Books by Rose Melikan

Spring 1797. The war with France deepens, the Channel Fleet has mutinied . . . and a ruthless traitor lurks within fashionable London society.Such matters should not concern young Mary Finch, who has recently inherited an unexpected fortune. But her new status brings her little pleasure, and she longs for freedom and adventure.Mary's restless spirit leads her to a meeting with an elusive spymaster, who offers her an intriguing proposal. With England's security and a friend's safety at risk, Mary arrives at the exotic Champian Hall, determined to uncover its dark secrets. But theknowledge that she seeks is deadly, especially when the hunter becomes the hunted.Brimming with suspense and drama, The Counterfeit Guest is an irresistible historical mystery from the author of the acclaimed The Blackstone Key.

1795, and a young woman called Mary Finch travels in haste from Cambridge to the Suffolk coast. She has been invited to meet her wealthy uncle - and so end a twenty-year estrangement. But before she reaches her destination she discovers a dying man on the road. He is a stranger, and yet he is carrying an oddly familiar watch bearing her uncle's initials. He also seems to know who Mary is, and hints that she is in terrible danger. His whispered warning soon exposes Mary to a ruthless conspiracy that threatens not only her family's reputation, but her very life. Far from home, Mary must learn quickly how to distinguish friend from foe. Can she trust the two men who want to help her? What is their interest in the mysterious Blackstone Key? Does it guard a secret treasure, or might it have a more sinister purpose...?The first in an exciting new mystery series, The Blackstone Key is a gripping and vivid historical adventure that will appeal to fans of such classic tales as Jamaica Inn.