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In 1893, a trail of ashen footprints leads Deputy Archie Lean to the body of a murdered thief. The man's exposed flesh has been horribly burned and occult symbols mark the nearby walls. Most troubling of all is what Lean witnessed two days earlier: this same man being lowered into his grave without a burn mark on him. Once again, the Portland, Maine, police deputy must turn to the brilliant criminalist Perceval Grey for help.
Grey, a half-Abenaki Indian detective, faces problems of his own after agreeing to an elderly tycoon's death-bed plea to find his long-lost granddaughter. The dying man's family is less interested in the missing heiress than with the recent theft of an obscure heirloom carved with curious symbols. As the family's shadowy history is revealed, the three mysteries intersect to draw Lean and Grey into a maze of murder, deceit, and revenge. Each deadly new clue points toward an even greater puzzle—one that will pit Grey against a devious murderer in a race to unlock an ancient and mysterious power.
"Starred Review. Conan Doyle fans will appreciate the Holmes/Watson-like relationship of Perceval Grey, who's half Abenaki Indian, and deputy Archie Lean of the Portland, Maine, police in Shields's excellent sequel to 2012's The Truth of All Things." - Publishers Weekly
"Starred Review. Erudite, mysterious and exciting, with a brooding, brilliant Sherlock-ian detective. The denouement is just as surprising as in Grey's first case." - Kirkus
"Set in New England during the 1890s, A Study of Revenge is a detailed historical mystery with believable characters and an intricate plot ...Grey reminds me of another famous historical investigator, Sherlock Holmes, with his brilliant intellect and unique way of puzzling out crimes. And Archie Lean makes a great partner who keeps them both on track. A great historical mystery series!" - freshfiction.com
This information about A Study in Revenge was first featured
in "The BookBrowse Review" - BookBrowse's membership magazine, and in our weekly "Publishing This Week" newsletter. Publication information is for the USA, and (unless stated otherwise) represents the first print edition. The reviews are necessarily limited to those that were available to us ahead of publication. If you are the publisher or author and feel that they do not properly reflect the range of media opinion now available, send us a message with the mainstream reviews that you would like to see added.
Any "Author Information" displayed below reflects the author's biography at the time this particular book was published.
Kieran Shields grew up in Portland, Maine. He graduated from Dartmouth College and the University of Maine School of Law. He continues to reside along the coast of Maine with his wife and two children. The Truth Of All Things is his first novel.
Author Interview
Link to Kieran Shields's Website
Name Pronunciation
Kieran Shields: KEER-an (first syllable rhymes with "here")
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