I Died at Fallow Hall

A thought-provoking, genuinely contemporary take on the country house murder mystery: the perfect combination of literary and crime novel.

'Burke-Patel's debut is both a traditional country-house mystery and an examination of loneliness, the difficulty of making connections with others, and how hard it can be to escape the roles imposed on us by family and society' Guardian

'Superbly and elegantly written... executed with skill, finesse and considerable compassion. A very impressive debut from a fully-formed writer' Irish Independent

Anna Deerin moves to a remote Cotswold cottage to become a gardener, trying to strip away everything she's spent all her life as a woman striving for, craving the anonymity and privacy her new off-grid life provides.

But when she clears the last vegetable bed and digs up not twigs but bones, the outside world is readmitted.

With it comes Detective Inspector Hitesh Mistry, who has his own reasons for a new start in the village of Upper Magna.

Drawn in spite of herself to this unknown woman from another time, Anna is determined to uncover her identity and gain recognition for her, if not justice.

As threats to Anna and her new life grow closer, she and DI Mistry will find that this murder is inextricably bound up with issues of gender, family, community, race and British identity itself - all as relevant in decades past as they are to Anna today.

'A hard-hitting mystery drama that simultaneously celebrates and skewers the country house tradition, Bonnie Burke-Patel's debut is beautifully written, told with empathy and a razor-sharp wit. I couldn't put it down' - Seth Insua, author of Human, Animal

'Beautifully written with a deeply moving climax, Bonnie Burke-Patel’s debut is a gripping novel full of hope. In a woman’s search for a different future, the secrets of the past are unearthed, revealed with perfectly paced drama. Exquisite and emotional, this is a thrilling read'

'An effortless modern twist on the country house mystery genre, this is also at times a rather tender meditation on how British society’s views on women has changed and how much the past still imprisons us in its cage of guilt. Evocative of country life, characters that draw you in and that the reader will have empathy with, all in all a strong variation on a popular mystery trope and a worthy accomplishment.' Maxim Jakubowski, Crime Time

'Superbly and elegantly written, it has much to say about gender and racial inequality in modern Britain, along with some thinly disguised disdain for the smug entitlement of its Barbour-clad aristocracy. Added to this is Burke-Patel’s depiction of the interior lives of Anna and Hitesh, which is executed with skill, finesse and considerable compassion. A very impressive debut from a fully-formed writer' Irish Independent

'Burke-Patel’s debut is both a traditional country-house mystery and an examination of loneliness, the difficulty of making connections with others, and how hard it can be to escape the roles imposed on us by family and society' Guardian

Born and raised in South Gloucestershire, Bonnie Burke-Patel studied History at Oxford. After working for half a decade in politics and policy, she changed careers and became a preschool teacher, before beginning to write full time. She lives with her husband, son, and needy cat in south east London, and is working on her next crime novel about fairy tales, desire, and the seaside.

This item is eligible for free returns within 30 days of delivery. See our returns policy for further details.