An evocative historical standalone novel of injustice and vengeance from one of the most successful mystery authors writing today.
In this, his landmark fortieth novel, Quintin Jardine tells the remarkable story of a man's quest for justice - at any cost.
1818, Carluke, Lanarkshire.
Mathew Fleming returns home to Scotland following heroic service at the Battle of Waterloo. After seven years away, he is a ghostly presence to those he left behind.
But Mathew is ambitious and soon becomes a man of influence in his county and beyond. Yet through all his success, he still hides the loss of his one true love.
When a terrible act of murder occurs, Mathew must choose between the rule of blood and the rule of law. And as a man of honour with a warrior's instincts, he embarks on a journey of vengeance that will test every sinew of his faith in mankind...
Very engaging as well as ingenious, and the unraveling of the mystery is excellently done - Allan Massie
Well constructed, fast-paced, Jardine's narrative has many an ingenious twist and turn - Observer
Remarkably assured, raw-boned, a tour de force - New York Times
Quintin Jardine was born once upon a time in the West - of Scotland rather than America, but still he grew to manhood as a massive Sergio Leone fan. On the way there he was educated, against his will, in Glasgow, where he ditched a token attempt to study law for more interesting careers in journalism, government propaganda, and political spin-doctoring. After a close call with the Brighton Bomb in 1984, he moved into the even riskier world of media relations consultancy, before realising that all along he had been training to become a crime writer. Now, forty novels later, he never looks back.
Along the way he has created/acquired an extended family in Scotland and Spain. Everything he does is for them.
He can be tracked down through his blog: http://quintinjardine.me