We’re delighted to be sharing Laura’s thoughts about The Mystery at Rake Hall by Maureen Paton.
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- Category : Crime & Mystery
- Publisher : Swift Press (24 April 2025)
- Language : English
- Hardcover : 288 pages
- ISBN-10 : 1800754833
- ISBN-13 : 978-1800754836
In post-war Oxford, secrets lie behind every door.
In 1947, with rationing still biting and the black market thriving, university don C.S. ‘Jack’ Lewis finds himself pulled into a mystery straight from one of his friend Dorothy Sayers’ novels. Susan Temple, his brightest student, has hidden herself away at Rake Hall ― a hostel for unmarried, outcast mothers – and hasn’t been heard from since.
With no experience beyond catching the occasional student plagiarist, Lewis is hardly a detective. But when Susan’s absence continues to haunt him, he teams up with her concerned friend Lucy and together they delve into the disturbing rumours of a nasty racket at Rake Hall. Can Lewis’s nose for the truth separate fact from fiction?
In The Mystery at Rake Hall, Maureen Paton – whose mother lived at the real-life Rake Hall while pregnant with Maureen – brilliantly recreates a post-war Oxford world, as well as imagining an alternative life for one of its most famous residents.
The Mystery at Rake Hall Review
A splendid read that I devoured in just a few days!
I was especially intrigued to learn, after finishing, about the author’s background research into mother and baby homes—it added even more depth to the story.
When tutor C.S. Lewis—known to his friends as Jack—realizes that one of his students has gone missing, he sets out to uncover what’s happened to her. Fearing the worst, he soon discovers something even more disturbing, with implications reaching beyond just one young woman.
I really enjoyed the references to his goddaughter Lucy, which made me think this novel might be set before The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. The Oxford setting, just after the Second World War, is perfect for this kind of mystery. The evocative descriptions of its buildings, spires, and atmosphere added so much richness to the story.
Susan, the missing girl, and her friend Lucy—who joins Lewis in his search—are both strong, determined characters, especially considering the obstacles women faced during that era.
A very enjoyable mystery, and one I’d definitely recommend!
About the Author
Maureen Paton is a freelance journalist specialising in arts, showbusiness and women’s issues. She is the author of two works of non-fiction, and is a former committee member and former newsletter editor of the campaigning organisation Women in Journalism. The Mystery at Rake Hall is her first novel.