What do you think?
Rate this book
Lady Fan Mystery #11
The Killing Cave
The intrepid Lady Fan has a new mystery to solve! For fans of Georgette Heyer, Mary Balogh, Barbara Erskine and Jane Austen.
Corpses follow Lady Fan wherever she goes…
1799, England
A family holiday to the seaside takes a dramatic turn when Lady Ottilia Fanshawe’s young son Luke accidentally stumbles on a body in a cave.
Lady Fan and her husband Francis quickly rush to the scene and find the corpse bound and blindfolded with a bullet hole in his head.
It appears the man was executed, and with smugglers well-known to operate in the area, the local sergeant suggests it was a quarrel amongst the reprobates.
But Ottilia is not so sure. The crime scene seemed staged, and the dead man too well dressed to be a common criminal.
There is nothing else for it. The Fanshawes must extend their stay on the Norfolk coast to allow Lady Fan to take the lead.
But with her health compromised, four young children to care for and a grumbling mother-in-law in tow, can Lady Fan summon up enough strength to unravel this mystery? Or will this be the case that finally forces her into retirement?
THE KILLING CAVE is the eleventh book in the Lady Fan Mystery historical romance murder mysteries with a courageous woman sleuth embarking on a traditional British, private investigation in eighteenth-century England.
‘The late Regency writer Georgette Heyer lives—and she’s writing mysteries as Elizabeth Bailey!’ – Meritorious Mysteries
‘Ottilia is a strong, intelligent character with a real enthusiasm for detective work’ – She Reads Novels
‘They have everything you love in romances, plus continuing characters you can really come to love, and murders as well! Her heroine sleuth, Ottilia, is a fantastic character.’ – Historical Romance UK
LADY FAN HISTORICAL MYSTERY SERIES
BOOK The Gilded Shroud
BOOK The Deathly Portent
BOOK The Opium Purge
BOOK The Candlelit Coffin
BOOK The Mortal Blow
BOOK The Fateful Marriage
BOOK The Dagger Dance
BOOK The Unwanted Corpse
BOOK The Vengeance Trail
BOOK The Hanging Cheat
BOOK The Killing Cave
Corpses follow Lady Fan wherever she goes…
1799, England
A family holiday to the seaside takes a dramatic turn when Lady Ottilia Fanshawe’s young son Luke accidentally stumbles on a body in a cave.
Lady Fan and her husband Francis quickly rush to the scene and find the corpse bound and blindfolded with a bullet hole in his head.
It appears the man was executed, and with smugglers well-known to operate in the area, the local sergeant suggests it was a quarrel amongst the reprobates.
But Ottilia is not so sure. The crime scene seemed staged, and the dead man too well dressed to be a common criminal.
There is nothing else for it. The Fanshawes must extend their stay on the Norfolk coast to allow Lady Fan to take the lead.
But with her health compromised, four young children to care for and a grumbling mother-in-law in tow, can Lady Fan summon up enough strength to unravel this mystery? Or will this be the case that finally forces her into retirement?
THE KILLING CAVE is the eleventh book in the Lady Fan Mystery historical romance murder mysteries with a courageous woman sleuth embarking on a traditional British, private investigation in eighteenth-century England.
‘The late Regency writer Georgette Heyer lives—and she’s writing mysteries as Elizabeth Bailey!’ – Meritorious Mysteries
‘Ottilia is a strong, intelligent character with a real enthusiasm for detective work’ – She Reads Novels
‘They have everything you love in romances, plus continuing characters you can really come to love, and murders as well! Her heroine sleuth, Ottilia, is a fantastic character.’ – Historical Romance UK
LADY FAN HISTORICAL MYSTERY SERIES
BOOK The Gilded Shroud
BOOK The Deathly Portent
BOOK The Opium Purge
BOOK The Candlelit Coffin
BOOK The Mortal Blow
BOOK The Fateful Marriage
BOOK The Dagger Dance
BOOK The Unwanted Corpse
BOOK The Vengeance Trail
BOOK The Hanging Cheat
BOOK The Killing Cave
340 pages, Kindle Edition
Published December 13, 2024
158 people are currently reading
32 people want to read
About the author
Elizabeth Bailey
95 books304 followersAn avid reader from an early age, Elizabeth Bailey grew up in colonial Africa under unconventional parentage and with theatre in the blood. Back in England, she trod the boards until discovering her true métier as a writer in her thirties, when she fulfilled an early addiction to Georgette Heyer by launching into historical romance. Eight years and eight books later, Elizabeth joined the Harlequin Mills & Boon stable, fuelling her writing with a secondary career teaching and directing drama, and writing plays into the bargain.
With 18 historicals published, Elizabeth turned to other genres, producing two titles (Fly the Wild Echoes and For One More Tomorrow) in the cross-genre literary/paranormal field as well as a suspense novella (Silence of a Stranger). She has several short stories available too and a guide for writers on editing.
Continuing her foray into other genres, but returning to her favourite historical period, Elizabeth turned to mystery. She placed her female sleuth in the late Georgian world of intrigue, elegance, aristocrats and rogues, where privilege rubbed shoulders with the harsh realities of making ends meet. While Ottilia moves in the upper echelon of Society, she is thoroughly at ease in the lower, which allows Elizabeth to cross boundaries with impunity. These novels are now published with Sapere Books and the list continues to grow.
Sapere also publish her Brides by Chance Regency Adventures, a series dedicated to the countless women who could not ordinarily hope for romance and marriage: poor relations, dowerless females, those who did not "take", orphans. In a word, the classic Cinderella heroine.
Now retired from teaching, Elizabeth concentrates on writing and promotion, with a sideline in running an assessment critique service for writers.
With 18 historicals published, Elizabeth turned to other genres, producing two titles (Fly the Wild Echoes and For One More Tomorrow) in the cross-genre literary/paranormal field as well as a suspense novella (Silence of a Stranger). She has several short stories available too and a guide for writers on editing.
Continuing her foray into other genres, but returning to her favourite historical period, Elizabeth turned to mystery. She placed her female sleuth in the late Georgian world of intrigue, elegance, aristocrats and rogues, where privilege rubbed shoulders with the harsh realities of making ends meet. While Ottilia moves in the upper echelon of Society, she is thoroughly at ease in the lower, which allows Elizabeth to cross boundaries with impunity. These novels are now published with Sapere Books and the list continues to grow.
Sapere also publish her Brides by Chance Regency Adventures, a series dedicated to the countless women who could not ordinarily hope for romance and marriage: poor relations, dowerless females, those who did not "take", orphans. In a word, the classic Cinderella heroine.
Now retired from teaching, Elizabeth concentrates on writing and promotion, with a sideline in running an assessment critique service for writers.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
December 17, 2024
Well done! A truly enjoyable story!
Lady Fan is an absolute favorite of mine, I wish I had the talent to come up with a tale of such blended characters. Ms.Bailey, you've done it again...looking forward to the next adventure.. Thank you and Happy Holidays
Lady Fan is an absolute favorite of mine, I wish I had the talent to come up with a tale of such blended characters. Ms.Bailey, you've done it again...looking forward to the next adventure.. Thank you and Happy Holidays
December 15, 2024
How I like this series which is totally story driven with no need for sexual exploits to replace the loving relationship Lord and Lady Fan have. The latter has not fully recovered from the birth of her now toddling and talking twins. Their son is proving inquisitive and intelligent and always in competition with his adopted older sister. A break by the coast should be ideal but as usual murder intervenes. Despite her frailty Lady Fan comes up trumps but needs a bit of luck this time, to reach her conclusion. I do hope she recovers her strength and has many more years sleuthing ahead. Congratulations to Elizabeth Bailey for another 5 star success!
April 30, 2025
Another fun and very twisty tale about Lady Fanshawe and family! This entry finds the family on holiday and joined by the entire household - children, mother-in-law and a new character, Francis Fanshawe's nephew. A dead body is discovered and Lady Fan is pressed into an investigation as usual - can she ever resist? But plenty of likely culprits present themselves so finding the real killer is going to be a challenge. Will she find the guilty party this time? A must read to find out!
June 5, 2025
Lady Fan sparkles in a twisty mystery
This is an extremely clever mystery. Red herrings abide everywhere and there is a large cast of ,suspects. But where Bailey truly excels is in grounding the narrative in such a realistic depiction of family life. Quarrelling siblings, an irascible mother-in-law, a lovelorn nephew, sequester on a rainy holiday by the sea. I enjoyed it immensely.
This is an extremely clever mystery. Red herrings abide everywhere and there is a large cast of ,suspects. But where Bailey truly excels is in grounding the narrative in such a realistic depiction of family life. Quarrelling siblings, an irascible mother-in-law, a lovelorn nephew, sequester on a rainy holiday by the sea. I enjoyed it immensely.
January 7, 2025
Another Great Mystery
This author never disappoints. Lady Fan is one of my most favorite mysteries! Lady and Lord Fan are a beautiful loving couple with adorable children and entertaining family and helpers. I love how history and culture of the time permeate the story. It was good getting to know Bastien better in this story. The ending was excellent, as always.
This author never disappoints. Lady Fan is one of my most favorite mysteries! Lady and Lord Fan are a beautiful loving couple with adorable children and entertaining family and helpers. I love how history and culture of the time permeate the story. It was good getting to know Bastien better in this story. The ending was excellent, as always.
December 20, 2024
Lady Fan…
This was such an enjoyable read! I am very fond of these amazing characters. I think Otillia and Francis are made for each other. I always enjoy when Sybilla is apart of their adventures. The children are all a handful but adore. I look forward to the next.
This was such an enjoyable read! I am very fond of these amazing characters. I think Otillia and Francis are made for each other. I always enjoy when Sybilla is apart of their adventures. The children are all a handful but adore. I look forward to the next.
January 9, 2025
1799. While on holiday in Aldborough their young son Luke discovers a body, shot and seemingly executed. Lady Fanshawe investigates with the help of the family.
An enjoyable and well-written historical mystery with its likeable main characters. Another good addition to this entertaining series.
An enjoyable and well-written historical mystery with its likeable main characters. Another good addition to this entertaining series.
January 27, 2025
Another great Lady Fan book
This time around it seems the whole family is involved in solving yet again a murder most foul. Very cozy murder mystery.
This time around it seems the whole family is involved in solving yet again a murder most foul. Very cozy murder mystery.
Read
January 31, 2025I have liked every one of the "Lady Fan" books. They hold my interest and never disappoint.
March 11, 2025
This one was hard to get into, and Francis was extra irritating.
July 15, 2025
Quality writing.
December 16, 2025
This is book #11 in the Lady Fan series. Lady Fan has another murder to solve when her son discovers a body in a cave. This is one of those rare mystery series where each book is unique enough to keep you guessing and engaged as you try to figure things out.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews