Death on the Lusitania - by R L Graham (Paperback)

About the Book

Book Synopsis

'An instant classic' Daily Mail
'A real page-turner!' Ben Kane

The ship was doomed before it ever left port. His fate was sealed before he ever stepped on board. From R. L. Graham, Death on the Lusitania is an immersive WW1 historical novel set aboard the ill-fated ocean liner.

Welcome on board the Lusitania's final voyage . . .

New York, 1915. RMS Lusitania, one of the world's most luxurious ocean liners, departs for war-torn Europe. Among those on board is Patrick Gallagher, a civil servant in Her Majesty's government tasked with escorting a British diplomat back to England.

When a fellow passenger is believed to have shot himself in his cabin, Gallagher is asked by the captain to investigate the scene. But one crucial detail doesn't fit. The man's body was discovered in a locked cabin with the key inside and no gun to be found. Was it really suicide? Or murder?

Gallagher believes one of the passengers is a deadly killer - one who could strike again at any moment. And all the while, the ship sails on towards Europe, where enemy submarines patrol dark waters . . .

'Perfect for lovers of Agatha Christie' Philip Gray
'An enthralling locked-room mystery' Chris Lloyd
'Totally absorbing' Leonoa Nattrass

Review Quotes

"This outstanding novel is an instant classic" --Daily Mail

"What's not to love about a fast-paced, richly detailed crime thriller set on the doomed RMS Lusitania? The rich supporting cast, many of whom are suspects, means that this book is unputdownable. A real page turner!" --Ben Kane, the Sunday Times bestselling author

"An immersive, gripping book, a classic locked room mystery made even more compelling by the real-life story of the ocean liner's demise and the political intrigues of the time" --Historical Novel Society

"Set on a doomed ocean liner, this engaging and well researched mystery is perfect for lovers of Agatha Christie and Dorothy L Sayers" --Philip Gray, author of Two Storm Wood, The Times Thriller of the Year

"Very much enjoyed this shipboard murder mystery with an appealing sleuth in Patrick Gallagher and a positive cornucopia of suspects. Totally absorbing!" --Leonora Nattrass, author of Blue Water

"This rip-roaring thriller cleverly combines a gripping Christie-style locked room whodunit with an exciting fictional account of the tragic last voyage of the Lusitania in 1915. The sense of dread heading towards its inevitable climax keeps the reader on the edge of their seats, and in British agent Patrick Gallagher, RL Graham has created a heroic and captivating lead character that everyone will want to hear more from. Thoroughly addictive and not to be missed." --David Young, author of Stasi Chid

"Masterfully weaves historical detail with an enthralling locked-room mystery. Impeccably researched, the story is not just a great crime tale, with a compelling central character in Patrick Gallagher, but a haunting imagining of the last hours of the Lusitania" --Chris Lloyd, author of Paris Requiem, the Winner of the HWA Gold Crown for Best Historical Fiction

"A wonderfully gripping read, capturing a vanished age and an enduringly fascinating real-life mystery, with a brilliant cast of characters and mounting tension. I enjoyed it tremendously" --Oliver Harris, author of Ascension, BBC2 Between the Covers Book Club Pick

"A vivid historical detective mystery coupled with an exciting WWI espionage drama, replete with sinister, devious characters" --Greg Mosse, author of The Coming Darkness

"Death on the Lusitania is a complex and compelling debut novel, full of interwoven plotlines, snippets of history and unusual, nuanced characters" --Browser Books

About the Author

R. L. Graham is a husband-and-wife team of historians and writers with a broad range of interests in many periods of history, including the belle époque and the tumultuous years leading up to the First World War and the post-war re-ordering of the world.

They are very much drawn to the shadowy world of crime, espionage and political intrigue. They are particularly fascinated by historical mysteries: things which have happened but have no apparent explanation. Originally from Canada, they now live in a small village in Devon. Marilyn Livingstone, one half of R. L. Graham, was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer while this book was being written. She passed away in September 2023.