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A gripping and evocative mystery set in 30s London, in which a young journalist goes on the trail of a serial killer On a sweltering day in July 1937, reporter John Steadman is in London’s St Paul’s Cathedral waiting for his girlfriend … But romance is pushed aside when he witnesses a man falling to his death from the Whispering Gallery, killing a priest in the process. Did he jump or was he pushed? Two days later Johnny receives the first of a series of grim packages at the offices of his newspaper, the Daily News. Each contains the body part of a woman and an enigmatic note, one of which says that he will be the murderer’s final victim. To catch a killer, Johnny must set himself up as bait – with police and a fascinated public looking on. But he still has to uncover the tragic truth behind the double-death in the cathedral…
When a journalist witnesses a fatal plunge from the Whispering Gallery of St Paul’s Cathedral, he becomes the target of a calculated serial killer. John Steadman, a reporter for the Daily News, finds his personal life eclipsed by a gruesome investigation after a man falls to his death, killing a priest below. As the murderer begins sending macabre packages to his office, Steadman realizes he is being groomed as the final victim in a twisted game. He must navigate the rigid social structures of 1937 London while acting as bait to lure the killer into the open, all while untangling the secrets behind the initial cathedral tragedy. The narrative maintains a tense, investigative focus, tracking Steadman’s descent into a dangerous urban underworld.
This novel presents a classic period mystery that leans heavily into the atmospheric tension of pre-war London. The narrative structure relies on the investigative tropes of the era, focusing on the psychological pressure placed upon the protagonist as he becomes the killer's primary target. Readers likely find the historical setting of 1937 to be a central component of the story's appeal, providing a distinct backdrop for the grim nature of the crimes. The plot suggests a methodical progression, where the protagonist's professional background as a journalist serves as a logical mechanism for uncovering the truth behind the initial cathedral incident.
Page Count:
357
Publication Date:
2012-01-01
Publisher:
Harper
ISBN-10:
0007296827
ISBN-13:
9780007296828
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