Silent in the Grave

“A riveting drama that makes page turning obligatory. A very fine debut effort from Deanna Raybourn.” 
—Bookreporter.com

“This debut novel has one of the most clever endings I’ve seen.” 
—Karen Harper, New York Times bestselling author of Hurricane

“Deceptively civilized and proper, Silent in the Grave has undercurrents of nefarious deeds, secrets and, my favorite, poisons. An excellent debut novel.” 
—Maria V. Snyder, author of Poison Study

“There are some lovely twists in the plot and a most satisfactory surprise ending. I hope to read more from Deanna Raybourn in time to come.” 
—Valerie Anand, author of The Siren Queen, written under the name Fiona Buckley

“I received an advanced copy of Silent in the Grave by Deanna Raybourn and immediately was sucked into the story.  It is set in 1886 London.  The main protagonist is Lady Julia Grey whose husband dies in the first chapter.  She thinks it is natural because all the men in her husband's family die young of heart disease.  Later she is convinced it is murder and decides she must find out who killed him.  She works with a mysterious "detective" named Nicholas Brisbane.  This is a well-written book with bits of sly humor slipped in.  I did figure out the murderer very early (which I don’t usually do) but it was still a fun book.  It's fairly obvious the author means this to be the first in a series.”
—Dorothy L

“Ms. Raybourn's historical fiction Silent in the Grave is utterly divine! From remarkably appealing characters to a richly woven mystery, this lushly executed debut novel—the first in the Lady Julia Grey series—is incredibly refreshing and beautifully constructed.”
—RomanceReaderatHeart.com

“Fans of British historical thrillers will welcome Raybourn's perfectly executed debut. In 1886, Lady Julia Grey's husband, Edward, dies suddenly of the heart disease that plagues his family, including his reclusive cousin, Simon, who resides with the couple in their large London townhouse. Just as she learns to cope with the contradictions of monied widowhood, Julia is visited by taciturn private detective Nicholas Brisbane, who reveals that Edward had hired him to find the source of some threatening letters. Analysis confirms Brisbane's suspicions of murder, leading him and Julia on a testily collaborative search for the culprit. Julia probes servants, Simon and a variety of peers, discovering disturbing truths about a husband she never truly knew and a world of deception, disease and sexual obsession she could never have imagined. Deft historical detailing, sparkling first-person narration and the fledgling love between Julia and the often surprising Brisbane balance otherwise dark themes. None of the book's components is new, but Raybourn updates and deepens them so intelligently that they feel freshly minted and free of cliché.”
—Publishers Weekly, starred review
Available in Hardcover – January 2007 • 978-0-7783-2410-2 • 0-7783-2410-9 • $21.95 U.S. / $26.95 CAN.
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