When mystery and history go hand in hand

Fiction isn’t bound by the same slavish devotion to historical accuracies that non-fiction is and when it comes to creating intriguing mystery stories, many authors have cast their fictional tales on the canvas of real-life characters and events. Here are a few examples of historical mystery tales.

Death by Disputation (A Francis Bacon Mystery) by Anna Castle

Set in the 17th century, this spy tale features a fictionalized version of English philosopher and statesman Francis. It is set around Cambridge University and Bacon dispatches spies to investigate a group of radical puritans at the college. Things take a mysterious turn when an undercover operative is found dead. One of the spies Tom begins to investigate his chief suspect and another well-known figure from the era, the writer Christopher Marlowe. It’ a far-fetched tale but one which will keep the reader guessing as Tom tries to focus his energies on finding the killer.

The Old Man in the Corner: The Teahouse Detective by Emma Orczy

Baroness Emma Orczy is perhaps better known for her novel, and subsequent play, The Scarlet Pimpernel, which I set against the backdrop of the French Revolution. Although relatively contemporary at the time of writing, The Old Man In The Corner: The Teahouse Detective has a delightfully old-world feel to it. The old man in question is an amateur sleuth who frequents a teashop in Victorian London and is enlisted by newspaper reporter Polly Burton to help unravel some cases which have proved hard to crack.

The Tudor Heresy: The Tudor Mystery Trials by Sam Burnell

A disgraced Tudor nobleman must guard the future Queen Elizabeth I from plotters in this historical mystery which features murder and a hint of romance. With its roots in real life events, the story is set at a time when the ruthless pursuit of power produced many intriguing plots for historical fiction.

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Books That Have The Very Best Opening Lines Ever

A good opening line in a book can really grab the attention and there are some authors who really understand how to do this well. Here are three books which are contenders for having the very best opening lines of all time.

The Crow - Iain Banks

“It was the day my grandmother exploded”.

It’s hard to imagine what the book might be about based on that opening line, but it’s a tale about a family and its secrets. Spread over several generations, the story slowly reveals long-buried truths through a series of flashbacks and narration.

The Metamorphosis - Franz Kafka

“As Gregor Samsa awoke one morning from uneasy dreams he found himself transformed in his bed into a giant insect.”

Printed in 1915, this is the granddaddy of modern fiction and is a novella that’s been studied in colleges and universities everywhere. As the opening sentence suggests, it follows the fate of the Gregor, a traveling salesman, who inexplicably wakes up to discover he has metamorphosed into a giant, repulsive insect. No further explanation is ever given on how this occurred, and the book follows Gregor as he attempts to adjust.

1984 - George Orwell

“It was a bright, cold day in April and the clocks were striking thirteen.”

One of the most iconic books in history, 1984 has a subtly striking opening line. This sets the tone for the rest of the novel as it describes a dystopian future, with cleverly-written details scattered throughout. Big Brother watches over every tiny interaction, in a totalitarian regime that is harsh and all-encompassing. Let’s hope this isn’t what the future really holds!

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