A series of kidnappings seemed like straightforward, run-of-the-mill crimes at first, but Inspector Sam Blackstone soon realizes they are anything but.
This gang is so ruthless that it shocks even the hardened London criminal underworld so efficient and meticulous in its planning that it evades all the traps the police set for it with almost contemptuous ease.
And it is plain to Blackstone that this is just a preliminary skirmish that the gang ultimately intends to play for much larger stakes.
But Blackstone's problems are only just beginning.
When the son of the visiting Maharajah of Chandrapore - known to all as the Tiger - is taken in a full-on ambush, Blackstone realises that the previous kidnappings were just practice for a plot that impacts not only Britain, but its whole Empire.
Blackstone finds himself caught up in a game of cat and mouse, frantically trying to pin down the loose threads to find the lost prince before its too late.
But with the criminals always appearing to be one step ahead of the Inspector, he begins to suspect that the threat is closer to home than he previously thought
Praise for Sally Spencer:
Spencer's finest hour: a tightly plotted puzzler with surprises at every turn Kirkus Reviews
Spencer is an accomplished craftsman who serves up a good puzzle and deftly solves it with intelligence and insight Publishers Weekly
Characters are diverse, intriguing, and believable . . . plots never fail to surprise; and the procedural details are grittily realistic Kirkus Reviews
Sally Spencer worked as a teacher both in England and Iran - where she witnessed the fall of the Shah. She now writes full time.
Endeavour Press is the UK's leading independent publisher of digital books.
**
Review
(reviewed as Blackstone and the Tiger)
It's August 1898. While most of India is ruled by Britain, the maharajah of Chandrapore is intent on keeping his throne. In London, Inspector Sam Blackstone is faced with a baffling series of kidnappings. The first victim was the daughter of a merchant banker who paid a high ransom for the return of his child. The next victim was the son of a wealthy manufacturer who declined to pay the ransom and received his son's head in a box. Then the maharajah of Chandrapore comes to London, bringing his son and heir with him. It soon becomes clear that the previous kidnappings have been mere warm-ups for the kidnappers' real goal: the maharajah's son, who is kidnapped from under Blackstone's nose. Vivid characters, a dazzling plot, authentic period details, and plenty of surprising twists make this latest effort by Rustage (aka Sally Spencer) an outstanding choice for historical mystery fans. Emily Melton
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"Superior work from a best-selling British author"