The Mystery of the Crooked Man

Tom Spencer author

Format:Paperback

Publisher:Pushkin Press

Published:24th Apr '25

Should be back in stock very soon

The Mystery of the Crooked Man cover

When Agatha Dorn, cantankerous archivist and gin aficionada, discovers a lost mystery novel from the Golden Age of detective fiction, her life takes an unexpected turn. But just as she basks in her newfound literary fame, the book is exposed as a hoax. And when her ex-lover turns up dead, with a scrap of the manuscript by her side, Agatha suspects foul play. Cancelled, ostracised and severely ticked off, Agatha turns detective to uncover the sinister truth. But can she stay sober long enough to catch the killer?

"Sometimes you know immediately that a book is going to get under your skin and stay there. I felt that way only a few pages into Spencer’s tart debut"
—Sarah Weinman, New York Times

"Cosy crime fiction does not come much cleverer or more angry than Tom Spencer’s first novel... Neatly plotted [and] funny" -- Literary Review

"Raises a gin to the golden age of classic mysteries. A cosy caper with a waspish sting" -- The Sun

"Christie fans’ll love meeting Agatha Dorn, in a crime yarn as cool, crisp, and heady as the gin cantankerous library archivist Agatha loves" -- Peterborough Telegraph

"Witty and unique" -- Woman's Own

"Written with charm and wit, not to mention a distinctly barbed turn of phrase, it is a delight from first page to last" -- Irish Daily Mail

"A thoroughly enjoyable tribute to crime fiction's golden age" -- Mail on Sunday

"This fast-paced mystery is lightened by an irresistible dry humour" -- Daily Mail

ISBN: 9781805335122

Dimensions: unknown

Weight: unknown

320 pages