The Unbelievers - Hardcover

Sim, Alastair

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0312621698 ISBN 13: 9780312621698

Publisher: Minotaur Books, 2010

Synopsis

A brooding, Victorian murder mystery set in the Scottish Highlands and featuring Inspector Allerdyce and Sergeant McGillivray Scotland’s richest man has been shot dead and dumped down a well. Was the Duke of Dornoch murdered by one of the miners whose wages he cut because of “market forces”? Was he killed in return for his part in clearing the Highlands of their people? Did a discarded lover take their final revenge? Inspector Allerdyce and Sergeant McGillivray VC must find out before the killer strikes again. But their search, from the material heights of Victorian society to its moral dregs, threatens to overturn everything Allerdyce believes and loves.

In the tradition of Charles Finch and The Somnambulist, Alastair Sim has crafted a memorable, atmospheric novel that covers new ground in the world of Victorian mysteries.

About this title

About the Author:

ALASTAIR SIM has published stories and playscripts in magazines, anthologies and on the web. The Unbelievers is one of two books which he wrote while in the University of Glasgow’s prestigious Masters in Creative Writing course.

Review:

"Victorian yet gritty, a debut that will intrigue fans of police procedurals and historical fiction alike." --Kirkus

“Lovers of well-written historicals will welcome Sim's first novel featuring Insp. Archibald Allerdyce and Sgt. Hector McGillivray, set in Scotland in 1865.... Sim does a fine job in bringing the mean streets of Victorian Edinburgh to life.... The absence of a pat resolution makes for a highly satisfying ending.” –Publishers Weekly

"Powerful and thought-provoking, this will appeal to readers who enjoy Ann Perry, Charles Finch, and other authors of Victorian mysteries." --Library Journal 

"This is a fabulous Victorian era police procedural that brings to life 1865 Edinburgh as well as the workings of the British bureaucratic aristocratic leadership of that period. The inspector and the sergeant are delightful leads... Alastair Sim provides a strong historical whodunit." --Genre Go Round Reviews

"Lovers of Victorian Gothic mysteries will have loads of fun with this one, quite different in tone from the norm, while lovers of literary fiction will admire the author’s ability to describe and bring the period to life, as he simultaneously conveys important sociological and religious issues.... The author’s brilliant imagery makes the setting and atmosphere come alive, while the complexities of the plot reveal the author’s comprehensive vision of society." --MaryWhippleReviews.com "Believe me when I tell you that The Unbelievers is one of the best historical mysteries I've read this year. It has an ending that is quite disturbing. I won't be forgetting this one for a long time. The killer was truly deplorable. I hope to see Inspector Allerdyce - if he fully recovers from his ordeals - and Sergeant McGillivray in a sequel." --GumshoeReview.com "A brooding, Victorian murder mystery set in the Scottish Highlands and featuring Inspector Allerdyce and Sergeant McGillivray... In the tradition of Charles Finch and The Somnambulist, Alastair Sim has crafted a memorable, atmospheric novel that covers new ground in the world of Victorian mysteries." --NightOwlSuspense.com 

About this edition

• Publisher: Minotaur Books
• Publication date: 2010
• ISBN 10: 0312621698
• ISBN 13: 9780312621698
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 336