“A thriller, but with a literary depth unusual in the genre, and fascinating in the complexity of its construct. Gallagher’s prose is swift, sure, and occasionally darkly comedic…Three words of advice: read this book.”
—Historical Novel Society, Editors’ Choice
“Masterful whodunit…Gallagher’s superior storytelling talents bode well for future adventures starring the well-rounded Becker.”
–Publishers Weekly, starred review
“Monsters, actual and metaphorical, are at the heart of this superbly crafted thriller….Gallagher loves character development but respects plotting enough to give it full measure. The result is that rare beast, a literary page-turner.”
–Kirkus, starred review
“The story moves easily between present and past events, leading to a conclusion that is as perfectly logical as it is surprising…Intricately drawn characters, carefully shaded depictions of events and situations, and an excellent sense of pacing…This is a real page-turner, and fans will hope to see more of Sebastian Becker in the future. It may also attract readers who enjoy historical thrillers in the Caleb Carr tradition.”
–Library Journal
“Gallagher’s great character development and clever plotting has created a great result: A rare literary masterpiece for the lovers of historical crime fiction.”
—MysteryTribune.com
“Gallagher’s latest is a great thriller/mystery with a unique character premise. I would love to see this developed into a series.”
–Becky Lejeune, BookBitch.com
“Riveting…highly recommended.”
–Charles DeLint, The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction
Praise for Steven Gallagher:
“Perhaps the finest contemporary British thriller writer.” –GQ
“Stephen Gallagher shows the occult mystery in its best light.” –New York Times Book Review
“Gallagher has quietly become Britain’s finest popular novelist, working a dark seam between horror and the psychological thriller.” –Arena
“The finest British writer of bestselling popular fiction since le Carre… Gallagher, like le Carre, is a novelist whose themes seem to reflect something of the essence of our times, whose skill lies in embedding those themes in accessible plots.” –The Independent, London
“A master of pace and suspense, Gallagher has the dark, neon-splashed imagination of a true original.” –Glasgow Evening Times
“Gallagher is a master of abnormal psychology and he just gets better and better.” –Mystery Scene
“If thriller-reading were a sin, Stephen Gallagher would be responsible for my ultimate damnation.” –Dean R. Koontz
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