The Burning Library

'A breakneck thriller...if you enjoyed The Da Vinci Code you'll love this!' Harriet Tyce

By: Gilly Macmillan

Write A Review

Hardcover | 29 January 2026 | Edition Number 1

At a Glance

Format
Hardcover

Dimensions(cm)
24.1 x 16.1 x 3.1

Hardcover

RRP $59.99

$43.75

27%OFF

or 4 interest-free payments of $10.94 with

or

Ships in 15 to 25 business days

'An exciting and multi-layered academic thriller that reads with the pace and complexity of a feminist The Da Vinci Code'

Irish Independent

'A race against time through ancient manuscripts where every revelation comes with a price'

Claire Douglas, bestselling author of The New Neighbours

_______________________________

For over a century two rival organisations of women have gone to deadly lengths to secure a precious scrap of fraying embroidery in the hopes of finding the original medieval manuscript from which it was torn.

There's the Order of St Katherine: devoted to the belief that women must pull strings in the shadows in order to exercise covert control. And the Fellowship of the Larks: determined to amass as many overt positions of power for women as possible . . . while making sure their methods never come to light.

When trailblazing paleographer Dr Anya Brown is headhunted by the exclusive Institute of Manuscript Studies at St Andrews, she's unaware that she is in grave danger - her new employers are the Larks, and they'll stop at nothing to achieve their mission.

As Dr Brown is drawn deeper into this ancient web, events spiral beyond her control. To uncover the truth, and escape with her life, she must summon all her expertise to decipher a series of messages that have lain hidden for centuries.

An exhilarating and page-turning race against time, The Burning Library whisks you from the hallowed cloisters of Oxford, Cambridge and St Andrews to the stunning medieval Italian city of Verona.

_______________________________

'Blending academia, history and danger, this high-stakes thriller will have your heart pounding'

Woman & Home

'Macmillan is every bit as thrilling a writer as Dan Brown'

Daily Mail

Industry Reviews

My favourite book of the year! I inhaled this fast-paced, clever thriller. A race against time through ancient manuscripts where every revelation comes with a price and nobody can be trusted, The Burning Library crackles with paranoia and tension on every page. Original, twisty and utterly gripping, this is dark academia at its finest. An outstanding read and Gilly Macmillan's best yet

Dr Anya Brown becomes an unwitting pawn between two secretive, warring, and dangerous factions of women in search of a priceless medieval manuscript. Fresh, fun, and full of thrills, The Burning Library is dark academia with a sly, feminist twist - deliciously entertaining! Highly recommended!

A beautifully written story of dark obsession and murderous ambition. Outstanding

Ingenious, inventive, highly imaginative. Crying out to be a Netflix series, with its telegenic locations - Oxford, London, Cambridge, St Andrews, Verona and Venice - and a plot which hurtles from one twist to another even faster than Anya and Sid

Shipping

	Standard Shipping	Express Shipping
Metro postcodes:	$9.99	$14.95
Regional postcodes:	$9.99	$14.95
Rural postcodes:	$9.99	$14.95

Orders over $79.00 qualify for free shipping.

How to return your order

At Booktopia, we offer hassle-free returns in accordance with our returns policy. If you wish to return an item, please get in touch with Booktopia Customer Care.

Additional postage charges may be applicable.

Defective items

If there is a problem with any of the items received for your order then the Booktopia Customer Care team is ready to assist you.

For more info please visit our Help Centre.

More in Thrillers & Suspense

Flashpoint

The brand-new WWII thriller for 2026 from the master of adventure

Hardcover

RRP $39.99

$23.99

40%
OFF

The One Who Walked Away

the gripping new standalone thriller from the queen of suspense

Paperback

RRP $34.99

$33.75

The Girl with the Seven Lives

the brand new dazzling novel, from the author behind Slumdog Millionaire

Paperback

RRP $34.99

$28.75

18%
OFF

Paperback

RRP $34.99

$19.99

43%
OFF

The Martini Club

Paperback

RRP $24.99

$21.75

13%
OFF

The Burning Library

'A breakneck thriller...if you enjoyed The Da Vinci Code you'll love this!' Harriet Tyce

At a Glance

Hardcover

Industry Reviews

Shipping

How to return your order

Defective items

You Can Find This Book In

More in Thrillers & Suspense

Flashpoint

The brand-new WWII thriller for 2026 from the master of adventure

Scion

Book 1

The Most Dangerous Games

From MrBeast and James Patterson. A secret competition. 100 players. $1 billion. ARE YOU THE ONE?

The Reckoning

Volume 3

The Munich Affair

The Wreck

The One Who Walked Away

the gripping new standalone thriller from the queen of suspense

The Girl with the Seven Lives

the brand new dazzling novel, from the author behind Slumdog Millionaire

The Whitechapel Full Moon Society

Law Maker

Aristocrats of London Book 1

Blood Moon

From the bestselling author of Mole Creek, a gripping, globe-spanning thriller of vengeance and buried secrets

Eyes On You

Adele Parks Book 26

The Governor

Read the brilliant prison thriller from the Queen of Crime Drama

Helidon

The Third Dana Gibson Mystery

Brain Damage

Agrippa

Our Beautiful Boys

House of Flies

an unmissable supernatural procedural from the master of the thriller that will keep you up all night in 2026

The Unknown

A totally gripping, unputdownable and heart-pounding thriller

House of Two Pharaohs

Step into the world of gold, gods and deadly ambition with the perfect Father's Day gift from the master of adventure

Delusional

Gone Tomorrow

(Jack Reacher 13)

The Appeal

Shortlisted for the CWA New Blood Dagger 2022

The Summer Guests

The Martini Club

This product is categorised by