The English Monster: Or, the Melancholy Transactions of William Ablass (Paperback) (ISBN-13: 9781451647570)

A page-turning historical thriller combining two tales that ultimately converge: the investigation into a brutal series of murders in 1811 London and the seafaring adventures of a young man in Elizabethan England.Two moments in England's rise to empire, separated by centuries, yet connected by a crime that cannot be forgiven . . . London, 1811. Along the twisting streets of Wapping, bounded by the ancient Ratcliffe Highway and the modern wonder of the London Dock, many a sin is hidden by the noise and glory of Trade. But now two families have fallen victim to foul murder, and Charles Horton, a senior officer of the newly formed Thames River Police Office, must deliver revenge to a terrified populace. Plymouth, 1564. Young Billy Ablass arrives in the busy seaport with the burning desire of all young men: the getting and keeping of money. Setting sail on a ship owned by Queen Elizabeth herself seems the likely means to a better life. But the kidnapping of hundreds of human souls in Africa is not the only cursed event to occur on England's first official slaving voyage. On a sun-blasted Florida islet, Billy too is to be enslaved. Based on the true story of the gruesome Ratcliffe Highway murders, The English Monster is a breathtaking voyage across centuries, from the Age of Discovery to the Age of Empire, illuminating what happens to Britain as she gains global power but risks losing her soul.

Author: Lloyd Shepherd
ISBN-10: 1451647573
ISBN-13: 9781451647570
Publisher: Atria Books
Language: English
Published: 05/29/2012
Pages: 432
Format: Paperback
Weight: 0.78lbs
Size: 8.25h x 5.38w x 1.13d

Review Citation(s):
Booklist 05/01/2012 pg. 84