The Lazarus Curse: a gripping mystery that combines the intrigue of CSI with 18th-century history

Description

In 1780s London, American anatomist Dr. Thomas Silkstone is plunged into a swirling cauldron of sorcery, slavery, and cold-blooded murder . . . When the sole survivor of an ill-fated scientific expedition to Jamaica goes missing upon his return to London, Dr. Thomas Silkstone - entrusted with cataloguing the expedition's New World specimens - feels compelled to investigate. There are rumours of a potion that has the power to raise the dead - and the formula is suspected to be in the private journal that has disappeared along with the young botanist. As Dr. Silkstone searches for clues to the man's whereabouts, he is drawn deeper into a dark and dangerous world of vengeance, infidelity, murder and the trafficking of corpses for profit. Without the support of his beloved Lady Lydia Farrell - from whom he has been forcibly separated by law - he must confront the horrors of slavery, as well the very depths of human wickedness. And after a headless corpse is discovered, Dr. Silkstone begins to uncover the sinister motives of those in power who would stop at nothing to possess the Lazarus potion. . .

Tessa Harris, born in Lincolnshire, holds a history degree from Oxford University. After four years of working with local newspapers, she set her sights on women's magazines. She is regularly heard on local BBC radio and over the years has interviewed such people as Margaret Thatcher, Jeffrey Archer, Anthony Hopkins, Susan Hampshire, Alan Titchmarsh, Jackie Stewart, Boris Johnson, and Uri Geller. She lives in Berkshire with her husband and their two children.

A densely plotted yarn about a crafty 18th-century poisoner wreaking havoc on the Oxfordshire estate of a noble family . . . we await - indeed, demand - the sequel. - New York Times An engrossing, lively and satisfying series debut. - BookPage Harris' research is meticulous. The results are a historical CSI with a romance and excellent mystery. - Romantic Times Harris has more than a few tricks up her sleeve, and even veteran armchair puzzle solvers are likely to be surprised. - Publishers Weekly The author will have you flipping the pages at each unexpected turn in the plot. The novel is an absorbing read with a shocking twist at the end. - Historical Novel Society