Dillman & Masefield / Ocean Liner Mysteries Books

A maritime mystery from Edward Marston, author of the bestselling Railway Detective series. September 1907. George Dillman sets sail from Liverpool to New York on the Lusitania 's maiden voyage. Posing as a passenger, Dillman is in fact an undercover detective hired by the Cunard Line to keep an eye out for petty crimes. But after some uneventful days aboard, the ship's blueprints are stolen and then a body is found. As Dillman works to get to the bottom of the crimes, he makes an unusual friend, first-class passenger Genevieve Masefield, and the two uncover secrets aboard the ship that prove explosive. The Lusitania was a British ocean liner that was sunk in 1915 by a German U-boat off the coast of Ireland, killing 1,198 passengers and crew. Lusitania held the Blue Riband prize for the fastest Atlantic crossing and was briefly the world's largest passenger ship until the completion of the Mauretania. Previously published under the name Conrad Allen, the Ocean Liner series is relaunched for a new generation of readers.

November 1907. George Dillman and Genevieve Masefield sail from Liverpool to New York on the maiden voyage of the luxurious Mauretania. Employed by the Cunard Line again as private detectives, they pose as passengers on what proves to be a very eventful crossing. Dillman is instrumental in rescuing a crew member from being washed overboard in severe weather, but he is unable to save one of the first-class passengers from the same fate. At first, it looks like a case of death by misadventure, but is the presence of a record shipment of gold bullion on board just too great a coincidence? Dillman and Genevieve must fathom the motive for murder before it is too late. At the time of her launch, the Mauretania was the largest moving structure ever built. She would later serve as a WWI hospital and troop ship. After returning to civilian service, Mauretania was retired and scrapped in the mid-1930s. Previously published under the name Conrad Allen, the Ocean Liner series is relaunched for a new generation of readers.

Fresh from a harrowing trans-Atlantic crossing aboard the Mauretania, and having recently earned a reputation as the best team of shipboard sleuths to sail the seven seas, George Porter Dillman and Genevieve Masefield hardly set foot on land before embarking on another assignment. Temporarily forsaking the Cunard Line to work as private detectives aboard the Minnesota, a combination freighter and passenger ship owned by the Great Northern Steamship Company, the couple are eagerly anticipating the prospect of a cruise bound for the Far East. Once aboard, the two begin to establish separate social circles in order to keep an eye on as many passengers and crew as possible. As the ship gets underway it's smooth sailing, and George and Genevieve are hoping that perhaps this will be their first uneventful cruise. Unfortunately, their luck turns quickly as a fiery Catholic missionary is murdered in what proves to be the first of a series of crimes that will stretch them to their limit. Dillman and Genevieve have to use all their skills to combat danger on more than one front, and to prevent an otherwise idyllic (and romantic) trip from becoming a terrifying nightmare. As fans of Conrad Allen and his nautical adventures have come to expect, Murder on the Minnesota packs another fast-paced, exhilarating mystery into the exquisitely rendered world of romance and suspense aboard the majestic ocean liners of the early 20th century.

Genevieve Masefield and George Porter Dillman have met all kinds of people while sailing as ship detectives for the Cunard Line. But as they prepare to embark on yet another Atlantic crossing, this time aboard the famous Caronia, they encounter an entirely new circumstance: two men brandishing shotguns herd a man and a woman aboard ship in shackles, right in front of scores of baffled passengers. Curious, the two detectives come to find out that the young couple have been captured in New York by Scotland Yard and are being transported back to England to stand trial for murder. Before long, George and Genevieve have a chance to talk to the Scotland Yard officers, and come away far less than convinced that the captured couple are the vicious criminals they’re thought to be. Of course, no matter how much they'd like to follow up on the hunch that the two may not be guilty, they've got a ship full of their standard responsibilities: purse-snatching passengers, stateroom burglars, professional poker cheats, and, of course, drug traffickers posing as high-class travelers. But the hunch just won't go away, and George knows he'll just have to find time to check into the situation. All in all, it's another hugely fun romp on the high seas for two detectives rapidly becoming fan favorites in Conrad Allen's iventive historical series.

Egypt, 1908. George Dillman and Genevieve Masefield, used to the grand opulence of the Cunard cruise line, are at first disappointed with the Marmora , a small, unimpressive ship owned by the P&O shipping line. Employed by P&O to be the ship's detectives, Dillman and Masefield expect to encounter the usual assortment of petty thieves and confidence tricksters. But this cruise is certain to be unique as the Duke and Duchess of Fife and their children are aboard and the detectives will provide security for the royals. And when a dead body turns up, the voyage proves to be one to remember. Keeping the demise of the poor victim a secret on such a small ship is tough enough but suspects abound, meaning Dillman and Masefield have their work cut out for them. Previously published under the name Conrad Allen, the Ocean Liner series casts off for a new generation of readers.

Bombay, 1909. Genevieve Masefield and George Dillman make a living as detectives aboard the early twentieth century's most extravagant ocean liners. From the members of first class in all their finery, to the card cheats and pickpockets plying their trade, they've experienced more than their share of humanity. For their latest voyage, the Salsette boasts a pair of travellers who feign ignorance of each other but there is clearly no love lost between them. Then there's an elderly man whose powers of deduction may be based on more earthly techniques than the mystical energy he claims to possess. And there's a young woman and her mother who find their way into the middle of every bit of trouble aboard. The lives of this group of travellers are set to intersect in ways none of them could have foreseen on dry land - including in a murder. Previously published under the name Conrad Allen, the Ocean Liner series casts off for a new generation of readers.

A maritime mystery from Edward Marston, author of the bestselling Railway Detective series. Southampton, 1910. When the Oceanic sets sail its ultimate destination is New York. But it must make one very important stop first: at Cherbourg, to pick up internationally renowned financier and art collector J. P. Morgan, fresh from a continental buying spree. George Dillman and Genevieve Masefield, the ship's detectives, are nervous about the presence of such an important passenger, not to mention his valuable cargo. After all, it is rare for a transatlantic voyage to pass without incident for the two sleuths. The everyday difficulties of managing passengers including a charming rake intent on causing mischief and a controversial painter travelling with his bohemian wife and his alluring French model, are brought to a pitch when a major art theft takes place and a throat is cut. Dillman and Masefield must draw upon all their experience to find the killer before it is too late. Previously published under the name Conrad Allen, the Ocean Liner series is making waves with a new generation of readers.

A maritime mystery from Edward Marston, author of the bestselling Railway Detective series. New York, 1910. George Dillman and Genevieve Masefield have crossed the Atlantic Ocean numerous times in their capacity as ship's detectives. On those crossings they've had the pleasure, and in some cases the trouble, of sailing with very famous passengers. Dukes. Duchesses. Artists. Actors. Musicians. Royalty. But few names have quite the level of fame and fortune as their fellow traveller Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. Now aboard the Celtic, Dillman and Masefield have a particular stolen book to recover and an elusive fugitive to apprehend, but will the famous writer help or hinder them? Previously published under the name Conrad Allen, the Ocean Liner series is making waves with a new generation of readers.