"Katharine Schellman’s 1815-set debut has all the glittering trappings of the era, while examining the privilege and racism at its core."
BookPage

Author

Katharine Schellman is a former actor, one-time political consultant, and currently the author of the Lily Adler Mysteries. A graduate of the College of William & Mary, Katharine currently lives and writes in the mountains of Virginia in the company of her family and the many houseplants she keeps accidentally murdering.
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