About the Book

Book Synopsis

From the author of Death on the Lusitania, The Spies of Hartlake Hall by R L Graham is a gripping and evocative historical crime novel set in the closing stages of WW1.

London, 1917. When a man's body is found deep inside Room 40, a highly secretive organization within the Admiralty, intelligence agent Patrick Gallagher is brought in to investigate. The man has no identification and was discovered in a room locked from the inside with no other apparent exit. Moreover, a highly confidential telegram is found on the body which would be political dynamite if it were to fall into the wrong hands.

Few know about the death and to avoid raising further suspicion, Gallagher invites those involved to his family's home at Hartlake Hall for questioning. But they are not the only guests at the stately hall as members of a shooting party are staying for the weekend. Throughout the course of three days, further bodies pile up as a ruthless killer continues to pull the strings from the shadows. While WW1 rages on in Europe, many of the guests have secrets to hide and Gallagher must move quickly in order to expose a deadly spy among them . . .

Review Quotes

"This outstanding novel is an instant classic" --Daily Mail on Death on the Lusitania

"What's not to love about a fast-paced, richly detailed crime thriller set on the doomed RMS Lusitania? The rich supporting cast, many of whom are suspects, means that this book is unputdownable. A real page turner!" --Ben Kane, the Sunday Times bestselling author on Death on the Lusitania

"An immersive, gripping book, a classic locked room mystery" --Historical Novel Society on Death on the Lusitania

"Set on a doomed ocean liner, this engaging and well researched mystery is perfect for lovers of Agatha Christie and Dorothy L Sayers" --Philip Gray, author of Two Storm Wood, The Times Thriller of the Year on Death on the Lusitania

"Masterfully weaves historical detail with an enthralling locked-room mystery. Impeccably researched, the story is not just a great crime tale, with a compelling central character in Patrick Gallagher, but a haunting imagining of the last hours of the Lusitania" --Chris Lloyd, author of Paris Requiem, the Winner of the HWA Gold Crown for Best Historical Fiction on Death on the Lusitania

About the Author

R. L. Graham is a husband-and-wife team of historians and writers with a broad range of interests in many periods of history, including the belle époque and the tumultuous years leading up to the First World War and the post-war re-ordering of the world.

They are very much drawn to the shadowy world of crime, espionage and political intrigue. They are particularly fascinated by historical mysteries: things which have happened but have no apparent explanation. Originally from Canada, they now live in a small village in Devon. Marilyn Livingstone, one half of R. L. Graham, was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer while this book was being written. She passed away in September 2023.