The Crypt Thief: A Hugo Marston Novel
Author(s): Mark Pryor
It's summer in Paris and two tourists have been killed in Pere La Chaise cemetery in front of Jim Morrison's grave. The killer leaves the bodies untouched but moves deeper into the cemetery, where he breaks into the crypt of a long-dead Moulin Rouge dancer. In a bizarre twist, he disappears into the night with part of her skeleton. The cemetery is locked down and put under surveillance, but the thief returns, flitting in and out like a ghost, taking more bones from another legendary can-can dancer under cover of night. One of the dead tourists proves to be an American and the other a woman linked to a known terrorist; so the US ambassador sends his best man and the embassy's head of security-Hugo Marston-to help the French police with their investigation. At first, Hugo is stumped. How does this killer operate unseen? And why is he stealing the bones of once-famous can-can girls? Hugo cracks the secrets of the graveyard, but soon realizes that old bones aren't all this serial killer wants: his ultimate plan requires the flesh and organs of the living. And when the crypt thief spots the former FBI agent on his tail, he decides that Hugo's body will do just fine.
Product Information
"[A] tale of a city that's gritty, utterly real and filled with surprises both horrifying and tender. Much like a baguette, this fabulous story is crusty on the outside, sweet on the inside, and once you've had a bit, you can't wait for more." -OPRAH.com
"[A] fascinating adventure with enough intrigue to satisfy every reader.... A fantastic debut!" -RT Book Reviews, 4 1/2 Stars
"Pryor's steady and engrossing debut combines Sherlockian puzzle solving with Eric Ambler-like spy intrigue. With a cast of characters you want to know better and a storyline cloaked in World War II betrayals...the author winningly blends contemporary crime with historical topics." -Library Journal Starred Review
"[A] well-crafted debut novel. Mark Pryor creates a new hero full of intelligence and charm which mixes well with the ever twisting plot of the story. Each turn of the page is a new piece of the complex puzzle that readers will enjoy fitting together. A leaf out of a classic Agatha Christie novel, mixed with the modern world of crime, is a suspenseful adventure waiting to happen." -Portland Book Review
Mark Pryor (Austin, TX) is the author of The Bookseller, the first Hugo Marston novel, and the true-crime book As She Lay Sleeping. A former newspaper reporter from England and now an assistant district attorney with the Travis County District Attorney's Office, in Austin, Texas, he is the creator of the true-crime blog DAConfidential. He has appeared on CBS News's 48 Hours and Discovery Channel's Discovery ID: Cold Blood. For more on Mark Pryor, visit his website: www.markpryorbooks.com.
General Fields
- :
- : Seventh Street Books
- : Seventh Street Books
- : 0.368
- : 01 May 2013
- : United States
- : 01 May 2013
- : books
Special Fields
- : Mark Pryor
- : Paperback / softback
- : 260
