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This page lists crime novels and short story collections set wholly or partly in Oxford.

The Oxford Murders

Adam Broome

1929

"Was it possible the tragedy in Wellington Square and what followed had its origins in the beliefs and customs of West Africa? Adam Broome assembles a cast of characters across two continents that tests the wits of Chief Inspector Bramley desperate to bring his case to a conclusion before something else awful happens."

An Oxford Tragedy

J.C. Masterman

1933

"Francis Wheatley Winn, Senior Tutor at St Thomas' s College, is ready for a cosy night of dining, port, and pleasant company. Ernst Brendel, Viennese lawyer and crime specialist, has come to Oxford to lecture in Law, and the regular residents of St Thomas's are pleased to have such an interesting guest to liven up their after dinner chat. Talk soon turns to murder, and Winn finds the subject altogether unpalatable, even if his colleagues seem to relish the details of past cases Brendel has worked on. But then real Murder breaks the cosy calm of the evening, shocking the inhabitants out of their frivolous talk. Now Winn must overcome his distaste to work with Brendel in uncovering the perpetrator of this terrible crime."

Hangman's Holiday

Dorothy L. Sayers

1933

A collection of short stories mainly featuring Lord Peter Wimsey or Montague Egg.

" Lord Peter Wimsey solves the mysteries of the man who was blown into the fourth dimension and the murder in fancy dress. He pursues miscreants across several countries and into unexpected hiding places. Dorothy L. Sayers' other detective, Montague Egg, encounters a fugitive murderer and uncovers a killer in an Oxford cloister. The travelling salesman extraordinaire solves puzzles with a unique combination of matter-of-fact practicality and brilliant deduction."

• The Image in the Mirror
• The Incredible Elopement of Lord Peter Wimsey
• The Queen's Square
• The Necklace of Pearls
• The Poisoned Dow '08
• Sleuths on the Scent
• Murder in the Morning
• One Too Many
• Murder at Pentecost
• Maher-Shalal-Hashbaz
• The Man Who Knew How
• The Fountain Plays

Gaudy Night

Dorothy L. Sayers

1935

A Lord Peter Wimsey and Harriet Vane novel.

"Harriet Vane has never dared to return to her old Oxford college. Now, despite her scandalous life, she has been summoned back . . . At first she thinks her worst fears have been fulfilled, as she encounters obscene graffiti, poison pen letters and a disgusting effigy when she arrives at sedate Shrewsbury College for the 'Gaudy' celebrations. But soon, Harriet realises that she is not the only target of this murderous malice - and asks Lord Peter Wimsey to help."

Above Suspicion

Helen MacInnes

1941

"Richard and Frances Myles are preparing for their annual European summer vacation in 1939 when they are visited at their Oxford college by old friend Peter Galt, who has a seemingly simple job for them. Galt asks if they would start their holiday in Paris, meet a man there, and then continue their journey as he directs. But in the heightened atmosphere of pre-war Europe, nobody is above suspicion, in fact the husband and wife are being carefully monitored by shadowy figures. Soon the couple are racing across Europe and must use all their ingenuity to stay one step ahead of the enemy."

The Case of the Gilded Fly

Edmund Crispin

1944

"Yseut Haskell, a pretty but spiteful young actress with a talent for destroying men's lives, is found dead in a college room just metres from the office of unconventional Oxford don and amateur detective, Gervase Fen. The victim is found wearing an unusual ring, a reproduction of a piece in the British Museum featuring a gold gilded fly but does this shed any light on her murder? As they delve deeper into Yseut's unhappy life the police soon realise that anyone who knew her would have shot her, but can Fen discover who could have shot her?"

The Moving Toyshop

Edmund Crispin

1946

"Richard Cadogan, poet and would-be bon vivant, arrives for what he thinks will be a relaxing holiday in the city of dreaming spires. Late one night, however, he discovers the dead body of an elderly woman lying in a toyshop and is coshed on the head. When he comes to, he finds that the toyshop has disappeared and been replaced with a grocery store. The police are understandably skeptical of this tale but Richard's former schoolmate, Gervase Fen (Oxford professor and amateur detective), knows that truth is stranger than fiction (in fiction, at least). Soon the intrepid duo are careening around town in hot pursuit of clues but just when they think they understand what has happened, the disappearing-toyshop mystery takes a sharp turn."

Swan Song

Edmund Crispin

1947

"When an opera company gathers in Oxford for the first post-war production of Wagner's Die Meistersinger its happiness is soon soured by the discovery that the unpleasant Edwin Shorthouse will be singing a leading role. Nearly everyone involved has reason to loathe Shorthouse but who amongst them has the fiendish ingenuity to kill him in his own locked dressing room? In the course of this entertaining adventure, eccentric Oxford don and amateur sleuth Gervase Fen has to unravel two murders, cope with the unpredictability of the artistic temperament, and attempt to encourage the course of true love."

Operation Pax

Michael Innes

1951

A John Appleby novel. Some US editions published as The Paper Thunderbolt.

"On the outskirts of Oxford, a hapless criminal, Alfred Routh, lurks outside the walls of the intriguing Milton Pocorum, considering the likely riches within. But after a knock on the head, Routh comes to within the walls only to find it entirely bizarre and possibly life-threatening. Tame lions, sinister laboratories, and talk of a mysterious ‘director’ have Routh fleeing for his life. Meanwhile, Sir John Appleby is on his way to Oxford – the fiancé of his sister, Jane, is missing. Geoffrey Ourglass is something of an academic marvel at Bede’s College: a war hero and burgeoning scientist, his disappearance has the dons in a state. Rumours of a man on the run buzz around Oxford, enigmatic notes appear, cryptic phone calls roll in, and the spate of disappearances continues… something unsettling is afoot, and Jane suspects it all might be connected to her missing fiancé. In an adventure that tumbles through the stacks of the Bodleian Library to the bowels of the city of Oxford, Appleby and his heartbroken sister must unravel a series of increasingly baffling clues in pursuit of the maniacal madman at the centre of it all."

Beware of the Trains

Edmund Crispin

1953

"These sixteen short stories are classic examples of Fen's crime-solving prowess. A professor of English at Oxford by trade, he is also an eager amateur criminologist and this leads to him becoming involved in a whole host of compelling murder mysteries. His intuition uncovers the most insoluble clues whenever even the best brains in the police force are frankly baffled. These stories also allow you, the reader, to flex your own crime-solving muscles: each one contains all the clues needed to anticipate its outcome, using a delicate combination of logic and common sense... with a bit of ingenuity thrown in!"

The Case of the Four Friends

J.C. Masterman

1957

"Late at night in the Senior Common Room of St Thomas's College, Ernst Brendel is persuaded by his companions to relate a tale of murder, blackmail, and corruption. A wager is made, half a crown to the first person to guess the murderer correctly. But the game is not so simple. The crime involves four friends, each with the potential to be the murderer – or the victim. Brendel employs the art of 'pre-detection', uncovering motive and cause before the crime has even been committed. But does he have enough foresight to prevent the dastardly deed from taking place?"

Colonel Butler's Wolf

Anthony Price

1972

"The Russians are looking for a few good men, and they're doing most of their looking within the British University system. It's a ploy which has served them well in the past, but now there's a difference. As Dr David Audley discovers very quickly, the aim of the Soviets is not simply to recruit, but to lay the groundwork for destruction. From the dim, comfortable reading rooms of Oxford to the bleak moors stretching away from Hadrian's Wall, Audley searches for the Russian wolf in don's clothing. What Audley can't know is that the agent has been forbidden to fail . . . on pain of death."

Last Bus to Woodstock

Colin Dexter

1975

"The death of Sylvia Kaye figured dramatically in Thursday afternoon's edition of the Oxford Mail. By Friday evening, Inspector Morse had informed the nation that the police were looking for a dangerous man - facing charges of wilful murder, sexual assault and rape. But as the obvious leads fade into twilight and darkness, Morse becomes more and more convinced that passion holds the key."

Last Seen Wearing

Colin Dexter

1976

"The statements before Inspector Morse appeared to confirm the bald, simple truth. After leaving home to return to school, teenager Valerie Taylor had completely vanished, and the trail had gone cold. Until two years, three months and two days after Valerie's disappearance, somebody decides to supply some surprising new evidence for the case."

Swing, Swing Together

Peter Lovesey

1976

A Sergeant Cribb novel.

"After Jerome K. Jerome's Victorian bestseller Three Men in a Boat, rowing on the Thames has become a huge craze. But when several student teachers partake in a midnight skinny dip, one of them finds herself a witness to a body being dumped. The suspects: three men in a boat. When Sergeant Cribb and Constable Thackery begin to investigate, no one will take them seriously. However, refusing to give up, they stick to their trail and follow their supicions upstream towards Oxford."

The Silent World of Nicholas Quinn

Colin Dexter

1977

"The newly appointed member of the Oxford Examinations Syndicate was deaf, provincial and gifted. Now he is dead . . . And his murder, in his north Oxford home, proves to be the start of a formidably labyrinthine case for Chief Inspector Morse, as he tries to track down the killer through the insular and bitchy world of the Oxford Colleges."

Sherlock Holmes at Oxford

Nicholas Utechin

1977

A revised edition was published in 1981.

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Service of All the Dead

Colin Dexter

1979

"Chief Inspector Morse was alone among the congregation in suspecting continued unrest in the quiet parish of St Frideswide's. Most people could still remember the churchwarden's murder. A few could still recall the murderer's suicide. Now even the police had closed the case. Until a chance meeting among the tombstones reveals startling new evidence of a conspiracy to deceive."

The Dead of Jericho

Colin Dexter

1981

"Anne Scott's address was scribbled on a crumpled note in the pocket of Morse's smartest suit. He turned the corner of Canal Street, Jericho, on the afternoon of Wednesday, 3rd October. He hadn't planned a second visit. But he was back later the same day - as the officer in charge of a suicide investigation."

The Riddle of the Third Mile

Colin Dexter

1983

"By the 16th of July the Master of Lonsdale was concerned, but not yet worried. Dr Browne-Smith had passed through the porter's lodge at approximately 8.15 a.m. on the morning of Friday, 11th July. And nobody had heard from him since. Plenty of time to disappear, thought Morse. And plenty of time, too, for someone to commit murder."

The Secret of Annexe 3

Colin Dexter

1986

"Chief Inspector Morse seldom allowed himself to be caught up in New Year celebrations. So the murder inquiry in the festive hotel had a certain appeal. It was a crime worthy of the season. The corpse was still in fancy dress. And hardly a single guest at the Haworth had registered under a genuine name."

Lapsing

Jill Paton Walsh

1986

"Dazzled by the glories of Oxford after an austere wartime childhood, the undergraduates of the middle fifties were understandably troubled about the future. Would it always be necessarily evil to possess the Bomb? Would they have to face court martial rather than fight over Suez? If contraception was dreadfully sinful, why then didn't the Church condemn chewing gum? Sad and funny by turns, Lapsing is a novel concerned with these questions, but it is also a beautifully written love story, and the story of Tessa and her painful growing up in the fifties, at Oxford, when she is confronted with the private dilemmas particular to that time, as well as to the more abstract questions. Deeply preoccupied with rightness in theological argument, and with right conduct, and letting their own happiness go by default, Tessa's group of Catholic friends talk about everything and anything, except what was to turn out to be the greatest question facing them and the unworldly young priest who guides them: If you take religion totally seriously, how can you contend with love, in its strangely various and unexpected forms?"

The Wench is Dead

Colin Dexter

1989

"The body of Joanna Franks was found at Duke's Cut on the Oxford Canal at about 5.30 a.m. on Wednesday, 22nd June 1859. At around 10.15 a.m. on a Saturday morning in 1989 the body of Chief Inspector Morse - though very much alive - was removed to Oxford's John Radcliffe Hospital. Treatment for a perforated ulcer was later pronounced successful. As Morse begins his recovery he comes across an account of the investigation and the trial that followed Joanna Franks' death . . . and becomes convinced that the two men hanged for her murder were innocent."

The Jewel That Was Ours

Colin Dexter

1991

"For Oxford, the arrival of twenty-seven American tourists is nothing out of the ordinary . . . until one of their number is found dead in Room 310 at the Randolph Hotel. It looks like a sudden - and tragic - accident. Only Chief Inspector Morse appears not to overlook the simultaneous theft of a jewel-encrusted antique from the victim's handbag . . . Then, two days later, a naked and battered corpse is dragged from the River Cherwell. A coincidence? Maybe. But this time Morse is determined to prove the link."

Dirty Tricks

Michael Dibdin

1991

"Dennis and Karen lead a pleasant life in North Oxford until the day one of their dinner guests seduces Karen in the kitchen, setting in motion a chain of events which will destroy the thin veneer of their respectability and lead to ruthless murder. Dirty Tricks is a brilliant thriller set in contemporary Oxford: a gripping story of sex, ambition and violence with a wickedly humorous twist."

The Cruellest Month

Hazel Holt

1991

A Mrs. Malory novel.

"Widow Sheila Malory has been looking forward to her stay at the Bodleian Library in Oxford as a chance to research wartime women writers and catch up with old friends from her college years, the one “purely happy” time in her whole life. Her relaxing idyll is interrupted when a librarian, Gwen Richmond, is crushed to death beneath collapsed bookshelves. After the accident proves to be murder, Mrs. Malory’s godson Tony, who also works in the library, asks her to help investigate. Gwen was manipulative and unpleasant, so there are no shortage of suspects. The dead woman’s World War II diary reveal dreadful truths that may lead to the killer; they will also force Mrs. Malory to revisit the past in a new and colder light. "

The Way Through the Woods

Colin Dexter

1992

"They called her the Swedish Maiden - the beautiful young tourist who disappeared on a hot summer's day somewhere in North Oxford. Twelve months later the case remained unsolved - pending further developments. On holiday in Lyme Regis, Chief Inspector Morse is startled to read a tantalizing article in The Times about the missing woman. An article which lures him back to Wytham Woods near Oxford . . . and straight into the most extraordinary murder investigation of his career."

Deathspell

Veronica Stallwood

1992

"Hanna Benson is a lucky woman, with her large house on a wooded hill overlooking Oxford, her rich and successful second husband, Malcolm, and their five children. Anyone would envy her. Any outsider. ut when Malcolm begins to lay down the law, Hanna's ten-year-old daughter Tess decides to fight back. She wants her family together again: just her, her little sister, her mother and her real father, Gerard. There is no place in her world for Malcom and his three vicious sons. And it seems that Gerard is only too willing to offer Tess her paradise - he provides her with the perfect way to achieve her aims. Murder."

The Inside Story

Colin Dexter

1993

A specially commissioned Inspector Morse short story only published in paperback. Subsequently included in the Morse's Greatest Mystery and Other Stories collection.

Neighbourhood Watch

Colin Dexter

1993

An Inspector Morse short story published in a number of limited edition formats. Subsequently included in the Morse's Greatest Mystery and Other Stories collection.

Morse's Greatest Mystery and Other Stories

Colin Dexter

1993

"How can the discovery of a short story by a beautiful Oxford graduate lead Chief Inspector Morse to her murderer? What awaits Morse and Lewis in Room 231 of the Randolph Hotel? Why does a theft at Christmas lead the detective to look upon the festive season with uncharacteristic goodwill? And what happens when Morse himself falls victim to a brilliantly executed crime? This dazzling collection of short stories from Inspector Morse's creator, Colin Dexter, includes six ingenious cases for the world's most popular fictional detective - plus five other tantalizingly original tales to delight all lovers of classic crime fiction."

• As Good as Gold
• Morse's Greatest Mystery
• Evans Tries an O-Level
• Dead as a Dodo
• At the Lulu-Bar Motel
• Neighbourhood Watch
• A Case of Mis-Identity
• The Inside Story
• Monty's Revolver
• The Carpet-Bagger
• Last Call

Death and The Oxford Box

Veronica Stallwood

1993

A Kate Ivory novel.

"Dawn on a cold February morning and a mist hangs over Oxford, shrouding spires and domes. Feisty novelist Kate Ivory enjoys her early morning run with the (mainly) women's jogging group. It gets her away from her word processor and she hears all the local gossip on the hoof. This morning, one of the women complains to Kate that her husband has walked out on her, taking with him the valuable antique enamel mourning-boxes given to her by her grandmother who - horrors - is coming to visit. The group plans to nick the boxes back again. How could they guess that their amateurish raid would provide the cover for a more sinister crime?"

The Daughters of Cain

Colin Dexter

1994

"Chief Superintendent Strange's opinion was that too little progress had been made since the discovery of a corpse in a North Oxford flat. The victim had been killed by a single stab wound to the stomach. Yet the police had no weapon, no suspect, no motive. Within days of taking over the case Chief Inspector Morse and Sergeant Lewis uncover startling new information about the life and death of Dr Felix McClure. When another body is discovered Morse suddenly finds himself with rather too many suspects. For once, he can see no solution. But then he receives a letter containing a declaration of love."

Oxford Exit

Veronica Stallwood

1994

A Kate Ivory novel.

"When novelist Kate Ivory is offered a special assignment by her friend at Oxford's famous Bodleian Library, she decides to accept. For the University's libraries have a serious problem: valuable books have been disappearing from their closely guarded collections. And Kate has to find out how. Then she begins to hear stories of an even more alarming disappearance of the year before - that of a young librarian subsequently found murdered. Could there be a connection?"

A Monstrous Regiment of Women

Laurie R. King

1995

A Mary Russell and Sherlock Holmes novel.

"It is 1921 and Mary Russell--Sherlock Holmes's brilliant apprentice, now an Oxford graduate with a degree in theology - is on the verge of acquiring a sizable inheritance. Independent at last, with a passion for divinity and detective work, her most baffling mystery may now involve Holmes and the burgeoning of a deeper affection between herself and the retired detective. Russell's attentions turn to the New Temple of God and its leader, Margery Childe, a charismatic suffragette and a mystic, whose draw on the young theology scholar is irresistible. But when four bluestockings from the Temple turn up dead shortly after changing their wills, could sins of a capital nature be afoot? Holmes and Russell investigate, as their partnership takes a surprising turn."

Oxford Mourning

Veronica Stallwood

1995

A Kate Ivory novel.

"When novelist Kate Ivory first meets Dr Olivia Blacket, an academic at Leicester College, Oxford, the atmosphere is far from amicable. Olivia refuses to show Kate the fascinating material she is researching, even though it concerns the same literary figure that Kate is writing about. Determined to nose out the scandals that could provide her with a bestseller, Kate discovers a darker side to Dr Blacket. What are the strange obsessions that haunt her? What is her relationship with Kate's boyfriend Liam? And most of all, who would want to murder her? When Dr Blacket is murdered, Liam's name heads the list of suspects, but Kate thinks a bizarre 'family' of civilised squatters - four men guarding a blank-faced girl - might have something to hide. Can Kate unravel the truth and prove Liam's innocence?"

Death is Now My Neighbour

Colin Dexter

1996

"The murder of a young woman . . . A cryptic 'seventeenth-century' love poem . . . And a photograph of a mystery grey-haired man . . . More than enough to set Chief Inspector E. Morse on the trail of a killer. And it's a trail that leads him to Lonsdale College, where the contest between Julian Storrs and Dr Denis Cornford for the coveted position of Master is hotting up. But then Morse faces a greater, far more personal crisis."

Oxford Fall

Veronica Stallwood

1996

A Kate Ivory novel.

"Christopher Townsend, Development Officer of Bartlemas College, was reportedly drunk when he plunged from the top of the Tower of Grace. His tragic death does, however, lead to an offer of work for novelist Kate Ivory - finishing Townsend's preparations for the 'Gender and Genre' study fortnight. Kate is doing Bartlemas a favour by taking his place - so why do her new colleagues seem so hostile towards her? And who left the note on one of Christopher's files which reads CURIOSITY KILLED THE CAT? When Kate receives some threatening messages of her own, she begins to wonder if Christopher's death was an accident after all. Perhaps he had stumbled on to something he shouldn't have. And perhaps, by stepping into his shoes, Kate has now put her own life in terrible danger."

An Instance of the Fingerpost

Iain Pears

1997

"Set in Oxford in the 1660s - a time and place of great intellectual, religious, scientific and political ferment - this remarkable novel centres around a young woman, Sarah Blundy, who stands accused of the murder of Robert Grove, a fellow of New College. Four witnesses describe the events surrounding his death: Marco da Cola, a Venetian Catholic intent on claiming credit for the invention of blood transfusion;Jack Prescott, the son of a supposed traitor to the Royalist cause, determined to vindicate his father; John Wallis, chief cryptographer to both Cromwell and Charles II, a mathematician, theologian and master spy; and Anthony Wood, the famous Oxford antiquary. Each one tells their version of what happened but only one reveals the extraordinary truth. Brilliantly written, utterly convincing, gripping from the first page to the last, An Instance of the Fingerpost is a magnificent tour de force."

Oxford Knot

Veronica Stallwood

1998

A Kate Ivory novel.

"Novelist Kate Ivory is used to receiving letters, each week, from her readers. But when she receives a package containing a gold knot-ring, with no explanatory note, she is more than a little bemused. A phone call from her publicist, however, soon banishes any worries to the back of Kate's mind, as she prepares to embark on a bookshop tour to promote her new novel. Joining Kate on the tour is Devlin Hayle, author of a series of romantic bodice-rippers and bearer of the title 'The Man Who Understands A Woman's Heart'. But her companion seems to have a talent for producing mayhem wherever he goes. It soon becomes clear that Devlin has a hidden agenda for the tour, and Kate herself seems to be developing a habit of attracting the wrong sort of people."

Oxford Blue

Veronica Stallwood

1998

A Kate Ivory novel.

"In order to come to terms with the death of a close friend, Kate Ivory has escaped Oxford and found sanctuary in a friend's cottage a few miles away. Here, in the peace of the countryside, she hopes to find inspiration for her next novel. However, shortly after Kate's arrival at the cottage, her gardener, Donna, is found dead in mysterious circumstances and Kate is reluctantly drawn into an investigation. Unconvinced by the official police verdict, she starts to uncover the feuds and illegal goings-on behind the genteel village façades. There is plenty of gossip, and everyone has a theory about Donna's death, but Kate must relinquish her exile and return to Oxford before she can discover the truth."

Farewell to the Flesh

Gemma O'Connor

1998

"A mystery is set in motion by the discovery of an extra coffin when a plot of land containing a small graveyard is sold off. This high-tension psychological crime novel moves between the locations of Dublin and Oxford."

Time to Remember

Gemma O'Connor

1999

"In the early 40s, in war-torn Europe, a boy witnesses the murder of his girlfriend by a young soldier. Forty years later, by chance, he recognizes the soldier and becomes obsessed with destroying him secretly and from afar. That is, until the two men meet face to face in Oxford, one summer morning."

The Remorseful Day

Colin Dexter

1999

"The murder of Yvonne Harrison had left Thames Valley CID baffled. A year after the dreadful crime they are still no nearer to making an arrest. But one man has yet to tackle the case - and it is just the sort of puzzle at which Chief Inspector Morse excels. So why is he adamant that he will not lead the re-investigation, despite the entreaties of Chief Superintendent Strange and dark hints of some new evidence? And why, if he refuses to take on the case officially, does he seem to be carrying out his own private enquiries? For Sergeant Lewis this is yet another example of the unsettling behaviour his chief has been displaying of late."

Oxford Shift

Veronica Stallwood

1999

A Kate Ivory novel.

"Joyce Fielding walked out one afternoon into the streets of Oxford and just disappeared. And now, Kate Ivory has been hired to find her. Joyce is a respectable widow in her sixties and there is nothing at first glance to explain her disappearance, so Kate consults her own mother, the irrepressible Roz, to help solve the puzzle. It isn't long before Kate, following Joyce's trail, discovers a dead body. The police may think that Joyce is a murderer and Kate an interfering amateur, but Kate realises that Joyce has unwittingly walked into danger, and that the hunt for the missing grandmother is a race against time."

The Rainbow Sign

Veronica Stallwood

1999

"In an idyllic mountain spot in the Levant, Beatrice Markland witnessed something terrible. She was told to forget what she'd seen and she did; she blocked it out of her memory for good. But over 30 years later, Beatrice - now living in Oxford, married with a daughter - is starting to remember."

Oxford Shadows

Veronica Stallwood

2000

A Kate Ivory novel.

"Oxfordshire appeared to be a haven of safety for many children sent away from the bombs falling on London in 1944, but for 10-year-old Chris Barnes, the result was death. Over 50 years later, novelist Kate Ivory, searching for material for her latest historical romance, uncovers Chris's tragic tale. Amongst piles of old papers in the attic of the house she shares with her partner, George, she finds the child's diary and a haunting photograph of a face she cannot forget. Kate determines to uncover the mystery surrounding Chris's death, but George's family appears to be implicated - and Kate is faced with an impossible choice."

Oxford Double

Veronica Stallwood

2001

A Kate Ivory novel.

"Writer Kate Ivory has new neighbours on either side of her terraced house. On one side lives Jeremy Wells, a diffident, charming Oxford academic. On the other live Laura and Edward Foster who are intent on enjoying every moment of their retirement. None of them seems likely to become embroiled in serious crime, nor to be its victim. But within a few weeks, Kate is answering questions by the police about a brutal murder on her own doorstep."

The Problem of the Surly Servant

Roberta Rogow

2001

"It is May 1886 and all is not well at Christ Church, Oxford. The curator of Christ Church, the Reverend Mr. Charles Lutwidge Dodgson (better known as the author Lewis Carroll), is expecting a visit from Dr. Arthur Conan Doyle - an acquaintance and would-be writer - and his wife when he learns of a series of troubling events. The wine cellar seems to have mysteriously become depleted, while some of the students and faculty have begun complaining that many small personal items - items of value - have begun disappearing from their rooms. Over at Lady Margaret Hall, one of the female students finds herself the subject of blackmail, with a photo taken of her as a child by Mr. Dodgson the object. And Lord Nevil Farlow, pressed by gambling debts and in financial difficulty, finds himself contemplating a desperate maneuver to come about. In the midst of all of this is Ingram, an insolent scout, whom Dodgson believes has been going through his things in his room and fires after a public disagreement witnessed by half the college. So that evening, when Dr. Dodgson discovers the murdered body of Ingram on the grounds, the only suspect for miles around is Dodgson himself. Now it is up to Doyle, with Dodgson's help, to find out how these various disturbances are related and uncover the truth about Ingram's murder."

Oxford Proof

Veronica Stallwood

2002

A Kate Ivory novel.

"Writer Kate Ivory can't believe her luck when she's head-hunted by a successful Oxford publishing house. But it seems her good fortune is to be short-lived. Her new young editor, Neil Orson, falls victim to fraud and has to fight to clear his name and regain his reputation. And when the criminal responsible is found dead, Neil is the obvious suspect. It's up to Kate to find out who the real murderer is - and not just for Neil's sake!"

Oxford Remains

Veronica Stallwood

2004

A Kate Ivory novel.

"Tensions are running high at Bartlemas College, Oxford. Daisy Tompkins, a bright, attractive student has put in a formal complaint about her tutor, the odd and unpopular Joseph Fechan. Faith Beeton, the Dean of Women Students, is asked to investigate but, for all his oddities, Joseph is a friend of hers, so she turns to her friend, novelist Kate Ivory, for an impartial opinion. Kate, who is busy trying to put the recent traumatic events in Agatha Street behind her and settle into her new home, is reluctant to become involved in yet another battle in the political war raging at Bartlemas. But then Daisy is murdered. Although Fechan is the obvious suspect, Faith still believes he is innocent and, once again, Kate is drawn unwillingly into the search for the truth."

Oxford Letters

Veronica Stallwood

2005

A Kate Ivory novel.

"When Kate Ivory returns from holiday, a phone call from a concerned friend gives her some rather alarming news. Apparently Kate's normally vibrant and energetic mother Roz is a shadow of her former self, and looks very ill indeed. When Kate visits her mother, Roz sends her away, insisting that her new friends, the Freemans, are taking care of her. Although the couple seems kind-hearted, something about them disturbs Kate. Are they more interested in her mother's new-found wealth than in her health? Kate decides to look into the Freemans' background. In an investigation that takes her right across the country, she uncovers a trail of deception and soon realises that her mother may not be the only one in danger."

The Tainted Relic

The Medieval Murderers

2005

Medieval Murderers: Simon Beaufort, Bernard Knight, Ian Morson, Michael Jecks, Susanna Gregory, Philip Gooden

"July, 1100. Jerusalem lies ransacked. Amidst the chaos, an English knight is entrusted with a valuable religious relic: a fragment of the True Cross, allegedly stained with the blood of Christ. The relic is said to be cursed: anyone who touches it will meet an untimely and gruesome end. Several decades later, the Cross turns up in the possession of a dealer, robbed and murdered en route to Glastonbury. Investigating the death, Bernard Knight's protagonist, Crowner John learns of its dark history. In Oxford in 1269, the discovery of a decapitated monk leads Ian Morson's academic sleuth William Falconer to uncover a link to the relic. In 1323, in Exeter, Michael Jecks' Sir Baldwin has reason to suspect its involvement in at least five violent deaths. Thirty years later, several suspicious deaths occur in Cambridge - and, once again, the tainted relic has a crucial part to play. Finally, it's despatched to London, where Philip Gooden's Nick Revill will determine its ultimate fate."

The Mark of a Murderer

Susanna Gregory

2006

A Matthew Bartholomew novel.

"On St Scholastica's Day in February 1355, Oxford explodes in one of the most serious riots of its turbulent history. Fearing for their lives, the scholars flee the city, and some choose the University at Cambridge as their temporary refuge. However, they don't remain safe for long. Within hours of their arrival, the first of their number dies, followed quickly by a second. When Bartholomew and Brother Michael begin to investigate the deaths, they uncover evidence that the Oxford riot was not a case of random violence, but part of a carefully orchestrated plot. With the Archbishop of Canterbury about to honour Cambridge with a Visitation, and a close colleague accused of a series of murders Bartholomew is certain he didn't commit, the race is on to solve the riddles and bring a ruthless killer to justice."

Oxford Menace

Veronica Stallwood

2007

A Kate Ivory novel.

"When two of Kate Ivory's friends, members of a team working at an Oxford University biotechnology unit, start to receive smoke bombs through the letterbox and discover that slanderous letters about them are being circulated, Kate is intrigued and disturbed. Working where they do, her friends are used to the high security necessary to ward off animal activists. But this time there is a difference: there is nothing random in the choice of victims, and the attacks are growing more sophisticated. The team is in danger of being disbanded and if this happens the important project they are working on will come to an end. Is this just another phase in the war between scientists and the Animal Liberation Front or is there a different - and dangerous - group at work? And if so, do they have an ulterior motive for trying to sabotage the project? Novelist and amateur sleuth Kate is persuaded to find out who is behind the dirty tricks, before her friends' careers, and even their lives, are put at risk."

Trick of the Dark

Val McDermid

2010

"When Charlie Flint is sent a mysterious package of cuttings about a brutal murder, it instantly grabs her attention. The murder occurred in the grounds of her old Oxford college - a groom battered to death just hours after his wedding. As his bride and wedding guests sipped champagne, his alleged killers were slipping his bloodstained body into the river. Charlie doesn't know who sent the package, or why, yet she can't get the crime out of her head. But as she delves deeper, and steps back into the mysterious world of Oxford colleges, she realises that there is much more to this crime than meets the eye."

Oxford Ransom

Veronica Stallwood

2011

A Kate Ivory novel.

"It’s the wedding of Estelle Livingstone, Kate Ivory’s agent, to Peter Hume, second-hand book dealer: a lavish, fashionable affair where the booze flows as freely as the gossip and backbiting, until the elegant proceedings are interrupted by a drunken accusation against one of the wedding party. Kate Ivory is writing her breakthrough novel, and her agent’s support and encouragement are essential. But, just a few weeks after her return from honeymoon, Estelle goes missing. Her husband hides away, refusing to speak to Kate, let alone to the police. Where is Estelle? Has her disappearance something to do with the demented authors who have been stalking her, brandishing unpublishable manuscripts?"

Peter Wimsey Investigates The Late Scholar

Jill Paton Walsh

2013

"A new murder mystery featuring Lord Peter Wimsey - now a Duke - and his wife Harriet Vane, set in an Oxford college in the 1950s. Peter Wimsey is pleased to discover that along with a Dukedom he has inherited the duties of 'visitor' at an Oxford college.When the fellows appeal to him to resolve a dispute, he and Harriet set off happily to spend some time in Oxford. But the dispute turns out to be embittered. The voting is evenly balanced between two passionate parties - evenly balanced, that is, until several of the fellows unexpectedly die.The Warden has a casting vote, but the Warden has disappeared. And the causes of death of the deceased fellows bear an uncanny resemblance to the murder methods in Peter's past cases - methods that Harriet has used in her published novels."

A Cruel Fate

Lindsey Davis

2014

"Martin Watts, a bookseller, is captured by Royalists. Jane Afton's brother Nat is taken too. They suffer inhumane treatment as prisoners-of-war. In Oxford Castle jailor William Smith tortures, beats, starves and deprives his helpless victims. Can Jane rescue her sick brother before he dies of neglect? Will Martin dare to escape? Based on real events in the English Civil War, Lindsey Davis retells the grim tale of Captain Smith's abuse of power in Oxford prison - where many died in misery though a lucky few survived."

Sherlock Holmes: The Thinking Engine

James Lovegrove

2015

"Man vs Machine it is 1895, and Sherlock Holmes is settling back into life as a consulting detective at 221B Baker Street, when he and Watson learn of strange goings-on amidst the dreaming spires of Oxford. A Professor Quantock has built a wondrous computational device, which he claims is capable of analytical thought to rival the cleverest men alive. Naturally Sherlock Holmes cannot ignore this challenge. He and Watson travel to Oxford, where a battle of wits ensues between the great detective and his mechanical counterpart as they compete to see which of them can be first to solve a series of crimes, from a bloody murder to a missing athlete. But as man and machine vie for supremacy, it becomes clear that the Thinking Engine has its own agenda."

Arcadia

Iain Pears

2015

"Three interlocking worlds. Four people looking for answers. April, 1960: In the cellar of a professor's house in Oxford, fifteen-year-old Rosie goes in search of a missing cat - and instead finds herself in a different world. Anterwold is a sun-drenched land of storytellers and prophecies. But is this world real - and what happens if Rosie decides to stay? Meanwhile, a rebellious scientist is trying to prove that time does not even exist - with potentially devastating consequences. As the three worlds come together, one question arises: who controls the future - or the past...?"

Dreaming Spies

Laurie R. King

2015

A Mary Russell and Sherlock Holmes novel.

"1925. Mary Russell and Sherlock Holmes arrive home to find a stone. The stone is inscribed with the same name that they last saw in the Tokyo garden of the future emperor of Japan. It is the first indication that the investigation they did for him a year ago might not be as complete as they had thought.In Japan there were spies; in Oxford there are dreams. In both places, there is a small, dark-haired woman, and danger."

Sherlock Holmes and The Jeweller of Florence

Christopher James

2016

"It is summer 1895 and a lost play by William Shakespeare is discovered. While being authenticated by scholars in Oxford there is a break-in at a college and the three hundred year old quarto is stolen. Holmes is engaged in the most unusual of circumstances and together with the faithful Dr Watson, they are soon on a trail which takes them from the Epsom Derby to Epping Forest and the great city of Florence itself. But this is not the only case brought to 221b Baker Street during this eventful year. Any number of singular problems demand Holmes' attention including the terrifying schemes of an injured army captain, a spate of strychnine poisonings and a dancing bear suspected of murder in the East End. What bearing do these seemingly unrelated adventures have on the search for the lost play? Who is the woman haunting Dr Watson and what is the mysterious Society of Lucius? With stilt walking chases, a swimming race across the River Thames and an explosion at the former site of Shakespeare's Globe, this is set to become Holmes' most dangerous and memorable adventure yet."

The Three Rhodes Not Taken

Craig Stephen Copland

2016

"Oxford University is famous throughout the world for its splendid architecture, lovely manicured lawns and gardens, and passionate pursuit of research, teaching and learning. But it turns out to be at the center of a case involving fraud, theft, treachery, and, maybe, murder. The Rhodes Scholarship has been recently established and is seen at one of the greatest prizes available to young men throughout the Empire. So much so that some men are prepared to lie, steal, slander, and, maybe murder, in the pursuit of it. Sherlock Holmes is called upon to track down a thief who has stolen vital documents pertaining to the winner of the scholarship, but what will he do when the prime suspects is found dead?"

Seventeen Minutes to Baker Street

Daniel D. Victor

2016

"Sherlock Holmes had never met a writer who had ridiculed him as bitterly as Samuel L. Clemens had. For that matter, Holmes had never met a writer who fancied himself a detective. Yet Sam Clemens not only unraveled Holmes' investigation into the murder of the hot-blooded woman on Thor Bridge, but also, while writing as Mark Twain, belittled Holmes' highly-touted detecting skills. In this recently discovered narrative, Doctor Watson sets the record straight. He reveals other crimes related to the original murder while relating what prompted Clemens in a 1902 short story to deride the famous detective. Spurred on by such criticism, as well as by clues discovered in a classic tale by Bret Harte, Sherlock Holmes begins a new investigation, one that leads Holmes and Watson from the gardens of Windsor Castle to the spires of Oxford University in their efforts to track down a deranged assassin bent on wreaking even more havoc."