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Gallows Court
Rachel Savernake (Related to this series)
- Author
- Martin Edwards
- Narrator
- Helen MacFarlane
- Publisher
- Bloomsbury Publishing
- Publish Date
- 27 August 2026
- Run Time
- 13 hours 59 minutes
- Format
- Audiobook
What to expect
‘A true master of British crime writing’ RICHARD OSMAN
A superb Golden Age mystery packed with twists, from the winner of the Diamond Dagger 2020
LONDON, 1930
The night is sooty, sulphurous, and malign. A spate of violent deaths has horrified the capital and the smog-bound streets are deserted. No woman should be out on a night like this. But Rachel Savernake is no ordinary woman.
To Scotland Yard's embarrassment, she solved the Chorus Girl Murder, and now – along with journalist Jacob Flint – she's on the trail of another killer.
Savernake and Flint's pursuit of the truth will mire them ever-deeper into a labyrinth of deception and corruption. Murder-by-murder, they will be swept ever-closer to that ancient place of execution, where it all began and where it will finally end: Gallows Court.
DISCOVER MORE THRILLING READS FROM THE KING OF CLASSIC CRIME, ALL FEATURING A CLUEFINDER SO YOU CAN PLAY DETECTIVE YOURSELF.
THE RACHEL SAVERNAKE GOLDEN AGE MYSTERIES
#1 GALLOWS COURT
#2 MORTMAIN HALL
#3 BLACKSTONE FELL
#4 SEPULCHRE STREET
#5 HEMLOCK BAY
STANDALONE MYSTERIES
#1 MISS WINTER IN THE LIBRARY WITH A KNIFE
Reviews for Martin Edwards
'Combines all the things I love most about crime fiction: atmospheric settings, twisty plots, intriguing characters and an unforgettable protagonist' Elly Griffiths
''Superb – a pitch-perfect blend of Golden Age charm and sinister modern suspense, with a main character to die for. This is the book Edwards was born to write' Lee Child
'Packed with evocative period detail, twists and turns and a fascinatingly enigmatic anti-heroine' Financial Times
'Edwards has managed, brilliantly, to combine a Golden Age setting with a pace that is bang up-to-date. A great sense of the era observed through a cut-throat-sharp eye, every page dripping with brilliant period authenticity' Peter James
'A ripping tale of retribution and rough justice, set against a finely realised 1930s London. It reads as if Ruth Rendell were channelling Edgar Wallace' Mick Herron
'Liberally spiced with mystery, suspense and action... A thoroughly gripping read' Peter Robinson
'The brilliant Savernake is a fascinatingly enigmatic character' Washington Post
Readers love Gallows Court!
'A clever, twisting, ingenious plot'
'Kept me reading long into the night. More Jacob Flint and more Rachel Savernake please'
'Beautifully redolent of the golden age of crime but bang up-to-date with its themes and with fresh characters'
'I absolutely modestly raise my cloche hat to the ingenuity of Gallows Court. I was totally immersed'
'A superb fusion of golden age crime and dark, psychological thriller'
Critics Review
-
Edwards has managed, brilliantly, to combined a Golden Age setting with a pace that is bang up to date. A great sense of the era observed through a cut-throat-sharp eye, every page dripping with brilliant period authenticity
Peter James
-
A ripping tale of retribution and rough justice, set against a finely realised 1930s London. It reads as if Ruth Rendell were channelling Edgar Wallace
Mick Herron
-
A mean plot liberally spiced with mystery, suspense and action. A thoroughly gripping read!
Peter Robinson
-
Edwards has set a satisfyingly twisty plot against the satisfyingly murky background of 1930s London
Simon Brett
See more reviews See fewer reviews
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This is no country house murder mystery, however, but a fast-paced and assured thriller set in 1930s London; it'll keep you reading, breathless, until the very last page
Ann Cleeves
-
The writing is sumptuous, the evocation of the period – down to the finest detail – glorious, and the mystery itself a wonderfully refreshing take on the "psychological noir" genre. The twist – and the terrible secret at the heart of the murders – are twin stings in the tail of a classy and beautifully crafted novel
Vaseem Khan
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Utterly compelling from start to finish, truly satisfying twists and turns and a wonderful heroine at its dark heart. I loved every single page of it
Robert Thorogood
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Everything we have come to expect from Martin Edwards: a lovely sense of place, a tight plot, dry humor, and deftly drawn characters. Welcome to the Thirties!
Laurie R King
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Martin Edwards brings the Golden Age of crime fiction back, with a unique twist, in this superbly crafted mystery set in the 1930s. A rare treat!
Ragnar Jonasson
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Highly entertaining – a delightful, old-fashioned mystery to be savoured
Shari Lapena
-
Ingenious and pacey, Gallows Court keeps you guessing right to the end
The Times
-
Far more unconventional and psychologically disturbing than most crime fiction of the period, this novel brings that low, dishonest decade to life with mesmerising skill
Sunday Express
-
Historical crime can sometimes suffer from a sentimental view of the period in which it's set. Edwards deftly avoids this cliché, depicting London as dark, grimy and cowering in the face of killings... I'm sure Edwards' existing fans will love this change of tone but he should also garner new readers for his excellent fiction'
CrimePieces
-
Packed with evocative period detail, twists and turns and a fascinatingly enigmatic anti-heroine
Financial Times
-
A varied cast of characters ranging from the glamorous and romantic to the decidedly shady... A fast-moving patchwork puzzle that will satisfy both traditional crime readers and more modern ones who enjoy a drop of moral complexity and darkness in their brew'
Crime Time
-
The plot is complex but satisfying... Brings the 1930s to life and looks at that restless, inter-war decade in a new and fascinating way. It is a book well worth reading and which I would recommend'
Mystery People
-
A fabulous melodrama, atmospheric and entertaining
Morning Star
-
Edwards crafts vivid descriptions of both character and setting that embed the reader into the scene in a way few writers can achieve
NY Journal of Books
-
Martin Edwards has recreated the period beautifully in this gripping and bloodthirsty thriller... It is compulsive reading: a truly satisfying crime novel'
The Press
User Reviews
No reviews yet.
Details
- Author
- Martin Edwards
- Narrator
- Helen MacFarlane
- Duration
- 13 hours 59 minutes
- Release Date
- 27 August 2026
- ISBN
- 9781035928521
- Format
- Audiobook
- Publisher
- Bloomsbury Publishing
- Genre
- Historical crime and mysteries, Thriller / suspense fiction, Horror, ghost stories and supernatural fiction, Classic crime and mystery fiction, Crime and mystery: women sleuths / detectives, Historical fiction, Thriller: serial killers
Synopsis
Bloomsbury presents Gallows Court by Martin Edwards, read by Helen MacFarlane.‘A true master of British crime writing’ RICHARD OSMANA superb Golden Age mystery packed with twists, from the winner of the Diamond Dagger 2020 LONDON, 1930The night is sooty, sulphurous, and malign. A spate of violent deaths has horrified the capital and the smog-bound streets are deserted. No woman should be out on a night like this. But Rachel Savernake is no ordinary woman.To Scotland Yard's embarrassment, she solved the Chorus Girl Murder, and now – along with journalist Jacob Flint – she's on the trail of another killer.Savernake and Flint's pursuit of the truth will mire them ever-deeper into a labyrinth of deception and corruption. Murder-by-murder, they will be swept ever-closer to that ancient place of execution, where it all began and where it will finally end: Gallows Court.DISCOVER MORE THRILLING READS FROM THE KING OF CLASSIC CRIME, ALL FEATURING A CLUEFINDER SO YOU CAN PLAY DETECTIVE YOURSELF. THE RACHEL SAVERNAKE GOLDEN AGE MYSTERIES #1 GALLOWS COURT #2 MORTMAIN HALL #3 BLACKSTONE FELL #4 SEPULCHRE STREET #5 HEMLOCK BAYSTANDALONE MYSTERIES #1 MISS WINTER IN THE LIBRARY WITH A KNIFEReviews for Martin Edwards'Combines all the things I love most about crime fiction: atmospheric settings, twisty plots, intriguing characters and an unforgettable protagonist' Elly Griffiths''Superb – a pitch-perfect blend of Golden Age charm and sinister modern suspense, with a main character to die for. This is the book Edwards was born to write' Lee Child'Packed with evocative period detail, twists and turns and a fascinatingly enigmatic anti-heroine' Financial Times'Edwards has managed, brilliantly, to combine a Golden Age setting with a pace that is bang up-to-date. A great sense of the era observed through a cut-throat-sharp eye, every page dripping with brilliant period authenticity' Peter James'A ripping tale of retribution and rough justice, set against a finely realised 1930s London. It reads as if Ruth Rendell were channelling Edgar Wallace' Mick Herron'Liberally spiced with mystery, suspense and action... A thoroughly gripping read' Peter Robinson'The brilliant Savernake is a fascinatingly enigmatic character' Washington PostReaders love Gallows Court!'A clever, twisting, ingenious plot''Kept me reading long into the night. More Jacob Flint and more Rachel Savernake please''Beautifully redolent of the golden age of crime but bang up-to-date with its themes and with fresh characters''I absolutely modestly raise my cloche hat to the ingenuity of Gallows Court. I was totally immersed''A superb fusion of golden age crime and dark, psychological thriller'
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