When a burned book falls into the hands of a young bookbinder, she uncovers a tale of forbidden love, a fortune lost … and murder – which puts her own life in jeopardy.

The Shadow of the Wind meets Enola Holmes in this thrilling historical novel, with an intriguing mystery, ideal for lovers of books about books.

'Original, exciting, beautifully written' M. W. Craven

‘I devoured this book! Totally immersive and highly atmospheric, this page-turning debut has a magical allure that is utterly captivating’ Evie Woods

‘With its irresistible premise and unfolding mystery, The Bookbinder’s Secret kept me hooked until the final page. A. D. Bell has brought surely every booklover's dream to life!’ Anita Frank​

……………….

What danger could lie within a book?

‘I wish you had not killed him.’

Lilian Delaney, apprentice to a master bookbinder in Oxford in 1901, chafes at the confines of her life, caught between the oppressive walls of her father’s bookshop and the limitations of being a woman in a man’s profession. But when a burned book comes into her possession, she finds hidden beneath the binding a fifty-year-old letter speaking of love, fortune and murder.

Lily is drawn into the mystery, which hints at a forbidden romance between young lovers, and learns there are other books which conceal more of the story. Lily becomes obsessed with finding them, but she is not the only one looking, and what began as a simple intrigue quickly turns dangerous.

Her journey takes her across the country, to the eccentric booksellers of London, private libraries of unscrupulous collectors and the dusty archives of society papers, as she delves further into the heart of the secret. But with sinister forces closing in, willing to do anything to obtain the books, Lily’s world begins to fall apart, and she must decide if uncovering the truth is worth losing everything.