Sepulchre

Product Information

London, 1930s, and Rachel Savernake is attending an exhibition which features live models dressed as famous killers. Artist Damaris Gethrin asks her to ‘solve my murder’ – then dies on the guillotine. A clever murder, or suicide? And if it’s suicide, what did she mean by ‘solve my murder?’ Sepulchre Street is the fourth novel in a series starring Rachel Savernake. I didn't know it was #4 in the series, and I admit I missed a lot at the beginning. I was under the impression that Rachel and Jacob did have a history with each other, at the end there is a reference to this, - 'I know what you and Jacob have done' - [..red.] . An affair maybe? No idea. I did find that unfortunate. It could be said that some of deductions of the main investigator Rachel Savernake seem to strain at the limits of what might be. But the same can sometimes be said of Miss Marple’s uncanny intuition and, when we’re having fun, it seems churlish to complain. An acute reader should have solved many of the many mysteries that the story throws up and still find one or two final revelations to wrong foot them.

The NPCs that can be found at coffins are c4ssi4n, c0lect0r890, Jyn, Darkmeyer Slave, fishrunner82, mad melvin96, r2t2pnsh0Ty, and weast side49. And yet another story -- the dashing Man About Town/Bon Vivant/Adventurer that’s almost blown up by a bomb. Rachel knows him well. Who’s out to get him?There is a guardian of the house, and of the psychic, and of the secret. He is known as The Keeper. Together, in unholy union, they serve a force who existence threatens mankind itself. But now a terrible danger Just as the theosophists believed that "nature does not operate by chance", so the mantra of a novel like this is "everything happens for a reason". This saves a great deal of time as it eliminates the need to send the characters on any wild-goose chases for the sake of plausibility: drawn unerringly on by the forces of destiny, they always head straight for the derelict chapel or the forgotten hidey-hole, always find the secret message; it keeps the plot tidy. And naturally there always is a secret message. At one point Léonie has found the eponymous sepulchre, but decides to consult the occult book in the library again: "Now she had seen the place, surely she would be able to read the hidden meanings in the text. If indeed there are any." The possibility that there might not be "hidden meanings" is comical. Of course there are hidden meanings! Martin Edwards knows his vintage crime and he brings it all to bear here with an excellent blend of 1930s adventure with elements that reflect contemporary tastes. The story of criminal gang leaders, secret government agencies, a potential femme fatale and a dashing adventurer could easily fit in many crime adventures of the period; so could the newspaper man and privately wealthy investigator/busybody with helpful servants, but here the lead character is a woman and the elements that fire the plot cover a range of issues that wouldn’t have made their way into fiction of the time - or certainly not explicitly. For those that have an interest in Tarot, history, the Church and the Cathars, this is a marvelous read. There is a dual storyline - following a sister and brother in the 1890's, and a young American graduate student in current times. James Herbert was Britain's number one bestselling writer (a position he held ever since publication of his first novel) and one of the world's top writers of thriller/horror fiction.

Originally published in 1987, this novel was written in the middle of James Herbert’s career, an author who has been referred to as the British Stephen King. It features a professional bodyguard and hostage negotiator named Liam Halloran who works for a company named ‘Achilles Shield’. He is assigned to protect the most valuable asset of the Magma Corporation who turns out to be a man named Felix Kline. Why is Kline so valuable? Halloran is told the man is a psychic researcher whose paranormal abilities allow him to locate undiscovered mineral mines. Halloran is skeptical to say the least but as events unfold, he is soon convinced. There have already been several failed attempts on Kline’s life by rival companies but now, the psychic has had a premonition that he will soon be in even greater danger. Long review short: this was a fabulous read. What’s not to love about a story in which the mysteries are well plotted, the clues are there for the observant reader, and one of the main characters is as intriguing and mysterious as the cases she investigates. And the final member of Rachel's team is Jacob Flint, a reporter for the Clarion. Jacob is very much is love with Rachel and hopes to impress her, but sadly cannot match her intellectual prowess. there's no real explanation given for the lake 'monsters' (although horror fans can probably make up their own minds!) The members of Rachel’s household – Martha Trueman, Martha’s brother Clifford, and Clifford’s wife Hetty – are devoted to her. Although performing the role of servants – housekeeper, cook and chauffeur come bodyguard – it’s clear they’re the closest Rachel has to a family and may know more than they’re letting on about her past. Rachel is particularly good at utilising their various talents as part of her investigations whether that’s gathering gossip or carrying out a little subterfuge. Crime reporter, Jacob Flint, is once again involved in the story. It’s fairly obvious he has a huge crush on Rachel. He himself admits that from the moment of their first encounter she has fascinated him ‘to the point of obsession’.In 1891, young Léonie Vernier and her brother arrive at the home of their widowed aunt in Rennes-le-Bains, in southwest France. But nothing is as Léonie had imagined. Their aunt is young, willowy, and beautiful, and the estate is a subject of local superstition. Villagers claim that Léonie's late uncle died after summoning a demon from the old Visigoth sepulchre on its grounds...