THE CABINETS OF BARNABY MAYNE
London, 1703. The city’s coffee houses hum with the debates of the day. It is a time when new principles of scientific observation coexist with a willingness to believe in the fantastical, and arguing over how to label a butterfly is as common as discussing the magical properties of an amulet. For one elite community, the key to understanding the world lies in amassing its stones, bones, books, plants, and artifacts. Their most formidable member is Sir Barnaby Mayne, whose vast collection attracts visitors from England and abroad, and whose domineering approach to collecting has earned him more than one enemy.
A passion for plants brings Cecily Kay to the Mayne house, and keeps her there even after her host is stabbed to death. She has traveled a great distance to consult the famous collection, and she does not scare easily. She also pays attention to details. Sir Barnaby’s shy curator confesses to the crime, but his story does not explain the document missing from the dead man’s desk, the hasty departure of a visiting scholar, or the terror that has gripped one of Sir Barnaby’s guests. Cecily believes there is more to the murder than there appears, and she is not one to ignore a puzzle.
Within the coterie of naturalists, apothecaries, artists, and charlatans that surrounded Sir Barnaby, Cecily believes she has an ally—Meacan Barlow, a childhood friend now working as an illustrator. But can Cecily still trust her? More than twenty years have passed since the two girls shared secrets. While Cecily has been studying plants in the hills above an Aegean trading port, Meacan has made a place for herself among the collectors, in whose world intellect is distorted by obsession and greed.
It is a world Cecily must enter if she is to discover the truth. As her pursuit of answers brings her closer to a killer, she risks being given a final resting place amid the bones that wait, silent and still, in the cabinets of Barnaby Mayne.
Praise for The Cabinets of Barnaby Mayne
“A joy to read.”
“ A note-perfect whodunit.”
“This glimpse into the intimate circles that will eventually spawn the great museums is highly recommended for historical fiction readers looking for a peek into a fascinating closed society. It is an equally solid choice for historical mystery readers who want to see women with intelligence and agency navigate a time and place not meant for them, but where they thrive nonetheless while solving a delightfully twisty murder.”
“Bound to become a household name for readers who love clever and fair whodunits.”
“The author of three mysteries set in 18th-century China brings her talented raconteur’s voice to 1703 London”
“A must-read series debut for fans of Tasha Alexander’s and Deanna Raybourn’s historical whodunits.”
“Engrossing characters and lush setting, enshrouded within a murder mystery brimming with compelling curiosities, make this a stunning read. Highly recommended.”
“Spectacular. An extraordinary time machine of a novel, transporting us three centuries into the past, when Stuart London roiled with color and clamored with the grinding of carriage wheels. Like Hilary Mantel and Kate Mosse, Elsa Hart applies historical detail with a fine-tipped brush, not a mason’s trowel; like Kate Morton and Ken Follett, she devises plots both intricate and exciting. And Cecily Kay, the supremely winning botanist-sleuth braving hidden dangers in The Cabinets of Barnaby Mayne, is a hero for the ages — her and ours. Open this splendid novel and jump back to a vanished world.”
“Adept at depicting this “realm of the collectors . . . a shadowy place full of illusions,” tainted by greed and fraud and now homicide.”
“Meticulous research shows clearly in The Cabinets of Barnaby Mayne, but never overshadows the intrigue of the mystery and the nuances of Cecily’s character. A fascinating figure, Cecily has intelligence and bravery that make her the perfect lens through which modern readers can explore the era. Readers of historical fiction or thoughtful mysteries are both sure to love The Cabinets of Barnaby Mayne.”
“Juicy character portraits and graceful prose make for a delightful period whodunit.”