The Authentic William James

“The only bad thing about his books is that they eventually end. Brilliant.” —Jonny Lee Miller

As the Special Investigator to the Lord Chancellor’s Visitor in Lunacy, Sebastian Becker delivers justice to those dangerous madmen whose fortunes might otherwise place them above the law. But in William James he faces a different challenge; to prove a man sane, so that he may hang. Did the reluctant showman really burn down a crowded pavilion with the audience inside? And if not, why is this British sideshow cowboy so determined to shoulder the blame?

The Authentic William James is the third novel to feature ex-police detective and former Pinkerton Man Sebastian Becker, joining The Kingdom of Bones and The Bedlam Detective. Praising “this superbly crafted thriller”, Kirkus Reviews named The Bedlam Detective one of their 100 Best of the Year and called it “that rare beast, a literary page turner”. MysteryTribune.Com described it as “a rare literary masterpiece for lovers of historical crime fiction.”

“It's a blinding novel… Each chapter had me chuckling with joy—if not at the acerbic wit, the brilliant dialogue—the sheer spot-on elegance of the writing: the plot turns, the pin sharp beats. Always authoritative and convincing, never showy. Magnificently realised characters in a living breathing world… Absolutely stunning”—Stephen Volk, author and screenwriter (Ghostwatch, Afterlife, Gothic, The Parts we Play)

“British author Gallagher gives Sebastian Becker another puzzle worthy of his quirky sleuth’s acumen in his outstanding third pre-WWI mystery (after 2012’s The Bedlam Detective). As the special investigator to the Lord Chancellor’s Visitor in Lunacy, Becker is charged with investigating “the psychology of anyone with a fortune or an income that might be put at risk by their erratic behavior.” When a fatal arson at a Sussex theater claims the life of a German prince, Becker’s superior is eager for him to demolish any claim that the prime suspect, showman William James, was insane when he set the fire. After meeting James, Becker is prepared to give some credence to the man’s claims of innocence. That comes back to haunt him when James manipulates him into facilitating his escape, leading the detective on a search for the fugitive—and the truth—that takes him to Pennsylvania and an apparent dead end. Gallagher makes the most of his unusual concept in the service of a twisty but logical plot line.”—Publishers Weekly Starred Review




The Authentic William James Stephen Gallagher Paperback: 315 pages £9.99 Publisher: The Brooligan Press (21 June 2019) Language: English ISBN-10: 1916057829 ISBN-13: 978-1916057821

Popular posts from this blog

Frankenstein's Prescription

Image
First appearance in paperback.   "A philosophically insightful and literary tale of terror" — Publishers Weekly Banished to an isolated rural hospital for killing a fellow student in a duel, Hans Schneider meets the mysterious Dr Lavenza and learns about Frankenstein's prescription—the secret of eternal life. Together, Schneider and Lavenza set out to collect the missing pieces of the formula. But they are not alone. From Germany to Rome, from Rome to Paris, to the failed and wretched Eden of an all-too-human God, a dreadful creature follows in their wake and brings destruction wherever they go.  A unique piece of work; fast, funny, and with a terrific sense of period and place. Frankenstein's Prescription reads like the bastard creation of Jonathan Swift and Jimmy Sangster. "It is, quite frankly, a brilliant novel, one which takes the old stereotype and fills it with vibrant new life. The story is gripping, with each and every element of the plot fitt...
Read more

Follower

Image
A story of modern terror and suspense set against an authentic and spectacular background. The Follower—one of Scandinavia’s most intriguing myths. It brings together geologist John Visco, chasing a survey job that may not exist, and Sara Hansun, a woman sticking to her side of a lovers’ agreement in an affair gone cold. Their shared destination: the Arctic fishing village of Tromstad.  But the roads are closed. And the snow is falling. And out in the darkness, the Follower waits; half-human, half-beast, a demon spirit rejected by its maker to live independently and in misery.   The Follower’s sole and driving purpose; to achieve a return to human form.   To find a new host. "If thriller reading were a sin, Stephen Gallagher would be responsible for my ultimate damnation. His work is fast-paced, well-written, infused with a sense of dark wonder, and altogether fresh."—Dean R Koontz   "Gallagher knows the secret of good supernatural horror. He keeps th...
Read more

Welcome to The Brooligan Press

Image
Scroll down to see our titles, or see the menu for a list of links to each book's page. What began as an initiative to pimp my own backlist expanded to become a curated selection of titles, some of them making their first appearance in paperback. Laurence Staig's The Companion was originally published in a YA list as Shapeshifter , and here makes its first appearance under its author's original choice of title and in his preferred version. Tim Lees' Frankenstein's Prescription was first available in a limited fine-edition run of 300 from Tartarus Press, and we're happy to offer its first mass-market edition. Stephen Laws' tower-block horror Darkfall is joined by the first UK publication of Ferocity . Told at Dusk, Remembered at Dawn is a major short story collection from Laurence Staig joining the list alongside Anne Billson's superior ghost story The Ex . The Brooligan Press is not open to submissions at this time.  The Northern ...
Read more

Told at Dusk, Remembered at Dawn

Image
A room with terrible secrets in its walls: a drug that will blow more than just your mind: an art installation to die for: a supermarket poltergeist with an eye for fashion. Sixteen short stories and one novella from a master of the strange, the unusual, the downright unsettling. “Laurence Staig writes stories that creep up quietly... and sink needle teeth into your spine. He does in print what Hammer House of Horror did onscreen—shows very nasty, yet horribly credible haunted stretches of Britain. Highly recommended and not for the nervous” Kim Newman “There’s a strong whiff of The Twilight Zone about some of these stories… no bad thing in my eyes. Inescapable nightmares.” Lucian Poll, Writer and critic “Laurence Staig is one of the great unsung heroes of British horror and fantasy fiction.” Stephen Jones, World Fantasy Award-winning writer and editor “A similar theme and atmosphere to ‘The Companion’, but one that succeeds in being more M R Jamesian. On route to the climax the...
Read more

Melody James: a novella

Image
Paperback and ebook.   In the lobby of a Blackpool hotel, one year after the end of the Great War, Britain's spymaster recruits a young sideshow fortune-teller for a mission of historic importance. A standalone novella from the author of the Sebastian Becker novels The Kingdom of Bones, The Bedlam Detective, and The Authentic William James. MELODY JAMES: a novella Stephen Gallagher The Brooligan Press $7.95 (102p) ISBN 978 999920784  Buy the paperback Buy the ebook The Sebastian Becker Stories: Reviews The New York Times: "The Kingdom of Bones... shows the occult mystery in its best light. Vividly set in England and America during the booming industrial era of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, this stylish thriller conjures a perfect demon to symbolize the age and its appetites… although Gallagher delivers horror with a grand melodramatic flourish, his storytelling skills are more subtly displayed in scenes of the provincial theaters, gen...
Read more