Fire - Softcover

Humphreys, C.C.

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0385679890 ISBN 13: 9780385679893

Publisher: Doubleday Canada, 2016

Synopsis

First came Plague, now comes Fire. The epic tale of the hunt for a serial killer threatening London's rich and poor during the Great Fire of London. Perfect for fans of C.J. Sansom and Conn Iggulden.
Fires don't start by themselves. They need someone to light them. What are friends for?
     As the Great Plague of London loosens its grip at last, Charles II's court moves back to the city, the theatres reopen and a new year arrives.
     1666. It cannot be more terrible than the previous year, surely?
     But it can. For many will strive to make it so; to finally rid London of the curse that brought the plague upon it. A wholesale cleansing is required if society is to be born again.
     What's more it seems that a serial killer who stalked hand in hand with the Plague might not be dead after all. Together with actress Sarah Chalker, highwayman William Coke and thief-taker Pitman come together as one, determined to stop the brutal murder of London's rich and poor once and for all.
     But another threat is on the way. It hasn't rained in five months. London is a tinderbox--politically, sexually and religiously. The Great Fire of London is about to ignite. And the final confrontation between Coke, Pitman and Sarah Chalker and their murderous adversary will be decided against a background of apocalypse.

About this title

About the Author

C.C. HUMPHREYS--born in Toronto, raised in London--is an actor, playwright, fight choreographer and novelist. His first job out of school was as a motorcycle messenger, based in St Giles, where much of Plague and Fire take place. Chris has written nine historical fiction novels including The French Executioner, the Jack Absolute series, Vlad and Shakespeare's Rebel. Fire is a thriller set in London 1666 and follows on from Plague. He lives in Salt Spring Island, BC.

Review

National Bestseller

"The brilliance of Fire is that while the villains and their motives are known, the rest of the plot is slowly revealed in an engrossing thriller that shifts from a riverside theatre to the cramped confines of a 17th-century warship and finally to the congested parishes of London. . . . Readers can smell the bitter ash, hear the pleas of the trapped and see the sparks dance from roof to roof." —Maclean's

"Fire unfolds over the course of the summer of 1666, using the reader's knowledge of the coming fire to add a ticking clock to [protagonists] Coke and Pitman's increasingly perilous investigations. . . . Well-worth reading." —National Post

"Fast-paced and salacious. . . . Humphreys' staccato prose drives the plot towards the inevitable trial by fire and a satisfying conclusion. . . . [He] offers up an absorbing and well-wrought blend of heroism and villainy in a story that is ultimately about the danger of unchecked fanaticism and the capacity of bravery to overcome. . . . A lot of fun." —Toronto Star

"C.C. Humphreys' new book Fire is a thrilling reimagining of the events of the 1666 Great Fire of London. A perfect book for anyone with a passion for history or crime fiction, this is an exciting read that will keep you enthralled to the last page." —Classical 96.3 FM

Praise for C.C. Humphreys:
 · "[Humphreys'] books are always a treat to read, immersive and thrilling, but with a depth and skill that elevates them." --The Vancouver Sun
 · "C.C. Humphreys has managed quite a feat: a book about bubonic plague and a serial killer in 17th century London written with a great sense of fun. . . . For a reader whose taste in crime fiction runs more to dark, contemporary Scandinavians, Humphreys was a delightful treat." --Toronto Star

About this edition

• Publisher: Doubleday Canada
• Publication date: 2016
• ISBN 10: 0385679890
• ISBN 13: 9780385679893
• Binding: Paperback
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 352