Okay, we’ve looked at horror, romance, sci-fi, and more horror. It’s time to switch gears again and take a look at one of my favourite books from the adventure genre:
Truth be told, I use the term “adventure novel” pretty loosely in this situation, as this book kind of bends genres. However, it’s got globe-trotting, action, intrigue, hilarious names, and a suave protagonist with wit to spare. Think James Bond meets Oscar Wilde.
The book opens with our protagonist, one Lucifer Box, sketching the portrait of a recently-wealthy man. The client, a man named Everard Supple, invites Lucifer to dinner and they agree to meet at a restaurant that Mr. Box is fond of. During dinner several amusing anecdotes are swapped before Box calmly shoots Supple in the chest and pilfers the man’s glass eye.
Yes, you did read that correctly, and yes, he is that casual about it in the book.
Our protagonist then wanders off to the Pomegranate Rooms, a club of ill-repute, for some *ahem* entertainment, and then heads off to the Royal Academy of Art. He enters, goes through a secret tunnel, and then enters a men’s restroom where he meets with a tiny man named Joshua Reynolds. Box informs Reynolds that Supple is dead, and we then learn that our protagonist is a member of Her Majesty’s Secret Service. Reynolds, Box’s superior in the Service, informs Box that a member of the Diplomatic Service recently disappeared while investigating two murders that occurred within a day of each other. Box agrees to look into it, and then makes his way to his home at 9 Downing Street.
From this point Box begins to find himself in the midst of a sinister web as the diplomat turns up dead, attempts are made on his life, and he is brought to a sinister den of ill-repute known as the Vesuvius Club. There he discovers a plot as grandiose as it is mad: to destroy Italy by way of a volcanic chain reaction.
Yes, this book is as crazy as it sounds, and the plethora of characters adds to the absurdity. In addition to our protagonist we have Delilah, a stocky matron who cleans up after Box’s assassination jobs; Christopher Miracle, Box’s friend and fellow painter who occasionally passes along helpful information; Bella, a young woman who saunters into Lucifer’s life by way of drawing lessons; and finally Charlie Jackpot, a dashing young man who becomes a rather close companion to our suave protagonist.
I’m not going to mince words: I absolutely love this book. It’s light-hearted, witty, and it has the singular distinction of being one of the few mystery-esque books to successfully catch me by surprise. Anyone familiar with Mark Gatiss’ other works will know that he is a top-notch writer, and this book only further attests to that.
If you like steampunk, spy novels, adventure, and well-written gay characters, I cannot recommend this book highly enough.
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