The Mannequin House
London, 1914. Called out to investigate the murder of an employee of the House of Blackley, an upmarket Kensington department store, Detective Inspector Silas Quinn of Scotland Yard’s Special Crimes Department finds himself investigating one of the most bizarre cases of his career. For the chief murder suspect is a monkey.
One of the store’s fashion models has been found dead on her bed, strangled with a red silk scarf. The room is locked from the inside, the only other occupant being a monkey in a red fez hat. While he is sceptical of the theory that the monkey is the killer, Quinn suspects it holds the key to the mystery. But where has it disappeared to? And who will he ever get to the truth when faced with the maelstrom of seething jealousy, resentment, forbidden desires and thwarted passion that is the Mannequin House?What the critics say
“Morris excels at heartbreaking scenes of pain and violence, imbuing a classic whodunit plot with emotion and psychological depth.”
Publishers Weekly, Starred Review
“An excellent historical mystery book with a very intelligent and historically accurate plot.”
Eurocrime
“A nifty period whodunit packed with flamboyant characters and brisk dialogue.”
Kirkus Reviews
“Quinn is now officially my favourite detective!”
Series Book Lover
“Morris gives us a delicious mystery, a totally authentic background and an absorbing book into which we can escape for a few precious hours.”
Fully Booked 2017
“If you like crime fiction and period drama, you’ll be in your element. Imagine a Sherlock Homes mystery set in the department store from BBC drama The Paradise and you’ll get a rough idea of what awaits you inside The Mannequin House.”
Madhouse Family Reviews
“A sort of Edwardian Dirty Harry”
Mike Ripley, Shots Blog
“Entertaining and engaging”
Booklist
“rewardingly abundant in quirky episodes and oddball players”
J. Kingston Pierce, Kirkus Reviews blog
“… a nice twist in the end. I’m looking forward to reading more about Silas Quinn and his team in the future.”
Crimepieces
“[A] delightfully written book that was a really enjoyable page turner as well as being touching, exciting and entertaining.”