Author:Diana Gabaldon
A keepsake collection of Lord John Grey's shorter adventures and a spectacular addition to any Gabaldon fan's library, Lord John and the Hand of the Devils brings these three unique novellas together for the first time.
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Lord John and the Hellfire Club marks the first appearance of Lord John outside the Outlander novels (and chronologically precedes the novel Lord John and the Private Matter). A young diplomat is killed in the street as he begs Lord John for help. Witnessing the murder, Grey vows to avenge the young man, as the trail leads to the notorious Hellfire Club and the dark caves beneath Medmenham Abbey
In Lord John and the Succubus, Grey's assignment as liaison to a Hanoverian regiment in Germany finds him caught between two threats: the advancing French and Austrian army, and the menace of a mysterious 'night-hag,' who spreads fear and death among the troops. Acknowledging that he is unlikely to fall victim to a succubus, Lord John is obliged to contend with the marauding night-hag before the enemy arrives. This tale with a touch of the supernatural bridges the action between Gabaldon's two full-length Lord John tales.
Finally, in Lord John and the Haunted Soldier, Lord John is called to the Arsenal at Woolwich to answer a Royal Commission of Enquiry's questions regarding a cannon that exploded during the battle of Krefeld (a central action in Lord John and the Brotherhood of the Blade). Accusations ensue, and Lord John finds himself knee-deep in a morass of gunpowder, treason, and plot -- haunted by a dead lieutenant, and followed by a man with no face.
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Readers love Lord John and the Hand of Devils . . .
***** 'John Grey is my spirit animal. I am such a fan of this series!'
***** 'My eyes couldn't read fast enough!!'
***** ' I enjoyed all three, once again became lost in the time period within seconds of starting to read....I don't know how Diana G. does it!'
***** 'I really, really liked this trilogy of novellas that were included in this book.'
***** 'The insight is fascinating, interesting and favourable.'
Marvellous... it is a large canvas that Gabaldon paints, filled with strong passions and derring-do
—— San Francisco ChronicleFor suspense, endless twist and turns, and a picture of life at all levels, Gabaldon has done it again
—— Irish NewsA blockbuster hit
—— Wall Street JournalA triumph! A powerful tale layered in history and myth, at its core is a love so vivid and fierce...
—— Nora RobertsAnyone who's read Diana Gabaldon's absorbing historical novels will relish her latest offering
—— Irish ExaminerGripping historic mystery
—— OKA story that is both moving and magical
—— Northern EchoThe freshest and most thorough portrait of Gabaldon's multifaceted leading man . . . Deftly written, pleasantly concise
—— Kirkus ReviewsGabaldon is a born storyteller
—— Los Angeles Daily NewsHistory comes deliciously alive on the page
—— New York Daily NewsNext to the dross that pours from the publishing industry under the 'thriller' heading, a truly well-written, multi-dimensional book with pulse and form becomes a gem of the highest order. So it's always a treat when the master of her genre comes out with a new one
—— City AMA fiction whose effect on the reader is almost as addictive as the slimming sweets on which Eugene becomes so disturbingly dependent
—— Sunday TelegraphRuth Rendell's sense of place and disdain for her characters elevates a sordid case of arson into an artful exploration of sinister self-delusion
—— Books of the Year, Evening StandardShe has made the city her own, and writes with both knowledge and compassion about its streets and buildings, its transport and its shops - and above all about its inhabitants ... As ever Rendell writes with wry and witty authority ... It's intelligent stuff, and very readable
—— SpectatorRendell is marvellous at psychological tension, and the suspicion that these ways will be sinister is what hooks the reader. Setting out her cast with conviction, she unrolls their lives at a stately, ominous pace
—— The Sunday TimesPsychologically acute and extremely disturbing, Ruth Rendell's work is outstanding
—— The TimesRendell has a Dickensian empathy, informed by a prodigious love of London life. Her account, bursting with colour and vitality, is a treat to read
—— The Independent