The Burning Library - by Gilly MacMillan (Hardcover)

About the Book

"On a frigid, windswept day in Scotland's Western Hebrides, Eleanor Bruton's body is discovered on the shore. To her family Eleanor was an ordinary middle-aged woman. She did flower arrangements and plumped kneeler cushions at church. Little did they know she was harboring a dark and all-consuming secret. A scrap of fraying embroidery that seems worthless at first glance. For over a century, two rival organizations of women have gone to deadly lengths to secure the valuable artifact in the hopes of finding the original medieval manuscript from which it was torn. The Order of St Katherine: devoted to the belief that women must pull strings in the shadows to exercise control. And the Fellowship of the Larks: determined to amass as many overt positions of power for women as possible--so long as their methods of doing so never come to light. When Dr. Anya Brown garners international attention for her translation of the cryptic Folio 9, she is handpicked by Diana Cornish, a professor and high-ranking member of the Fellowship, to join the exclusive Institute of Manuscript Studies in St Andrews. Unbeknownst to Anya, she's been recruited at great personal danger to translate ancient texts that the Fellowship believes critical to their mission. Meanwhile at Scotland Yard, Detective Clio Spicer begins a private investigation into the death of Eleanor Bruton. As all of them grow further entangled in this ancient web, circumstances are spinning wildly out of control and their lives may be in grave danger"--

Book Synopsis

From the internationally bestselling author of The Nanny and What She Knew comes a thrilling dark academic tale of murder, obsession and ruthless ambition, set in remote St Andrews, Scotland.

A deadly rivalry.

A chilling secret.

One woman who can decipher the truth.

On a frigid, windswept day in Scotland's Western Isles, Eleanor Bruton's body is discovered on the shore. To her family Eleanor was an ordinary middle-aged woman. She did flower arrangements and plumped kneeler cushions at church. Little did they know she was harboring a dark and all-consuming secret. A scrap of fraying embroidery that seems worthless at first glance.

For over a century, two rival organizations of women have gone to deadly lengths to secure the valuable artifact in the hopes of finding the original medieval manuscript from which it was torn. The Order of St. Katherine: devoted to the belief that women must pull strings in the shadows to exercise control. And the Fellowship of the Larks, determined to amass as many overt positions of power for women as possible...so long as their methods of doing so never come to light.

When Dr. Anya Brown garners international attention for her translation of the cryptic Folio 9, she is handpicked by Diana Cornish, a professor and high-ranking member of the Fellowship, to join the exclusive Institute of Manuscript Studies in St. Andrews. Unbeknownst to Anya she's been recruited at great personal danger to translate ancient texts that the Fellowship believes critical to their mission.

Meanwhile at Scotland Yard, Detective Constable Clio Spicer begins a private investigation into the death of Eleanor Bruton.

As all the women grow further entangled in this ancient web, circumstances spin wildly out of control and their lives may be in grave danger.

Perfect for fans of Alex Michaelides and Ruth Ware, The Burning Library is the story of a centuries-old secret set to divide and consume those who seek to unearth it.

Review Quotes

"Dr. Anya Brown becomes an unwitting pawn between two secretive, warring, and dangerous factions of women in search of a priceless medieval manuscript. Fresh, fun, and full of thrills, The Burning Library is dark academia with a sly, feminist twist--deliciously entertaining! Highly recommended!" - Shari Lapena, New York Times bestselling author

"Gilly Macmillan takes the thriller genre to a whole new level with The Burning Library, a beautifully-written story of dark obsession and murderous ambition. Outstanding." - B.A. Paris, New York Times bestselling author

"Macmillan's (The Manor House) compelling blend of academic intrigue, historical mystery, and high-stakes suspense makes this a must-read for fans of Kate Morton and Elizabeth Kostova." - Library Journal

"What a captivating book! Sophisticated, smart, and absolutely riveting. Two centuries-old secret societies battle to find a powerful manuscript--instantly a terrific idea. But the supremely talented Gilly Macmillian has created a total immersion thriller--relentlessly simmering, disturbingly plausible, and demanding you to turn the page. This is so much fun! But fair warning: You will never look at the world--or women--the same way again. Book clubs will now have their new favorite novel--this is a complete triumph of storytelling." - Hank Phillippi Ryan, USA Today Bestselling Author

"I inhaled this fast-paced, clever thriller! A race against time...where every revelation comes with a price and nobody can be trusted." - Claire Douglas

"The newest novel from the author of The Nanny (2019) and The Long Weekend (2022) is something a bit different: a contemporary thriller with origins rooted centuries in the past...The stakes are incredibly high...Although not a James Rollins-style action-adventure yarn, the book could catch on with historical mystery readers, and Macmillan's fans will love it." - Booklist

"A fast-paced thriller sure to be the hottest read this year!" - Julia Chapman

"The Burning Library is an intelligent thriller, and the event behind the novel's title is one that will have readers recoiling in shock. The characters are quite complex, and the ancient history is exciting and frightening in the best ways." - Bookreporter

"A compelling adventure through academia in search of an ancient manuscript. Wildly entertaining. Raiders of the Lost Ark but with a smart woman at the center. I really loved it." - Liz Nugent