The two luminescent eyes watched the long, deserted roadway from low on the gusty promontory. Moist and dark, like large oily pearls, the eyes shifted and widened almost imperceptibly at every movement a hundred feet below. They roamed among the dim lights and deep shadows, the tall waves of the sea beyond, the dark beach, the large sea animals that broke the surface in the distance, the night birds that soared and hovered above the rocks, the flat clouds, the misty raindrops, the signposts rattling in the wind.Most of these things were familiar; a few were not. But new or old, it was a world of constant movement, a world where any motion could be enemy or prey. Which was why the eyes missed nothing. Nor did the ears, which were shaped like gold tulip petals...It froze as the scent came suddenly, from the north...The black eyes were met by other black eyes and they all began to move...Quickly and silently they slid through the brush and stones...commanding... Views: 53
Hours of great reading await, with ghostly tales from some of the 19th and 20th century's most renowned authors. Views: 53
July, 1858. London swelters, and trouble is brewing. Forensic scientist Adolphus Hatton and his trusty assistant Albert Roumande have a morgue full of cholera victims to attend to, and an eager apprentice to teach. But alongside the cholera outbreak, London is also home to a growing unrest. When a leading politician of the Irish Unionist movement is murdered, the flamboyant Inspector Grey calls on Hatton and Roumande to help solve the case.But Inspector Grey proves difficult to deal with – callous and hot-headed, he is determined to catch his criminals using any method, no matter how corrupt. When it becomes clear that they are dealing with a series of violent killings, Hatton and Roumande must attempt to find the connection between the victims – at the same time unravelling a bombing campaign by a group of would-be terrorists and exploring the method of fingerprinting, their newest forensic tool.And amongst all this, Professor Hatton finds himself dangerously distracted by a beautiful woman and painful memories from his past. As the kaleidoscope of outlandish characters, dockside strikes, bomb blasts and violent retribution reaches a crescendo, Hatton’s skills are tested to the limit.ReviewPraise for The Devil's Ribbon:"Meredith’s latest is similar to Lawrence Goldstone’s Anatomy of Deception (2008) in tone and plot and every bit as suspenseful as Will Thomas’ To Kingdom Come (2005). Meredith’s characters, with their complex past lives and unique motivations, bring pathos and humor into a compulsively readable historical thriller." --Booklist"This second series entry (Devoured, 2010) neatly combines history with a puzzling mystery and solid characterization." --Kirkus"A cholera outbreak plagues 1858 London in Meredith’s lively if often gruesome second historical featuring forensic professor Adolphus Hatton and his assistant, Albert Roumande... A chaotic chase leads to a startling climax." --Publishers Weekly "Another wonderful Professor Hatton and morgue aide Roumande mystery! ... The personalities of both men are deepened as Hatton is tempted by love and reveals more of his background via memories that tie to the present case. The history is sound and the research excellent. This is a great series that will have the reader desperate for the next book." -- RT Book Reviews"An engaging and well researched read. It deals with two particularly dark events in Anglo-Irish history with sensitivity and skill... This is historical crime that’s not afraid to roll its sleeves up and get covered in blood and guts. If that’s your thing, then this is definitely worth reading. It’s an enjoyable introduction to the series with an excellent sting in the tail." --crimefictionlover.com"This mystery is expertly rendered.... The work is masterfully researched, rich in its depiction of the budding science of pathology as well as its information on early crime detection methods. If the novel is overflowing with violence, it is never gratuitous, stemming instead from the rampant injustice of those times. Add in the author’s obvious talent for writing, we have an excellent historical mystery that is well worth a reader’s time." --historicalnovelsociety.org"Sherlockian fans will be happy to note that the well has not dried up in this genre... well-researched, well-written, and frankly, on par with Doyle." --zencherry.wordpress.com"The Devil's Ribbon, a deliciously dark and page-turning treat for all souls who are similarly drawn to the red meat of sensation." --newreads.blogspot.com"A deliciously dark and page-turning treat." --drforrest.wordpress.com"A good mix of historical fiction and dark mystery. Readers who enjoy both those genres will find this a satisfying read." --CaribousMom.com"D.E. Meredith has out-shined (or out-grossed) her superb debut novel, Devoured, with her latest historical gem, The Devil's Ribbon. She has deftly combined history with horror in a complex, intriguing plot involving a series of macabre murders... From the opening act of bloody murder to the shocking conclusion, I was spellbound by a depiction of Victorian London in all its gritty, polluted, drug obsessed harshness. My heart literally leaped inside my chest when the killer's identity was finally revealed; I didn't have a clue." --GumShoeReview.com"Rarely does an historical novel allow you to enter that time almost seamlessly, reflecting every facet of life from the grand houses to the poorest slums. Nor do most mystery novels plunge so deeply and passionately into the realm of the human heart, in sharp contrast to the scientific, investigative work. The Devil's Ribbon takes the reader into the minds of the victims, the rebels and oppressors and shows the face of despair and prejudice of the times that sadly still survive today. This book makes the politics and the issues of the day real, and shows the reader the people behind one of the greatest tragedies of the 19th century. It is the dark side of the Victorian era contrasted with a time of growing scientific knowledge and social unrest put together brilliantly in this novel. Highly recommended." -- iloveamysterynewsletter.com"Dark, gritty, and very often gruesome in the descriptions of the the autopsies, D.E. Meredith has created an eye-opening series that is the start of the coroner and medical examiner system that we utilize today. We see the chief characters as people with needs,desires and regrets, not just officials that do what it takes to finish the job. Fans of medical mysteries should give The Devil's Ribbon and the Hatton and Roumande series a try." --freshfiction.com"The Devil's Ribbon is an interesting, original concept - a sort of Victorian version of Silent Witness. Hatton and Roumande are portrayed as scientists at the cutting edge of forensics, searching corpses and murder scenes for clues, but also as real people with real lives and weaknesses... a readable, enjoyable story full of historical detail and horror." --ourbookreviewsonline.blogspot.com"Readers will enjoy the mix of personal and professional as well as the historical background of the Irish in England, the famine, and the dreadful lives of the destitute." --Seacoastonline.comPraise for D. E. Meredith and Devoured:“Devoured steeps us in the danger of Victorian London and the discovery of modern forensics, combining classic storytelling with a finely-executed historical moment. Meredith packs her debut with charm and wit enough to carry us into any adventures to come with these sparkling characters.” –Matthew Pearl, New York Times bestselling author of The Last Dickens"Devoured is an absorbing mystery, with an atmosphere that captures wonderfully the contrasts of science and superstition, of domesticity and imperial exoticism, that made the Victorian era so richly interesting. Hopefully a sequel is already on the way!" --Charles Finch, author of The Fleet Street Murders“Lovers of Victorian mystery will delight in Denise Meredith's terrific debut, where murder, the science of specimen collecting, and early forensic medicine combine into a riveting adventure.” –Stefanie Pintoff, Edgar Award-winning author of In the Shadow of Gotham "Meredith’s debut novel delves into the ugly secrets of that straight-laced time and believably renders life among the different social strata.... Think Michael Cox (The Meaning of Night) meets Jonathan Barnes (The Somnambulist). Strongly recommended for fans of historicals. --Library Journal, starred review"Meredith’s research is superb. The smallest details show the interior life of the characters and the conditions they lived in. This is a dark story, but fascinating and brilliantly executed." --RT BookReviews, 4 and a half stars"Something special. And then some.... Meredith, an Englishwoman with a degree from Cambridge University, has a fertile mind, from which springs a shocking conclusion that, in retrospect, is perfectly apparent. She fills this story of unbridled evil and immense sorrow with memorable characters and graceful prose, and her portrait of a world at an intellectual crossroads is powerful and evocative." --Richmond Times Dispatch“Cleverly plotted… charming and convincing—very well done, and this likable and brainy team of detectives probably has a future.” -- Sullivan County Democrat“If this debut is any indication, we are in for a long run of entertaining and thoughtful books.… Dark, creepy and fascinating Devoured is a book that lingers long after the reading is done.” –Crime Spree magazine"This debut novel by Denise Meredith is an entertaining read. It reminded me of Masterpiece Mystery... The author does a good job of bringing the wintry streets of Victorian London and the steamy jungles of Borneo to life as she tells her story." --Historical Novel Society"Fans of historical mysteries, especially those set in Victorian Europe, will definitely want to read D.E. Meredith's Devoured. A high body count, creative death scenes, cruel villains, beloved heroes, intriguing plots and subplots, and an exotic setting make this novel an enjoyable read." --GumshoeReview.com “Devoured is a fascinating and sinister mystery set in Victorian London—in a time when a person could be killed for believing in something other than what was accepted.” –Nightandweekends.com“A complex amalgam of mystery and bloody terror, Devoured ties new and sacrilegious theories of evolution to the mysteries of nineteenth-century forensic techniques.… From the series of gruesome murders to the exotic delights of Broderig’s letters to Hatton’s burgeoning science, Meredith’s tale is filled with dissenters and religious bigots, devious villains and buried animosities. The ultimate truths of men is lit by a microscope and a lamp, and it appears that all is ripe for Hatton and Adams to return in another outing, their vibrant partnership already taken to the brink as they walk the streets of a violent London, determined to protect the innocent against the deadliest schemes of men.” –Curledup.com"If you are a mystery fan, particularly a Victorian mystery fan, I would highly recommend this book. It was fast paced and did not lag, there was a little bit off everything in the book, a romance, murder, politics, history, and betrayal…it has all the makings of a great series." --thelitbitch.comAbout the AuthorD.E. MEREDITH read English at Cambridge, then ran the press office and the land mines campaign for the Red Cross, travelling extensively to Bosnia, Afghanistan and Rwanda during the conflicts. She worked as a consultant on media relations for Greenpeace and other worthy causes before embarking on "The Hatton and Roumande Mysteries" series for St Martin's Press (DEVOURED, Oct 2010, THE DEVIL'S RIBBON Oct 2011). She has two boys, a tall husband, a barking (mad) Parsons Terrier and lives at a secret location on the River Thames. When not writing, she runs, rides her bike like a lunatic or eats home made cake. Visit her online at demeredith.com. Views: 53
Master spy Will Cochrane must catch a missing Russian defector as well as one of Europe's deadliest assassins in this action-packed follow-up to Sentinel, written by real-life former field officer Matthew DunnWill Cochrane monitors the nighttime streets of Gdansk, Poland--waiting for the appearance of a Russian defector, a man bearing a top-secret document. Will believes the defector is about to step out of the cold and into the hands of Polish authorities, but suddenly everything goes sideways. The target shows up, but so does a team from the Russian foreign intelligence service SVR, and they are hell-bent on keeping the man from walking. Then, in a hail of cross fire, a van speeds into the melee and snatches the defector out from under them all. Everyone wants the man and the codes he carries--but now he's gone and it's up to Will and his CIA/MI6 team to find him before the Russians do.Will tracks both the missing Russian and his kidnappers, believing... Views: 53
A woman is discovered beneath the London streets, barely alive. Soon after, DC Josie Chancellor finds an abandoned, newborn baby close to Leadengate station. DI Will Wagstaffe puts woman and baby together. The woman is Kerry Degg, a burlesque singer, as well as a rotten wife and mother. Kerry has bad friends, a dodgy husband and no idea about what it takes to build a family. As Kerry clings to life, Staffe hears only discord: from a well- connected West London gangster and a forgotten politician; from a maligned sister and an unborn population to whom someone, somewhere, is determined to give voice. Staffe ventures from Whitehall's clubland to Soho's fleshpots trying to make his way through a labyrinth of trails that leads above and below ground to another woman, seemingly forced - like Kerry Degg - to bear her child in captivity. In "Pain of Death", DI Will Wagstaffe discovers that the simplest thing in all the world - to bear a child - lies beneath the actions of the powerful and the desperate. And will he manage to rescue both mother and child in time? Views: 53
The United Kingdom's domestic counter-intelligence and security agency, most commonly know as MI5, was founded in 1909 by Sir Vernon Kell KBE. Kell ('K' within the agency) not only founded MI5 but was also its Director for 31 years, the longest tenure of any head of a British government department during the twentieth century. Kell was also fluent in six foreign languages, making him arguably the most gifted linguist ever to head a Western intelligence agency. A Secret Well Kept was written by Kell's wife, Lady Constance Kell, in the late 1940s. It is an unparalleled insight into the personal life of an extremely powerful and important man, from the one person with whom he was most intimate. Nearly half of A Secret Well Kept is devoted to Kell's life before MI5 and about half of the section on Kell's life from 1909–1940 covers his personal life outside MI5. We also learn about the key characters and events during Kell's career with MI5... Views: 53
Joe (17) is locked out of his house and pursued by a crowd determined to kill him. He escapes and finds shelter among a group of dissidents fighting a dictator. He is in a parallel world like and unlike his own and here, over a period of two life-changing years, he learns to survive and he falls passionately in love. But will he be returned to his own world? Views: 53
The squirrels at Mt. Mercy College are getting too friendly--they're frightening the students, making the nuns jumpy . . . and they're super messy. It's time to call the Animal Rescue Team! Meanwhile, Keisha's got a problem of her own. The Grand River Steppers jump rope team has a chance to win first place in their school district this year, but Keisha's so nervous, she keeps messing up! When she and Daddy go to the Veteran's Facility to check out their squirrel situation, Keisha meets Sergeant Pinkham, who's learning how to use his new prosthetic leg. Could Sarge be just the person to help Keisha stay calm, do well, and have fun at the competition?Perfect for independent readers, the Animal Rescue Team books offer adventurous and heartwarming stories with lots of laughs--and plenty of critters.From the Hardcover edition. Views: 53
After his very public break-up from his fiancé, Chad Fletcher is convinced that a healthy marriage and his rising political career won't mix, and Christmas at his Aunt Nell's home in White, Arizona is a great way to start fresh. Political watch dog, Tessa Conway, plans to spend her vacation enjoying her grandparents' ranch before they must sell it, so she is not pleased with Grandma Sophie and Aunt Nell's efforts to throw her and Chad together. Chad begins to believe Tessa may be the perfect antidote to his unhealthy relationships of the past, but when he decides to take support from a company with questionable ethics, his perfect bubble is burst. Fearing Chad is not the Godly man she believed him to be, Tessa ends their budding romance. Will Chad find the strength and courage to do what's right even if it costs him his career? Views: 53
