Slaves of Obsession - Hardcover

Buch 11 von 23: William Monk

Perry, Anne

 
9780345433268: Slaves of Obsession
Hardcover
ISBN 10: 0345433262 ISBN 13: 9780345433268
Verlag: Ballantine Books, 2000

Inhaltsangabe

Ritual murder, mysterious disappearences, and theft spur Victorian investigator William Monk and his wife Hester to investigate an arms dealer and his seemingly flawless London mansion. By the author of The Twisted Root. 75,000 first printing.

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Über die Autorin bzw. den Autor

Among Anne Perry's other novels featuring investigator William Monk are A Breach of Promise, The Silent Cry, Cain His Brother, Defend and Betray, Weighed in the Balance, and most recently The Twisted Root. She also writes the popular novels featuring Thomas and Charlotte Pitt, including Bedford Square, Pentecost Alley, Traitors Gate, The Hyde Park Headsman, Highgate Rise, and Ashworth Hall, which was a Main Selection of the Book-of-the-Month Club. "Her grasp of Victorian character and conscience still astonishes," said The Cleveland Plain Dealer about the author. Hundreds of thousands of readers agree. Anne Perry lives in Scotland.

Aus dem Klappentext

1861. The American Civil War has just begun, and London arms dealer Daniel Albertson is becoming a very wealthy man as emissaries from both sides of the conflict rush to purchase his wares. The quiet dinner party held by Albertson and his beautiful wife seems remote indeed from the passions rending America. Yet investigator William Monk and his bride, Hester, sense growing tensions and barely concealed violence in this well-appointed mansion. For two of the guests are Americans, each vying to buy Albertson's armaments.

Philo Trace, the Southerner, is both charming and intelligent, but a defender of slavery. Northerner Lyman Breelove is a disturbing blend of political zealot and personal reserve--to whom Albertson's teenage daughter has pledged her heart. Soon Monk and Hester's forebodings are fulfilled. For within this group, one is brutally murdered in a cruel ritualistic fashion, and two others disappear--along with Albertson's entire inventory of weapons.

Slaves of Obsessi

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"We are invited to dine with Mr. and Mrs. Alberton," Hester said in reply
to Monk's questioning gaze across the breakfast table. "They are friends
of Callandra's. She was to go as well, but has been called to Scotland
unexpectedly."
"I suppose you would like to accept anyway," he deduced, watching her face.
He usually read her emotions quickly, sometimes with startling accuracy,
at others misunderstanding entirely. On this occasion he was correct.
"Yes, I would. Callandra said they are charming and interesting and have a
very beautiful home. Mrs. Alberton is half Italian, and apparently Mr.
Alberton has travelled quite a lot as well."
"Then I suppose we had better go. Short notice, isn't it?" he said less
than graciously.
It was short notice indeed, but Hester was not disposed to find
unnecessary fault with something which promised to be interesting, and
possibly even the beginning of a new friendship. She did not have many
friends. The nature of her work as a nurse had meant that her friendships
were frequently of a fleeting nature. She had not been involved with any
gripping cause for quite some little time. Even Monk's cases, while
financially rewarding, had over the last four months of spring and early
summer been most uninteresting, and he had not sought her assistance, or
in most of them her opinion. She did not mind that, robberies were
tedious, largely motivated by greed, and she did not know the people
concerned.
"Good," she said with a smile, folding up the letter. "I shall write back
immediately saying that we shall be delighted."
His answering look was wry, only very slightly sarcastic.

They arrived at the Alberton house in Tavistock Square just before half
past seven. It was, as Callandra had said, handsome, although Hester would
not have thought it worth remarking on. However she changed her mind as
soon as they were in the hallway which was dominated by a curving
staircase at the half turn of which was an enormous stained glass window
with the evening sun behind it. It was truly beautiful, and Hester found
herself staring at it when she should have been paying attention to the
butler who had admitted them, and watching where she was going.
The withdrawing room also was unusual. There was less furniture in it than
was customary, and the colours were paler and warmer, giving an illusion
of light even though in fact the long windows which overlooked the garden
faced towards the eastern sky. The shadows were already lengthening, although it would not be
dark yet until after ten o'clock at this time so shortly after midsummer.
Hester's first impression of Judith Alberton was that she was an
extraordinarily beautiful woman. She was taller than average, but with a
slender neck and shoulders which made more apparent the lush curves of her
figure, and lent it a delicacy it might otherwise not have possessed. Her
face, when looked at more closely, was totally wrong for conventional
fashion. Her nose was straight and quite prominent, her cheekbones very
high, her mouth too large and her chin definitely short. Her eyes were
slanted and of a golden autumn shade. The whole impression was both
generous and passionate. The longer one looked at her the lovelier she
seemed. Hester liked her immediately.
"How do you do," Judith said warmly. "I am so pleased you have come. It
was kind of you on so hasty an invitation. But Lady Callandra spoke of you
with such affection I did not wish to wait." She smiled at Monk. Her eyes
lit with a flare of interest as she regarded his dark face with its lean
bones and broad-bridged nose, but it was Hester to whom she addressed her
attention. "May I introduce my husband?"
The man who came forward was pleasing rather than handsome, far more
ordinary than she was, but his features were regular and there was both
strength and charm in them.
"How do you do, Mrs. Monk," he said with a smile, but when courtesy was
met he turned immediately to Monk behind her, searching his countenance
steadily for a moment before holding out his hand in welcome, and then
turning aside so the rest of the company could be introduced.
There were three other people in the room. One was a man in his mid
forties, his dark hair thinning a little. Hester noticed first his wide
smile and spontaneous handshake. He had a natural confidence, as if he
were sure enough of himself and his beliefs he had no need to thrust them
upon anyone else. He was happy to listen to others. It was a quality she
could not help but like. His name was Robert Casbolt, and he was
introduced not only as Alberton's business partner and friend since youth,
but also Judith's cousin.
The other man present was American. As one could hardly help being aware,
that country had in the last few months slipped tragically into a state of
civil war. There had not as yet been anything more serious than a few ugly
skirmishes, but open violence seemed increasingly probable with every
fresh bulletin that arrived across the Atlantic. War seemed more and more
likely.
"Mr. Breeland is from the Union," Alberton said courteously, but there was
no warmth in his voice.
Hester looked at Breeland as she acknowledged the introduction. He
appeared to be in his early thirties, tall and very straight, with square
shoulders and the upright stance of a soldier. His features were regular,
his expression polite but severely controlled, as if he felt he must be
constantly on guard against any slip or relaxation of awareness.
The last person was the Albertons' daughter, Merrit. She was about
sixteen, with all the charm, the passion and vulnerability of her years.
She was fairer than her mother, and had not the beauty, but she had a
similar strength of will in her face, and less ability to hide her
emotions. She allowed herself to be introduced politely enough, but she
did not make any attempt to pretend more than courtesy.
The preliminary conversation was on matters as simple as the weather, the
increase in traffic on the streets and the crowds drawn by a nearby
exhibition.
Hester wondered why Callandra had thought she and Monk might find these
people congenial, but perhaps she was merely fond of them, and had
discovered in them a kindness.
Breeland and Merrit moved a little apart, talking earnestly. Monk, Casbolt
and Judith Alberton discussed the latest play, and Hester fell into
conversation with Daniel Alberton.
"Lady Callandra told me you spent nearly two years out in the Crimea," he
said with great interest. He smiled apologetically. "I am not going to ask
you the usual questions about Miss Nightingale. You must find that tedious
by now."
"She was a very remarkable person," Hester said. "I could not criticise
anyone for seeking to know more about her."
His smile widened. "You must have said that so many times. You were
prepared for it!"
She found herself relaxing. He was unexpectedly pleasant to converse with;
frankness was always so much easier than continued courtesy. "Yes, I admit
I was. It is ..."
"Unoriginal," he finished for her.
"Yes."
"Perhaps what I wanted to say was unoriginal also, but I shall say it
anyway, because I do want to know." He frowned very slightly, drawing his
brows together. His eyes were clear blue. "You must have exercised a great
deal of courage out there, both physical and moral, especially when you
were actually close to the battlefield. You must have made decisions which
altered other peoples lives, perhaps saved...

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Verlag
Ballantine Books
Erscheinungsdatum
2000
Sprache
Englisch
ISBN 10 
0345433262
ISBN 13 
9780345433268
Einband
Gebundene Ausgabe
Anzahl der Seiten
344
Kontakt zum Hersteller
SC
https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/

CL MODESTO LAFUENTE 41
Madrid
Madrid
Spanien

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