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Reading lists

9 beach reads set in Italy

Escape to Cuba with this gripping beach read

Island of Secrets

MYSTERY, ROMANCE, SCANDAL in bestselling Rachel Rhys' atmospheric new novel set in the exotic city of Havana on the cusp of revolution. For all fans of DINAH JEFFRIES, LUCINDA RILEY and SANTA MONTEFIORE.

A glamorous cocktail of gangsters and good eggs that shimmers and simmers in the heat of 1950s Havana. Intoxicating and thrilling

Transports us to another time and place. I loved it!

Iris is a heroine you’ll absolutely root for in this escapist tale of murder, intrigue and romance

Darkly seductive and laced with intrigue

A decadent, dangerous story that dazzles as much as it captivates.

This is one breathlessly intoxicating mystery

Prepare to be spellbound as Rhys stirs together a magical setting with a wonderful heroine to create an addictive murder mystery

SHORTLISTED FOR THE CAPITAL CRIME AWARDS MYSTERY BOOK OF THE YEAR 
 
 
Beneath the beauty of Havana, she will find a bed of lies... 
 
'Transports us to another time and place. I loved it' PRIMA MAGAZINE 
 
'Iris is a heroine you'll absolutely root for in this gripping tale of murder, intrigue and romance' RED MAGAZINE 
 
London 1957: Iris Bailey is bored to death of working in the typing pool and living with her parents in Hemel Hempstead. A gifted portraitist with a talent for sketching party guests, she dreams of becoming an artist. So she can't believe her luck when socialite Nell Hardman invites her to Havana to draw at the wedding of her Hollywood director father. 
 
Far from home, she quickly realizes the cocktails, tropical scents and azure skies mask a darker reality. As Cuba teeters on the edge of revolution and Iris's heart melts for troubled photographer Joe, she discovers someone in the charismatic Hardman family is hiding a terrible secret. Can she uncover the ugly truth behind the glamour and the dazzle before all their lives are torn apart? 
______________________________ 
 
 
OUTSTANDING PRAISE FOR RACHEL RHYS: 
 
'Intoxicating' SANTA MONTEFIORE 
'Tantalising' DINAH JEFFRIES 
'Heart-pounding' GOOD HOUSEKEEPING 
'Transporting' SUNDAY TIMES 
'A fabulous summer read' DAILY EXPRESS 
 
READERS ADORE RACHEL RHYS: 
 
'I absolutely adore Rachel Rhys' books, historical mystery with so much added glitz and glamour' 
'Unputdownable. Wonderful characterization and very well researched' 
'A captivating and fascinating read' 
'Recommended for anyone who loves historical fiction with a bit of mystery and a dash of romance' 
'Oh my goodness, I absolutely adored this book!'

A Fatal Inheritance

‘A sizzling beach read’ HEAT MAGAZINE

An intoxicating story of glamour, intrigue and desire set under the hot Riviera sun ...

Rachel Rhys’ atmospheric novel mixes glamour with tantalising intrigue – and a dark hint of dread

Rachel Rhys should be on everyone’s summer reading list

With a dash of Agatha Christie and a nod to Zelda Fitzgerald, Rachel Rhys' historical mystery is simply gorgeous. The late 1940s Cote d'Azur setting is a character in its own right - one that will have you yearning to sip a gin fizz while watching the sun sink into the Mediterranean

I am racing though this delicious thriller set on the French Riviera in 1948. Rachel Rhys really is a natural successor to Patricia Highsmith. Out July, put it on preorder now so you don’t forget.

Deadly secrets, dazzling sunshine - utterly seductive. This book is a total joy

Atmospheric, totally absorbing and joyfully original

Utterly enthralling; Rachel Rhys brilliantly evokes the shabby glamour and bruised hearts of the post-war Riviera, where everyone has a secret to hide. I adored it.

I absolutely loved this book. All the intrigue of Agatha Christie with the intelligence of Barbara Vine in the most glamorous of settings. Rhys writes like an exotic dream!

Public service announcement; this book deserves to be massive. Can’t tell you how hard and fast I fell for it. A stunningly beautiful, page turning feast of a novel

Who doesn't dream of a letter from a solicitor informing them of something that is in their interest? When Eve sets off for the South of France to discover what lies in wait, she finds filmstars, roues, drunken writers and a disaffected housekeeper - the perfect recipe for a glorious post-war thriller. A wonderful bouillabaisse of glamour, greed, revenge and romance as Eve fights to escape a loveless, bloodless marriage and find her true self. As chic as Chanel with a hint of Christie, A Fatal Inheritance will be on all the best-dressed sun-loungers this summer.

Rachel Rhys wove a spell over me with this book and whisked me away to the glitz of 1940s French Riviera. Sumptuous and hugely compelling, Rhys is a master of dialogue and observation and her characters crackle with life.Utter bliss.

Fizzing with glamour and secrets, I adored this gorgeous novel. An absolute stunner in every way, it had me captivated from beginning to end

I had to make myself slow down when reading this delicious, thrilling novel, because I didn’t want it to end. If Daphne Du Maurier had been writing about the Cote D’Azur instead of Cornwall, she couldn’t have done it better. Absolutely superb.

I raced through this and absolutely love it. What a cleverly woven plot, with intriguing characters and great period atmosphere! It made me want to drop everything and rush out to live there, in a house as similar to Villa la Perle as I can possibly find.

This atmospheric and intriguing novel will transport you to a glamorous – and deadly sun-baked world

TOP HOLIDAY READS - A Fatal Inheritance bears all the hallmarks of a golden age mystery as Eve is swept into a glittering world that sees her rubbing shoulders with Hollywood film stars and famous authors ... When events threaten to take a deadly turn, she must race against the clock to uncover the truth.

An exquisite and shimmering read. I completely lost myself in Rhys’s lovingly evoked 1940s French Riviera and was gripped by the slow-burn mystery. An essential summer read!

The perfect literary beach-read; both gripping and dripping with glamour. Rachel Rhys is a natural successor to Patricia Highsmith.

JULY'S BEST NEW BOOKS: A dissatisfied wife receives a mysterious bequest, setting her off on a journey filled with excitement and danger

Rachel Rhys really knows how to keep you guessing. As the mystery plays out she throws in a dash of romance to go along with the perfect evocation of the decadent time and place. You need this on your sun lounger this summer.

Amid the sun and glamour, there's skulduggery afoot in this perfect poolside book.

With dreamlike descriptions of the Cote d'Azur and the dark underworld of those who live there, it is an addictive page-turner. The perfect summer holiday read.

A transporting golden-age infused mystery caper

This atmospheric page-turner is filled with intrigue, death-defying encounters, smooth talking charmers and even has a larger-than-life Hollywood movie star .. a fabulous summer read

Rachel Rhys is the pseudonym of psychological thriller writer Tammy Cohen. Her debut, Dangerous Crossing, was a bestselling Richard and Judy Book Club pick and was followed by A Fatal Inheritance and Island of Secrets. Rachel's latest novel, Murder Under the Tuscan Sun is once again superb historical suspense crime, this time with an irresistible Italian 1920s setting. 
She lives in North London, with her three (allegedly) grown up children and her neurotic rescue dog. 
 
Visit www.tammycohen.co.uk to find out more about her work, including her latest pyschological suspense title THE WEDDING PARTY. 
You can also find her on facebook or twitter as @MsTamarCohen or on Instagram as @tammycohenwriter.

A STUNNING, ATMOSPHERIC NOVEL SET IN 1940S SOUTH OF FRANCE. YOUR PERFECT ESCAPIST READ. 
 'Perfect. Both gripping and dripping with glamour' RED MAGAZINE ONLINE 
 __________ 
 
 London 1948: Eve Forrester is trapped in a loveless marriage, in a gloomy house, in a grey suburb. 
 Out of the blue, she receives a solicitor's letter. A wealthy stranger has left her a mystery inheritance but in order to find out more, she must travel to the glittering French Riviera. 
 
 Eve discovers her legacy is an enchanting villa overlooking the Mediterranean sea and suddenly, life could not be more glamorous. 
 
 But under the heat of the sun, all is not as it seems. Now, Eve must unlock the story behind her surprise bequest - before things spiral out of control... 
 
 A Fatal Inheritance is an intoxicating story of glamour, intrigue and desire, set against the razzle-dazzle of the French Riviera. 
 ______________________ 
 
 'Utterly tantalising' DINAH JEFFRIES 
 
 'GLORIOUS! Hugely enjoyable escapism. I enjoyed it ENORMOUSLY.' MARIAN KEYES 
 What readers are saying about Fatal Inheritance: 
 ***** 'One to savour and enjoy and be utterly immersed in.' 
 
***** 'This book captured my attention from the first page.' 
***** 'A wonderful story of beauty, mystery and finding yourself.' 
 
 RACHEL RHYS' NEW NOVEL, ISLAND OF SECRETS IS AVAILABLE NOW

An intoxicating story of glamour, intrigue and desire

Fatal Inheritance

1948: an English housewife trapped in a dull marriage escapes to the South of France to claim a mystery inheritance. But rivals to her unexplained fortune begin to emerge, and now they want her out of the way ...

This is a fantastic book - glamorous and beautifully written.

This atmospheric page-turner is filled with intrigue... The colourful detail of heavenly scents, exotic flora, blazing blue skies and azure sear adds to the escapist fun... It should be enjoyed in the hot sun with a cool cocktail to hand.

A GRIPPING, ATMOSPHERIC HISTORICAL MYSTERY SET IN 1940S SOUTH OF FRANCE. YOUR PERFECT CLASSIC CRIME READ. 
'Perfect. Both gripping and dripping with glamour' RED MAGAZINE 
__________ 
 
London 1948: Eve Forrester is trapped in a loveless marriage, in a gloomy house, in a grey suburb. 
Out of the blue, she receives a solicitor's letter. A wealthy stranger has left her a mystery inheritance but in order to find out more, she must travel to the glittering French Riviera. 
 
Eve discovers her legacy is an enchanting villa overlooking the Mediterranean sea and suddenly, life could not be more glamorous. 
 
But under the heat of the sun, all is not as it seems. Now, Eve must unlock the story behind her surprise bequest - before things spiral out of control... 
 
A Fatal Inheritance is a gripping historical crime , set against the razzle-dazzle of the French Riviera. 
______________________ 
 
'Utterly tantalising' DINAH JEFFRIES 
 
'GLORIOUS! Hugely enjoyable escapism. I enjoyed it ENORMOUSLY.' MARIAN KEYES 
 
What readers are saying about Fatal Inheritance: 
***** 'One to savour and enjoy and be utterly immersed in.' 
***** 'This book captured my attention from the first page.' 
***** 'A wonderful story of beauty, mystery and finding yourself.' 
 
RACHEL RHYS' NEW NOVEL, MURDER UNDER THE TUSCAN SUN IS OUT IN SPRING 2023

Escape on a cruise with this gripping Richard and Judy holiday read

Dangerous Crossing

Now a RICHARD AND JUDY BOOK CLUB PICK 2017, 'The pages turn themselves' Richard Madeley. A stunning, atmospheric novel in the tradition of Death on the Nile and Patricia Highsmith. A young girl's terrifying journey trapped on a cruise liner to Australia on the brink of the Second World War.

An exquisite story of love, murder, adventure and dark secrets, Rachel Rhys brings this dangerous crossing brilliantly and beautifully alive

An utter treat . . .  a glorious mix of proper old-school glamour and a labyrinthine plot full of class war, politics and sexual tension . . . Rhys writes with such conviction . . . a masterful storyteller.

VERONICA HENRY, author of FINDING LOVE IN A BOOKSHOP

Quite extraordinary . . . Beautiful, captivating and I desperately did not want the journey to end.

EMMA KAVANAGH, author of THE MISSING HOURS

Completely compelling and atmostpheric. I absolutely loved it.

A sumptuous and thrilling read which reminded me of Daphne du Maurier. It captivates you in its spell right until the end. I loved it.

KATE HAMER, author of THE GIRL IN THE RED COAT

Utterly gripping . . . I loved Lily and  the sumptuous detail of her onboard world with its constant undercurrent of tension and mystery. It's a brilliant  evocation of the time

This a proper old fashioned tale of glamour, murder and mayhem on the high seas. The most enjoyable bout of cabin fever I've ever had . . . The pages turn themselves.

Thrilling, seductive, utterly absorbing.

PAULA HAWKINS, author of THE GIRL ON THE TRAIN

What a world of glamour, uncertainty and intrigue! I was immersed from the very first page. And the sense of time and place is so convincing, the voice so perfect, I felt as if I had made the crossing myself. It is a gem of a book

COLETTE MCBETH, author of THE LIFE I LEFT BEHIND

A gorgeously atmospheric read, prepare to be transported . . .

RUTH WARE, Author of THE WOMAN IN CABIN 10

Rachel Rhys has created a sumptuous world, rich in character and description. Possessing a rare talent for observation and detail, she has perfectly drawn this pre-war passage to Australia. For a few days it was as if I was a passenger on that ship myself. I loved it.

LIZ FENWICK, author of UNDER A CORNISH SKY

PICK OF THE MONTH: Think Highsmith on the seas.

Well plotted, absorbing read with a whiff of Agatha Christie

RACHEL RHYS is the pen-name of a much-loved psychological suspense author. Dangerous Crossing is her debut under this name and is inspired by a real life account of a 1930s ocean voyage. A Dangerous Crossing is due to be published around the world. Rachel Rhys lives in North London with her family.

'An exquisite tale of intrigue and dark secrets' LISA JEWELL 
'A gripping atmospheric read' RUTH WARE 
 
A GRIPPING HISTORICAL WHODUNNIT ON THE SEAS DRIPPING WTH HIGHSMITH-ESQUE GLAMOUR, INTRIGUE AND MURDER 
 
********** 
England, September 1939 
Former chambermaid Lily Shepherd boards a cruise liner for a new life in Australia and is plunged into a world of cocktails, jazz and glamorous friends. But as the sun beats down, long-hidden secrets begin to surface. As tension mounts in the enclosed space of a liner at sea, it's soon clear a killer is on board ... 
 
********** 
Readers are totally gripped by DANGEROUS CROSSING: 
***** 'Full of luxurious and decadent detail, bringing the five-week sea voyage from England to Australia bursting to life' 
*****'I enjoyed every single page. Rich, evocative and intriguing from start to finish' 
*****'Delicious, dark and completely compelling' 
 
Also try Rachel Rhys' other unputdownable historical mysteries: A FATAL INHERITANCE and ISLAND OF SECRETS 
 
****Coming soon by Rachel Rhys*** 
 MURDER IN BLACK ROCK CASTLE

Rachel Rhys

Rachel Rhys should be everyone's summer reading

A thorougly absorbing and compelling read

Rachel Rhys is in a league of her own, creating compelling, engrossing historical mysteries that grip readers by the throat every single time

Rachel Rhys takes us to an isolated castle in 1920s Tuscany for a brilliant and Du Maurier-esque tale of dark secrets, rising menace and the importance of taking a leap of faith. I loved it!

ANNA MAZZOLA, author of THE CLOCKWORK GIRL

A wonderful, atmospheric thriller with a cast of glamorous villains. I love Rachel Rhys and this is her best yet

I luxuriated in this story of repressed love, villains and vixens in such a glamorous and decadent setting overshadowed by the rise of fascism. Utterly absorbing, intriguing and entertaining, I loved it.

An immersive mystery for fans of Daphne du Maurier and Agatha Christie

A gripping classic suspense novel in the tradition of Agatha Christie set in a remote Tuscan castle

'Rachel Rhys is in a league of her own, creating compelling, engrossing historical mysteries that grip readers by the throat every single time' LISA JEWELL 
 
'Soaked in atmosphere and beautifully written, this is a book to savour' HEAT 
------------ 
An isolated castle, a deadly crime. Is this real or a nightmare? 
 
In a remote castle high up in the Tuscan hills secrets are simmering among its glamorous English residents: 
 
The ailing gentleman art-dealer 
His dazzling niece 
Her handsome Fascist husband 
Their neglected young daughter 
The housekeeper who knows everything 
and Connie, the English widow working for them. 
 
Every night, Connie hears sinister noises and a terrible wailing inside the walls. Is she losing her grip on reality? 
 
Or does someone in the castle want her gone? 
 
Readers love Rachel Rhys' books: 
 
'Wow! A knock-out book. Very Hitchcockian and Highsmith-esque with a delicious building of tension throughout' ***** 
'There is something immensely captivating about the way Rachel Rhys writes and it only took minutes for me to be transported' ***** 
'I wanted to give it six stars. The mystery and the menace make this book one I will want to read over again' *****

Rachel Rhys

Praise for Murder Under the Tuscan Sun

Rachel Rhys should be everyone's summer reading

A thorougly absorbing and compelling read

Rachel Rhys is in a league of her own, creating compelling, engrossing historical mysteries that grip readers by the throat every single time

Rachel Rhys should be everyone's summer reading

A thorougly absorbing and compelling read

Rachel Rhys is in a league of her own, creating compelling, engrossing historical mysteries that grip readers by the throat every single time

Rachel Rhys should be everyone's summer reading

A thorougly absorbing and compelling read

Rachel Rhys is in a league of her own, creating compelling, engrossing historical mysteries that grip readers by the throat every single time

Books by Rachel Rhys

Articles featuring Rachel Rhys

9 beach reads set in Italy

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