Dear Reader, the man I love is trying to kill me...

A diary hidden. A crime buried. A secret to be freed...
A spellbinding tale of secrets, entrapment and obsession from the author of the BBC2 Between the Covers pick The Dictator's Wife.

'A delicious page-turning mystery within a mystery' LIZ HYDER

'A twisty treasure hunt of a novel... Utterly beguiling' LIZZIE POOK

'It glistens with a hint of the danger that lurks within' CHARLOTTE PHILBY

'Claustrophobic and clever storytelling' JANE SHEMILT

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1932. Emily Blackwood, a young adventuress and plant hunter, travels north for a curious new commission. A gentleman has written to request she catalogue his vast collection of taxidermied creatures before sale.

On arrival, Emily finds a ruined castle, its owner haunted by the memory of a woman who disappeared five decades before. And when she discovers the ripped pages of an old diary, crammed into the walls, she realises a dark secret lies here, waiting to entrap her too...

'Outstanding...has Berry's signature way of drawing a reader in, and keeping hold of them until the very last page. Lovers of crime, mystery and intrigue should order this immediately' HARPER'S BAZAAR

'In 1932, adventuress Emily Blackwood journeys to a ruined castle where a treasure hunt sees dark, long-buried secrets begin to unravel. The Birdcage Library is wonderfully gothic and immersive' NEW EUROPEAN

'An atmospheric read - add in a literary treasure hunt and this is irresistible' GOOD HOUSEKEEPING

'Very clever. Keeps you glued until the final twist' WOMAN & HOME

'Compulsive. A twisty, atmospheric tale of dark secrets and hidden clues' KATE HAMER

'Gorgeous, atmospheric; an immersive page-turner to be swept up in' ELLERY LLOYD

'Addictive . Beautifully atmospheric and darkly compelling, this tale of two unusual women, murder and obsession will draw you in and keep you guessing until the final page' HEAT

'A most intriguing detective story within the most gothic of atmospheres - a double shiver of pleasure' THE CHAP