Plague
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4.1 • 11 Ratings
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- $9.99
Publisher Description
WINNER 2015—Arthur Ellis Award for Best Crime Novel
London, 1665. A serial killer stalks his prey, scalpel in his hand and God's vengeance in his heart.
Five years after his restoration to the throne, Charles II leads his citizens by example, enjoying every excess. Londoners have slipped the shackles of puritanism and now flock to the cockpits, brothels and, especially, the theatres, where for the first time women are allowed to perform alongside the men.
But not everyone is swept up in the excitement. Some see this liberated age as the new Babylon, and murder victims pile up in the streets, making no distinction in class between a royalist member of parliament and a Cheapside whore. But they have a few things in common: the victims are found with gemstones in their mouths. And they have not just been murdered; they've been . . . sacrificed.
Now the plague is returning to the city with full force, attacking indiscriminately . . . and murder has found a new friend.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Humphreys (The French Executioner) brings to life the Restoration period, persuasively capturing the festive atmosphere inspired by the Stuarts' return to the throne after Oliver Cromwell's puritanical "reign." In stark contrast to this cultural atmosphere are the physical conditions of 1665 London: the steaming cesspits, the rank odors of its unwashed inhabitants and the grimy streets populated by rats. Those claimed by the plague are marked not only by the black "buboes" on their bodies but also by the crosses and bible verses painted in red on their barricaded doors. Some attribute this devastation to God's wrath toward the realm's licentiousness and wait for the "End of Days" foretold in the book of Revelation. One fanatical group resorts to murder in an effort to hasten this Apocalypse and, in response, a motley crew of inventive and memorable characters are united, including a cavalier ex-soldier turned highwayman, the simple yet loyal urchin he rescued from the street, an intimidating and capable thief-taker and a beguiling stage actress who work together to avenge the murders already committed and to prevent another. Humphreys' expressive writing style and ability to weave a tale from these engaging characters' respective points of view makes for a rich and addictive read, ideal for fans of historical fiction.
