First published 2013
Thomas De Quincey finds himself accused of brutal mass killings that mirror murders from four decades past. The opium-addicted author of "Confessions of an English Opium-Eater" watches helplessly as Scotland Yard builds a case against him. The murders follow the exact pattern described in his own essay about murder as an art form. De Quincey's addiction clouds his mind just when he needs clarity most. His daughter Emily refuses to abandon him, working alongside two Scotland Yard detectives who begin to question his guilt. The real killer stalks London's fog-shrouded streets, using De Quincey's writings as a murderous blueprint. As bodies pile up, De Quincey must overcome his chemical dependency and confront a adversary who knows his deepest secrets. The investigation leads through Victorian London's dark corners, where literary fame collides with savage violence and buried truths threaten to destroy everything De Quincey holds dear.
Genres: historical-fiction, mystery, crime, thriller, detective, 19th-century
Vibes: atmospheric, dark, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: enemies-to-lovers, unreliable-narrator
Setting: London, Scotland Yard, Victorian London
Period: 19th Century
359 pages · Kindle Edition · Mulholland Books
Content warnings: addiction, drug-use