Listen to a sample
The Bookbinder’s Secret
- Author
- A. D. Bell
- Narrator
- Olivia Vinall
- Publisher
- HarperCollins Publishers
- Publish Date
- 6 November 2025
- Run Time
- 12 hours 11 minutes
- Format
- x-book®
- Genre
- Historical crime and mysteries, Historical romance, Historical fiction, Crime and mystery: cosy mystery, Crime and mystery: women sleuths / detectives, Crime and mystery: private investigator / amateur detectives, Book design and Bookbinding
- Rating
- 4.0 (5 reviews)
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What to expect
Fans of The Shadow of the Wind and The Thirteenth Tale will love this thrilling historical novel, with an intriguing mystery, which is perfect for lovers of books about books.
‘Thoroughly immersive and atmospheric … This book has everything; adventure, intrigue, romance and a lead character you can really root for’ YOURS BOOK CLUB, Book Editor’s Pick
'A hypnotic novel with fine writing and a skillful ability to discover the culture and society of the past … as it is a really first-rate debut novel, I have selected it as the best book actually published in 2025' THE CRITIC
'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
……………….
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.
Praise for The Bookbinder's Secret:‘With its irresistible premise and unfolding mystery, The Bookbinder’s Secret kept me hooked until the final page. A. D. Bell has brought every booklover's dream to life!’ ANITA FRANK
'A delicious mystery, superbly plotted, that wraps you up in a good book in more ways than one' HESTER MUSSON
'Totally unputdownable for anyone who loves books and mysteries. I loved every moment' LOUISE HARE
Readers give five stars to The Bookbinder's Secret:'An incredible read' ★★★★★
'A truly gripping, amazing book' ★★★★★
'It’s what book readers and collectors dream of' ★★★★★
'A mixture of romance, death, sheer willpower and so much more… I never wanted to put it down' ★★★★★
'This is a must read … I honestly can't explain how much I enjoyed this book' ★★★★★
'Wow. What an intriguing book' ★★★★★
'This book throws twists at you constantly. It's brilliant' ★★★★★
'I absolutely loved this read … couldn't put it down' ★★★★★
'A well-constructed narrative, with strong, fully-developed characters and a plot that will keep you reading way past bedtime' ★★★★★
Perfect for fans of:📚Books about books
📜Historical fiction
🔍Hidden mysteries
💗Forbidden romance
🕵🏻♀️Strong FMCs
🎭Colourful side characters
😱Twists, turns, and jaw-dropping secrets
Critics Review
-
Praise for The Bookbinder's Secret:
-
‘An utterly captivating tale, truly immersive and unputdownable. For the lovers of history and books, an atmospheric, gothic delight. I fell in love from the opening page’ Rachel Greenlaw
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'A delicious mystery, superbly plotted … wraps you up in a good book in more ways than one' Hester Musson
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'A deliciously twisty and vibrantly plotted historical mystery set in the world of rare books in turn-of-the-century England, The Bookbinder's Secret is a must for booklovers everywhere’ Kristin Harmel
See more reviews See fewer reviews
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‘For all who cherish the magic of books, reading The Bookbinder’s Secret is like falling into another world … Sewn together with the threads of mystery, romance, and a fiercely determined woman, The Bookbinder’s Secret is impossible to put down’ Patti Callahan Henry
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‘Atmospheric and propulsive, The Bookbinder’s Secret chronicles a passion for books and the cost of obsession … Perfect for fans of Diane Setterfield’s The Thirteenth Tale’ Janet Skeslien Charles
User Reviews
Book 4.0
Narration 4.8
-
4.0 5.0
Fast paced and intriguing, with a plenty of detail.
julesd 2025-11-27 -
5.0 5.0
A very enjoyable and engaging read. Thank you.
bluedocs 2025-11-18 -
2.0 4.0
I have struggled through a third of this book and cannot go on. The author would benefit from reading a few of the historical greats to get a better understanding of the language, dialogue, society and descriptions of the times she has set this novel in. It is so obviously modern in its execution and could have been so much better. The premise of the story is quite good but, sadly, the writing is not.
Jane B 2025-11-14 -
5.0 5.0
Intriguing and fascinating to the end, what a fabulous story
jeannette 2025-11-13
Details
- Author
- A. D. Bell
- Narrator
- Olivia Vinall
- Duration
- 12 hours 11 minutes
- Release Date
- 6 November 2025
- ISBN
- 9780008755911
- Format
- x-book®
- Publisher
- HarperCollins Publishers
- Genre
- Historical crime and mysteries, Historical romance, Historical fiction, Crime and mystery: cosy mystery, Crime and mystery: women sleuths / detectives, Crime and mystery: private investigator / amateur detectives, Book design and Bookbinding
- Rating
- 4.0(5 reviews)
- Narration
- 4.8(5 reviews)
Synopsis
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. Fans of The Shadow of the Wind and The Thirteenth Tale will love this thrilling historical novel, with an intriguing mystery, which is perfect for lovers of books about books. ‘Thoroughly immersive and atmospheric … This book has everything; adventure, intrigue, romance and a lead character you can really root for’ YOURS BOOK CLUB, Book Editor’s Pick 'A hypnotic novel with fine writing and a skillful ability to discover the culture and society of the past … as it is a really first-rate debut novel, I have selected it as the best book actually published in 2025' THE CRITIC '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 ………………. 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. Praise for The Bookbinder's Secret: ‘With its irresistible premise and unfolding mystery, The Bookbinder’s Secret kept me hooked until the final page. A. D. Bell has brought every booklover's dream to life!’ ANITA FRANK 'A delicious mystery, superbly plotted, that wraps you up in a good book in more ways than one' HESTER MUSSON 'Totally unputdownable for anyone who loves books and mysteries. I loved every moment' LOUISE HARE Readers give five stars to The Bookbinder's Secret: 'An incredible read' ★★★★★ 'A truly gripping, amazing book' ★★★★★ 'It’s what book readers and collectors dream of' ★★★★★ 'A mixture of romance, death, sheer willpower and so much more… I never wanted to put it down' ★★★★★ 'This is a must read … I honestly can't explain how much I enjoyed this book' ★★★★★ 'Wow. What an intriguing book' ★★★★★ 'This book throws twists at you constantly. It's brilliant' ★★★★★ 'I absolutely loved this read … couldn't put it down' ★★★★★ 'A well-constructed narrative, with strong, fully-developed characters and a plot that will keep you reading way past bedtime' ★★★★★ Perfect for fans of: 📚Books about books 📜Historical fiction 🔍Hidden mysteries 💗Forbidden romance 🕵🏻♀️Strong FMCs 🎭Colourful side characters 😱Twists, turns, and jaw-dropping secrets
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