The Waterfall: A beguiling and intricate mystery from Sunday Times bestselling author Gareth Rubin

A story about stories within stories, as four interconnected mysteries take the reader through the ages, from Shakespeare’s day to a 19th-century Gothic former Priory, to 1920s Venice, and finally to 1940s California, from the internationally bestselling author of The Turnglass.

We begin with the last testament of William Shakespeare as he investigates the real-life murder mystery of his friend, playwright Christopher Marlowe.

The second story is a 19th-century Gothic tale about the discovery of Shakespeare’s manuscript, set in an isolated former Priory, now a clinic for those who cannot sleep.

The third is a lighter Golden Age detective tale set in Venice, where private investigator Honora Feldman looks into a baffling case of theft and murder in the British expat community, with the Gothic story at its heart.

And finally, a 1940s American Noir, as Ken Kourian finds that a serial killer is recreating all the murders in The Waterfall, the companion book to his friend Oliver Tooke’s The Turnglass.

The Waterfall is a beguiling and intricate mystery that cements Gareth Rubin’s position as one of the most original authors writing today.

PRAISE FOR THE TURNGLASS, THE SUNDAY TIMES TOP TEN BESTSELLER:

‘This is a story about stories and their perspectives, the passage of time and the slow march of the inevitable. Vivid, resonant, melancholy and beautiful’ JANICE HALLETT

‘Rubin has pulled off the difficult trick of writing an ambitious novel that is also an easy, enjoyable read’ THE TIMES, CRIME BOOK OF THE MONTH

‘A bold, breathtaking piece of writing that absolutely nails its two books in one conceit. I doubt I’ll ever read anything like it again, which is the highest compliment I can offer’ STUART TURTON

‘A stunning, ingenious, truly immersive mystery… a thrilling delight’ CHRIS WHITAKER

‘An intricate and thoroughly mesmerising tale of family plots and schemes across several generations’ GUARDIAN, THRILLER OF THE YEAR

‘Your initial amazement at his ingenuity comes to sit alongside an appreciation for the heart and depth he brings to his stories. A risky idea, beautifully executed’ DAILY TELEGRAPH

© 2025 Simon & Schuster Audio UK (Audiobook): 9781398535428

Release date

Audiobook: September 25, 2025