The author
"@BMHoward1797 is a supremely talented writer, and this is both a historical novel of great poise and intricate detail, and a stunning crime caper. An all round fantastic debut."
“A barn storming introduction! Never have I felt more like the watcher in the skies when a new planet appears than when the vast epicurean arse of the reluctant philospher-detective Gracchus hove into my mind’s eye.”
A secure historical grounding
The balance of fact and fiction is strong and consistent, with one never overpowering the other.
Wonderful period detail
The detail is what makes the world feel lived in and true to life, without overriding the mystery's thrust.
Rich with fascinating characters
Gracchus’s idiosyncratic ways, his loveable epicureanism, his snarky wit, are beautifully balanced by Vanderville’s robust earnestness.