The Green Baize Door
Historical mystery about class, moral ambiguity, and people who aren’t satisfied with life on their side of the green baize door.
One house, two worlds, and a murder in between.
Pre‑order now · Publishes January 27, 2026.
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The Green Baize Door
In the fashionable mansions on Chestnut Hill, a simple green baize door separates the masters’ world from the servants’. That door is thrown wide when an elderly housekeeper is found brutally murdered on the first day of the new century. Marie Chevalier, the housekeeper’s poor but ambitious granddaughter, and James Lett, the mansion owner’s kind but indolent son, suspect the killer is connected to one of their families—but which one?
From drawing rooms to alleyways, their separate investigations lead them through the sometimes lavish, sometimes brutal, landscape of turn-of-the-century New England. When long-buried secrets begin to unravel the fragile threads that hold both households together, Marie and James must find a way to bridge the gulf between them—if only to prove that the murderer belongs not to their own world, but to that strange and foreign land on the other side of the green baize door.
Inspired by real-life events, The Green Baize Door is a richly layered historical mystery that explores themes of class identity, family loyalty, and the sometimes blurry line between virtue and vice.
About Eleanor Birney
Eleanor Birney writes historical mysteries about class, moral ambiguity, and people who aren’t satisfied with life on their side of the green baize door. She received a BA in History from UC Berkeley, and works as a legal research attorney, a day job that feeds her love of precision, research, and puzzles. Growing up in foster care gave her a lifelong fascination with the way society steers people into assigned places—and how some of those people refuse to stay in them. She lives in Northern California with her family. The Green Baize Door is her debut novel.
Themes
- Class
- Moral Ambiguity
- Identity
- Constraint
- Secrets
Updates
I share occasional notes on the research, questions, and quiet corners that shape The Green Baize Door — along with news of upcoming work. No noise. No schedule. Just when there’s something worth passing on.
Get in touch
For rights inquiries, interviews, or event invitations, please email hello@eleanorbirney.com — or send a note here.