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Published Apr 2017
432 pages
Genre: Mysteries
Publication Information
This riveting new detective novel evokes a spellbinding concoction of crime, history, and horror - perfect for fans of Arthur Conan Doyle and P.D. James.
New Year's Day, 1889.
In Edinburgh's lunatic asylum, a patient escapes as a nurse lays dying. Leading the manhunt are legendary local Detective 'Nine-Nails' McGray and Londoner-in-exile Inspector Ian Frey.
Before the murder, the suspect was heard in whispered conversation with a fellow patient - a girl who had been mute for years. What made her suddenly break her silence? And why won't she talk again? Could the rumors about black magic be more than superstition?
McGray and Frey track a devious psychopath far beyond their jurisdiction, through the worst blizzard in living memory, into the shadow of Pendle Hill - home of the Lancashire witches - where unimaginable danger awaits.
"Starred Review. More fun than a plateful of haggis: a delightful read." - Kirkus
"Starred Review. The well-paced and suspenseful plot hurtles readers through a centuries-old conspiracy coming to a head in 1883, marked by eerie questions of occult powers. But the most impressive aspect of the novel is its detailed, vivid characters, driven by powerful emotions and full of surprises." - Publishers Weekly
"This sequel to Strings of Murder (2016) strays into melodrama and far-fetched motives, but readers will be hard-pressed to stop turning pages once the chase begins." - Booklist
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Any "Author Information" displayed below reflects the author's biography at the time this particular book was published.
I was born in Mexico City, in the building that now houses Ripley's Believe it or Not museum (some people claim to see a connection there…). I had a very happy childhood even though I did not try refried beans until I was six (I refused to eat anything brown and gooey).
My first attempt at writing stories, aged seven, was a tale about a triceratops and a stegosaurus battling a very hungry T-rex. Their three-page, ten-line long adventure was profusely illustrated by the author. Stegosaurus was extinct millions of years before the first T-rex hatched, but I still consider it a milestone.
When I was ten, Jurassic Park (the novel) scared the Jesus out of me – reminiscent of that Friends' episode where Joey Tribiani hides his books in the fridge (I blogged about that ...
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