SECRETS OF A SCOTTISH ISLE — March 2024
The latest installment in the new Jane Wunderly Mystery series featuring an American widow turned private investigator in 1920s Europe.
Isle of Iona, 1927: Cast away on a remote locale, Jane’s latest assignment depends on concealing her identity and blending in at an occult gathering. Not even her fiancé, Redvers, can be too close as she uncovers the truth about Robert Nightingale, enigmatic leader of the Order of the Golden Dawn—a group made up of supernatural ceremonies, influential people, and an undefinable darkness. When a woman tries to escape to the mainland only to be found murdered in the moors, the shocking scene reveals it’s easier to join the Golden Dawn than it is to leave.
Jane, set on solving the crime and catching the next ferry with Redvers, realizes she may be among the few still grasping reality. One high-ranking member searches for the killer by attempting to access otherworldly planes of existence, while others become immersed in a strange solstice ritual. Then there’s Nightingale and the rivals who discarded him to start a new temple. As a second death brings fresh clues into focus, Jane needs to navigate a frightening dilemma—playing along won’t help her crack the mystery, but revealing too much could be a fatal mistake . . .
MURDER UNDER THE MISTLETOE — September 2023 — (Novella, currently e-version only)
Recently engaged Jane Wunderly is celebrating Christmas with her fiancé at his ancestral home at the quaint English market town of Barnard Castle—where murder is the new family tradition . . .
Northern England, 1926: Surprised by her eager acceptance of Redvers’ proposal, Jane is ready to spend the festive season deciphering the mysterious man she agreed to marry, while surviving scrutiny from the icy Dibble clan at their snow-dusted manor. But all attention shifts to the announcement of upcoming nuptials between the humorless Evelyn Hesse and the man who will become Jane’s father-in-law.
One fact is clear—Evelyn shouldn’t be trusted. Not as rumors swirl about the deaths of her other husbands. Not after a man is murdered at a party before Christmas Day. With one wedding approaching and their own in peril, Jane and Redvers must dash to unravel dark secrets that could ruin their first holiday together . . . or cost another person their life.
INTRIGUE IN ISTANBUL — March 2023
When vibrant American widow Jane Wunderly arrives in 1920s Turkey in search of her father, she finds a country redefining itself after the fall of the Ottoman Empire—and a deadly criminal who can't escape the past . . .
Istanbul, 1926: After her archeologist father makes a clandestine journey abroad, Jane and the dapper Mr. Redvers trace his footsteps while signs of danger loom back home in the United States. They're greeted at their destination by Aunt Millie and unsettling news: Professor Wunderly was on a mission to locate the lost heart of Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent—a legendary relic from the Ottoman Empire said to possess potent mystical powers—then vanished completely, leaving behind his unpacked luggage, a perplexing riddle, and an eerie mystery Jane must solve to keep her loved ones safe.
What starts off as a clear-cut investigation becomes an intercontinental game of cat and mouse as Jane realizes a gang of nameless figures have been stalking her every move from Turkey to Hungary. And it seems even helpful friends can't be trusted for long when a man is stabbed to death on the Orient Express to Budapest. With Redvers by her side and few clues to rely on, Jane's desperate search for her father leads to centuries-old secrets and an unidentified enemy who could make her disappear like the missing Sultan's heart . . .
DANGER ON THE ATLANTIC… March 29, 2022
For young American widow Jane Wunderly, there are worse fates than adventuring aboard a transatlantic liner with the only man who could change her mind about romance. Unfortunately, her first-class itinerary has an unexpected—and deadly—addition waiting just below deck . . .
Atlantic Ocean, 1926: Voyaging from Southampton to New York, self-reliant Jane is determined to prove herself a worthy investigator on the stately ship—even awkwardly going undercover as the fashionable wife of her magnetic partner, Mr. Redvers. Few details are known about the rumored German spy the duo have been tasked with identifying among fellow passengers, but new troubles unfold once wealthy newlywed Vanessa FitzSimmons announces the sudden disappearance of her husband at sea . . .
Miles Van de Meter, the man Vanessa rushed to marry in Monte Carlo, has allegedly vanished into thin air along with his luggage. Redvers guesses the shifty heiress may be weaving tall tales for fun between flutes of champagne, yet Jane isn’t convinced—not after the stunning murder of a trusted acquaintance sends them into uncharted waters. Facing two dangerous mysteries and a boat load of suspects, Jane must navigate a claustrophobic quest for answers before the culprits can slip from her grasp on land . . . or, worse, ensure she and Redvers never reach their destination.
MURDER AT WEDGEFIELD MANOR, March 30, 2021
From Publisher’s Weekly: “Country house intrigue and an unconventional chase reap rewards. Readers will look forward to further cases of the intrepid Jane and the mysterious Mr. Redvers.”
Kirkus Reviews calls it an “Agatha Christie homage” and “a retro whodunit with a comfy cast and a nifty solution.”
In the wake of World War I, Jane Wunderly—a thoroughly modern young American widow—is traveling abroad, enjoying the hospitality of an English lord and a perfectly proper manor house, until murder makes an unwelcome appearance . . .
England, 1926: Wedgefield Manor, deep in the tranquil Essex countryside, provides a welcome rest stop for Jane and her matchmaking Aunt Millie before their return to America. While Millie spends time with her long-lost daughter, Lillian, and their host, Lord Hughes, Jane fills the hours devouring mystery novels and taking flying lessons—much to Millie’s disapproval. But any danger in the air is eclipsed by tragedy on the ground when one of the estate’s mechanics, Air Force veteran Simon Marshall, is killed in a motorcar collision.
The sliced brake cables prove this was no accident, yet was the intended victim someone other than Simon? The house is full of suspects—visiting relations, secretive servants, strangers prowling the grounds at night—and also full of targets. The enigmatic Mr. Redvers, who helped Jane solve a murder in Egypt, arrives on the scene to once more offer his assistance. It seems that everyone at Wedgefield wants Jane to help protect the Hughes family. But while she searches for answers, is she overlooking a killer hiding in plain sight?
MURDER AT THE MENA HOUSE…March 31, 2020
Early Praise for MURDER AT THE MENA HOUSE:
“With deft characterizations, an engaging plot, and the most compelling heroine I’ve found since Amelia Peabody, Erica Ruth Neubauer’s Murder at Mena House is the best book you’ll read this year. I can’t wait for the next installment of this phenomenal series.”
—Tasha Alexander, author of In the Shadow of Vesuvius
"What a refreshing surprise to be back on the Nile in this confident and accomplished debut. Neubauer pays proper homage to the Golden Age, but her crisp style and witty heroine ensure that MURDER AT THE MENA HOUSE zips along in a thoroughly modern manner. I hope plucky Jane Wunderly has a long sleuthing future ahead; I, for one, am already looking forward to her next adventure." Catriona McPherson, Award-Winning author of the Dandy Gilver series
"MURDER AT THE MENA HOUSE is impossible to put down. A pitch perfect mystery, with an exotic locale, and an unforgettable main character I hope to encounter again in future books. Erica Ruth Neubauer has created one of the most impressive debut novels I’ve read." Alex Grecian, New York Times Bestselling author of The Saints of Wolves and Butchers.
“A thrilling new series!”
—Victoria Thompson, national bestselling author of Murder on Union Square
“It’s no small feat to bring 1920s colonial Egypt to life, but MURDER AT THE MENA HOUSE does far more than that. It’s an elegant mystery—written with wit, style, and heart—and Jane Wunderly is an unforgettable sleuth. Erica Neubauer’s debut is an absolute delight.”
—Hilary Davidson, Anthony Award–winning author of Don’t Look Down
“An exotic trip back in time to 1920s Egypt, with a cast of winning characters right out of the Golden Age of crime fiction. Murder at the Mena House is a charming adventure cum murder mystery set in a luxury hotel at the foot of the great pyramids. Gigolos, card sharps, smugglers, rich aunts, and one achingly handsome romantic interest surround our plucky, irresistible, complex heroine, the young widow Mrs. Jane Wunderly. An auspicious start to what promises to be an exciting and compelling series.”
—James W. Ziskin, Anthony and Macavity Award-winning author of the Ellie Stone mysteries
Well-heeled travelers from around the world flock to the Mena House Hotel—an exotic gem in the heart of Cairo where cocktails flow, adventure dispels the aftershocks of World War I, and deadly dangers wait in the shadows . . .
Egypt, 1926. Fiercely independent American Jane Wunderly has made up her mind: she won’t be swept off her feet on a trip abroad. Despite her Aunt Millie’s best efforts at meddling with her love life, the young widow would rather gaze at the Great Pyramids of Giza than into the eyes of a dashing stranger. Yet Jane’s plans to remain cool and indifferent become ancient history in the company of Mr. Redvers, a roguish banker she can’t quite figure out . . .
While the Mena House has its share of charming guests, Anna Stainton isn’t one of them. The beautiful socialite makes it clear that she won’t share the spotlight with anyone—especially Jane. But Jane soon becomes the center of attention when she’s the one standing over her unintentional rival’s dead body.
Now, with her innocence at stake in a foreign country, Jane must determine who can be trusted, and who had motive to commit a brutal murder. Between Aunt Millie’s unusual new acquaintances, a smarmy playboy with an off-putting smile, and the enigmatic Mr. Redvers, someone has too many secrets. Can Jane excavate the horrible truth before her future falls to ruin in Cairo . . . and the body count rises like the desert heat?