Books by Anna Mazzola
The Book of Secrets
by Anna Mazzola
🏆 Winner of the 2025 CWA KAA Gold Dagger
The Book of Secrets by Anna Mazzola, an accomplished writer of historical crime novels, is based on a real bout of poisonings that took place in Rome in the mid-17th century. The so-called 'Aqua Tofana' could not be detected and was used by women to get rid of abusive husbands. Mazzola tells the story well and you'll find yourself rooting for the poisoners.
“The Unseeing is a fictional novel about truth and deception based on the historical murder of Hannah Brown in 1836, and the subsequent trial. The fact that the victim’s body parts turned up in different places in London ensured the case’s notoriety. Hannah Brown’s fiancé was swiftly convicted of the murder, and so was his lover Sarah Gale. At her trial, Gale said very little to counter the accusations against her, and this forms the mystery of the novel: what would keep someone silent, when speaking out could help her avoid a death sentence?” Read more...
Tuva Kahrs, Five Books Editor
The Clockwork Girl
by Anna Mazzola
☆ Shortlisted for the 2023 CWA Gold Dagger
The Clockwork Girl by Anna Mazzola is a historical mystery set in the France of Louis XV, with both him and his mistress, Madame de Pompadour, appearing as characters in the book. The action revolves around the making of automata, and one of the main characters is inspired by Jacques de Vaucanson, the Swiss automaton-maker, anatomist and clockmaker.
Interviews where books by Anna Mazzola were recommended
Best Mystery Books of 2023
As a year for mystery books, 2023 was definitely eclectic, with historical mysteries, mysteries that could be filed as supernatural horror, and the Edgar award for best novel going to the story of a serial killer on death row. The year also saw the publication of Murder in the Family by Cara Hunter, which experiments with different formats to engage the reader.
Historical Mystery Novels, recommended by Tuva Kahrs
Do you enjoy being immersed in the detail of a well-observed historical novel, or gripped by the mystery of a detective story? Historical mysteries combine the best of both. From 1st century Rome to Victorian London, from Tang dynasty China to 20th century Bombay, our contributing editor Tuva Kahrs brings you a crop of well-researched mysteries that will transport you to different times and places.
The Best Mystery Books of 2025
Welcome to our running list of the best mystery books of 2025, which we’ll be updating throughout the year. Our definition of mystery is broad, and can include any novel that has a crime at its heart with (ideally) an unexpected plot twist. Throughout the year, we’ll be looking out for new mystery books as they’re published and adding them whenever we think they’re worth reading.
