Hare - Softcover

Ranscombe, Peter

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1910282979 ISBN 13: 9781910282977

Publisher: Knox Robinson Publishing, 2015

Synopsis

When William Burke was hanged in Edinburgh for mass murder in 1829, his accomplice, William Hare, was set free after turning king's evidence against his partner-in-crime. Fleeing from a potential lynching in the Scottish capital, Hare headed for London, where rumours spread of his death in a lime pit at the hands of an angry mob. Thirty-four years later, a series of murders in Boston terrifies the public and thrusts the city's police force into a desperate search for the killer. When Hare is found working as a labourer on Boston's latest canal-building project, Captain Alexander Gillespie believes he has his man, the same murderer he chased through the streets of Edinburgh during his first year with the police. But as the slayings continue, Gillespie must turn Hare lose and use the mind of one killer to catch another. From the oak-panelled studies of Massachusetts's universities to the grimy underworld of the city's docks, Gillespie and Hare must pursue a shadowy villain before he strikes again. Against the backdrop of the American Civil War, their search leads them closer to the killer and into the heart of a desperate plot that could threaten the very future of the United States itself.

About this title

About the Author

Peter Ranscombe has been a journalist with The Scotsman and Scotland on Sunday newspapers in Edinburgh since 2005, writing about cutting-edge life science companies, the growth of micro-brewers and whisky distillers, and Scotland's iconic wildlife. Born and raised in Nairn in the Highlands of Scotland, he gained a bachelor's degree in physics from the University of St Andrews and then a master's degree in journalism from the University of Strathclyde and Glasgow Caledonian University. As a young writer, he won awards for his poetry and short stories, with his work being published in various anthologies. Fiction was always his first love.

Review

“Can a serial killer ever find redemption? Peter Ranscombe follows Edinburgh murderer William Hare to the civil war-torn United States in the years after his evidence condemned his notorious accomplice William Burke to hang. Hare insists he’s escaped his blood-soaked past, but Boston detective Alexander Gillespie isn’t so sure, especially when bodies start turning up who’ve been killed by the same method used by Burke and Hare in Edinburgh. Hare seems to be the prime suspect, but as the body count rises Gillespie realises he may be the only man able to help him track down the killers. Confederate agents, ruthless industrialists and a crazed flame-haired temptress all stand in the pair’s way as the book hurtles to its explosive climax. Ranscombe weaves a convincing and intriguing tale of murder, mystery and mayhem in a brilliantly realised and researched historical thriller. Wonderful premise, contains more bodies than Greyfriars Churchyard, and a tumultuous, explosive ending. Great stuff.”

 

(Douglas Jackson, author of "Caligula")

“Steeped in the social foment of the young United States, Peter Ranscombe’s Hare is a smart thriller with plenty of pace. Not just a great read, this novel reflects on our time as much as it does the murkier corners of the nineteenth century.”

 

(Craig Sterling, author of "Stealing Fire", which was shortlisted in the book-to-film category at the 2011 Rome Film Festival)

“An ingenious plot told in such a compelling way that you’ll lose track of time, a vivid sense of the past, and characters you can believe in – Peter Ranscombe’s Hare marks the arrival of a major talent.”

(David Robinson, Books Editor, The Scotsman)

“Ranscombe explores the theory that it takes a killer to catch a killer in his stunning debut novel, Hare. The grizzly tale of Edinburgh mass murders William Burke and William Hare is familiar to most people. But few will know that, while Burke was hanged for his crimes, Hare turned king’s evidence and walked away a free man. This fast-paced story set against the backdrop of Boston during the American Civil War sees Hare come to the aid of his old adversary, Captain Alexander Gillespie, to help the police solve a series of mysterious murders in the city. This dark and atmospheric thriller is an absolute must-read for fans of crime fiction. Ranscombe proves himself to be the new kid on the tartan noir block and succeeds in creating a hero from one of history’s most hated serial killers, showing that the darker side of human nature can exist alongside honour and conscience. The narrative is compelling and the characterisation believable, making Hare difficult to put down. I quickly found myself buckled in and happily racing headlong with the plot to its explosive conclusion.”

(Morag Bootland, Staff Writer, Scottish Field)

Edition details

• Publisher: Knox Robinson Publishing
• Publication date: 2015
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1910282979
• ISBN 13: 9781910282977
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 252