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St. Peter In Chains
Praise for "St. Peter in Chains":
"A cross between an old John LeCarre novel and Mad Men" -- Emma, Goodreads
"Ends with a delightful zing" -- Tammy K, Goodreads
"A really satisfying read that will leave you thinking" -- Ev, Amazon.com
Peter Stoller is a consummate professional--as a British intelligence agent, he's at the top of his game and has never had trouble separating his work from his personal life. But when he meets cabbie Charles Toulson, his personal life takes a turn he wasn't expecting. Now Peter must should he trust his instincts, or his heart?
Part espionage tale, part character study, and part love story, "St. Peter in Chains" is the first in a series of novellas following the adventures of a spy unlike any other.
"A cross between an old John LeCarre novel and Mad Men" -- Emma, Goodreads
"Ends with a delightful zing" -- Tammy K, Goodreads
"A really satisfying read that will leave you thinking" -- Ev, Amazon.com
Peter Stoller is a consummate professional--as a British intelligence agent, he's at the top of his game and has never had trouble separating his work from his personal life. But when he meets cabbie Charles Toulson, his personal life takes a turn he wasn't expecting. Now Peter must should he trust his instincts, or his heart?
Part espionage tale, part character study, and part love story, "St. Peter in Chains" is the first in a series of novellas following the adventures of a spy unlike any other.
52 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 26, 2012
3 people are currently reading
50 people want to read
About the author
M. Pepper Langlinais
15 books145 followersM Pepper Langlinais is an author, award-winning screenwriter, and produced playwright. She writes in a wide variety of genres including mystery, fantasy, and historical romance. M worked on the set of the film "Hope Floats" and was a participant in the Shakespeare at Winedale program at UT Austin. She has also taught Shakespeare, mythology, and creative writing. She earned a Master of Arts from Emerson College and worked for Houghton Mifflin and Pearson before deciding to write full time. M lives in Livermore, California.
Note that the author does not use a period after her first initial, though Amazon and Goodreads insist on including one.
Note that the author does not use a period after her first initial, though Amazon and Goodreads insist on including one.
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
July 23, 2012
4.5 stars. An unusual read. I felt like I was in a cross between an old John LeCarre novel and Mad Men. I can't pin down the setting, but I'd be guessing 1st half of the 60s?
There's no sex on the page, and no romance as we think of it now on the page. The relationship between the MCs is almost entirely unspoken, and I think it's partly the sense that it is still the love that dare not speak its name that makes this so haunting. The wary watchfulness and caution with which Peter and Charles first meet is compelling.
The writing is something special.
"And there the labyrinth wall rose up, the artifact of a wrong turn taken somewhere in the cosmic scheme of things, opportunities neglected, a conversation gone amiss. The glasses sat on the table, they sat there in their socks and nice clothes, and the words dried up around them." (loc. 442)
I nearly gave up after the first few pages, but Eve's review mentioned it started off slowly. I was very glad I perservered.
Beautiful.
EDIT: I just read an author interview on Amazon which says:
"Q: What were your major influences in writing the book?
A: I'd say it's a cross between "Mad Men" and a John le Carre novel."
So, lol, because yes, this is exactly the mood I got from it.
There's no sex on the page, and no romance as we think of it now on the page. The relationship between the MCs is almost entirely unspoken, and I think it's partly the sense that it is still the love that dare not speak its name that makes this so haunting. The wary watchfulness and caution with which Peter and Charles first meet is compelling.
The writing is something special.
"And there the labyrinth wall rose up, the artifact of a wrong turn taken somewhere in the cosmic scheme of things, opportunities neglected, a conversation gone amiss. The glasses sat on the table, they sat there in their socks and nice clothes, and the words dried up around them." (loc. 442)
I nearly gave up after the first few pages, but Eve's review mentioned it started off slowly. I was very glad I perservered.
Beautiful.
EDIT: I just read an author interview on Amazon which says:
"Q: What were your major influences in writing the book?
A: I'd say it's a cross between "Mad Men" and a John le Carre novel."
So, lol, because yes, this is exactly the mood I got from it.
July 29, 2016
This is a tricky surprising story with a couple of turns. It's short but you feel like you've gone quite a distance by the end, and it leaves you thinking for a bit afterward. The writing style is great - concise and descriptive and reminded me a bit of Graham Greene, or maybe its simply because the story features a quiet unglamorous spy. The pairing of the cabbie and the spy is interesting, and other than the justslightly slow start, there's really nothing I didn't like about this.
August 1, 2012
4.5 stars
Good God the first couple pages of this short are so boring I only push through them because several people had remarked on the slow start. But third fourths of the way through the same story was un-put-downable .... so ... *shrug*
Knocked off a half a star for the slow start and the end was a bit flat. There was all this interesting shit that was stirred up that we never got any answers too. I sort of felt like this story was just a piece of a larger, more drawn out, book.
[Disclosure: This review was written by an author, see my review policy for more information]
Good God the first couple pages of this short are so boring I only push through them because several people had remarked on the slow start. But third fourths of the way through the same story was un-put-downable .... so ... *shrug*
Knocked off a half a star for the slow start and the end was a bit flat. There was all this interesting shit that was stirred up that we never got any answers too. I sort of felt like this story was just a piece of a larger, more drawn out, book.
[Disclosure: This review was written by an author, see my review policy for more information]
September 9, 2014
...what a singularly peculiar piece. Not without its charm, certainly, but how perfectly befuddling.
It's...intrigue within intrigue. It took me a while to figure out what was going on, certainly. But the way it was executed...it kept you just off balance enough to disorient and intrigue - and perhaps frustrate - but hinted at enough that you weren't frustrated into abandoning it for purposefully being a withholding asshole.
The weirdest part is, by the end, I still have no idea what was going on, really, but I don't quite mind. Sure, it'd be nice to have all of the information, but it's a character piece more than anything, and it certainly has character in spades. And whoo, the intrigue and suspense.
Seeing as it does keep going, though, it'd be nice to eventually get some more facts.
By the end, though, I'm suffused with this vague sense of timelessness and awe. In a sense, the lack of details on the specific case is probably what gives it that timeless quality (at least so far, anyways; maybe the world will work differently in the future).
And yes, the writing is magnificent. Que bella.
And goddamn it the sequel is no longer available on Amazon. Or anywhere I can find.
Apparently the author seeks to publish all three parts into a whole...sometime. Gdi I guess I'll just have to wait, then.
It's...intrigue within intrigue. It took me a while to figure out what was going on, certainly. But the way it was executed...it kept you just off balance enough to disorient and intrigue - and perhaps frustrate - but hinted at enough that you weren't frustrated into abandoning it for purposefully being a withholding asshole.
The weirdest part is, by the end, I still have no idea what was going on, really, but I don't quite mind. Sure, it'd be nice to have all of the information, but it's a character piece more than anything, and it certainly has character in spades. And whoo, the intrigue and suspense.
Seeing as it does keep going, though, it'd be nice to eventually get some more facts.
By the end, though, I'm suffused with this vague sense of timelessness and awe. In a sense, the lack of details on the specific case is probably what gives it that timeless quality (at least so far, anyways; maybe the world will work differently in the future).
And yes, the writing is magnificent. Que bella.
Apparently the author seeks to publish all three parts into a whole...sometime. Gdi I guess I'll just have to wait, then.
July 28, 2012
In the world of spies and espionage there is little room for love and romance.
In a chance meeting British intelligence agent Peter Stoller finds both in cab driver Charles Toulson.
When information with in the intelligence agency start to dry up and a leak is suspected, will Peters lover be more then he appears? Or is it that the world of spies and espionage has tainted Peters ability to trust his new found love?
Not being one much for British style spy stories, I found myself struggling a bit in the beginning to get used to the at times dry narration and slow build up of this story. However, once I committed to the story line and over looked the British slang (flat = apartment, questions for statements.. Didn't I? = I did.. and so on) I found the plot underneath to be interesting.
This is a story with a couple of twist that keeps you guessing, and ends with a delightful zing.
This gay friendly short suspense story can be read-enjoyed by individuals of all ages (no violence, sex scenes, or cursing).
In a chance meeting British intelligence agent Peter Stoller finds both in cab driver Charles Toulson.
When information with in the intelligence agency start to dry up and a leak is suspected, will Peters lover be more then he appears? Or is it that the world of spies and espionage has tainted Peters ability to trust his new found love?
Not being one much for British style spy stories, I found myself struggling a bit in the beginning to get used to the at times dry narration and slow build up of this story. However, once I committed to the story line and over looked the British slang (flat = apartment, questions for statements.. Didn't I? = I did.. and so on) I found the plot underneath to be interesting.
This is a story with a couple of twist that keeps you guessing, and ends with a delightful zing.
This gay friendly short suspense story can be read-enjoyed by individuals of all ages (no violence, sex scenes, or cursing).
November 1, 2013
3.5
Beautiful. Evasive.
Beautiful. Evasive.
July 26, 2012
Peter Stoller is a man who misses nothing. He's a British intelligence agent and is content to let his work consume him. At a party, he notices a man with startling blue eyes and can't look away. Charles Toulson is a cabbie, quiet and unassuming. Peter discovers there more he wants in life outside his career, but nothing is ever that simple.
I started reading St. Peter in Chains thinking I'd be getting a good spy story, maybe a little action, but I was treated to something much more subtle and soulful. I thought I had Peter figured out right away. He's one of those work addicts, never turning intelligence agent self off. Cool, intelligent, and removed. Yet when Charles enters the picture, he becomes someone tender and more easy to relate to. His emotional roller coaster is not the stuff for the overly dramatic, but private aches and joys. M. Pepper Langlinais does an excellent job of drawing the reader along with a sophisticated plot that's in the details. She has a clever way with words, so pay attention.
St. Peter in Chains is a thriller and a love story, but more importantly, it's a study of character. Don't expect explosive action or a hot romance. This story is about a man who missed something.
I started reading St. Peter in Chains thinking I'd be getting a good spy story, maybe a little action, but I was treated to something much more subtle and soulful. I thought I had Peter figured out right away. He's one of those work addicts, never turning intelligence agent self off. Cool, intelligent, and removed. Yet when Charles enters the picture, he becomes someone tender and more easy to relate to. His emotional roller coaster is not the stuff for the overly dramatic, but private aches and joys. M. Pepper Langlinais does an excellent job of drawing the reader along with a sophisticated plot that's in the details. She has a clever way with words, so pay attention.
St. Peter in Chains is a thriller and a love story, but more importantly, it's a study of character. Don't expect explosive action or a hot romance. This story is about a man who missed something.
February 16, 2013
The story is well written and observed with engaging, individualized characters. The writing shows really good handling of mood. Moving slow at first, it veers into espionage and intrigue where some apparent irrelevancies pay off. Things turn tense and frightening as the agent and his lover come up against the very institution he works for and are at the mercy of its methods. Considering the subject, the ambiguous ending is only fitting.
August 30, 2012
Very unusual and exceptionally well written short story that was completely unexpected. This piece took off in directions I definitely did not anticipate. Well done and highly recommended.
February 13, 2025
This is short but it carries a good punch. I felt as if I was in a labyrinth with the twists we encountered. Good writing.
January 26, 2013
Government Agent, Peter Stoller, falls for a cab driver named Charles. Their alliance becomes problematic when his lover is accused of espionage by Peter's agency. I wish the author had displayed a wider depth of emotion with Charles' character. The ending left me flat, not a cliff hanger... the reader is not sure if the story will continue in another book.
September 28, 2013
That was quite unexpected. Peter is a spy and he's recently fallen in love and gotten in a relationship. The thing is, in his line of work nothing is what is seemed; in fact, that's the perfect line to describe this short story... I had no idea where it was going, it was a breath of fresh air though and I really liked the way it developed.
July 20, 2012
4.45 stars
Superb, twisty, unusual. An intriguing one, don't be put off by the slow start, the writing is just fantastic, it achieves what it sets out to do really well.
Superb, twisty, unusual. An intriguing one, don't be put off by the slow start, the writing is just fantastic, it achieves what it sets out to do really well.
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews