Murder in the Gallery

Augusta Peel #10

by Emily Organ

Murder is an art — and someone at the National Gallery is a master.

When a curator is found dead at his desk in London’s National Gallery, Augusta Peel is called in to investigate. The art world is ablaze with the rediscovery of a forgotten Renaissance master, but beneath the excitement lurks a dangerous truth. Could it have sparked a deadly motive?

As Augusta and Philip Fisher hunt for answers, shadows from their wartime past resurface. The price of solving the case may be facing the secrets Augusta has sworn never to reveal. Can she solve the mystery before the past catches up with her?

Genres: Mystery, Historical Fiction, Fiction

250 pages, Kindle Edition

First published June 25, 2025

About the author

Emily Organ is the author of over thirty historical cozy mysteries set in Victorian and 1920s England. Her bestselling series include the Penny Green Victorian Mysteries, the Augusta Peel Mysteries, and her newest Emma Langley Victorian Mysteries, in which a plucky widow teams up with former reporter Penny Green. She also writes the Churchill & Pemberley cozy mysteries, featuring two spirited senior sleuths. Emily’s books combine warmth, wit, and a love of history, inspired by her fascination with London’s past. 

Reviews

[Kimberly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rewarding

I love these Augusta Peel books. They are always a pleasant and rewarding read. It is easy to imagine London at a time between the wars with the descriptions provided by Miss Organ. Well done!

[Colleen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Once again, Emily Organ has done a masterful job of putting Mrs. Peel and Mr. Fisher in the midst of a mystery, this time on the trail of art fraud and murder. When a body is discovered in his office at the National Gallery, it is first assumed to be a heart attack. Discovery that it was not, followed by realization that the victim worked with Peel and Fisher during the war, lead them to investigate with unsettling discoveries.

I like Ms. Organ’s series. She has a talent for creating characters who speak and act as people likely did in the 1920s. Her plots are imaginative and filled with twists and turns which keep this reader engrossed. I highly recommend her Augusta Peel books as well as the Penny Green series.

[John · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the tenth book in the Augusta Peel mystery series. Author Emily Organ brings us another thoroughly enjoyable and intriguing mystery.

I greatly enjoyed this book. I know I probably think every new Augusta book is better than the last, but they just keep getting better! This one is a little different in that Augusta and Philip are working undercover investigating the murder of one of their fellow spies from wartime Belgium. They can't involve Scotland Yard or the police, so that makes things much harder for them.

This book kept me interested all the way to the end. The art aspect adds much to the plot and I like the scenes with her shop assistant and Sparky the canary's owner. I did not guess the culprit and I appreciated all the twists and turns. The author even made me tear up hearing about the fates some of Augusta's wartime associates.

I especially like Emily's books because they contain interesting facts about London at that time woven into the plot. She does good historical research for each book. Highly recommended!!

[Cam · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ghost of War in the Gallery

I really enjoyed this 10th installment in the Augusta Peel Mysteries Series. I found it more engaging than some of the earlier books. It felt more finely crafted with stronger writing and a deeper emotional pull.

While readers of the series have long known that Augusta served as a covert operative in Belgium during the Great War, this book offers a more personal and affecting glimpse into how deeply that experience shaped Augusta. We see how the loss of colleagues weighs on her, knowing she could have suffered the same fate. That layer of vulnerability made her feel more real to me.

The mystery itself, set against the backdrop of the art world, was well paced and entertaining. But it was the glimpses into Augusta's inner life that really stood out.

[Lisa Teves · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another exciting and intriguing mystery for Augusta and Philip. This book initially focuses on stolen artwork and Augusta and Philip go undercover pretending to be Mr and Mrs Parker. But a second mystery is the fate of a former agent they both worked with in Belgium. While investigating, they learn the sad fate of other agents who also worked with them. I got so interested in the art theft I forgot there was still the mystery of the former agent.

There is a tiny bit of comic relief when Sparky the canary is allowed the freedom to be out of his cage to fly around the bookshop. He loves his brief escape to freedom so much so that Augusta has difficulty getting him back into his cage.

I’m eager to learn what happens next to Augusta and Philip. They are growing closer but he’s still married (although separated).

[James A. Butler · Rating 5 out of 5]

The War is Over - Isn’t It?

The guns are silenced and you have left the battlefield but the war will always be with you. It can be something you experienced and can leave behind or it can haunt you forever. Augusta and Phillip are drug back into action by the spymaster they served in the war. A fellow survivor has been poisoned and there are security secrets that may leak out if the police are called in. They stumble trying to find answers to a puzzle with too many pieces until they are pointed to a cache of secret files that prove the poisoned man saved his life by betraying 3 of their colleagues. Someone finally settled the score but who and how are the mystery they need to solve. It makes a gripping tale.

[Virginia Tican · Rating 5 out of 5]

This had something to do with Augusta's and Philip's work during the war. Both were suddenly roused from their beds at almost 2 o'clock in the morning. Philip first, then he went to knock on Augusta's door. Both were taken by their former handler to the National Gallery to find one of their former colleagues dead by cyanide poisoning. But before his death, Galloway had been receiving threatening letters. Wetherell, their former boss, wanted them to quietly investigate Galloway's death. British Intelligence would have the death appear as a heart attack so they decided to pose as husband and wife, with Philip as Galloway's close friend who lost touch with him. Here would be a lot of leads to follow and not necessarily connected. Anyway, this is another Good One from this author.

[Ruth McDaniel · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an ARC of this book and am leaving my voluntary review.
The latest installment of the Augusta Peel mysteries is a really good one.
Augusta and Philip are tasked with investigating the death of a fellow wartime spy. It looks like a heart attack and is determined to be just that. But a higher up thinks it's something more and Augusta and Philip are given the case.
Meanwhile, a long lost artist has been discovered and things aren't quite right in the National Gallery. Is there forgery going on?
Read on to find out. Excellent story.

[Carol · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant mystery with espionage and forgery!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Augusta and Philip are taken back to memories of their wartime careers as they attempt to unravel the murder of a fellow comrade from those days. All is not as it seems ~ betrayal, forgery, revenge, and a myriad of emotions must be waded through before the guilty person is discovered. Then the reader, along with our main characters, might be inclined to wonder ~ if it had been me to what lengths would I have gone to reap revenge! Excellent mystery as always ~ it's what Emily always delivers ~ brilliant captivating storylines!

[Christmas Angel · Rating 5 out of 5]

I can't ever get enough of Augusta and Philip. The stories are always fresh and so entertaining. Murder At The Gallery adds another 5 star review to Ms. Organ's marvelous and enjoyable characters and plots. And Sparky's wild fly-about give us a bit of laughter in this sometimes sad and tearful story. A perfect addition to your mystery library. Highly Recommended.

[Cindy Cynthia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well-crafted Mystery

I almost read this one in one sitting. Hard to put down. Believable characters, tho I was a bit disappointed with the identity of the murderer. Not who I expected. I have enjoyed all the Mrs Peel books and look forward to the next one. Unfortunately, I read faster than the author can write!

[Gail Tavis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Enjoyed

Really enjoyed this Augusta Peel book, great mystery and it had a lot of intriguing parts to it. The mystery was very English and you didn’t find out who did it till the end. I like the way the characters have slowly developed in this series and look forward to more Augusta Peel books.

[Gail Souter · Rating 2 out of 5]

So boring

Time to retire boring ,pedantic Augusta! I almost gave up on this book. It was so predictable and had no excitement! As for the so- called relationship between the useless detective,Philip, and Augusta! It is a non starter. He is not interested! His wife left him but he doesn't seem keen to take up with Augusta. She is a boring frump!

[Terry Polston · Rating 4 out of 5]

Augusta and Philip are tasked to find the murderer of an old spy acquaintance from the war. Philip doesn't take to this task very well but Augusta is listening, looking, and evaluating.
This was an interesting peek into the spy network and how the survivors, survived and kept going. Including the families of the spies.
very interesting and satisfying read.

[PIETER · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have enjoyed all this series but this recent one is the best of all. It involves a very complicated story that places Augusta and Philip amidst characters from their time in Belgium in WWI. Working undercover as a married couple they are frustrated at not being able to question suspects directly. Lots of twists at the end.

[Natalie Wright · Rating 4 out of 5]

what a twist!

When I first began reading, I was disappointed. The story seemed so predictable and a bit pedestrian.

Being a bit stubborn, I determined it had to be better than it appeared, so I continued and finished an very surprising story.

No spoiler here, READ THE BOOK!

[Miss Madeleine Johnson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very enjoyable book in this delightful series. The familiar cast of endearing well drawn characters a twisty plot and as always excellent writing. And I didn’t work out who the murderer was either. Great read.

[Marsha Metz · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best.

The plot was believable but sufficiently intriguing, without being too convoluted. Not too many characters to keep track of. I liked learning more about art, as it was cleverly woven into the story line.

[Sheila · Rating 2 out of 5]

This series is usually mildly entertaining. Not a huge fan but it’s a Kindle Unlimited book, so not costly. This book really wasn’t that good. The premise was unrealistic. The relationship between Philip and Augusta didn’t progress. Dialogue was stilted.

[Karen Wrobel · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 stars. One of the weaker outings in the series. I’d pretty much figured out the main plot points by the 4th chapter, although I will admit that the actual killer was a surprise. Not bad, but not good either, this was just ok.

[Brian Holmwood · Rating 5 out of 5]

This series just gets better. Another clever plot, great characters and a satisfactory conclusion. The secrecy of Augusta's past are slowly being revealed. If you haven't started this series yet I would recommend it. First book in the series is Death in Soho. Enjoy.

[Jason Sharvin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Murder in the art world

Another fantastic Augustus Peel book, this time a murder in the Art world. A brilliant read page to page, kept me guessing to the very end. Lots of twists to the story. Cannot wait for the next adventure

[Alaine · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed Philip and Augusta working undercover to find out who murdered Galloway and also to find out what had happened to three of their war comrades. They are getting along well at the moment but Philip is still married. Watch this space.

[Penny · Rating 5 out of 5]

Best of series

Very clever plot accompanied by informative story about art history and validation of new finds in the world of art. Relationships play an important role in the plot.

[Mindy Foley · Rating 5 out of 5]

great book!

Clever and engaging read. Another great effort by Emily Organ. I have throughly enjoyed this whole series. Check it out!

[Mark Francis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Murder for art's sake

Another easy read from the pen of Emily Organ. It was a bit too easy to work out, "the killer." There is no explanation of a certain reconciliation.

[Jennifer Hough · Rating 5 out of 5]

Augusta Peel

Really enjoy her writing . It brings the past back to life. A great read, I hope there will be more,

[Patricia Gulley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love this series, hope it continues.

[Connie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not my favourite book in this series but still a good read. It felt a bit grizzly for a cozy.

[Leslie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very much enjoyed this mystery. Quick read and fun characters!!