The Birdcage Library

'Welcome, dear reader. You have found me, and I you. The diary you hold in your hands is a treasure map. It will lead you to what you ought to seek. Like all such maps, the trail is cryptic. The reason for this is simple. The man I love is trying to kill me.' ????? 'Gorgeously gothic, dark and forbidding' ????? 'Plenty of mystery, drama and even murder' ????? 'Claustrophobic' Set in a Scottish castle where nobody can be trusted, this is a darkly compelling tale of passion and obsession, and of the cages we find ourselves trapped in . . . In the Gilded age of parties and glamour, Hester lives in a home of exotic animals and ornate cages. In 1932, a ruined Scottish castle sits frozen in time, haunted by the memory of a woman who disappeared five decades ago. When Emily Blackwood, a young adventuress and botanist, travels north to the crumbing castle, she finds herself embroiled in a dangerous treasure hunt, cataloguing a vast library of taxidermied creatures. And when she discovers the ripped pages of an old diary crammed into the walls, she begins to uncover a dark secret . . . a secret that might just be waiting to entrap her too. Readers cannot get enough of this chilling and twisty tale: 'Skulduggery in a Scottish castle . . . for lovers of lush and creepy tales' Anika Scott 'The most gothic of atmospheres - a double shiver of pleasure' The Chap 'Darkly compelling' Heat Magazine 'A twisty treasure hunt of a novel... Utterly beguiling' Lizzie Pook 'It glistens with a hint of the danger that lurks within' Charlotte Philby 'Claustrophobic and clever storytelling' Jane Shemilt 'A treasure hunt sees dark, long-buried secrets begin to unravel . . . wonderfully gothic and immersive' New European 'An atmospheric read - add in a literary treasure hunt and this is irresistible' Good Housekeeping 'Very clever. Keeps you glued until the final twist' Woman & Home 'A mesmerising gothic mystery that will haunt you long after reading' ? ? ? ? ? 'It made me think of Daphne du Maurier both in its style and plotting' ? ? ? ? ? 'Lots of cryptic clues, hidden secrets, clandestine identities and danger' ? ? ? ? ? 'A captivating story which kept me reading far into the night' ? ? ? ? ? 'Freya creates a claustrophobic atmosphere like no one else ? ? ? ? ?