Moriarty

Moriarty

by JohnGardner (Author)

Synopsis

Bestselling British novelist John Gardner published two books purporting to be the true history of Professor James Moriarty, archenemy of Sherlock Holmes, the Napoleon of crime. The books - The Return of Moriarty and The Revenge of Moriarty - were praised as stand-alone volumes set in a vividly accurate Victorian London and a stunning vision of the underworld of the time, inhabited by the kind of men and women who lived and preyed on the society of the late 19th century. Now it is the turn of the century and Moriarty has been away from London for several years, realizing his plans to set up crime syndicates in major U. S. cities. He is suddenly called back to London where his vast criminal society has been overrun by a rival concern led by the shadowy Sir Jordan 'Mad Jack' de Levant - a supposed gentleman hoodlum who is acting on behalf of the leaders of well-known criminal elements in France, Italy, Spain and Germany. Moriarty lives again and revolts against the upstart criminals who have attempted to oust him from his rightful place as king of all criminal endeavour.

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More Information

Format: Hardcover
Pages: 320
Publisher: Quercus
Published: 06 Nov 2008

ISBN 10: 1847245870
ISBN 13: 9781847245878

Media Reviews
Gardner's solution is witty and supplies the hinge on which this novel swings merrily along . Liberally laced with underworld argot (a helpful glossary is provided). There's also a virtuoso description of a music hall performance at the Leicester Square Alhambra - Financial Times. The place and time are scrupulously researched and excitingly portrayed but above all, it's the characters that stay in the reader's mind .The story of Moriarty's reclamation of the London underworld is the sort that grabs the reader by the lapels and won't let go - The Newsletter of the Sherlock Holmes Society of London. . Adroit at period detail, Gardner fills his text with the lyrics of contemporary songs and nineteenth century street slang striking . Makes the man who tried to murder Sherlock Holmes seem close to sympathetic - Times Literary Supplement. Gardner revels in getting the details of, say, the food or the thieves' slang of the period right and also has fun in echoing other crime fiction - John le Carre, the Godfather, Thomas Harris. This is the world of the Holmes stories, but fascinatingly viewed from the bottom up, through criminal's eyes - Sunday Times.
Author Bio
John Gardner was born in Seaton Delaval, Northumbria. He graduated from St. John's College, Cambridge and volunteered for service in the Royal Marines during World War II. After the war, Gardner was ordained and served as a priest for seven years before deciding he did not have the proper vocation and withdrawing from the clergy. Gardner is the author of the acclaimed Boysie Oakes series and fourteen James Bond novels.