A Bitter Remedy

The Oxford Mysteries, Book 1

By: Alis Hawkins

Narrated by: Ffion Aynsley, Iestyn Arwel

Jesus College, Oxford, 1881. An undergraduate is found dead at his lodgings and the medical examination reveals some shocking findings. When the young man’s guardian blames the college for his death and threatens a scandal, Basil Rice, a Jesus College fellow with a secret to hide, is forced to act and finds himself drawn into Sidney Parker’s sad life.

The mystery soon attracts the attention of Rhiannon ‘Non’ Vaughan, a young Welsh polymath and one of the young women newly admitted to university lectures. But when neither the college principal nor the powerful ladies behind Oxford’s new female halls will allow her to become involved, Non’s fierce intelligence and determination to prove herself drive her on.

Both misfits at the university, Non and Basil form an unlikely partnership, and it soon falls to them to investigate the mysterious circumstances of Parker’s death. But between corporate malfeasance and snake-oil salesmen, they soon find the dreaming spires of Oxford are not quite what they seem …

©2023 Alis Hawkins (P)2024 Bolinda Publishing

Critic reviews

'‘An excellent historical mystery dripping with atmosphere that exposes the chauvinism, misogyny and bigotry of late Victorian England.' (The Times)

'Her inventiveness is prodigal.' (Financial Times)

'Fearlessly tackles taboo attitudes of the era, taking aim at misogyny, homophobia, and sexual politics. An excellent addition to the historical mystery canon. Marvellous!' (Vaseem Khan, author of the Baby Ganesh Detective Agency series)

'A Bitter Remedy is a perfect tonic for our times.' (S.G. MacLean, author of The Seeker)