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Showing results for tags 'oscar de muriel'.
Found 6 results
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The fourth book in the series starring Frey and McGray. The action takes place on the beautiful island of Isle Maree and several surrounding islands on the loch of Loch Maree in the Scottish Highlands - the place does actually exist - and Frey and McGray get involved in a double murder which, true to form, isn't straight forward. This one involves legends and bats and drinking human blood and not going out in the sun. A great escapade, much fun, complicated story and, as is now de Muriel's habit, real things. Gothic and action packed it's worth reading. Recommended.
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The third in the series starring Frey and McGray. This one takes place around the Shakesperean play MacBeth and stars Ellen Terry, Henry Irving and Bram Stoker*, who were all real people and who all worked in the theatre. Death is foretold by smears of blood on the ground and death indeed occurs. As Frey and McGray scrutinise the key players, they discover that Terry, Irving, and his peculiar, preoccupied assistant, Bram Stoker, all have reasons to kill, or be killed... The other players aren't squeaky clean either. This all takes place in Edinburgh in 1889 and there is mention of Banshees and other supernatural beings. This is a good romp through an easy and entertaining read. OdM also reveals a little of his research. Recommended. *Macbeth is considered to be an unlucky play. *Bram Stoker worked in theatre before he wrote Dracula.
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oscar de muriel The Strings of Murder
lunababymoonchild posted a topic in Crime / Mystery / Thriller
The first in a series of 7 crime books, so far, starring Inspector Ian Frey and Detective 'Nine-Nails' McGray. Set in Edinburgh in 1888 Frey is sent from Scotland Yard in London to help McGray, in his new but fake department investigating the occult, investigate the murder of a viruoso violinist who was murdered in his own home in a locked room with no other way in or out. This was better than I expected and I learned a lot about violins and catgut - wait to you read about that! I also enjoy the 1800's and being set in Edinburgh made a change from Victorian London. McGray seems to believe in the occult but his backstory emerges through the book and all becomes clear in the end. The characters are well drawn the plot is a pot-boiler and the prose is very well written. It was a page turner and it has stayed with me for quite a while. Recommended. -
oscar de muriel Dance of the Serpents
lunababymoonchild posted a topic in Crime / Mystery / Thriller
Book six in the Frey and McGray series. This is a suitably complicated romp around Victorian Edinburgh and beyond, taking in multiple locations and confusing plot turns, peopled by witches, bad/good politians, Frey and McGray, McGray's sister etc. No less than Queen Victoria wants them dead and their mission might just accomplish that for her. Great stuff. Recommended. -
Fifth in the Frey and McGrey series, this one is about McGrey's consultant clairvoyant who ends up accused of six murders and is set to hang for them. The explanation is as convoluted as the story but it's a wonderful romp through 1800s Edinburgh and the spiritualist things that were then believed with an astonishing forensic science obviously in it's infancy but none the less growing. Recommended
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A Fever of the Blood is a Frey and McGray and it's book 2. I felt that it wasn't as good as the first book but it was interesting enough about witches and curses and madness and asylums all in 1800's Edinburgh and some of the action takes place in England near Pendle Hill on which took the place of the now famous witch trials. The pair chase Lord Ardglass from the Edinburgh asylum that McGray's sister is in to the aforementioned Pendle Hill. Along the way they get involved in physical violence and with witches. I guessed the end so it's not that mysterious but it's a good caper and well written and it also got me thinking, which is always a good thing - apparently eye of newt and toe of frog is witches code for different, secret, ingredients and their language has never been written down only passed down. I would still recommend it.