Publication Date: August 4, 2026
A ghostwriter plunges into danger as she unravels the dark secrets of a powerful Scottish family in a thrilling novel of romance and mystery by the bestselling author of Mrs. Endicott’s Splendid Adventure.
Australian writer Emma Callander has been recruited to complete the final historical mystery in a series by celebrated author Iris Blackburn. It’s 1965, and Iris’s memory is fading. She’s certain that only Emma can do justice to her novel about a murder on the Isle of Skye. When Emma ventures to Scotland for research, she discovers the story is not fiction at all but rather a true crime, unsolved for more than fifty years.
It was 1904 when a couple’s suspicious drowning led to the disappearance of a mysterious young woman the locals called the Wild Girl. To this day the mystery is unforgettable, especially among the descendants of an aristocratic family who’ll do anything to keep their secrets buried. From the misty Highlands to a medieval castle, Emma and Tony Gordon, Iris’s handsome lawyer, work ever more closely to uncover them.
But while Iris may be known for her fiendishly clever twists, there’s one not even Emma could have seen coming.
An opportunity to serve as a ghostwriter for a legendary author seems too good for Emma Callander to turn down.
Author Rhys Bowen captures a dual timeline in The Castle in the Glen. Emma’s collaboration with Iris Blackburn takes place in 1965, featuring a mystery set in 1932 with ties dating back to the turn of the century.
The author creates compelling characters, particularly the contrast of grouchy Iris and eager-to-please Emma. What initially seems like just another mystery evolves into something much more sinister as Emma connects the story to an unsolved true crime.
It’s not until she and the writer’s lawyer travel to Scotland for research that the pieces start falling into place. Ultimately, readers will find a multi-layered historical novel with an incredible twist.
The Castle in the Glen features a mystery full of unexpected danger.
Rhys Bowen is the New York Times bestselling author of more than forty novels, including The Victory Garden, The Tuscan Child, and the World War II-based In Farleigh Field, the winner of the Left Coast Crime Award for Best Historical Mystery Novel and the Agatha Award for Best Historical Novel. Bowen’s work has won twenty honors to date, including multiple Agatha, Anthony, and Macavity awards. Her books have been translated into many languages, and she has fans around the world, including seventeen thousand Facebook followers. A transplanted Brit, Bowen divides her time between California and Arizona.
