A Historical Mystery Series

The Mary Grey
Mysteries

Five historical mysteries featuring district nurse Mary Grey, spanning England and Europe in the years surrounding the Second World War.

Mary Grey, District Nurse

At the heart of the series is Mary Grey, a district nurse whose sharp mind and tenacious spirit draw her into mysteries far beyond her medical duties. Set against the gathering darkness of prewar Europe and the turbulence of the Second World War, the Mary Grey mysteries blend human drama, historical atmosphere, and compelling investigation. Alongside Franz Schaefer, an exiled Jewish German detective, and her beloved Harriet, Mary navigates a world of secrets, danger, and moral complexity.

The Complete Series

2021
Book 01
The Illhenny Murders
2022
Book 02
Death at Bayard Lodge
2023
Book 03
A Swing of the Axe
2024
Book 04
Peril in Provence
2025
Book 05
Gold, Frankincense, and Morphine
The Illhenny Murders by Winnie Frolik

2021

The Illhenny Murders

District nurse Mary Grey saves architect Anthony West after a car wreck, only to hear him insist that the crash was no accident. When Anthony later dies, Mary begins asking questions and finds herself drawn into a dangerous investigation alongside exiled Jewish German detective Franz Schaefer.

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2022

Death at Bayard Lodge

Mary Grey and her lover Harriet visit Harriet's godmother in the Lake District, but their peaceful visit is shattered when newlywed Rachel Florry is found dead with her skull smashed. As Mary and Franz Schaefer investigate, hidden relationships and dangerous secrets begin to emerge.

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Death at Bayard Lodge by Winnie Frolik
A Swing of the Axe by Winnie Frolik

2023

A Swing of the Axe

When one of Mary's old nursing-school colleagues is murdered, Mary and private detective Franz Schaefer travel north to investigate. The murdered nurse had alerted Scotland Yard to a suspected crime, and the village they enter appears to be hiding more than one secret.

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2024

Peril in Provence

Mary hears that Harriet West has been arrested for murder in the French town of Munier. Mary travels to Provence, where Harriet confesses to the killing but claims she acted in self-defense. As Mary searches for the truth, more disturbing secrets come to light.

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Peril in Provence by Winnie Frolik
Gold, Frankincense, and Morphine by Winnie Frolik

2025

Gold, Frankincense, and Morphine

In December 1938, Mary is working at St. Stephen's Hospital in Rosby when a patient dies following what should have been a routine operation. Mary begins to suspect that something darker is happening. As the bodies begin to mount, Franz investigates while Harriet takes in a child refugee arriving through the Kindertransport.

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Start with The Illhenny Murders

Begin at the beginning and follow Mary Grey through five gripping historical mysteries.