V.L. Valentine

Plague Letters

'A riotous delve into the dark medical world of Restoration London' - S.G. MACLEAN 'An infectious read, packed with atmosphere and colourful characters' - OSCAR DE MURIEL 'A gripping whodunnit with a sinister twist' - JENNIFER RYAN ________________________________________ WHO WOULD MURDER THE DYING... London, 1665. Hidden within the growing pile of corpses in his churchyard, Rector Symon Patrick discovers a victim of the pestilence unlike any he has seen before: a young woman with a shorn head, covered in burns, and with pieces of twine delicately tied around each wrist and ankle. Desperate to discover the culprit, Symon joins a society of eccentric medical men who have gathered to find a cure for the plague. Someone is performing terrible experiments upon the dying, hiding their bodies amongst the hundreds that fill the death carts. Only Penelope - a new and mysterious addition to Symon's household - may have the skill to find the killer. Far more than what she appears, she is already on the hunt. But the dark presence that enters the houses of the sick will not stop, and has no mercy... This hugely atmospheric and entertaining historical thriller will transport readers to the palaces and alleyways of seventeenth-century London. Perfect for fans of Laura Shepherd-Robinson, Andrew Taylor and C.J. Sansom. ________________________________________ 'A sickening, desperate London, wonderfully evoked. A terrific read!' - ALIX NATHAN 'A rollicking, roistering tale with humour horror and human decency at its dark heart' - KATE GRIFFIN 'Brilliantly convincing and thrillingly infectious' - S.W. PERRY 'A gorgeous, darkly witty novel that transports readers to the London of Charles II' - MARIAH FREDERICKS 'Dark, haunting and unexpectedly witty' - SUSAN ELIA MACNEAL