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The Cabinets of Barnaby Mayne: A Mystery Kindle Edition
One of Publishers Weekly’s Top Ten Fall Mysteries
One of Christian Science Monitor’s Ten Best Books of the Month
London, 1703. In a time when the old approaches to science coexist with the new, one elite community attempts to understand the world by collecting its wonders. Sir Barnaby Mayne, the most formidable of these collectors, has devoted his life to filling his cabinets. While the curious-minded vie for invitations to study the rare stones, bones, books, and artifacts he has amassed, some visitors come with a darker purpose.
For Cecily Kay, it is a passion for plants that brings her to the Mayne house. The only puzzle she expects to encounter is how to locate the specimens she needs within Sir Barnaby’s crowded cabinets. But when her host is stabbed to death, Cecily finds the confession of the supposed killer unconvincing. She pays attention to details—years of practice have taught her that the smallest particulars can distinguish a harmless herb from a deadly one—and in the case of Sir Barnaby’s murder, there are too many inconsistencies for her to ignore.
To discover the truth, Cecily must enter the world of the collectors, a realm where intellect is distorted by obsession and greed. As her pursuit of answers brings her closer to a killer, she risks being given a final resting place amid the bones that wait, silent and still, in the cabinets of Barnaby Mayne.
“A must-read series debut for fans of Tasha Alexander’s and Deanna Raybourn’s historical whodunits.” —Booklist
“Hart is bound to become a household name for readers who love clever and fair whodunits.” —Publishers Weekly (starred review)
“Engrossing characters and lush setting, enshrouded within a murder mystery brimming with compelling curiosities, make this a stunning read.” —Historical Novels Society
Minneapolis Star Tribune’s Summer Reading List * One of The Washington Post’s Five New Thrillers & Mysteries for the Beach * One of Amazon’s Best of the Month * One of LitHub’s Five Books You May Have Missed This Month
- LanguageEnglish
- PublisherMinotaur Books
- Publication dateAugust 4, 2020
- File size3.5 MB
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Editorial Reviews
Review
"Ms. Hart, the author of a trio of novels involving an exiled librarian in 18th-century China, proves adept at depicting this “realm of the collectors . . . a shadowy place full of illusions,” tainted by greed and fraud and now homicide. She puts her cast of obsessives and dilettantes in the context of a larger England where Queen Anne is on the throne and “there were enough new laws, new wars, and new books to sustain any argument.” ― The Wall Street Journal
“The author of three mysteries set in 18th-century China brings her talented raconteur’s voice to 1703 London.” ― The Washington Post, Five New Thrillers & Mysteries That Are Perfect for the Beach
“[A] delightful whodunit.” ― Christian Science Monitor, One of the ten best books of the month
“[Hart] should win over readers who like to mix their cozies with their quirkies.” ― LitHub, Five Books You May Have Missed This Month
“This is a note-perfect whodunit . . . High society and the secret societies within make a terrific backdrop for a story that often hinges on the ways women are presumed unimportant, thus allowing them to explore and find evidence while going undetected.” ―BookPage
“Hart is bound to become a household name for readers who love clever and fair whodunits.” ― Publishers Weekly (starred review)
“Highly recommended for historical fiction readers looking for a peek into a fascinating closed society. It is an equally solid choice for historical mystery readers who want to see women with intelligence and agency navigate a time and place not meant for them, but where they thrive nonetheless which solving a delightfully twisty murder.” ― Library Journal (starred review)
“Hart’s juicy character portraits and graceful prose make for a delightful period whodunit.” ― Kirkus Reviews
“A must-read series debut for fans of Tasha Alexander’s and Deanna Raybourn’s historical whodunits.” ― Booklist
“This gripping series opener set in the fascinating cutthroat world of obsessive collectors features a talented woman searching for a purpose in life other than marriage.” ―Stop, You’re Killing Me!
“Elsa Hart’s novels are not just on my must-read list but my must-buy list, as her historical mysteries always keep me hooked from engaging start to satisfying finish. Engrossing characters and lush setting, enshrouded within a murder mystery brimming with compelling curiosities, make this a stunning read. Highly recommended.” ― Historical Novels Society
“A delightfully enigmatic murder in an interesting setting.” ― The Daily Nerd
“The mystery itself was well-done. We had several clues and a few suspects. There are some moments of danger for the women and a twist that I rather enjoyed. This London is dark and dreary and dangerous, but it’s also a small town.” ― Carol’s Notebook
“I adored it . . . Hart utilized every part of the time period and drew out the creepiness of objects within Sir Barnaby’s collection to create an additional character. One that crept right out of the pages as both formidable and perilous.” ― Novel Lives
About the Author
Elsa Hart is the author of several acclaimed mystery novels set in eighteenth-century China, including City of Ink, one of Publishers Weekly’s Best Books of 2018.
She was born in Rome, but her earliest memories are of Moscow, where her family lived until 1991. Since then she has lived in the Czech Republic, the U.S.A., and China. She earned a B.A. from Swarthmore College and a J.D. from Washington University in St. Louis School of Law.
Product details
- ASIN : B0818PJ8VN
- Publisher : Minotaur Books (August 4, 2020)
- Publication date : August 4, 2020
- Language : English
- File size : 3.5 MB
- Text-to-Speech : Enabled
- Screen Reader : Supported
- Enhanced typesetting : Enabled
- X-Ray : Enabled
- Word Wise : Enabled
- Print length : 347 pages
- Best Sellers Rank: #465,241 in Kindle Store (See Top 100 in Kindle Store)
- #1,352 in Historical Thrillers (Kindle Store)
- #3,746 in Historical Mysteries (Kindle Store)
- #5,365 in Historical Thrillers (Books)
- Customer Reviews:
About the author
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Elsa Hart is the author of three acclaimed mystery novels set in eighteenth-century China. The most recent, City of Ink, was one of Publishers Weekly’s Best Books of 2018. The daughter of a journalist, Elsa was born in Rome and spent much of her childhood abroad, attending international schools in Moscow and Prague. She is drawn to stories about travelers throughout history, and likes to put her own characters in places that are unfamiliar to them.
Customer reviews
Customer Reviews, including Product Star Ratings help customers to learn more about the product and decide whether it is the right product for them.
To calculate the overall star rating and percentage breakdown by star, we don’t use a simple average. Instead, our system considers things like how recent a review is and if the reviewer bought the item on Amazon. It also analyzed reviews to verify trustworthiness.
Learn more how customers reviews work on AmazonCustomers say
Customers enjoyed the book's plot twists and descriptions. They found the writing quality beautiful, with vivid details and poetic descriptions. The characters were described as well-developed, strong, and smart. The setting was also praised for its interesting portrayal.
AI-generated from the text of customer reviews
Customers enjoy the plot twists in the book. They find it an enjoyable mystery read with a well-plotted story that leaves them wanting more.
"...The story develops quickly, expanding into several plot lines that offer glimpses into possible solutions, but it always returns to the scene of..." Read more
"...But, I would not tell others that it was a a great book - a good one for someone who liked that period and a good mystery - but not one that made me..." Read more
"...world march two enchanting female detectives navigating a fascinating mystery...." Read more
"...This is an interesting and well plotted mystery. I loved learning about these collectors and their cabinets...." Read more
Customers enjoy the book's writing quality. They find the descriptions vivid, poetic, and pleasantly readable. The book brings the place, time, and people to life, making the story and characters seem real and intriguing. The resolution is satisfying.
"...the plot twists are rational, and the story has plausible, satisfying resolution...." Read more
"...Jade Dragon Mountain" and the following two books were so beautifully written that I was stunned at how much they pulled me into the world of 17th..." Read more
"...with her marvelous Li Du novels, Hart lavishes this new work with vivid details, powerfully evoking a bygone age, bygone customs, bygone virtues and..." Read more
"I well written lovely cozy mystery whose fun characters just seem to wind their way into your heart...." Read more
Customers find the characters well-developed and interesting. They say the female protagonists are sharp and smart, and the plot twists are logical.
"...The characters are well-developed and interesting, the plot twists are rational, and the story has plausible, satisfying resolution...." Read more
"...Cecily is a strong character (Although perhaps a bit too strong for 1703) and her friend Meacan is also a great character and sidekick...." Read more
"I well written lovely cozy mystery whose fun characters just seem to wind their way into your heart...." Read more
"...It picked up once there was a dead body. The female protagonists are sharp and smart and the setting is well-grounded in historical fact...." Read more
Customers enjoy the setting. They appreciate the descriptions of people, settings, and even mundane objects.
"...interesting but it was the beautiful, poetic descriptions of people, settings, and even mundane objects...." Read more
"Not horrible The setting is interesting good job of painting pictures of Collectors at that time characters not very engaging for me" Read more
"Good setting, boring plot, bland characters..." Read more
Reviews with images
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Read this if you like Sherlock Holmes or the game Clue
Top reviews from the United States
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- Reviewed in the United States on June 24, 2024With The Cabinets of Barnaby Mayne, Elsa Hart takes us to London at the start of the 1700s and into the world of private collectors: wealthy men who collected curiosities from around the world and displayed them in their private homes. The collections serve as bragging rights, and bones of contention - literally, between the new elite of the rising merchant class.
Hart's mystery entails a murder with a confessed murderer, suspects with good motives and weak alibis, a couple of suspects with no motives and weak alibis, and many, many problems with the accepted account of how the murder happened. The protagonist is an unusually independent woman who finds another equally independent woman as an ally, and together they face unknown enemies or uncooperative witnesses.
Hart manages to take this small niche of history and the people who inhabit it, and wrap into it a much larger story of geopolitics and grand egos.
Hart's writing gives the reader enough detail to envision a foreign time and place without bogging down in the trivial. The story develops quickly, expanding into several plot lines that offer glimpses into possible solutions, but it always returns to the scene of the crime. The characters are well-developed and interesting, the plot twists are rational, and the story has plausible, satisfying resolution.
Perhaps the highest compliment: after finishing The Cabinets of Barnaby Mayne I wished that Elsa Hart had written a follow-up story as did with the Li Du novels.
- Reviewed in the United States on October 23, 2020I was really looking forward to this book after Ms. Hart's first three books about Li Du, the former librarian of the Chinese Emperor. "Jade Dragon Mountain" and the following two books were so beautifully written that I was stunned at how much they pulled me into the world of 17th century China and especially to the intriguing "detective", his life and the atmosphere of his world! The story is very interesting but it was the beautiful, poetic descriptions of people, settings, and even mundane objects. This made the story and people so real, complex and intriguing that I couldn't wait to continue reading. I have since read all three twice more very slowly, savoring each new scene, object and person, as if I was right there!! I even corresponded through emails with Ms. Hart (something I have never done before!) and was pleased and even excited by her responses.
So, I could hardly wait for this book to come out. But, as I read I found something was missing. The story is indeed interesting - a satisfying mystery with twists and turns and good finale. But, the beautiful descriptions that so drew me in to Li Du's world were just not there. The magic I had experienced was missing for me!
Now, the setting is quite different - 17th century London - and that may have something to do with it. I am not drawn as much to dirty, old London as to China, even with it's court intrigues and treatment of lower classes, etc. And the world of the obsessed "collector" is less interesting to me. But, even with that, I just did not find myself stopping to savor some beautifully crafted description, as in the earlier books. Maybe this was part of the writer's decision related to the setting and characters involved?
If I had not read the three earlier books, I would likely have thought this book was a good mystery that brought to life the place, time and people fairly well as it moved toward its climax. But, I would not tell others that it was a a great book - a good one for someone who liked that period and a good mystery - but not one that made me want to read it again! I hope her future books will be more like her earlier ones.
- Reviewed in the United States on March 18, 2023Not horrible
The setting is interesting good job of painting pictures of Collectors at that time
characters not very engaging for me
- Reviewed in the United States on August 12, 2020As with her marvelous Li Du novels, Hart lavishes this new work with vivid details, powerfully evoking a bygone age, bygone customs, bygone virtues and vices. Through this rich, textured world march two enchanting female detectives navigating a fascinating mystery. The author reveals details of the crime and its perpetrator in tantalizingly piecemeal fashion, leaving for the end a marvelous twist. There’s a Russian touch to the mystery, a kind of nesting-doll conceit that works wonders in this story. Really a pleasure to read.
- Reviewed in the United States on August 20, 2020I so enjoyed this book! Set in 1703, the story centers around Lady Cecily Kay, recently returned to England from Smyrna, where her husband is an ambassador. She’s actually been sent home by her husband for being too independent and intelligent, not qualities valued in a woman in the early 1700s. Upon her arrival, her first stop us at the home of a famous collector, Sir Barnaby Mayne. She has been invited to tour his collection and also hopes to identify plant samples that she has brought home with her. Before the day is out, though, Sir Barnaby is dead.
This is an interesting and well plotted mystery. I loved learning about these collectors and their cabinets. Cecily is a strong character (Although perhaps a bit too strong for 1703) and her friend Meacan is also a great character and sidekick. I’m looking forward to reading the next in the series. I hope I don’t have to wait too long!
- Reviewed in the United States on March 21, 2022I well written lovely cozy mystery whose fun characters just seem to wind their way into your heart.
I can't wait for another one in this delightful mystery series from a writer who knows how to give her readers a good time.
Top reviews from other countries
- D.A. CairnsReviewed in Australia on August 16, 2023
3.0 out of 5 stars A well crafted mystery
It's been a while since I read a mystery, and I don't know why this one had been on my to read list for so long. In fact, I don't know how it got on the list. It promised to be intriguing and it certainly features a multi layered plot with a fine assortment of back stories accompanying a diverse and interesting cast of characters-suspects, most of them, in a murder.
I would have liked The Cabinets of Barnaby Mayne more if the protagonist was more engaging. I did not find Lady Kay especially appealing. The narrative also lacked enough genuine suspense. There were moments when I was locked in with concern and anticipation, but not many of them.
Extremely well researched and well written, The Cabinets of Barnaby Mayne is a good read, but did not have enough firepower for me.
- Amazon CustomerReviewed in Canada on August 11, 2021
3.0 out of 5 stars Good but shallow
I agree with the reviewer TJ Toth. It was good but a little shallow after her other series.