The Chrysanthemum Tiger
- 256 pages
- 9 hours of reading
Alys Clare crafts compelling historical mysteries steeped in the evocative English countryside she knows intimately. Her writing is fueled by a deep appreciation for history and archaeology, meticulously researching both the setting and the spirit of the eras she portrays. Clare excels at weaving intricate narratives that draw readers into the captivating allure of the past.






London, April 1882. Private investigators Lily Raynor and Felix Wilbraham have to journey to France to solve a mystery man's murder at an asylum. But the case takes an unexpected turn when they discover that the accused culprit has escaped. Soon the intrepid investigators are in over their heads with much greater and unexpected powers at play!
Physician-sleuth Dr Gabriel Taverner has to connect the dots between a desperate woman who tried to kill herself, a dead man in a drainage ditch with nutmegs in his mouth and a nightly intruder in this historical mystery. Can Gabriel protect himself and the ones that are close to him or will he perish in a bigger plot that leaves bodies behind?
London, August 1881. Private investigators Lily Raynor and Felix Wilbraham have cause to celebrate: business is thriving. Lily privately wishes for a case that doesn't involve the tangled love affairs of the upper classes - but soon regrets it when two puzzling, seemingly impossible cases arrive: a missing Jewish child, and a horrible murder ...
1604.Gabriel Taverner is surprised to receive an urgent summons from his old naval captain, who believes his ship is haunted by an evil spirit. Dismissive of the crew's talk of blue-skinned ghosts, Gabriel is convinced there must be a rational explanation behind the mass hallucinations. But matters take a disturbing turn when a body is discovered...
October, 1604. When a member of Shakespeare's theatre troupe collapses in Plymouth, after performing a violent supernatural play to a packed audience, physician-sleuth Gabriel Taverner finds himself caught in a waking nightmare. For the dying man has either brought plague with him from London - or something even worse .
July, 1100. After seven years away, Lassair is finally going home. Before she can reunite with her loved ones, however, she has a promise to keep. Old flame - and king's spy - Rollo left her a chest before he died, and it's time to collect it. But to her dismay, Lassair's soon caught up in a web of intrigue and danger she may never escape from .
Girls are going missing from Shardlowes School, and private detective Lily Raynor, owner of the World's End Investigation Bureau, is hired to investigate. Disguised as a nurse, she joins the staff, while her employee, Felix Wilbraham, remains behind. Lily thinks she's safe - but Felix can't shake off his fear that she's in grave danger .
Accounts clerk Ernest Stibbins approaches the World's End investigation bureau claiming his wife Albertina has been warned by her spirit guides that someone is out to harm her. Lily Raynor is initially sceptical, but after attending a séance she realizes Albertina is in terrible danger... but how do you investigate threats from beyond the grave?
October, 1093. At her mentor's urgent request, Lassair is accompanying Gurdyman across the sea to Spain. But why is he insistent on embarking on this difficult and dangerous journey just as winter approaches? And why does he seem so afraid? As the pair reach the remote mountainous regions of northern Spain, Lassair will be tested as never before.