On a bright Sunday morning in Hawaii, Japanese planes swoop down and attack the US naval base at Pearl Harbour. America enters the war and Britain no longer stands alone against Hitler. The country can dare to hope again, although a long, hard struggle still clearly lies ahead. Conditions on the home front remain bleak, and for Scotland Yard detective Frank Merlin, life is as arduous as ever. The carnage wrought by German bombers, the blackout, chronic shortages of food and other essentials, rampant corruption and limited ...
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On a bright Sunday morning in Hawaii, Japanese planes swoop down and attack the US naval base at Pearl Harbour. America enters the war and Britain no longer stands alone against Hitler. The country can dare to hope again, although a long, hard struggle still clearly lies ahead. Conditions on the home front remain bleak, and for Scotland Yard detective Frank Merlin, life is as arduous as ever. The carnage wrought by German bombers, the blackout, chronic shortages of food and other essentials, rampant corruption and limited police manpower continue to contribute to London's accelerating wartime crime rate. In the week of Japan's aggression, Merlin is diverted from his tenacious campaign against London's organised criminal gangs by the violent deaths of two young women in the centre of the city. The strangled body of one, an unknown teenager, is discovered, mummified, in the rubble of a bombed Victoria office building. The shattered corpse of the other, a famous film actress, is found on the pavement beneath her Mayfair apartment block, an apparent suicide. Merlin investigates and encounters fraudulent film moguls, dissipated movie stars, mad Satanists and brutal gangsters amongst others as he and his team battle to uncover the connections and search out the truth.
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Seller's Description:
THE INSANELY GRIPPING AND CRITICALLY ACCLAIMED FOURTH INSTALMENT IN MARK ELLIS' DCI FRANK MERLIN SERIES'[A] stylish thriller'-Sunday Mirror'This exciting, very well plotted and historically evocative story drives forward to its gripping conclusion'-Euro Crime'A richly atmospheric, authentic, and suspenseful detective series'-Joseph Finder, New York Times bestselling author'A rollercoaster ride'-The Yorkshire Herald'So immaculately nuanced they genuinely feel like they belong in the cannon of mid-20th century thrillers...Another belter! '-Fiona Phillips'A truly spellbinding page turner that keeps you hooked right to the end'-Dorset Book Detective___________December 1941. On a bright Sunday morning in Hawaii, Japanese planes swoop down and attack the US naval base at Pearl Harbour. America enters the war and Britain no longer stands alone against Hitler. Conditions on the home front remain bleak. In a city pulverised by the Blitz, with rampant crime and corruption and overstretched police resources, life for Scotland Yard detective Frank Merlin continues as arduous as ever. In the week of Japan's aggression, the shattered body of beautiful film star Laura Curzon is found on the pavement beneath her Mayfair apartment, an apparent suicide. A mile away, the body of a strangled young girl is discovered in the rubble of a bombed-out building. Merlin and his team investigate, encountering fraudulent film moguls, philandering movie stars, depraved Satanists and brutal gangsters as they battle through a wintry London in pursuit of the truth. ___________An excellent read by an author who clearly knows his subject...highly recommended-Alex J Book ReviewsSuspenseful and plot driven, this book keeps you on the edge of your seat throughout-Rachel Read ItA vivid and often surprising portrayal of wartime London-The Western MailVivid descriptions of the era provide ideal background for the charismatic and likeable Merlin-Buzz Magazine
