The Hanging Tree: A Nicole Rayburn Historical Mystery Book 1 (Nicole Rayburn Historical Mysteries)
In 1640, Alys Bailey was accused of witchcraft and sentenced to hang. Today, Alys is said to haunt Lockwood Hall, the Tudor manor house where she died. When Nicole Rayburn travels to Lockwood Hall and begins to research Alys’s story for a new book, she discovers startling irregularities in Alys’s case. Nicole’s suspicions mount as every answer leads to more questions. What really happened to Alys? And what became of her son, who disappeared the day she was hanged? Could it be that Alys’s death was the result of a well-planned conspiracy, or is there another, less obvious answer? And who is trying to sabotage Nicole’s attempts to discover the truth?As Nicole delves deeper into Alys’s life, with the help of a handsome crime writer and a history-obsessed vicar, she comes to realize that things are not quite as they appear, and people will sometimes do the unthinkable to protect their secrets.Perfect for fans of Susanna Kearsley, Barbara Erskine, and Kate Morton
The Devil's Den: A Nicole Rayburn Historical Mystery Book 2 (Nicole Rayburn Historical Mysteries)
In 1540, newly married and pregnant Isobel Devlin vanished from a tiny island in Lancashire, never to be seen again.
In 2020, leaving London for the first time since the pandemic began, Nicole Rayburn and Kyle Walsh head to a guesthouse in the Lake District for a much-needed holiday. Across from the historic manor house, on an island in the middle of a lake, are the ruins of Montrose Abbey, the last known abode of Lady Isobel Devlin. Intrigued, Nicole begins to research Lady Isobel’s disappearance as the subject for a new book and calls on her history-loving friend Reverend Hargreaves for help.
As Nicole unearths long-forgotten truths about the mysterious Lady Devlin, finding many gaping holes in the story of her disappearance, she must fight for her own happiness against a rival whose claim to Kyle’s heart might be stronger than she expected.
The Shadow Bride: A Nicole Rayburn Historical Mystery Book 3 (Nicole Rayburn Historical Mysteries)
In 1782, a ghost ship ran aground in a secluded cove in Cornwall. To this day, no one knows what became of the Aurora’s crew or the shadowy woman rumored to be onboard.
In 2021, when Kyle inherits his aunt’s historic house in Cornwall, all Nicole anticipates is a few idyllic days in a beautiful setting—until she discovers that not only is the house connected to the centuries-old legend of the Aurora and the woman at the center of the mystery, but it also hides its own dark past.
As Kyle and Nicole delve deeper into the unexplained disappearance of the crew, they unearth secrets both old and new, along with truths that could alter the shape of their own family in ways they never expected.
The Lost Tower: A Nicole Rayburn Historical Mystery Book 4 (Nicole Rayburn Historical Mysteries)
When Nicole visits Stiles Castle, the stately home of Lady Caroline Seaton, she doesn’t expect to stumble upon a centuries-old mystery hidden in the noble family’s genealogical tree. Once she finds that some vital details have been removed from the ancestral records, Nicole can’t refuse her friend’s plea to discover the truth and help her save the floundering family business.
Unearthing the origins of Caroline’s elusive Tudor ancestor proves trickier than Nicole anticipated, but the ancient secrets that are revealed are just as incendiary as the decades-old lies that a simple DNA test has exposed within Nicole and Kyle’s own family.
Will this be the case that changes their lives forever?
The Gilded Lily: A Nicole Rayburn Mystery Book 5 (Nicole Rayburn Historical Mysteries)
Every old house has its secrets, so it comes as no surprise when a relic of a noble Victorian family is discovered in the new home of historical author Nicole Rayburn and her husband Kyle. Curious about the lovely young woman in the sepia photograph, Nicole delves into the history of the family and stumbles on a long-forgotten mystery.
Lily Redmond, daughter of Scotland Yard Superintendent Jason Redmond, vanished without a trace in the spring of 1888. Determined to figure out what happened to Lily, Nicole joins forces with renowned historian Quinn Allenby, whose unique psychic ability might also be required to solve a more recent crime that bears striking similarities to Lily’s disappearance.
A Fall from Grace: A Nicole Rayburn Historical Mystery Book 6 (Nicole Rayburn Historical Mysteries)
When Nicole Rayburn adds a historic bookshop to her list of promotional venues, she meets the owner, Deborah Dolan, who’s desperate to discover what happened to her Victorian ancestor. A well-respected playwright, Edgar Hilliard seemingly had it all: professional success, a thriving business, and a loving family, but according to family lore, Edgar walked out one night, never to return, an unfinished manuscript his only legacy to future generations.
Deborah’s obsession with Edgar borders on the unhealthy, but despite her better judgment, Nicole can’t seem to walk away from this new challenge and enlists the help of her friend, Dr. Quinn Allenby to solve the mystery. Nicole and Quinn are determined to discover what happened to Edgar, but their search for answers is hindered by unexpected personal obstacles that threaten to alter the course of their lives forever.