'[A] stylish thriller' - Sunday Mirror
'This exciting, very well plotted and historically evocative story drives forward to its gripping conclusion' - Euro Crime
'A richly atmospheric, authentic, and suspenseful detective series' - Joseph Finder, New York Times bestselling author
'A rollercoaster ride' - The Yorkshire Herald
'So immaculately nuanced they genuinely feel like they belong in the cannon of mid-20th century thrillers . . . Another belter!' - Fiona Phillips
'A truly spellbinding page turner that keeps you hooked right to the end' - Dorset Book Detective
___________
December 1941.
On a bright Sunday morning in Hawaii, Japanese planes swoop down and attack the US naval base at Pearl Harbour. America enters the war and Britain no longer stands alone against Hitler.
Conditions on the home front remain bleak. In a city pulverised by the Blitz, with rampant crime and corruption and overstretched police resources, life for Scotland Yard detective Frank Merlin continues as arduous as ever.
In the week of Japan's aggression, the shattered body of beautiful film star Laura Curzon is found on the pavement beneath her Mayfair apartment, an apparent suicide. A mile away, the body of a strangled young girl is discovered in the rubble of a bombed-out building.
Merlin and his team investigate, encountering fraudulent film moguls, philandering movie stars, depraved Satanists and brutal gangsters as they battle through a wintry London in pursuit of the truth.
___________
An excellent read by an author who clearly knows his subject . . . highly recommended - Alex J Book Reviews
Suspenseful and plot driven, this book keeps you on the edge of your seat throughout - Rachel Read It
A vivid and often surprising portrayal of wartime London - The Western Mail
Vivid descriptions of the era provide ideal background for the charismatic and likeable Merlin - Buzz Magazine
Publisher: Headline Publishing Group
ISBN: 9781786156723
Number of pages: 384
Weight: 272 g
Dimensions: 198 x 128 x 32 mm
[A] stylish thriller - Sunday Mirror
This exciting, very well plotted and historically evocative story drives forward to its gripping conclusion - Euro Crime
A richly atmospheric, authentic, and suspenseful detective series - Joseph Finder, New York Times bestselling author
A rollercoaster ride - The Yorkshire Herald
So immaculately nuanced they genuinely feel like they belong in the cannon of mid-20th century thrillers . . . Another belter! - Fiona Phillips
A truly spellbinding page turner that keeps you hooked right to the end - Dorset Book Detective
Brimming with action . . . complex, addictive and highly entertaining . . . I cannot wait to read more books by Mark Ellis - The Book Cosy Book Club
Brimming with authentic details . . . A compelling tale of crime fiction - Foreword Reviews
Wow! Well just as I think I've completed my Outstanding Books Of The Year list, up pops another book that will be on the list - Mrs Bloggs: The Average Reader
A mammoth read with a Dickensian plethora of characters that I thoroughly enjoyed immersing myself in . . . meticulously researched . . . deliciously complex - CARAMEROLLOVESBOOKS
This latest novel in Mark Ellis's DCI Merlin series goes way beyond the familiar clichés . . . satisfyingly complex - Shots Magazine
A marvellous addition to this wonderful series - Swirl and Thread
Mr. Ellis comprehensively explodes that persisting myth of unalloyed wartime togetherness . . . an eye-opener - Janet Roger
An excellent read by an author who clearly knows his subject . . . highly recommended - Alex J Book Reviews
Suspenseful and plot driven, this book keeps you on the edge of your seat throughout - Rachel Read It
A vivid and often surprising portrayal of wartime London - The Western Mail
Vivid descriptions of the era provide ideal background for the charismatic and likeable Merlin - Buzz Magazine
I very much enjoyed this writers three previous books:- “Princess Gate” “Stalin’s Gold” and “Merlin At War” and I was very pleased to receive a paperback copy of the fourth book.
This book opens in the beginning of...
More
This is my first foray into the world of DCI Frank Merlin, but it won’t the last.
I’ve been racking my brains how to encapsulate this book in one line, but it’s impossible. So much is going on the many split and...
More
Please sign in to write a review
Would you like to proceed to the App store to download the Waterstones App?