Historical crime and mysteries

Book SynopsisVolume VII contains the thirteenth, fourteenth, and fifteenth Thorndyke novels, published in 1931, 1932, and 1933, respectively.Pontifex, Son, and Thorndyke - Jasper Gray is an enterprising fellow going about his typical day when he''s drawn into a series of curious events. Meanwhile, Thorndyke is consulted on a seemingly unrelated but unusual suicide. When their stories collide, Jasper''s life will never be the same.When Rogues Fall Out - A disagreement between thieves and a policeman doing his duty leads to the policeman''s death. Thorndyke, Jervis, and Polton assist the official force to bring the killer to justice - and along the way investigate a most mysterious house . . . .Dr. Thorndyke Intervenes - An old case has current consequences when a human head is abandoned in a train station. Before the investigation is concluded, a visit to an ancient crypt and explorations in ancient British mines will lead to a restored inheritance.When Sherlock Holmes began his practice as a "Consulting Detective", his ideas of scientific criminal investigations caused the London police to look upon him as a mere "theorist". And yet, through his work, the science behind catching criminals became so important that it''s hard to now imagine the world without them.Many famous Great Detectives followed in Holmes''s footsteps - Nero Wolfe and Ellery Queen, Hercule Poirot and Solar Pons - but before they began their careers, and while Holmes was still in practice in Baker Street, another London consultant - Dr. John Thorndyke - opened his doors, using the scientific methods developed and perfected by Holmes and taking them to a whole new level of brilliance.Between 1905, with his first appearance in a nearly forgotten novella (see below), to 1942, and through the course of twenty-one novels and over forty short stories, Dr. Thorndyke, often with the assistance of his friend Dr. Christopher Jervis, unraveled some incredibly complex puzzles. Besides providing very satisfying mysteries - some of which turned the literary form inside out - these adventures present vivid pictures of England in the late Victorian and early Edwardian eras, ranging from the doctor''s own vividly drawn chambers at 5A Kings Bench Walk in the Temple to the surrounding London streets, and beyond into the villages and towns of the countryside.Many of the Thorndyke volumes have been difficult to obtain for decades. MX Publishing is proud to announce the return of Dr. Thorndyke in a collection of omnibus editions, bringing these masterful adventures of one of the world''s greatest detectives together in an easily available format for modern readers."Thorndyke will cheerfully show you all the facts. You will be none the wiser . . . ."- Dorothy L. Sayers, Chronicler of Lord Peter Wimsey

Read more less

Book SynopsisVolume VII contains the thirteenth, fourteenth, and fifteenth Thorndyke novels, published in 1931, 1932, and 1933, respectively.Pontifex, Son, and Thorndyke - Jasper Gray is an enterprising fellow going about his typical day when he''s drawn into a series of curious events. Meanwhile, Thorndyke is consulted on a seemingly unrelated but unusual suicide. When their stories collide, Jasper''s life will never be the same.When Rogues Fall Out - A disagreement between thieves and a policeman doing his duty leads to the policeman''s death. Thorndyke, Jervis, and Polton assist the official force to bring the killer to justice - and along the way investigate a most mysterious house . . . .Dr. Thorndyke Intervenes - An old case has current consequences when a human head is abandoned in a train station. Before the investigation is concluded, a visit to an ancient crypt and explorations in ancient British mines will lead to a restored inheritance.When Sherlock Holmes began his practice as a "Consulting Detective", his ideas of scientific criminal investigations caused the London police to look upon him as a mere "theorist". And yet, through his work, the science behind catching criminals became so important that it''s hard to now imagine the world without them.Many famous Great Detectives followed in Holmes''s footsteps - Nero Wolfe and Ellery Queen, Hercule Poirot and Solar Pons - but before they began their careers, and while Holmes was still in practice in Baker Street, another London consultant - Dr. John Thorndyke - opened his doors, using the scientific methods developed and perfected by Holmes and taking them to a whole new level of brilliance.Between 1905, with his first appearance in a nearly forgotten novella (see below), to 1942, and through the course of twenty-one novels and over forty short stories, Dr. Thorndyke, often with the assistance of his friend Dr. Christopher Jervis, unraveled some incredibly complex puzzles. Besides providing very satisfying mysteries - some of which turned the literary form inside out - these adventures present vivid pictures of England in the late Victorian and early Edwardian eras, ranging from the doctor''s own vividly drawn chambers at 5A Kings Bench Walk in the Temple to the surrounding London streets, and beyond into the villages and towns of the countryside.Many of the Thorndyke volumes have been difficult to obtain for decades. MX Publishing is proud to announce the return of Dr. Thorndyke in a collection of omnibus editions, bringing these masterful adventures of one of the world''s greatest detectives together in an easily available format for modern readers."Thorndyke will cheerfully show you all the facts. You will be none the wiser . . . ."- Dorothy L. Sayers, Chronicler of Lord Peter Wimsey

Read more less

Book SynopsisVolume VIII contains the sixteenth, seventeenth, and eighteenth full-length Thorndyke adventures, published in 1934, 1936, and 1937, respectively. For the Defense: Dr. Thorndyke - Andrew Barton dreaded meeting up with his identical cousin that he usually tried to avoid. Then Death joined them, and Andrew found himself in an unbelievable spiral of events that would rip him away from the life he loved forever. His only hope is if Dr. Thorndyke believes his impossible story! The Penrose Mystery - The eccentric collector had vanished, leaving a locked room possibly full of valuables, and legal questions regarding what to do next. Thorndyke''s involvement leads to even more puzzles, and the tragic excavation at an Ancient British Barrow. Felo de se? - The man found dead in his chambers appeared to have committed suicide - felo de se - but did he? The facts don''t add up, and Thorndyke''s scientific investigation reveals a most unique crime.When Sherlock Holmes began his practice as a "Consulting Detective", his ideas of scientific criminal investigations caused the London police to look upon him as a mere "theorist". And yet, through his work, the science behind catching criminals became so important that it''s hard to now imagine the world without them.Many famous Great Detectives followed in Holmes''s footsteps - Nero Wolfe and Ellery Queen, Hercule Poirot and Solar Pons - but before they began their careers, and while Holmes was still in practice in Baker Street, another London consultant - Dr. John Thorndyke - opened his doors, using the scientific methods developed and perfected by Holmes and taking them to a whole new level of brilliance.Between 1905, with his first appearance in a nearly forgotten novella (see below), to 1942, and through the course of twenty-one novels and over forty short stories, Dr. Thorndyke, often with the assistance of his friend Dr. Christopher Jervis, unraveled some incredibly complex puzzles. Besides providing very satisfying mysteries - some of which turned the literary form inside out - these adventures present vivid pictures of England in the late Victorian and early Edwardian eras, ranging from the doctor''s own vividly drawn chambers at 5A Kings Bench Walk in the Temple to the surrounding London streets, and beyond into the villages and towns of the countryside.Many of the Thorndyke volumes have been difficult to obtain for decades. MX Publishing is proud to announce the return of Dr. Thorndyke in a collection of omnibus editions, bringing these masterful adventures of one of the world''s greatest detectives together in an easily available format for modern readers."Thorndyke will cheerfully show you all the facts. You will be none the wiser . . . ."- Dorothy L. Sayers, Chronicler of Lord Peter Wimsey

Read more less

Book SynopsisIt is summer in 1890, in Robertsbridgfe, a small village in East Sussex. Dr Watson, on holiday without Holmes, finds the village peaceful and sleepy, but the truth is different. He soon discovers that the villagers are afraid, the atmosphere is threatening. Why do three mysterious white monks haunt the ruined abbey? What does the gipsy seek? Where is a missing ten-year-old boy? Watson calls for Holmes, but why is Holmes fearful of endangering lives? We read in this exciting story how Holmes'' patient deduction and Watson''s courage come together, to solve a many-sided mystery just before it turns into disaster. Johanna M. Rieke, born in Germany, is a mathematician and an author. Her authentically crafted, historic Sherlock Holmes stories, six up to 2021, are well-known in Germany, Austria and Switzerland. They have been published in German in book form and audio versions, and presented at the annual Frankfurt Book Fair. She is a member of the Sherlock Holmes Societies of Germany and London and of the Reichenbach Irregulars in Switzerland, where she lives, since marriage, near Basel.''Sherlock Holmes and the Mystery of The Three Monks'' was first published in Frankfurt in 2014. It is the third of her works to appear in English with MX Publishing,

Read more less

Book SynopsisLondon: November 1905. England and the world are changing. Into the rooms of Sherlock Holmes come Nikola Tesla and Thomas Edison-with new inventions that will alter the course of human history-only both inventions have gone missing.  Can Holmes, Watson, and Irene Adler somehow unravel the latest diabolical scheme of Marie Chartier-evil daughter of the late Professor Moriarty? Can world peace be achieved by the most powerful weapon ever created? Can death itself be overcome by a scientific genius? And can Sherlock Holmes survive the greatest personal loss of his career?

Read more less

Book SynopsisFor Sherlock Holmes, Irene Adler was always the woman, but at the end of "A Scandal in Bohemia" Dr. Watson had pronounced her dead and gone. However, reports of her death were greatly exaggerated. Holmes and Miss Adler had fallen in love at first sight and she promptly moved in with Holmes and Watson at 221B Baker Street. In an effort to protect the delicate sensibilities of the British reading public, Watson explained her presence by referring to her as Mrs. Hudson, the housekeeper, even as Holmes and Adler combined forces to become a formidable detecting duo. In these three cases, they must overcome the evil schemes of the late Professor Moriarty''s daughter-the wicked and brilliant Marie Chartier-whose only goal in life is to become the Napoleoness of Crime.In The Adventure of the Elusive Ear, Vincent Van Gogh arrives at 221B, desperate to have Holmes recover his missing ear, leading Holmes and Adler to uncover a diabolical Post-Impressionist conspiracy thanks to the assistance of Oscar Wilde.  In The Adventure of the Fallen Soufflé, world-renowned chef Auguste Escoffier is threatened with scandal and ruin even as the gambling and womanizing Prince of Wales flees Anarchist assassins, and a plot to steal the priceless Koh-i-Noor Diamond is revealed.In The Adventure of the Ghost Machine, the newest world-changing inventions of Nikola Tesla and Thomas Edison have been stolen, and Holmes must overcome the greatest loss of his career by deducing the hidden connection between a single inch, one hundred thousand volts, and the human pulse.Intrigue, romance, mystery, absinthe overindulgence, roasted ortolan, Death Rays, and women in corsets sword-fighting all await, as Dr. Watson relates these heretofore hidden cases of Sherlock Holmes...

Read more less

Book SynopsisAn eclectic mix of eight stories drawn from the annals of the MX Series of New Sherlock Holmes stories and the many Holmes anthologies of Belanger Books, all from the pen of emerging pastiche author Stephen Herczeg.Holmes is presented with a dishevelled and confused man that appears to be from another century. Time travel, or something more mysterious?Several years after the mystery of the Engineer''s thumb, Victor Hatherley is again at odds. Will Holmes discover his whereabouts and save him? And what is the connection to Holmes''s greatest foe of all?Death from the venomous bite of a rare Gila Monster. An accident or is the innocent looking herpetologist not what he seems?A bomb appears beneath the floor of Parliament, along with a threat from Sudanese terrorists. Will Holmes make sense of the warning and identify the culprit?Holmes must solve the mystery of a dead body found in an alleyway in a retrofuture of steam power.Bodies appear to leave the morgue of their own accord. A mysterious fire draws Holmes to one conclusion. Zombies.On the night of her arranged engagement to a German industrialist, a young woman disappears.A derailed train, and a dead professor sees Holmes befriend an adventurous young woman to solve the mystery and foil the robbery of a priceless relic.

Read more less

Book SynopsisSeven further stories from the pen of emerging pastiche author Stephen Herczeg. Some have appeared in the annals of the MX Series of New Sherlock Holmes stories and the Holmes anthologies of Belanger Books, along two previously unpublished adventures.A seemingly innocent concern from Lestrade about his cousin, leads Holmes back into a world left behind after the affair of The Five Orange Pips.Investigating the appearance of a body at the base of Tower Bridge, unveils a hidden cult of Satanists performing ritual sacrifices, until Holmes and the British Secret Service intervenes.Called to Scotland Yard, Holmes is re-united with an old acquaintance and dragged into a plot to undermine the Government and give its secrets to Russian spies.Retirement provides no rest for Holmes when a scout troop discovers a partially buried corpse in the forest.An old friend calls Holmes north to Hull to investigate a seemingly trivial matter of cheating, but one that may cause immense embarrassment to the heir to the throne.Strong familial ties draw Holmes and Watson to Hungary for the funeral of Baron Metzengerstein, only to find that a centuries old feud between ruling houses ignites once more resulting in death and carnage.An innocent gathering to showcase wares and food from far flung Borneo, ends with the mysterious death of the host and all evidence pointing to a native of that land.

Read more less

Book SynopsisBe it solving the identity of a man lost in time, rushing to the aid of an old acquaintance, crossing swords with an assassin in a retrofuture, or pitting his wits with a spirited young woman on a train, Sherlock Holmes will always fall back to using his intelligence and deductive reasoning.The Curious Cases of Sherlock Holmes presents over a dozen tales from the pen of Australian author Stephen Herczeg.The collection is an eclectic mix of stories drawn from the annals of the MX Series of New Sherlock Holmes stories and many of the Holmes anthologies of Belanger Books.Some are standard canonical tales true to the style of Arthur Conan Doyle, others set Holmes within the worlds of H.G. Wells, or in a steampunk London; while others pit Holmes against spies, zombies, venomous reptiles, Satanists, and gangsters. 

Read more less

Book SynopsisFour cases that chronicle Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson''s quarter-century of espionage against the German Empire. As most readers know, that campaign ended in triumph on the night of August 2, 1914. Along the way, there were many ups and downs, some of them recorded in this volume.The Case of the Dying Emperor (1888). Our Heroes journey to Charlottenburg to defend Frederick III, Germany''s stricken emperor, from the wily machinations of the "Iron Chancellor," Otto von Bismarck, and Frederick''s cold and calculating son, the future "Kaiser Bill."The Inconvenient Heir-Apparent (1898). Holmes is summoned to Geneva by the legendary "Sisi," Empress Elisabeth of Austria, to "rake through the coals of Mayerling" and learn the true fate of Crown Prince Rudolf, her dead son. A Scandal in Serbia (1903). The actual events behind "A Scandal in Bohemia." Get ready for surprising revelations about that story''s heroine and meet two non-Bohemian kings, a hapless queen, and conspirators who will light "the Balkan Powder Keg" that sets off World War I.The Welbeck Abbey Shooting Party (1913). A prequel to "His Last Bow." Can Holmes save a threatened heir-apparent without compromising his more vital mission to outwit a German spy? Can Watson spend a week in the country with two beautiful, aristocratic ladies and still go home to his third wife?

Read more less

Book SynopsisFeaturing Contributions by:Brenda Seabrooke, Matthew White, Kevin McCann, David Marcum, Paul Hiscock, MJH Simmonds, Denis O. Smith, Robert Stapleton, Keith Hann, Marcia Wilson, Martin Daley, Matthew J. Elliott, Craig Janacek, Hugh Ashton, Hal Glatzer, Stephen Gaspar, Chris Chan, Jane Rubino, Stephen Gaspar, and forewords by Peter Lovesey, Roger Johnson, Steve Emecz, and David MarcumHere, though the world explode, these two survive, And it is always eighteen-ninety-five. So wrote Sherlockian Vincent Starrett in his 1942 poem 221b, soon after the United States entered World War II. Even as those years brought terrible challenges, so too has 2020 been a year of great testing for so many of us, as a global pandemic rages and good people are called to stand against evil. For Sherlockians, comfort can be found in climbing those seventeen stairs to the Baker Street sitting room, where it is always eighteen-ninety-five - or a few decades on either side of it. In 2015, the first three volumes of The MX Book of New Sherlock Holmes Stories arrived, containing over 60 stories in the true traditional Canonical manner. That was the largest collection of new Holmes stories ever assembled, and originally planned to be a one-time event. But readers wanted more, and the contributors had more stories from Watson''s Tin Dispatch Box, so the fun continued. Now, with the release of Parts XXV, XXVI, and XXVII, the series has grown to nearly 600 new Holmes adventures by almost 200 contributors from around with world. Since the beginning, all contributor royalties go to the Stepping Stones School for special needs children at Undershaw, one of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle''s former homes, and to date the project has raised over $75,000 for the school. As has become the tradition, this new collection features Holmes and Watson carrying out their masterful investigations from the early days of their friendship in Baker Street to the post-War years during Holmes''s retirement. Join us as we return to Baker Street and discover more authentic adventures of Sherlock Holmes, described by the estimable Dr. Watson as "the best and wisest . . . whom I have ever known." 59 new traditional Holmes adventures  in three simultaneously published volumes The game is afoot! All author royalties from this collection are being donated by the writers for the benefit of the preservation of Undershaw, one of the former homes of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.

Read more less

Book SynopsisFeaturing Contributions by:Marcia Wilson, Peter Coe Verbica, Margaret Walsh, James Gelter, Naching T. Kassa, DJ Tyrer, Ian Ableson, Kevin P. Thornton, David Marcum, Adrian Middleton, Dick Gillman, Geri Schear, Mark Mower, Susan Knight, Frank Schildiner, Arthur Hall, Harry DeMaio, Mike Hogan, Anthony Gurney, James Moffett, I.A. Watson, and forewords by Peter Lovesey, Roger Johnson, Steve Emecz, and David MarcumHere, though the world explode, these two survive, And it is always eighteen-ninety-five. So wrote Sherlockian Vincent Starrett in his 1942 poem 221b, soon after the United States entered World War II. Even as those years brought terrible challenges, so too has 2020 been a year of great testing for so many of us, as a global pandemic rages and good people are called to stand against evil. For Sherlockians, comfort can be found in climbing those seventeen stairs to the Baker Street sitting room, where it is always eighteen-ninety-five - or a few decades on either side of it. In 2015, the first three volumes of The MX Book of New Sherlock Holmes Stories arrived, containing over 60 stories in the true traditional Canonical manner. That was the largest collection of new Holmes stories ever assembled, and originally planned to be a one-time event. But readers wanted more, and the contributors had more stories from Watson''s Tin Dispatch Box, so the fun continued. Now, with the release of Parts XXV, XXVI, and XXVII, the series has grown to nearly 600 new Holmes adventures by almost 200 contributors from around with world. Since the beginning, all contributor royalties go to the Stepping Stones School for special needs children at Undershaw, one of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle''s former homes, and to date the project has raised over $75,000 for the school. As has become the tradition, this new collection features Holmes and Watson carrying out their masterful investigations from the early days of their friendship in Baker Street to the post-War years during Holmes''s retirement. Join us as we return to Baker Street and discover more authentic adventures of Sherlock Holmes, described by the estimable Dr. Watson as "the best and wisest . . . whom I have ever known." 59 new traditional Holmes adventures  in three simultaneously published volumes The game is afoot! All author royalties from this collection are being donated by the writers for the benefit of the preservation of Undershaw, one of the former homes of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.

Read more less

Book SynopsisFeaturing Contributions by:Tracy J. Revels, John Davis, John Lawrence, Stephen Herczeg, Tim Gambrell, Craig Stephen Copland, Jeremy Branton Holstein, Thomas A. Turley , Arthur Hall, David Marcum, S.C. Toft, Leslie Charteris and Denis Green, Roger Riccard, Will Murray, John Lawrence, and Marcia Wilson, and forewords by Peter Lovesey, Roger Johnson, Steve Emecz, and David MarcumHere, though the world explode, these two survive, And it is always eighteen-ninety-five. So wrote Sherlockian Vincent Starrett in his 1942 poem 221b, soon after the United States entered World War II. Even as those years brought terrible challenges, so too has 2020 been a year of great testing for so many of us, as a global pandemic rages and good people are called to stand against evil. For Sherlockians, comfort can be found in climbing those seventeen stairs to the Baker Street sitting room, where it is always eighteen-ninety-five - or a few decades on either side of it. In 2015, the first three volumes of The MX Book of New Sherlock Holmes Stories arrived, containing over 60 stories in the true traditional Canonical manner. That was the largest collection of new Holmes stories ever assembled, and originally planned to be a one-time event. But readers wanted more, and the contributors had more stories from Watson''s Tin Dispatch Box, so the fun continued. Now, with the release of Parts XXV, XXVI, and XXVII, the series has grown to nearly 600 new Holmes adventures by almost 200 contributors from around with world. Since the beginning, all contributor royalties go to the Stepping Stones School for special needs children at Undershaw, one of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle''s former homes, and to date the project has raised over $75,000 for the school. As has become the tradition, this new collection features Holmes and Watson carrying out their masterful investigations from the early days of their friendship in Baker Street to the post-War years during Holmes''s retirement. Join us as we return to Baker Street and discover more authentic adventures of Sherlock Holmes, described by the estimable Dr. Watson as "the best and wisest . . . whom I have ever known." 59 new traditional Holmes adventures  in three simultaneously published volumes The game is afoot! All author royalties from this collection are being donated by the writers for the benefit of the preservation of Undershaw, one of the former homes of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.

Read more less

Book SynopsisWe are in London in 1890, and the British Museum plans to exhibit the contents, brought specially to London, of a newly excavated Egyptian tomb. The event is disturbed by the murder of a museum watchman. A suspect is quickly found, a young museum assistant, caught red-handed with a bloodstained knife. But things are not so simple; behind this apparently clear case Holmes uncovers, piece by piece, just as did the archaeologists, a complicated story of blackmail, violence and treachery, which, at every step, threatens him, and Watson, with deadly consequences. See how events ranging from the British Embassy in Cairo to a theatre in East London can baffle and confuse, until Holmes and Watson find the last pieces of the puzzle, and must fight for their lives.Johanna Rieke is an author and a mathematician. A lively imagination, and a love of Sherlock Holmes stories, led to her first book being published in 2011. Six books have been now published in Germany, in both print and audio form. All are meticulously researched and authentic in detail to the world of Holmes and Watson. Her works are now being translated into English for MX Publishing, in London, and this is the fourth to appear. Johanna Rieke, now a Swiss citizen, lives with her English-born Swiss husband near Basel, and she is a member of the Sherlock Holmes Society in London and the Reichenbach Irregulars in Switzerland.

Read more less

Book SynopsisQuarantines, masks, death-terms familiar to anyone who faced the so-called Spanish Flu of 1918. World-wide, it is estimated that the horrifying influenza killed more than 50 million people, significantly more than did the guns of the Great War, which was just then coming to a close. And yet no one has ever heard from Sherlock Holmes or Dr. Watson concerning their own experiences surviving the terrible virus-until now. In a recently-discovered manuscript, Dr. Watson reveals the secret which for years had kept him silent about the deadly pandemic. Only when he meets the eccentric American novelist Sinclair Lewis is the truth pried free and the story of an ingenious murder revealed.

Read more less

Book SynopsisSherlock Holmes is truly a ''Man for All Seasons'' and his image has been worked and re-worked for over a century. Unsurprisingly the illustrated Holmes of 1887 differs from that of today. In this multi-volume work, we will show how various illustrators have visualised Holmes and other characters who appeared in Arthur Conan Doyle''s works. Later volumes will celebrate Holmes in non-Canonical stories as illustrators and authors placed Holmes in fresh adventures, but more of that later.This volume is not going to be diverse; it is true to say that one person dominates. While it is true that there are illustrations by Charles Altamont Doyle, David Henry Friston, James Grieg, and Walter Stanley Paget - the majority of this book is dominated by one person - Sidney Paget. Just as nine tenths of an iceberg lies under the water; this book is overwhelmingly Sidney Paget.If you are an admirer of his work, you are in for a treat as every Sidney Paget Sherlock Holmes illustration is here providing all the atmosphere of the period - the fog-filled labyrinth of London, the desolation of Dartmoor, and, perhaps his most famous illustration as Holmes and Moriarty fight to the death at the top of the Reichenbach Falls.What can you expect to find within this initial volume?     The first images by David Henry Friston for Beeton''s Christmas Annual, where Sherlock Holmes is seen for the first time with magnifying glass and impressive sideburns in the story A Study in Scarlet.     Images from A Study in Scarlet and The Sign of Four when they appeared in the lesser-known Bristol Observer.     James Greig''s drawings for A Study in Scarlet in 1895 and again in 1896.     Six illustrations by Arthur Conan Doyle''s father Charles Altamont Doyle for the 1888 A Study in Scarlet     Four images by Sidney''s younger brother Walter Paget from The Adventure of the Dying Detective'' in The Strand Magazine (1913.)After that it''s back-to-back Sidney Paget, commencing with A Scandal in Bohemia and ending with The Adventure of the Second Stain.

Read more less

Book SynopsisAt the age of ten in the mid-1970''s, David Marcum discovered Mr. Sherlock Holmes, and from that point, he knew that the original 60 Canonical adventures would never be enough. This, coupled with his life-long desire to write, meant that eventually he would find a way to add new stories to The Great Holmes Tapestry. The years passed, and David collected, read, and chronologicized literally thousands of traditional Canonical Sherlockian pastiches. Then, in 2008, with time on his hands while laid off from his civil engineering job during the Great Recession, David finally found his way to Watson''s Tin Dispatch Box, producing The Papers of Sherlock Holmes. These first nine short stories originally sat on a shelf in his Holmes book collection before he eventually decided to share them with others. That first collection was initially published by a small press in 2011, and then in 2013 by the premiere Sherlockian publisher, MX Publishing - and after that, there was no turning back. Since then, in addition to editing over 60 volumes (most of which are Sherlockian anthologies), David has written and published over 80 Sherlockian adventures in a variety of anthologies and magazines. Now these are being collected - along with a few others that haven''t been seen before. These first five volumes contain the majority of David''s Holmesian stories - so far, with additional adventures to be collected and published as part of this ongoing series in 2022. Join us as we return to Baker Street and discover more authentic adventures of Sherlock Holmes, the man described by the estimable Dr. Watson as "the best and wisest . . . whom I have ever known."  The game is afoot! Volume II - Records(5 Short Stories and a Novel) Sherlock Holmes - Tangled Skeins The Mystery at Kerrett''s RoodThe Curious Incident of the Goat-Cart ManThe Matter of Boz''s Last LetterThe Tangled Skein at Birling GapThe Gower Street MurderandSherlock Holmes and The Eye of Heka (A Novel)

Read more less

Book SynopsisAt the age of ten in the mid-1970''s, David Marcum discovered Mr. Sherlock Holmes, and from that point, he knew that the original 60 Canonical adventures would never be enough. This, coupled with his life-long desire to write, meant that eventually he would find a way to add new stories to The Great Holmes Tapestry. The years passed, and David collected, read, and chronologicized literally thousands of traditional Canonical Sherlockian pastiches. Then, in 2008, with time on his hands while laid off from his civil engineering job during the Great Recession, David finally found his way to Watson''s Tin Dispatch Box, producing The Papers of Sherlock Holmes. These first nine short stories originally sat on a shelf in his Holmes book collection before he eventually decided to share them with others. That first collection was initially published by a small press in 2011, and then in 2013 by the premiere Sherlockian publisher, MX Publishing - and after that, there was no turning back. Since then, in addition to editing over 60 volumes (most of which are Sherlockian anthologies), David has written and published over 80 Sherlockian adventures in a variety of anthologies and magazines. Now these are being collected - along with a few others that haven''t been seen before. These first five volumes contain the majority of David''s Holmesian stories - so far, with additional adventures to be collected and published as part of this ongoing series in 2022. Join us as we return to Baker Street and discover more authentic adventures of Sherlock Holmes, the man described by the estimable Dr. Watson as "the best and wisest . . . whom I have ever known."  The game is afoot! Volume II - Records(5 Short Stories and a Novel) Sherlock Holmes - Tangled Skeins The Mystery at Kerrett''s RoodThe Curious Incident of the Goat-Cart ManThe Matter of Boz''s Last LetterThe Tangled Skein at Birling GapThe Gower Street MurderandSherlock Holmes and The Eye of Heka (A Novel)

Read more less

Book SynopsisHave you ever arrived at a Sherlockian meeting having not read the story of the day? What you need is a 3-minute synopsis. In verse. With music. That very solution is in your hands. Jim Ballinger began writing folk songs about each of the Sherlock Holmes stories in 1981 and performing them at meetings of the Bootmakers of Toronto with accompaniment on his guitar. After a hiatus or two, the project was completed with the sixtieth song in 2017. The lyrics and notation of the original music are included in this volume, edited by Mark Alberstat. The music encompasses a variety of styles from generic trad rock or folk rock to Victorian music hall, Gilbert and Sullivan patter songs, sea shanty (Black Peter), rhumba (The Dancing Men, The Sussex Vampire), bouzouki (The Greek Interpreter), country and western (The Three Garridebs), military band (The Naval Treaty), rugby song (The Missing Three-Quarter), and drinking song (The Six Napoleons). There''s even some tasteful yodeling at the Reichenbach Falls in The Final Problem, and The Creeping Man strays dangerously close to punk rock. Other influences include Cole Porter, Noel Coward, Tom Lehrer and Gordon Lightfoot. Videos of the songs are posted on the YouTube channel Sherlock Songs.

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe Uncollected Cases of Sherlock Holmes presents eight new stories about Holmes which set the great detective against the background of Victorian England, an era of enormous progress, in science, transport, and medicine but which also witnessed a surge in urban poverty, prostitution and imperial adventurism. Each of the stories in this collection engages with an aspect of this background. In ''The Sicilian Defence'', Holmes comes to the aid of a disgraced army veteran who has fallen in love with a Sudanese woman and incurred the wrath of her father, whilst in ''The Archaeopterx'' Holmes has to recover an important fossil which has been stolen from the Natural History Museum. In ''The Missing Heir'' Holmes is asked to find the heir to a great fortune, considered by his family to be mentally unstable, and in ''The Dunwich Ghost'' he investigates the plight of an old army colleague of Watson''s who is haunted by the ghost of his dead wife.The Holmes who emerges from these stories justifies the description of him by Watson as the ''best and wisest of men.'' Whether investigating a gang of forgers, securing justice for a murdered prostitute or facing a Russian spy we see his ferocious intelligence alongside a strong humanitarian bias. Despite his idiosyncracies, his solitary temperament, his melancholia and addiction to cocaine, he is both a man of his time and a man for our time.The author of this volume is Geoffrey Finch, an Associate Lecturer in English Language at the Open University. Geoffrey has taught at Universities in Africa, New Zealand and the UK. He lives in Greater London with his wife and their cat, Humphrey, who makes a guest appearance in the fifth story, ''The Cathedral Cat''.

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe Uncollected Cases of Sherlock Holmes presents eight new stories about Holmes which set the great detective against the background of Victorian England, an era of enormous progress, in science, transport, and medicine but which also witnessed a surge in urban poverty, prostitution and imperial adventurism. Each of the stories in this collection engages with an aspect of this background. In ''The Sicilian Defence'', Holmes comes to the aid of a disgraced army veteran who has fallen in love with a Sudanese woman and incurred the wrath of her father, whilst in ''The Archaeopterx'' Holmes has to recover an important fossil which has been stolen from the Natural History Museum. In ''The Missing Heir'' Holmes is asked to find the heir to a great fortune, considered by his family to be mentally unstable, and in ''The Dunwich Ghost'' he investigates the plight of an old army colleague of Watson''s who is haunted by the ghost of his dead wife.The Holmes who emerges from these stories justifies the description of him by Watson as the ''best and wisest of men.'' Whether investigating a gang of forgers, securing justice for a murdered prostitute or facing a Russian spy we see his ferocious intelligence alongside a strong humanitarian bias. Despite his idiosyncracies, his solitary temperament, his melancholia and addiction to cocaine, he is both a man of his time and a man for our time.The author of this volume is Geoffrey Finch, an Associate Lecturer in English Language at the Open University. Geoffrey has taught at Universities in Africa, New Zealand and the UK. He lives in Greater London with his wife and their cat, Humphrey, who makes a guest appearance in the fifth story, ''The Cathedral Cat''.

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisA harmless game of Murder in the Dark? Or an invitation to die for? The brand new, festive murder mystery for 2023 from 'modern rival to Agatha Christie' Ada MoncrieffIt's Christmas 1936 and an eclectic list of guests and staff have gathered for the grand reopening of Maybridge castle, a newly renovated yet still crumbling hotel deep in the Cumbrian countryside.Amongst them are a doctor and his new wife, tarot readers, a journalist, an elderly amateur sleuth and her cat. By the time the first sherries have been drunk a person will be dead. An innocent game of murder-in-the-dark turns into a real game of life and death. Someone has changed the rules...but who?____________________________________Readers love Ada Moncrieff:'An absolute delight of a book''Compelling and engaging Christmas historical crime''Her prose remind me of the brilliant PG Wodehouse''A cosy mystery with the added charm of a Christmas setting. What more could a reader want''Beautifully written, funny and gripping. Can't wait to see what Moncrieff comes up with next.''The ending reminded me of Poirot getting all his suspects together in one room and finally revealing themurderer. Loved it !''I absolutely loved this! A fantastic, fun Christmas read full of mystery and intrigue. The writing is fantastically welldone. Highly recommend!'

Read more less

Book SynopsisAda Moncrieff is the author of Murder Most Festive and Murder at the Theatre Royale. She lives and works in London.

Read more less

Book Synopsis'Reminded me of Gorky Park, only I liked this tense, complex thriller even better' JAMES PATTERSON *Shortlisted for the 2021 CWA Gold Dagger and the John Creasey 'New Blood' Dagger* 'Brilliantly orchestrated and totally engrossing' THE CRIME WRITERS' ASSOCIATION ______Leningrad, Russia, 1951.The shadow of war lingers. Revol Rossel – once a virtuoso violinist with a glittering future – is now a humble state militia cop, forced to investigate desperate crimes in this desperate era.But when five frozen corpses are found neatly arranged between railway lines, Rossel is faced with the most puzzling – and most dangerous – case of his career. His hunt for the truth leads him to the dark heart of Leningrad's musical establishment, and, ultimately, to the highest levels of the Kremlin itself.It's a world he knows intimately. A world where his dreams were shattered.A world where a killer may now be hiding...'A highly assured and entertaining debut . . . Martin Cruz Smith's Gorky Park [...] may have a true heir' THE TIMES'A worthy successor to Cruz Smith's Arkady Renko . . . A fine and often moving thriller' FINANCIAL TIMES'Gripping . . . with historical heft, plenty of twists along the way, and a uniquely ingenious code left behind by our murderer. An excellent start to a new historical crime series' VASEEM KHANTrade Review'Reminded me of Gorky Park, only I liked this tense, complex thriller even better' -- James Patterson.'A highly assured and entertaining debut ... Martin Cruz Smith's Gorky Park [...] may have a true heir' * The Times. *'A worthy successor to Cruz Smith's Arkady Renko ... A fine and often moving thriller' * Financial Times. *'Gripping ... with historical heft, plenty of twists along the way, and a uniquely ingenious code left behind by our murderer. An excellent start to a new historical crime series' -- Vaseem Khan.

Read more less

Book SynopsisA Times Best New Historical Fiction pick, perfect for fans of The Familiars and The Binding. 'KEEPS THE READER HOOKED TO THE END' - THE TIMES ___________Halloween night, 1906. Lotta Rae is assaulted by a wealthy gentleman and bravely takes him to trial alongside her barrister, William.But the verdict is devastating, the consequences unimaginable. When Lotta discovers she has been betrayed, she vows to deliver her own justice.Twelve years later, William and Lotta meet again: this night, their final reckoning.The day in court is done. But tonight he will hear her testimony. ___________'A masterclass in storytelling' - Donal Ryan'Utterly absorbing and vividly realised' - Irish Independent'An enthralling drama' - Best'A sweeping, heart-breaking quest for justice' - Fiona Looney'A tale told with such ominous beauty. Lotta will stay with me forever' - Chas Newkey-Burden'Weaves historical fact with an engaging and page-turning plot' - Sinead Moriarty'This is a sit-down-and-do-not-get-up-until-you've-finished read' - Belfast Telegraph'A brilliant tale' - Sunday Business Post'A gripping story of injustice, intrigue and revenge set at the turn of the 20th century' - Irish Times'Beautifully executed and thought provoking' - Ruth HoganTrade Review'Keeps the reader hooked to the end' * The Times *'A masterclass in storytelling' -- Donal Ryan'Utterly absorbing and vividly realised' * Irish Independent *'An enthralling drama' * Best *'A sweeping, heart-breaking quest for justice' -- Fiona Looney'A tale told with such ominous beauty. Lotta will stay with me forever' -- Chas Newkey-Burden'Weaves historical fact with an engaging and page turning plot' -- Sinead Moriarty'This is a sit-down-and-do-not-get-up-until-you've-finished read' * Belfast Telegraph *'A brilliant tale' * Sunday Business Post *'A gripping story of injustice, intrigue and revenge set at the turn of the 20th century' * Irish Times *

Read more less

Book Synopsis'A haunting, gripping, deeply atmospheric novel' - Emma Stonex 'What a storyteller . . . masterful' - Donal Ryan 'Beautiful, compelling and exquisitely told. This story will haunt me' - Ruth Hogan 'To be savoured long after the last page' - Leonora Nattrass 'A master craftswoman. I am in awe at this novel's brilliance' - Louisa Treger 'A stylish, evocative novel from a born storyteller' - Sunday Independent Science and faith collide against tumultuous 20th-century Ireland in this heart-wrenching historical novel, perfect for fans of Stacey Halls and Laura Purcell. ___________Bestowed with the graces. Condemned by a secret. Redeemed by a lie.Dublin, 1918. Rosaleen Moore: The Rose. A seer and a healer.Revered by popular spiritualists and sought after for her gifts of prophecy and healing by fashionable society, the mighty of Dublin Castle and mercurial political agitators alike, her last extraordinary prophecy will only see her legend grow.On the anniversary of her death, pilgrims walk the Way of the Rose: to St. Kilian's Abbey and its bell tower which so lured the Rose in life. Although a shrine, the bell tower has seen tragedy – a heinous crime to which the monastery's once-beloved Abbot, now imprisoned, has confessed.Then emerges a deathbed revelation by Rosaleen Moore which casts doubt on the Abbot's word.The Rose has a different tale to tell . . . ___________PRAISE FOR SIOHAN MACGOWAN:'Keeps the reader hooked to the end' - The Times'Utterly absorbing and vividly realised' - Irish Independent'An enthralling drama' - Best'A sweeping, heart-breaking quest for justice' - Fiona Looney'A tale told with such ominous beauty. Lotta will stay with me forever' - Chas Newkey-Burden'Weaves historical fact with an engaging and page-turning plot' - Sinead Moriarty'This is a sit-down-and-do-not-get-up-until-you've-finished read' - Belfast Telegraph'A brilliant tale' - Sunday Business Post'A gripping story of injustice, intrigue and revenge set at the turn of the 20th century' - Irish TimesTrade ReviewPRAISE FOR SIOBHAN MacGOWAN: 'Keeps the reader hooked to the end' The Times. 'A masterclass in storytelling' Donal Ryan. 'Utterly absorbing and vividly realised' Irish Independent. 'An enthralling drama' Best Magazine. 'A brilliant tale' * Sunday Business Post *

Read more less

Book SynopsisA Times Best New Historical Fiction pick, perfect for fans of The Familiars and The Binding. 'KEEPS THE READER HOOKED TO THE END' - THE TIMES ___________Halloween night, 1906. Lotta Rae is assaulted by a wealthy gentleman and bravely takes him to trial alongside her barrister, William.But the verdict is devastating, the consequences unimaginable. When Lotta discovers she has been betrayed, she vows to deliver her own justice.Twelve years later, William and Lotta meet again: this night, their final reckoning.The day in court is done. But tonight he will hear her testimony. ___________'A masterclass in storytelling' - Donal Ryan'Utterly absorbing and vividly realised' - Irish Independent'An enthralling drama' - Best'A sweeping, heart-breaking quest for justice' - Fiona Looney'A tale told with such ominous beauty. Lotta will stay with me forever' - Chas Newkey-Burden'Weaves historical fact with an engaging and page-turning plot' - Sinead Moriarty'This is a sit-down-and-do-not-get-up-until-you've-finished read' - Belfast Telegraph'A brilliant tale' - Sunday Business Post'A gripping story of injustice, intrigue and revenge set at the turn of the 20th century' - Irish Times'Beautifully executed and thought provoking' - Ruth HoganTrade Review'Keeps the reader hooked to the end' * The Times *'A masterclass in storytelling' -- Donal Ryan'Utterly absorbing and vividly realised' * Irish Independent *'An enthralling drama' * Best *'A sweeping, heart-breaking quest for justice' -- Fiona Looney'A tale told with such ominous beauty. Lotta will stay with me forever' -- Chas Newkey-Burden'Weaves historical fact with an engaging and page turning plot' -- Sinead Moriarty'This is a sit-down-and-do-not-get-up-until-you've-finished read' * Belfast Telegraph *'A brilliant tale' * Sunday Business Post *'A gripping story of injustice, intrigue and revenge set at the turn of the 20th century' * Irish Times *

Read more less

Book SynopsisA Times Best New Historical Fiction pick, perfect for fans of The Familiars and The Binding. 'KEEPS THE READER HOOKED TO THE END' - THE TIMES ___________Halloween night, 1906. Lotta Rae is assaulted by a wealthy gentleman and bravely takes him to trial alongside her barrister, William.But the verdict is devastating, the consequences unimaginable. When Lotta discovers she has been betrayed, she vows to deliver her own justice.Twelve years later, William and Lotta meet again: this night, their final reckoning.The day in court is done. But tonight he will hear her testimony. ___________'A masterclass in storytelling' - Donal Ryan'Utterly absorbing and vividly realised' - Irish Independent'An enthralling drama' - Best'A sweeping, heart-breaking quest for justice' - Fiona Looney'A tale told with such ominous beauty. Lotta will stay with me forever' - Chas Newkey-Burden'Weaves historical fact with an engaging and page-turning plot' - Sinead Moriarty'This is a sit-down-and-do-not-get-up-until-you've-finished read' - Belfast Telegraph'A brilliant tale' - Sunday Business Post'A gripping story of injustice, intrigue and revenge set at the turn of the 20th century' - Irish Times'Beautifully executed and thought provoking' - Ruth HoganTrade Review'Keeps the reader hooked to the end' * The Times *'A masterclass in storytelling' -- Donal Ryan'Utterly absorbing and vividly realised' * Irish Independent *'An enthralling drama' * Best *'A sweeping, heart-breaking quest for justice' -- Fiona Looney'A tale told with such ominous beauty. Lotta will stay with me forever' -- Chas Newkey-Burden'Weaves historical fact with an engaging and page turning plot' -- Sinead Moriarty'This is a sit-down-and-do-not-get-up-until-you've-finished read' * Belfast Telegraph *'A brilliant tale' * Sunday Business Post *'A gripping story of injustice, intrigue and revenge set at the turn of the 20th century' * Irish Times *

Read more less

Book Synopsis**THE THRILLING SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER**'If only all history mysteries could be as good as The Midnight Hour' The TimesAn old man lies dead and it looks like poison, but his wife isn't the only one who had reason to kill him. Brighton, 1965When theatrical impresario Bert Billington is found dead in his retirement home, no one suspects foul play. But when the postmortem reveals that he was poisoned, suspicion falls on his wife, eccentric ex-Music Hall star Verity Malone. Frustrated by the police response to Bert's death and determined to prove her innocence, Verity calls in private detective duo Emma Holmes and Sam Collins. This is their first real case, but as luck would have it they have a friend on the inside: Max Mephisto is filming a remake of Dracula, starring Seth Billington, Bert's son. But when they question Max, they feel he isn't telling them the whole story.Emma and Sam must vie with the police to untangle the case and bring the killer to justice. They're sure the answers must lie in Bert's dark past and in the glamorous, occasionally deadly, days of Music Hall. But the closer they get to the truth, the more danger they find themselves in...***********PRAISE FOR THE MIDNIGHT HOUR 'An intricately plotted whodunnit' Daily Mail 'Griffiths writes with verve and wit' Irish Times'An entertaining period murder mystery' Irish Independent'Layered with a gripping plot' Belfast TelegraphA Sunday Times bestseller w/c 24/04/2022Trade ReviewBeneath the smooth, swan-like progression of Elly Griffith's sentences there is a lot going on. She is utterly in control of her material, and the machinations of the plot are never allowed to swamp character development, sense of place or the creation of atmosphere. She is a witty writer: the sturdy legs of a toddler on a swing, for example, are said to be "kicking the sky." If only all history mysteries could be as good as The Midnight Hour. * The Times *Griffiths writes with verve and wit, and has an unflaggingly keen eye . . . deliriously entertaining * Irish Times *An entertaining period murder mystery full of delightfully eccentric - and one decidedly deadly - luvvies * Irish Independent *Layered with a gripping plot ... very, very enjoyable' * Belfast Telegraph *An intricately plotted whodunnit * Daily Mail *

Read more less

Book Synopsis'A quintessential slice of Yuletide murder mystery' Sun'The feel-good factor is off the scale' The Times'A fun book. Playful. One to make you smile' Stuart MacBride'A wonderfully entertaining mystery' Ian Moore'Best read of the year' Quintin JardineA village of secretsIt's December 1952, and a dead stranger has been found lodged up the chimney of Holly House in the remote town of Elderby. Is he a simple thief, or a would-be killer? Either way, he wasn't on anyone's Christmas wish list.A mystery that can't be solved Inspector Frank Grasby is ordered to investigate. The victim of some unfortunate misunderstandings, he hopes this case will help clear his name. But as is often the way for Grasby, things most certainly don't go according to plan.A Christmas to remember Soon blizzards hit the North York Moors, cutting off the village from help, and the local doctor's husband is found murdered. Grasby begins to realise that everyone in Elderby is hiding something - and if he can't uncover the truth soon, the whole country will pay a dreadful price...Trade ReviewA quintessential slice of Yuletide murder mystery. * Sun *The feel-good factor of this frantic farce is off the scale. A healing comedy. * The Times *Told with a good dollop of tongue-in-cheek humour, warmth, and the kind of quirky characters any reader would be happy to spend time with. It’s a fun book. Playful. One to make you smile. * Stuart MacBride *A fine, intricately plotted, seasonal mystery, shot through with black humour. * Mail on Sunday *A wonderfully entertaining mystery with great characters, setting and period detail. * Ian Moore, bestselling author of Death and Croissants *Intricately plotted and laced with deliciously dark humour. * The Sunday Post *Your new festive fave. . .a dead body stuck up the chimney, a stumped detective, lies, twists, and Meyrick’s renowned storytelling and wit. * My Weekly *A thoroughly enjoyable book filled with marvellous characters, skilfully drawn settings and clever twists – a crime Christmas stocking must! * Yorkshire Life *

Read more less

Book Synopsis'A riotous delve into the dark medical world of Restoration London' - S.G. MACLEAN 'An infectious read, packed with atmosphere and colourful characters' - OSCAR DE MURIEL 'A gripping whodunnit with a sinister twist' - JENNIFER RYAN ________________________________________ WHO WOULD MURDER THE DYING... London, 1665. Hidden within the growing pile of corpses in his churchyard, Rector Symon Patrick discovers a victim of the pestilence unlike any he has seen before: a young woman with a shorn head, covered in burns, and with pieces of twine delicately tied around each wrist and ankle. Desperate to discover the culprit, Symon joins a society of eccentric medical men who have gathered to find a cure for the plague. Someone is performing terrible experiments upon the dying, hiding their bodies amongst the hundreds that fill the death carts. Only Penelope - a new and mysterious addition to Symon's household - may have the skill to find the killer. Far more than what she appears, she is already on the hunt. But the dark presence that enters the houses of the sick will not stop, and has no mercy... This hugely atmospheric and entertaining historical thriller will transport readers to the palaces and alleyways of seventeenth-century London. Perfect for fans of Laura Shepherd-Robinson, Andrew Taylor and C.J. Sansom. ________________________________________ 'A sickening, desperate London, wonderfully evoked. A terrific read!' - ALIX NATHAN 'A rollicking, roistering tale with humour horror and human decency at its dark heart' - KATE GRIFFIN 'Brilliantly convincing and thrillingly infectious' - S.W. PERRY 'A gorgeous, darkly witty novel that transports readers to the London of Charles II' - MARIAH FREDERICKS 'Dark, haunting and unexpectedly witty' - SUSAN ELIA MACNEALTrade ReviewA funny, fascinating and gripping adventure tale. It's as if V.L. Valentine holds up a magic mirror to reflect a lesson in time for us now -- Janice Hallett, author of THE APPEALA glorious whodunnit. I loved the characters, and fell in love with its world -- Leonora Nattrass, author of BLACK DROPA riotous delve into the dark medical world of Restoration London. In her heroine Penelope and the hapless Symon, V.L.Valentine has given us an appealing and truly unique pairing -- S.G. MacLean, author of THE SEEKERAn infectious read, packed with atmosphere and colourful characters -- Oscar de Muriel, author of THE STRINGS OF MURDEREndearing, comic characters and crisp, spirited prose. The Plague Letters is a gripping whodunnit with a sinister twist, depicting the desperate scramble to find a cure and capture a killer -- Jennifer Ryan, author of THE CHILBURY LADIES' CHOIRV.L. Valentine drops us deep into a single deadly year, 1665, into a sickening, increasingly desperate London wonderfully evoked. A terrific read! -- Alix Nathan, author of THE WARLOW EXPERIMENTV.L. Valentine's visceral debut skilfully immerses the reader in the dread and despair of plague-ridden London during the stinking hot summer of 1665 * Aspects of History *A rollicking, roistering tale with humour, horror and human decency at its dark heart. Such prescience, relevance and wonderful characters! -- Kate Griffin, author of KITTY PECK AND THE MUSIC HALL MURDERSBrilliantly convincing and thrillingly infectious -- S.W. Perry, author of THE ANGEL'S MARKA gorgeous, darkly witty novel that transports the reader to the London of Charles II. Valentine takes the reader to squalid back alleys and serene country estates with equal aplomb. Those looking for a wonderfully entertaining escape from our own dark times need look no further -- Mariah Fredericks, author of A DEATH OF NO IMPORTANCE

Read more less

Book Synopsis'A riotous delve into the dark medical world of Restoration London' - S.G. MACLEAN 'An infectious read, packed with atmosphere and colourful characters' - OSCAR DE MURIEL 'A gripping whodunnit with a sinister twist' - JENNIFER RYAN ________________________________________ WHO WOULD MURDER THE DYING... London, 1665. Hidden within the growing pile of corpses in his churchyard, Rector Symon Patrick discovers a victim of the pestilence unlike any he has seen before: a young woman with a shorn head, covered in burns, and with pieces of twine delicately tied around each wrist and ankle. Desperate to discover the culprit, Symon joins a society of eccentric medical men who have gathered to find a cure for the plague. Someone is performing terrible experiments upon the dying, hiding their bodies amongst the hundreds that fill the death carts. Only Penelope - a new and mysterious addition to Symon's household - may have the skill to find the killer. Far more than what she appears, she is already on the hunt. But the dark presence that enters the houses of the sick will not stop, and has no mercy... This hugely atmospheric and entertaining historical thriller will transport readers to the palaces and alleyways of seventeenth-century London. Perfect for fans of Laura Shepherd-Robinson, Andrew Taylor and C.J. Sansom. ________________________________________ 'A sickening, desperate London, wonderfully evoked. A terrific read!' - ALIX NATHAN 'A rollicking, roistering tale with humour horror and human decency at its dark heart' - KATE GRIFFIN 'Brilliantly convincing and thrillingly infectious' - S.W. PERRY 'A gorgeous, darkly witty novel that transports readers to the London of Charles II' - MARIAH FREDERICKS 'Dark, haunting and unexpectedly witty' - SUSAN ELIA MACNEALTrade ReviewA funny, fascinating and gripping adventure tale. It's as if V.L. Valentine holds up a magic mirror to reflect a lesson in time for us now -- Janice Hallett, author of THE APPEALA glorious whodunnit. I loved the characters, and fell in love with its world -- Leonora Nattrass, author of BLACK DROPA riotous delve into the dark medical world of Restoration London. In her heroine Penelope and the hapless Symon, V.L.Valentine has given us an appealing and truly unique pairing -- S.G. MacLean, author of THE SEEKERAn infectious read, packed with atmosphere and colourful characters -- Oscar de Muriel, author of THE STRINGS OF MURDEREndearing, comic characters and crisp, spirited prose. The Plague Letters is a gripping whodunnit with a sinister twist -- Jennifer Ryan, author of THE CHILBURY LADIES' CHOIRV.L. Valentine drops us deep into a single deadly year, 1665, into a sickening, increasingly desperate London wonderfully evoked. A terrific read! -- Alix Nathan, author of THE WARLOW EXPERIMENTV.L. Valentine's visceral debut skilfully immerses the reader in the dread and despair of plague-ridden London during the stinking hot summer of 1665 * Aspects of History *A rollicking, roistering tale with humour, horror and human decency at its dark heart. Such prescience, relevance and wonderful characters! -- Kate Griffin, author of KITTY PECK AND THE MUSIC HALL MURDERSBrilliantly convincing and thrillingly infectious -- S.W. Perry, author of THE ANGEL'S MARKA gorgeous, darkly witty novel that transports the reader to the London of Charles II. Valentine takes the reader to squalid back alleys and serene country estates with equal aplomb. Those looking for a wonderfully entertaining escape from our own dark times need look no further -- Mariah Fredericks, author of A DEATH OF NO IMPORTANCE

Read more less

Book Synopsis'A dark gothic delight' JANICE HALLETT, author of THE TWYFORD CODE 'Inventive, lavish, twisty... will keep you guessing until the very end' ALISON LITTLEWOOD, author of MISTLETOE Winter 1954, and in a dilapidated apartment in Brooklyn, Sam Cooper realises that she has nothing left. Her mother is dead, she has no prospects, and she cannot afford the rent. But as she goes through her mother's things, Sam finds a stack of hidden letters that reveal a family and an inheritance that she never knew she had, three thousand miles away in Yorkshire. Begars Abbey is a crumbling pile, inhabited only by Lady Cooper, Sam's ailing grandmother, and a handful of servants. Sam cannot understand why her mother kept its very existence a secret, but her newly discovered diaries offer a glimpse of a young girl growing increasingly terrified. As is Sam herself. Built on the foundations of an old convent, Begars moves and sings with the biting wind. Her grandmother cannot speak, and a shadowy woman moves along the corridors at night. There are dark places in the hidden tunnels beneath Begars. And they will not give up their secrets easily... A chilling read that will keep you turning the pages late into the night, Begars Abbey is a must-read for fans of Laura Purcell, C.J. Tudor and W.C. Ryan.Trade ReviewAtmospheric and fast-moving, it's a page-turner that keeps you guessing * Choice *Wonderful... High gothic with a captivating protagonist. Loved it -- Rhiannon Ward, author of THE QUICKENINGTakes its reader to a sinister place and locks them in, all alone. A dark, gothic delight best enjoyed by the light of a single, flickering candle -- Janice Hallett, author of THE TWYFORD CODEFans of the gothic thriller are in for a treat * Crime Fiction Lover *An inventive, lavish, twisty ghost story that will keep you guessing and turning the pages until the very end. Atmospheric and hugely enjoyable -- Alison Littlewood, author of MISTLETOEAn atmospheric, spine-tingling page-turner packed with curious characters and sinister twists -- Jennifer Ryan, author of THE CHILBURY LADIES' CHOIRA shiver-down-the-spine jaunt into the gruesome past, with a deliciously creepy finale -- C.E. Rose, author of THE HOUSE OF HIDDEN SECRETSAs a gothic novel Begars Abbey has it all: remote and storm-bound Yorkshire, ruined abbey buildings, hidden diaries and keys, locked doors and long corridors, even a wicked old woman in a wheelchair... But Vikki Valentine provides the reader with something more, through her appealing, nail-biting heroine, Sam -- Alix Nathan, author of THE WARLOW EXPERIMENTPure enjoyment! Searching for her Yorkshire roots, spirited New Yorker Sam Cooper is pulled into a Gothic mystery rooted in medieval horrors. Witty, fast-moving and spine-chillingly dark, this is a gripping and rewarding read -- Rose Black, author of THE UNFORGETTINGThe 1950s setting of Begars Abbey by VL Valentine cleverly evokes the black and white movies of the period, building to a gripping Gothic climax -- Leonora Nattrass, author of BLACK DROPNo-one does the creeps like V.L. Valentine... Darkly, fiendishly, irresistibly good -- Kate Simants, author of A RUINED GIRLA knowing spin on the English country house ghost story, it's a romp told with sly affection for the genre & great gothic gusto -- Kate Griffin, author of KITTY PECK AND THE MUSIC HALL MURDERS

Read more less

Book Synopsis'A dark gothic delight' JANICE HALLETT, author of THE TWYFORD CODE 'Inventive, lavish, twisty... will keep you guessing until the very end' ALISON LITTLEWOOD, author of MISTLETOE Winter 1954, and in a dilapidated apartment in Brooklyn, Sam Cooper realises that she has nothing left. Her mother is dead, she has no prospects, and she cannot afford the rent. But as she goes through her mother's things, Sam finds a stack of hidden letters that reveal a family and an inheritance that she never knew she had, three thousand miles away in Yorkshire. Begars Abbey is a crumbling pile, inhabited only by Lady Cooper, Sam's ailing grandmother, and a handful of servants. Sam cannot understand why her mother kept its very existence a secret, but her newly discovered diaries offer a glimpse of a young girl growing increasingly terrified. As is Sam herself. Built on the foundations of an old convent, Begars moves and sings with the biting wind. Her grandmother cannot speak, and a shadowy woman moves along the corridors at night. There are dark places in the hidden tunnels beneath Begars. And they will not give up their secrets easily... A chilling read that will keep you turning the pages late into the night, Begars Abbey is a must-read for fans of Laura Purcell, C.J. Tudor and W.C. Ryan.Trade ReviewAtmospheric and fast-moving, it's a page-turner that keeps you guessing * Choice *Wonderful... High gothic with a captivating protagonist. Loved it -- Rhiannon Ward, author of THE QUICKENINGTakes its reader to a sinister place and locks them in, all alone. A dark, gothic delight best enjoyed by the light of a single, flickering candle -- Janice Hallett, author of THE TWYFORD CODEFans of the gothic thriller are in for a treat * Crime Fiction Lover *An inventive, lavish, twisty ghost story that will keep you guessing and turning the pages until the very end. Atmospheric and hugely enjoyable -- Alison Littlewood, author of MISTLETOEAn atmospheric, spine-tingling page-turner packed with curious characters and sinister twists -- Jennifer Ryan, author of THE CHILBURY LADIES' CHOIRA shiver-down-the-spine jaunt into the gruesome past, with a deliciously creepy finale -- C.E. Rose, author of THE HOUSE OF HIDDEN SECRETSAs a gothic novel Begars Abbey has it all: remote and storm-bound Yorkshire, ruined abbey buildings, hidden diaries and keys, locked doors and long corridors, even a wicked old woman in a wheelchair... But Vikki Valentine provides the reader with something more, through her appealing, nail-biting heroine, Sam -- Alix Nathan, author of THE WARLOW EXPERIMENTPure enjoyment! Searching for her Yorkshire roots, spirited New Yorker Sam Cooper is pulled into a Gothic mystery rooted in medieval horrors. Witty, fast-moving and spine-chillingly dark, this is a gripping and rewarding read -- Rose Black, author of THE UNFORGETTINGThe 1950s setting of Begars Abbey by VL Valentine cleverly evokes the black and white movies of the period, building to a gripping Gothic climax -- Leonora Nattrass, author of BLACK DROPNo-one does the creeps like V.L. Valentine... Darkly, fiendishly, irresistibly good -- Kate Simants, author of A RUINED GIRLA knowing spin on the English country house ghost story, it's a romp told with sly affection for the genre & great gothic gusto -- Kate Griffin, author of KITTY PECK AND THE MUSIC HALL MURDERS

Read more less

Book Synopsis* A TIMES HISTORICAL FICTION BOOK OF THE YEAR * * SUNDAY TIMES BOOK OF THE MONTH * * LONGLISTED FOR THE HWA DEBUT CROWN * 'One of the best debuts of the year' - THE TIMES 'As nimbly realised as by the genre's master, Andrew Taylor' - FINANCIAL TIMES 'Black Drop is a joy from start to finish' - ANDREW TAYLOR This is the confession of Laurence Jago. Clerk. Gentleman. Spy. July 1794, and London is filled with rumours of revolution. The war against the French is not going in Britain's favour, and negotiations with America are on a knife edge. Laurence Jago, Foreign Office clerk, is ever more reliant on opium - the Black Drop - to ease his nightmares. A highly sensitive letter, whose contents could lead to the destruction of the British Army, has been leaked to the press and Laurence is a suspect. Then he discovers the body of a fellow clerk - a supposed suicide - and it seems clear where the blame truly lies. But Laurence is certain both of his friend's innocence, and that he was murdered. But after years of hiding his own secrets from his powerful employers, can Laurence find the true culprit without ending up on the gallows himself? A thrilling historical mystery, perfect for readers of C.J. Sansom, Andrew Taylor, Antonia Hodgson and Laura Shepherd-Robinson. 'This opium-fuelled gem is a murderous romp' - JANICE HALLETT 'A thrilling slice of pitch-dark historical fiction' - EMMA STONEX 'A gripping, intricate story of Georgian high politics' - W.C. RYANTrade ReviewExcellent... Filled with memorable characters, Black Drop offers first-class entertainment * Sunday Times *A strikingly assured and intelligent first novel about power, conspiracy and the lengths to which the influential will go to ensure their survival. Nattrass is confident enough in her knowledge of the period to avoid loading her narrative with explanations * Literary Review *A fine debut that weaves the complex politics of 18th-century Britain into a gripping murder mystery * The Times *As nimbly realised as by the genre's master, Andrew Taylor * Financial Times *This opium-fuelled gem is a murderous romp through the tangled roots of British democracy -- Janice Hallett, author of THE APPEALA joy from start to finish... giving a real sense of the intrigues behind closed doors. Jago is a very sympathetic hero -- Andrew Taylor, author of THE ASHES OF LONDONA thrilling slice of pitch-dark historical fiction, led by a superbly engaging narrator... Deserves to be huge -- Emma Stonex, author of THE LAMPLIGHTERSForeign Office clerk Laurence Jago has been accused of being a traitor, but when a colleague dies, blame shifts. Thrilling * Crime Monthly *A gripping, intricate story of Georgian high politics and low life. Leonora Nattrass's historical spy novel is top notch -- W.C. Ryan, author of A HOUSE OF GHOSTSA riveting political thriller, set at a fulcrum-point in global history. The setting is viscerally immersive and the characters spring to life from the page. This masterful narrative of deception, intrigue and heroism unfolds with compelling pace, wry humour and acute psychological observation. Gripping, moving and utterly engaging -- Philippa East, author of LITTLE WHITE LIES

Read more less

Book Synopsis** SHORTLISTED FOR THE CWA HISTORICAL DAGGER AWARD ** ** AN INSTANT TIMES BESTSELLER ** ** A FINANCIAL TIMES BOOK OF THE YEAR ** 'A TRULY GRIPPING READ' - GUARDIAN 'FABULOUS, A DELIGHT' - S.G. MACLEAN 'A FINE ADVENTURE REMINISCENT OF PATRICK O'BRIAN' - SUNDAY TIMES This is the secret report of Laurence Jago. Ex-clerk. Unwilling spy. Reluctant sailor. Accidental detective. New Year 1795, and Laurence Jago is aboard the Tankerville mail ship, en route to Philadelphia. Ostensibly travelling as assistant to the irrepressible journalist William Philpott, Laurence's real mission is to aid the civil servant carrying a vital treaty to Congress. A treaty that will prevent the Americans from joining with the French in the war against Britain. However, when the civil servant meets an unfortunate - and supposedly accidental - end and the treaty disappears, Laurence realises only he can now prevent war with the US. Trapped on the ship with travellers including two penniless French aristocrats, an Irish actress and a dancing bear, Laurence must hunt down both the lost treaty and the murderer, before he has a tragic 'accident' himself... The new page-turning historical mystery from the author of BLACK DROP, a 2021 TIMES Book of the Year. Perfect for readers of Andrew Taylor, Laura Shepherd-Robinson and S.J. Parris.Trade ReviewA perfect storm of historical intrigue, bloody mystery and heart-stopping tension! An eighteenth century whodunnit on a ship, with a bear, a dog and a set of tarot cards. What absolutely top-sail rollicking entertainment -- Janice Hallett, author of THE APPEALA satisfying nautical mystery * The Times *Intrigue, tension, memorable characters and shipboard life depicted in all its reeking authenticity add up to a truly gripping read * Guardian *A fine adventure reminiscent of the Patrick O'Brian novels * Sunday Times *Fabulous... A delight. Nattrass again and again had me wondering at her skill and marvellous turn of phrase in filtering complex eighteenth-century history in a way that resonates with our own times -- S. G. MacLean, author of THE SEEKERLuscious prose, an immersive setting, and a fine eye for detail. A nautical mystery with serious historical heft -- Vaseem Khan, author of MIDNIGHT AT MALABAR HOUSEI admired Black Drop. I loved Blue Water. Even more welcome than an extra rum ration on Christmas Day, and slips down just as easily -- Robert Lloyd, author of THE BLOODLESS BOYDanger and mystery trapped inside a rocking barrel, far from home. Artful and authentic historical fiction at its best -- A.J. West, author of THE SPIRIT ENGINEERI absolutely loved this book. Full of intrigue and excitement with a brilliantly-realised cast of characters and a totally immersive setting, it's a superb historical thriller -- Philippa East, author of LITTLE WHITE LIESIngenious and deftly plotted with a pleasing cast of characters. Nattrass's nautical detail is most effective, never overplayed and just as satisfying as any of the C.S. Foresters I adored in my olden days. A hugely enjoyable read -- Alix Nathan, author of THE WARLOW EXPERIMENTA compelling locked room murder-mystery filled with an exquisitely drawn cast of eccentric characters. A wonderful historical naval adventure which keeps the reader guessing right to the final pages -- Louise Fein, author of PEOPLE LIKE USI loved this rip-roaring tale of murder and intrigue on the high seas. A locked-ship mystery, and a cracking sequel to the brilliant Black Drop -- Trevor Wood, author of THE MAN IN THE STREETBeautifully written, immaculately plotted and filled with more red herrings than the Atlantic, it takes readers on a thrilling voyage of murder and mystery. If Patrick O'Brian & Agatha Christie had ever got it together... -- Kate Griffin, author of FYNESHADELeonora Nattrass has woven an incredible novel against an incredible backdrop. It's a real art to combine history and intrigue and yet she has delivered it - again - with such skill -- Liv Matthews, author of THE PRANKBrilliantly written, spine-chillingly evocative and hugely compelling. A stunning book -- Miranda Dickinson, author of THE START OF SOMETHING

Read more less

Book Synopsis** AN INSTANT TIMES BESTSELLER ** ** A FINANCIAL TIMES BOOK OF THE YEAR ** ** SHORTLISTED FOR THE CWA HISTORICAL DAGGER AWARD ** ** LONGLISTED FOR THE THEAKSTON OLD PECULIAR CRIME NOVEL AWARD ** 'A TRULY GRIPPING READ' - GUARDIAN 'FABULOUS, A DELIGHT' - S.G. MACLEAN 'A FINE ADVENTURE REMINISCENT OF PATRICK O'BRIAN' - SUNDAY TIMES This is the secret report of Laurence Jago. Unwilling spy. Reluctant sailor. Accidental detective. New Year 1795, and Laurence Jago is aboard the Tankerville mail ship, en route to Philadelphia. Laurence is travelling undercover, supposedly as a journalist's assistant. But his real mission is to protect a civil servant, en route to Congress with a vital treaty that will stop the Americans from joining the French in their war against Britain. When the civil servant meets an unfortunate - and apparently accidental - end, the treaty disappears, and Laurence realises that only he can keep the Americans out of the war. Trapped on the ship with a strange assortment of travellers including two penniless French aristocrats, an Irish actress and a dancing bear, Laurence must hunt down both the lost treaty and the murderer, before he has a tragic 'accident' himself... The new page-turning historical mystery from the author of BLACK DROP, a 2021 TIMES Book of the Year. Perfect for readers of Andrew Taylor, Laura Shepherd-Robinson and S.J. Parris.Trade ReviewA satisfying nautical mystery * The Times *Will have you hooked from start to finish * Metro *Intrigue, tension, memorable characters and shipboard life depicted in all its reeking authenticity add up to a truly gripping read * Guardian *A fine adventure reminiscent of the Patrick O'Brian novels * Sunday Times *Fabulous... A delight. Nattrass again and again had me wondering at her skill and marvellous turn of phrase in filtering complex eighteenth-century history in a way that resonates with our own times -- S. G. MacLean, author of THE SEEKERA perfect storm of historical intrigue, bloody mystery and heart-stopping tension! An eighteenth century whodunnit on a ship, with a bear, a dog and a set of tarot cards. What absolutely top-sail rollicking entertainment -- Janice Hallett, author of THE APPEALLuscious prose, an immersive setting, and a fine eye for detail. A nautical mystery with serious historical heft -- Vaseem Khan, author of MIDNIGHT AT MALABAR HOUSEI admired Black Drop. I loved Blue Water. Even more welcome than an extra rum ration on Christmas Day, and slips down just as easily -- Robert Lloyd, author of THE BLOODLESS BOYDanger and mystery trapped inside a rocking barrel, far from home. Artful and authentic historical fiction at its best -- A.J. West, author of THE SPIRIT ENGINEERI absolutely loved this book. Full of intrigue and excitement with a brilliantly-realised cast of characters and a totally immersive setting, it's a superb historical thriller -- Philippa East, author of LITTLE WHITE LIESIngenious and deftly plotted with a pleasing cast of characters. Nattrass's nautical detail is most effective, never overplayed and just as satisfying as any of the C.S. Foresters I adored in my olden days. A hugely enjoyable read -- Alix Nathan, author of THE WARLOW EXPERIMENTA compelling locked room murder-mystery filled with an exquisitely drawn cast of eccentric characters. A wonderful historical naval adventure which keeps the reader guessing right to the final pages -- Louise Fein, author of PEOPLE LIKE USI loved this rip-roaring tale of murder and intrigue on the high seas. A locked-ship mystery, and a cracking sequel to the brilliant Black Drop -- Trevor Wood, author of THE MAN IN THE STREETBeautifully written, immaculately plotted and filled with more red herrings than the Atlantic, it takes readers on a thrilling voyage of murder and mystery. If Patrick O'Brian & Agatha Christie had ever got it together... -- Kate Griffin, author of FYNESHADELeonora Nattrass has woven an incredible novel against an incredible backdrop. It's a real art to combine history and intrigue and yet she has delivered it - again - with such skill -- Liv Matthews, author of THE PRANK

Read more less

Book SynopsisNow a major Apple TV series starring Claire Danes and Tom Hiddleston THE SUNDAY TIMES NUMBER ONE BESTSELLER 'A blissful novel of unapologetic appetites ... here is a writer who understands life' JESSIE BURTON, author of THE MINIATURIST London, 1893. When Cora Seaborne's controlling husband dies, she steps into her new life as a widow with as much relief as sadness. Along with her son Francis - a curious, obsessive boy - she leaves town for Essex, in the hope that fresh air and open space will provide refuge. On arrival, rumours reach them that the mythical Essex Serpent, once said to roam the marshes claiming lives, has returned to the coastal parish of Aldwinter. Cora, a keen amateur naturalist with no patience for superstition, is enthralled, convinced that what the local people think is a magical beast may be a yet-undiscovered species. As she sets out on its trail, she is introduced to William Ransome, Aldwinter's vicar, who is also deeply suspicious of the rumours, but thinks they are a distraction from true faith. As he tries to calm his parishioners, Will and Cora strike up an intense relationship, and although they agree on absolutely nothing, they find themselves at once drawn together and torn apart, affecting each other in ways that surprise them both. The Essex Serpent is a thrilling and unforgettable novel of intrigue, love, and the many forms it can take. A modern classic perfect for fans of Jessie Burton, Sarah Waters and Stacey Halls, THE ESSEX SERPENT is now a major Apple TV series starring Claire Danes and Tom Hiddleston.Trade ReviewThe Essex Serpent is a novel to relish: a work of great intelligence and charm, by a hugely talented author -- Sarah WatersHad Charles Dickens and Bram Stoker come together to write the great Victorian novel, I wonder if it would have surpassed The Essex Serpent? No way of knowing, but with only her second outing, Sarah Perry establishes herself as one of the finest fiction writers working in Britain today. -- John BurnsideA big, warm, generous novel that wears its considerable wisdom lightly, The Essex Serpent is an absolute pleasure from start to finish - I truly didn't want it to end. -- Melissa HarrisonThe Essex Serpent by Sarah Perry [is] a joyous and beguiling book that wrapped itself around me rather like its eponymous monster. -- Cathy RentzenbrinkA blissful novel of unapologetic appetites, where desire and faith mingle on the marshes, but friendship is the miracle. Sarah Perry has the rare gift of committing the uncommittable to prose - that is to say: here is a writer who understands life. -- Jessie BurtonA book to make you want to be a better person. -- Justine Jordan, The GuardianI loved this book. At once numinous, intimate and wise, The Essex Serpent is a marvellous novel about the workings of life, love and belief, about science and religion, secrets, mysteries, and the complicated and unexpected shifts of the human heart - and it contains some of the most beautiful evocations of place and landscape I've ever read. It is so good its pages seem lit from within. As soon as I'd finished it I started reading it again. -- Helen MacDonaldA sinuous historical novel by the genius that is Sarah Perry -- Lucy Mangan * Stylist *An historical novel with real depth ... Perry writes fantastically, and this deserves attention for the rest of the year. -- Steven Cooper * The Bookseller *One day this book will make a fine BBC period drama ... Perry is a wonderful descriptive writer with a remarkable talent for making the familiar strange ... Her accounts of open-heart surgery carried out half a century before antibiotics, or an autistic child questioning the nature of sin, or a soldier's wedding in the phthisic slums of Bethnal Green, snatch the breath in your throat. Perry bleeds light into darkness and back again with a mastery born of her deep professional acquaintance with the gothic tradition. -- Oliver Moody * Times *The Essex Serpent is a work of historical fiction, set in the 1890s, which, for originality, richness of prose and depth of characterisation is unlikely to be bettered this year ... a remarkable novel. Although Will and Cora provide the focal points for her story, Perry has packed The Essex Serpent with a rich array of equally rounded characters to hold our attention. The novel is full of vivid set pieces ... it is Perry's ability to conjure up a sense of entire lives unfolding before our eyes that is most impressive. Filled with wisdom about human behaviour and motivations, and written in a distinctive, stylish prose, The Essex Serpent is one of the most memorable historical novels of the past decade. -- Nick Rennison * Sunday Times *One for the holiday suitcase. A historical romance with a gothic twist ... expect to spot a copy on beach towels this summer. * Vogue *An irresistible novel that taps the vein of Victorian gothic and British myth * Daily Telegraph *It's prompted comparisons to both Dickens and Bram Stoker and marries the former's abhorrence of injustice with the latter's genius for unsettling atmosphere ... Hardy-esque ... a rich and complex novel but also a deeply enjoyable read, with warm humanity at its core. -- Jeff Robson * iPaper *An irresistible novel ... Perry's Victoriana is the most fresh-feeling I can remember ... Her prose is often beautiful ... the tone is a masterstroke ... You feel the influences of Mary Shelley, Bram Stoker, Wilkie Collins, Charles Dickens and Hilary Mantel channelled by Perry in some sort of Victorian séance. This is the best new novel I've read in years. It's the kind of work that makes you alive to the strangeness of the world and of our history. -- Charlotte Runcie * Daily Telegraph *Engaging ... On the book's cover, John Burnside compares The Essex Serpent to Dickens and Stoker. But it was one of my favourite novels, Alasdair Gray's Poor Things (1992), that kept coming back to me ... Perry takes apart our preconceptions of prim Victorian mores with similar gusto ... The Essex Serpent is a historical novel with an entirely modern consciousness, and is every bit as gripping and unusual as its predecessor. -- Alex Preston * FT *The Essex Serpent is frightfully good. -- Susan Hill * Twitter *An intelligent, lushly written gothic yarn ... Reading it makes you want to hotfoot it to the Essex coast. -- Claire Allfree * Metro *Everything they're saying is true: sumptuous, beautiful, powerful, engrossing, brilliant. -- Nina Stibbe * Twitter *A lovely book ... it sets out unashamedly to lift the spirits ... The writing has a gorgeous lilt ... The method is itself Victorian - an omniscient narrator scattering sackfuls of sympathy - but the message never gets old: the world is poorer if we don't put ourselves in each other's place once in a while. -- Anthony Cummins * Spectator *Sarah Perry's new novel The Essex Serpent is a thing of beauty inside and out. I don't think I've ever mentioned a book's cover in a review before, but Peter Dyer's William Morris-inspired design is stunning, a tantalizing taste of the equally sumptuous prose that lies within ... When it comes to historical fiction, Perry's achieved the near impossible; she's created a novel and within it a world that seems to have sprung complete and fully formed directly from the period in question - a long lost fin-de-siècle Gothic classic - but her characters are as enticingly modern as they are of their period ... Perry also showcases the most beguiling evocations of landscape ... For only a second novel it's a stunning achievement, one for which I predict prize nominations galore, from the Wellcome to the Man Booker -- Lucy Scholes * Independent online *A richly themed and exhilarating novel ... this poetically written story dramatises the clash between rationality and resurgent superstition, between desire, morality and the intellect, and the struggle of reformers to redress the poverty of late-Victorian society. -- Elizabeth Buchan * Daily Mail *Sarah Perry has written an exquisitely absorbing, old-fashioned page-turner peopled by memorable characters, particularly the magnificent, stubborn and wilful Cora. Perry also captures a society on the brink of a profound shift, uncomfortably reassessing its view of the world through the prism of scientific progress. The Essex Serpent is shot through with such a vivid, lively sense of the period that it reads like Charles Dickens at his most accessible and fans of Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell will also find much to love in this engaging, entertaining Gothic novel. -- Charlotte Heathcote * Daily Express *A novel of ideas, and flexes its muscles in addressing multiple concerns of the period ... The novel probes at both private emotion and public concerns, and is engrossing and immersive. The grime of London is only surpassed by the murk of Aldwinter. Cora makes for an indelible heroine: uncompromising, funny and smart, and not unlike Alma Whittaker in Elizabeth Gilbert's The Signature of All Things. There will also be whispers of Dickens or a gamut of 19th century novels of similar size and scale, but Perry's voice and story are her own. Her language is exquisite, her characterisation finely tuned. Based on The Essex Serpent and its predecessor, it's clear that Perry is a gifted writer of immense ability. -- Sinéad Gleeson * Irish Times *A Victorian-era gothic with a Dickensian focus on societal ills, Perry's second novel surprises in its wonderful freshness. There's a sense of Llareggub about close-knit Aldwinter, its flint church, historic oak and ribby shipwreck instantly present, while the tapestry of voices that results from the use of letters amplifies the Under Milk Wood echo. Perry's singular characters are drawn with a fondness that is both palpable and contagious, and the beautifully observed changing seasons permitted space to breathe, all making for pure pleasure. -- Stephanie Cross * Observer *An eerie tale of science and superstition ... gothically good. -- Eithne Farry * Sunday Express *It's 1893, and Cora Seabourne is a young widow whose husband's death has released her from a miserable marriage. Finally free to follow her own interest in natural history, Cora heads to Essex, hoping the recent reports of a mysterious ancient serpent may possibly turn out to be proof of a "living fossil . . . a species outwitting extinction". There she meets the local vicar, Will Ransome, and despite his scepticism about science and her lack of faith in religion, the two forge an unlikely bond. A bewitching and luminous book about science, faith and different kinds of love. -- Anna Carey * Irish Times *Dazzling * Woman and Home *The Essex Serpent is rare in being a novel that is both highly diverting and intellectually rewarding, in taking its thematic interests seriously while playing delightedly with romance and the Gothic. -- Sarah Moss * The Lancet *Sarah Perry...beautifully and deeply...elucidates friendships of all kinds in her books...I must recommend the delicate beauty and sinuous power. -- Lucy Mangan * Stylist *It's a brilliantly written story of one woman's life and relationships in late Victorian England and my favourite historical novel since Sarah Waters' The Little Stranger. -- John Meagher * Irish Independent *A graceful and intelligent book. -- Maria Croce * Daily Record *The Essex Serpent is probably the best novel I have read this year. It is the right kind of literary fiction: full of ideas, challenge, and intrigue, but with a compelling narrative that tows you through the pages like a freight train...Perry has created an ensemble of characters so richly drawn that each could warrant a novel in his or her own right...invigorating, fascinating, and hugely enjoyable. -- Malcolm Doney * Church Times *My stand-out novel of the year is The Essex Serpent...It's about love, faith and myth. I loved it. -- Jenni Murray * Radio Times *The eponymous serpent makes its presence felt throughout, but this novel is about much, much more than a winged demon terrorising the Essex countryside, and is all the richer for it. -- Kate Foley * Living North *One of the most-loved books of the last two years...Perry's descriptions of Essex bring to life the beauty of one of our more under-appreciated counties. * Emerald Street *The Essex Serpent has been hailed as a modern classic, and for good reason. It's an esoteric, whimsical book that joins the ranks of generations of Victorian and Gothic novels from Doyle to Shelley, all the while defying the very traditions these books have set down... The perfect book to read as you sit in an overgrown garden, or while tramping through the heath. * The Edinburgh Reporter *A Notable Book of 2017 * New York Times *

Read more less

Book SynopsisPitch-perfect World War Two crime for fans of Agatha Christie and Jasper Fforde. Detective Betty Church is forced to revisit ghosts from her past when a skeleton is found buried in the woods. July, 1914: Sixteen-year-old Etterly, running from something, hides inside the trunk of a tree and disappears. The police search but find no trace. Her family and friends wrack their brains, but come up with nothing. And so slowly life returns to normal. The hole in the tree is boarded up and the town of Sackwater moves on. Only Etterly's best friend, Betty, clings to hope, insisting she can hear her friend crying for help. June, 1940: A skeleton is discovered buried in the woods. Though most clues have long since decayed, it is wearing an unusual necklace. As soon as Inspector Betty Church sees the evidence she recognises it. The necklace belonged to Etterly. Fearing the worst, Betty is determined to solve this strange case once and for all. What happened to Etterly? And why has this secret remained buried for so long?Trade ReviewI was, as usual, sucked in by Kasasian's sheer storytelling ability and his skill in turning a run-of-the-mill cold case plot into a first-class and enjoyable read. He always drags the reader back to the central business, no matter how many false leads. And that is what makes this book so worthwhile * Crime Review *PRAISE FOR BETTY CHURCH AND THE SUFFOLK VAMPIRE: 'I love this sort of book... Betty has no truck with nonsense. Yay Betty... Is this a rival for M.C. Beaton, my favourite of all time? We shall see' Frost Magazine. 'A nicely complex plot, some genuinely funny moments and some serious observations about the approaching war are balanced by an underlying darkness' Crime Review. 'A wonderfully gripping, old-fashioned murder mystery' * The Lady *

Read more less