The Gardens of the Dead

Author(s): William Brodrick

Crime

Elizabeth Glendinning QC has lost faith in the legal system. In an attempt to restore it, she has secretly devised a scheme to bring back to court a guilty man - Graham Riley - whom she had successfully defended some ten years before. As part of an elaborate contingency plan, Elizabeth leaves the unsuspecting Father Anselm with a key to a safety deposit box, to be opened in the event of her death. Three weeks later she is found dead in the East End of London and, once the box has been opened, a chain of events is triggered as if from beyond the grave, leading Anselm to fulfil what Elizabeth has begun. A powerful portrait of the dark heart of London and a tense thriller, THE GARDENS OF THE DEAD confirms William Brodrick's growing critical reputation.


Product Information

'THE GARDENS OF THE DEAD held me spellbound and fascinated. It is something of a tour de force to set up such a throroughly unprepossessing villain...keep us rooting for his downfall for four hours and then turn the tables to such an extent that our hearts bleed for him as the last of the many tangled knots are teased apart' Christina Hardyment, THE TIMES 'It makes a good, twisting mystery' SUNDAY TELEGRAPH 'As this labyrinthine tale unfolds, Brodrick is able to bring off a truly impressive sleight-of-hand: while we read on, agog for the next revelation, it becomes apparent that we're being treated to character studies quite as rich as that in many a more ostensibly "literary" novel' DAILY EXPRESS 'Ultimately superior murder mystery' Henry Sutton, DAILY MIRROR 'THE GARDENS OF THE DEAD has gravity and grace, as well as a powerful atmosphere of creeping dread' John O'Connell, TIME OUT 'Fast paced and well written, THE GARDENS OF THE DEAD is a gripping story' Rachel Rothwell, LAW SOCIETY GAZETTE 'It makes a good, twisting mystery....as Anselm slowly puts together the clues which will bring a murderer to justice in the final pages of this quiet, thoughtful novel' SUNDAY TELEGRAPH 'Any fears that Broderick's earlier book was a lucky accident will be quickly allayed with THE GARDENS OF THE DEAD. The complexity of the narrative here is wearying at times but as this labyrinthine tale unfolds, Brodrick os able to bring off an impressive sleight of hand. While we read on, agog for the next revelation, it becomes apparent that we're being treated to character studies quite as rich as that in many a more ostensibly literary novel.' DAILY EXPRESS

Bill Brodrick was an Augustinian friar before leaving the order to become a practising barrister. His first novel, THE SIXTH LAMENTATION, was loosely based on the wartime experiences of his mother.

General Fields

  • : 9780349121123
  • : Little, Brown Book Group
  • : Abacus
  • : August 2008
  • : 198mm X 126mm
  • : United Kingdom
  • : books

Special Fields

  • : William Brodrick
  • : Paperback
  • : 811
  • : 823.92
  • : 352