A spellbinding concoction of crime, history and horror, perfect for fans of Sherlock Holmes and Jonathan Creek

''A hugely entertaining Victorian mystery'' NEW YORK TIMES

''I enjoyed this - properly creepy and Gothic'' IAN RANKIN

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New Year''s Day, 1889.

In Edinburgh''s lunatic asylum, a patient escapes as a nurse lays dying. Leading the manhunt are legendary local Detective ''Nine-Nails'' McGray and Londoner-in-exile Inspector Ian Frey.

Before the murder, the suspect was heard in whispered conversation with a fellow patient - a girl who had been mute for years.

What made her suddenly break her silence? And why won''t she talk again? Could the rumours about black magic be more than superstition?

McGray and Frey track a devious psychopath far beyond their jurisdiction, through the worst blizzard in living memory, into the shadow of Pendle Hill - home of the Lancashire witches - where unimaginable danger awaits . . .

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Praise for The Strings of Murder:

''This is wonderful. A brilliant, moving, clever, lyrical book - I loved it'' Manda Scott

''One of the best debuts so far this year - a brilliant mix of horror, history, and humour. Genuinely riveting with plenty of twists, this will keep you turning the pages. It''s clever, occasionally frightening and superbly written. Everything you need in a mystery thriller'' Crime Review