A poisonous secret.
A terrifying curse.
And a client she’d just as soon see dead in a ditch….
Summer 1889. Harrison Fearing Pell hoped for adventure when she signed on with the Society for Psychical Research as an occult investigator. Slogging through New York’s sewers in pursuit of a “mud man” wasn’t exactly what she had in mind. But the reeking monster terrorizing the dance halls of the Tenderloin leads her to an even more peculiar mystery — and the last man on earth Harry wishes to become entangled with.
James Moran is a prodigy in music, mathematics . . . and crime. Harry’s older sister, the famed detective Myrtle Fearing Pell, has vowed to put him behind bars. But Harry owes Moran a personal debt, so when he demands her aid she can hardly refuse. It turns out that the brilliant black sheep of New York Society is part of a secret club at Columbia College whose members have started dying in bizarre ways that may not be accidents.
Thus begins one of the strangest cases of Harry’s career, a tale of murder, cold-blooded revenge and fairytale bogeymen to make the Brothers Grimm shudder. As the bodies pile up, each preceded by sightings of the victim’s doppelgänger, Harry and her stalwart friend John Weston must race against time to save a man who arguably deserves his macabre fate.
Praise for Dead Ringer
“Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde combined with Sherlock Holmes . . . If you like historical books that also have mystery, suspense, action and all the other ingredients for a page-turning stay-up-all-night experience, Dead Ringer is a must read!” –Books+Coffee=Happiness
“Mystery. Paranormal creatures and myths. Intelligent, brave and daring characters. Love and hate. History. What else can you possibly want?” –Dena Garson’s Book Blog
“Everything here is so believable that I almost expected to see a Mud Man out of the corner of my eye one morning while passing manholes in the street. If you are a fan of The X-Files or Warehouse 13, you must read Dead Ringer.” –Diane Reviews Books
“Gaslamp Gothic is witty, smart and little sexy. Dead Ringer is an excellent addition to this collection. I’m also certain of one thing: I want more Moran.” –I Smell Sheep
“I have been entertained by all the books in the series, but this is hands down my favorite! The tension in the story built and built until I was on the edge of my seat, full of jumpy nerves and about to burst with my need to know what would happen next.” –Smada’s Book Smack
“Dead Ringer is a moody gothic supernatural mystery that will appeal to readers across genre lines. It’s just plain good.” –I Love a Good Book
“An exciting and unusual read about metaphysical detectives in the late 1800s filled with monsters, witches and doppelgangers!” –The Eclectic Review
