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A Hangman for Ghosts
“Baltakmens, echoing the voices of 19th-century masters like Conrad and Melville, combines adventure and mystery in a high-stakes tale of class, morality, and justice.” —Kirkus Reviews
Gabriel Carver, the convict hangman of Sydney Prison, knows that none of his kind may depart Australia’s penal colony without the system’s leave. Then three people are murdered, seemingly to protect the “Rats’ Line,” an illicit path to freedom that exists only in the fevered imaginations of transported felons. But why kill to protect something that doesn’t exist?
When an innocent woman from Carver’s past is charged with one of the murders and faces execution at his hands, she threatens to reveal an incriminating secret of his own unless he helps her. So Carver must try to unmask the killer among the convicts, soldiers, sailors, and fallen women roaming 1829 Sydney. If he can find the murderer, he may discover who is defying the system under its very nose. His search will take him back to the scene of his ruin—to London and a past he can never remake nor ever escape, not even at the edge of the world.
“The story is a page-turner, a savory treat to be devoured.” —Foreword Reviews
Gabriel Carver, the convict hangman of Sydney Prison, knows that none of his kind may depart Australia’s penal colony without the system’s leave. Then three people are murdered, seemingly to protect the “Rats’ Line,” an illicit path to freedom that exists only in the fevered imaginations of transported felons. But why kill to protect something that doesn’t exist?
When an innocent woman from Carver’s past is charged with one of the murders and faces execution at his hands, she threatens to reveal an incriminating secret of his own unless he helps her. So Carver must try to unmask the killer among the convicts, soldiers, sailors, and fallen women roaming 1829 Sydney. If he can find the murderer, he may discover who is defying the system under its very nose. His search will take him back to the scene of his ruin—to London and a past he can never remake nor ever escape, not even at the edge of the world.
“The story is a page-turner, a savory treat to be devoured.” —Foreword Reviews
288 pages, Paperback
Published July 1, 2018
11 people are currently reading
1096 people want to read
About the author
Andrei Baltakmens
5 books27 followersAndrei Baltakmens was born in Christchurch, New Zealand, of Latvian descent. He has a Ph.D. in English literature, focused on Charles Dickens and Victorian urban mysteries.
His first novel, The Battleship Regal, was published in New Zealand in 1996. His short fiction has appeared in various literary journals, and his first historical mystery, The Raven's Seal, was published in 2012.
Since 2004, he has lived in Ithaca, New York and Brisbane, Australia, where he recently completed a doctorate in Creative Writing at The University of Queensland. He now lives in Palo Alto, California, with his wife and son, and works for Stanford University as an instructional designer.
HIs new historical mystery, A Hangman for Ghosts, will appear in 2018.
His first novel, The Battleship Regal, was published in New Zealand in 1996. His short fiction has appeared in various literary journals, and his first historical mystery, The Raven's Seal, was published in 2012.
Since 2004, he has lived in Ithaca, New York and Brisbane, Australia, where he recently completed a doctorate in Creative Writing at The University of Queensland. He now lives in Palo Alto, California, with his wife and son, and works for Stanford University as an instructional designer.
HIs new historical mystery, A Hangman for Ghosts, will appear in 2018.
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
January 21, 2019
"And to survive here, and prosper, I begin to see, you must perforce still the whispers of the past in your head. We should all need a sort of slaughterman for memories, a hangman for ghosts."
One thing I love most about reading historical fiction is learning something new. I've never read about the penal colony in Australia in the 19th century, so A Hangman for Ghosts was both a learning experience and a fascinating read!
A Hangman for Ghosts tells the story of Gabriel Carver, a hangman at a Sydney prison, who was once a convict himself. The book begins with Gabriel meeting a prisoner that is sentenced to be hanged soon. Hears a woman screaming her innocence and when he sees the woman he realizes she is someone from his past. She threatens to expose a secret of Gabriel's if he doesn't help her. She is imprisoned and will be hanged soon so Gabriel takes on the case. What follows is fast-paced and exciting, with some twists and turns along the way to keep you on your toes!
The writing style is a little different than what I typically read but it didn't take long to get used to it. It's almost prose-like in some parts, and I ended up highlighting quite a lot of passages in the book that I enjoyed.
All in all, I greatly enjoyed my time with A Hangman for Ghosts. If you're looking for a unique historical fiction read, I highly recommend it!
March 30, 2019
30 MAR 2019 - another winner from Mr Baltakmens! This is a well-researched and well-written historical mystery. I learned a lot about Colonial Australia. Thank you.
June 9, 2018
Australia in penal colony times is the scene of this mystery. What starts off as a simple, already solved mystery becomes more complicated with each page. Occasionally I found myself re-reading a page to be sure of everything. It is a complicated mystery with surprises. I enjoyed it.
January 9, 2019
A Hangman for Ghosts is a uniquely written historical mystery set in Colonial Australia. I thought it was a pretty read. I was not what to think in the beginning as to what was going on but was quickly hooked and hard no problem to keep reading until I finished a few hours later.
I am giving A Hangman for Ghosts four stars. I recommend it for readers who enjoy a mystery historical. Especially, if they have an interest in Colonial Australia.
I received this book from the publisher. This review is 100% my own honest opinion.
I am giving A Hangman for Ghosts four stars. I recommend it for readers who enjoy a mystery historical. Especially, if they have an interest in Colonial Australia.
I received this book from the publisher. This review is 100% my own honest opinion.
January 7, 2019
I will be the first to admit that my knowledge of the history of Australia is limited. I was aware that Britain shipped her convicts out to either work as indentured servants or to prisons so as to relieve overcrowding. A Hangman for Ghosts tells of some of those who were subjected to this treatment, one of them being the titular hangman.
Gabriel Carver worked as a hangman for the Sydney Prison. He volunteered for the job and took it very seriously – and he did it well. One day he was passing through the prison with the doctor when they heard tell of a woman who would not stop yelling that she knew the hangman and she wanted to see him. She claimed she was innocent of the murder of which she was charged and he had better do something for she knew things of him and would tell should he not help her.
He does go out to look into the murder. Of an ex-convict who managed to break those bonds and do well for himself. Become a landowner and start making some money. But now he was dead. But by who’s hand?
This was a book that you really had to pay attention to or you missed a tiny tidbit that was going to be important further down the line. Bits and pieces are given out here and there and the story slowly builds as some people are not who they seem and others are exactly who they appear to be. As Gabriel goes out to try and solve the murder he finds himself involved in so much more. It leads him back to his beginnings.
I enjoyed this book as it was quite different from what I usually read. It is rather dark as you might expect given that the hero as it were, is an actual hangman. Even given that rather macabre occupation Gabriel is a rather likable fellow. He does have a quick turn of mind and you tend forget he murders people.
I can’t say I completely understood everything that went on. I think I need to give it a second reading. It might not have been the best book to read around the holidays with so much else going on. As I mentioned you do need to pay it close attention. I got to the end and I was still slightly confused on a couple of issues but I think that was my fault and not the book’s. Due to the busyness of this time of year I simply could not read the book with the kind of attention it deserved. I plan to keep this one to read it again.
Gabriel Carver worked as a hangman for the Sydney Prison. He volunteered for the job and took it very seriously – and he did it well. One day he was passing through the prison with the doctor when they heard tell of a woman who would not stop yelling that she knew the hangman and she wanted to see him. She claimed she was innocent of the murder of which she was charged and he had better do something for she knew things of him and would tell should he not help her.
He does go out to look into the murder. Of an ex-convict who managed to break those bonds and do well for himself. Become a landowner and start making some money. But now he was dead. But by who’s hand?
This was a book that you really had to pay attention to or you missed a tiny tidbit that was going to be important further down the line. Bits and pieces are given out here and there and the story slowly builds as some people are not who they seem and others are exactly who they appear to be. As Gabriel goes out to try and solve the murder he finds himself involved in so much more. It leads him back to his beginnings.
I enjoyed this book as it was quite different from what I usually read. It is rather dark as you might expect given that the hero as it were, is an actual hangman. Even given that rather macabre occupation Gabriel is a rather likable fellow. He does have a quick turn of mind and you tend forget he murders people.
I can’t say I completely understood everything that went on. I think I need to give it a second reading. It might not have been the best book to read around the holidays with so much else going on. As I mentioned you do need to pay it close attention. I got to the end and I was still slightly confused on a couple of issues but I think that was my fault and not the book’s. Due to the busyness of this time of year I simply could not read the book with the kind of attention it deserved. I plan to keep this one to read it again.
July 7, 2018
Sydney, Austrailia in 1829 was not a friendly place. Gabriel Carver, however, has made his situation as best he can. A convict himself, Gabriel volunteered to be the hangman of Sydney prison and made a place for himself in the penal colony. He lives a peaceful enough life until a female convict, Meg Harper enters the prison and asks for him. The woman is a former acquaintance of Carver's and wants him to prove her innocence in killing her master in return for keeping a secret about his past. Carver sets out on a mission to find out who really killed Ned Staines. While on the trail of Ned's real killer, Carver is pulled into the mystery of the "Rat's Line" a way back home for felons that have been condemned to the island and the people who protect it.
A Hangman for Ghosts took me into the dangerous world of Sydney in the early 19th century. I had no idea of how the penal colonies worked, the danger, or that convicts were often released back into Australian society. This book did take me a while to get into. Carver was a difficult character for me to care for. It wasn't until I learned of his passage to Australia and the secret he was harboring that I felt more attached to him. It also became clear why Carver, a convict and hangman seemed to have such a knack for detective work and crime solving, often seeing things that the judges have missed when condemning people for a crime. The suspense intensified as Carver was led on a chase to the Rat's Line. As he delved deeper into this hidden passage home the danger swelled and Carver ability to navigate the Australian underbelly was tested ending with a very surprising suspect. Overall, an interesting look into life for a convict in Australia's penal colonies with an exciting mystery.
This book was received for free in return for an honest review.
A Hangman for Ghosts took me into the dangerous world of Sydney in the early 19th century. I had no idea of how the penal colonies worked, the danger, or that convicts were often released back into Australian society. This book did take me a while to get into. Carver was a difficult character for me to care for. It wasn't until I learned of his passage to Australia and the secret he was harboring that I felt more attached to him. It also became clear why Carver, a convict and hangman seemed to have such a knack for detective work and crime solving, often seeing things that the judges have missed when condemning people for a crime. The suspense intensified as Carver was led on a chase to the Rat's Line. As he delved deeper into this hidden passage home the danger swelled and Carver ability to navigate the Australian underbelly was tested ending with a very surprising suspect. Overall, an interesting look into life for a convict in Australia's penal colonies with an exciting mystery.
This book was received for free in return for an honest review.
July 17, 2018
Gabriel Carver is assigned to the warder of the Sydney Gaol as the convict hangman. He takes pride in his work – never being drunk before a hanging and never letting the condemned suffer needlessly. It’s a lonely existence, for he is shunned by the officers and free settlers because he is a convict; shunned by the convicts because he is the hangman.
Carver is an enigma. He appears to be an educated man who cannot sign his name. He is unafraid to speak his mind regardless of the consequences and has a talent for investigation. Definitely not the sort to be a hangman. So why did he volunteer for the role? When asked, he replies that he wished to escape hard labour. A credible answer, but is it the truth?
When Ned Staines, a free convict who’d taken to farming and prospered, is found dead in his home, his assigned convict servant/housekeeper is arrested. She demands to see the hangman to whom she protests her innocence and asks his help in proving it or she will make known his secret. Carver agrees and persuades his superior to allow him to investigate the murder. More deaths occur and the leads he follows uncover the “Rats’ Lines”– an illegal system by which convicts return to England. To catch the culprit Carver must leave Australia. With a police constable in tow, he is given permission to return to England where he revisits his past and reveals his secret.
In the course of his investigation, Carver meets Antonia Fitchett, the wife of the police magistrate. They form an instant rapport. She is as much a prisoner in the colony as the convicts due to the many rules and regulations of society that restrict her freedom and govern her marriage. Both hide behind their public personas, but recognise in each other a kindred spirit.
I liked the character of Carver. In particular I enjoyed how he processed each piece of information he uncovered and also how his suspicions were not totally shared. This kept the identity of the man Carver pursued to England cleverly hidden until the end, so that when revealed it came as a complete surprise.
A Hangman for Ghosts is an excellent mystery which takes the reader from the murky streets of colonial Sydney to London. A tale of convicts and the Australian penal system made more interesting by an unusual main character. This is a very entertaining read that I'm sure fans of historical mysteries will enjoy, as well as those interested in Australia's colonial past.
I received a free copy of this book to read and review.
Carver is an enigma. He appears to be an educated man who cannot sign his name. He is unafraid to speak his mind regardless of the consequences and has a talent for investigation. Definitely not the sort to be a hangman. So why did he volunteer for the role? When asked, he replies that he wished to escape hard labour. A credible answer, but is it the truth?
When Ned Staines, a free convict who’d taken to farming and prospered, is found dead in his home, his assigned convict servant/housekeeper is arrested. She demands to see the hangman to whom she protests her innocence and asks his help in proving it or she will make known his secret. Carver agrees and persuades his superior to allow him to investigate the murder. More deaths occur and the leads he follows uncover the “Rats’ Lines”– an illegal system by which convicts return to England. To catch the culprit Carver must leave Australia. With a police constable in tow, he is given permission to return to England where he revisits his past and reveals his secret.
In the course of his investigation, Carver meets Antonia Fitchett, the wife of the police magistrate. They form an instant rapport. She is as much a prisoner in the colony as the convicts due to the many rules and regulations of society that restrict her freedom and govern her marriage. Both hide behind their public personas, but recognise in each other a kindred spirit.
I liked the character of Carver. In particular I enjoyed how he processed each piece of information he uncovered and also how his suspicions were not totally shared. This kept the identity of the man Carver pursued to England cleverly hidden until the end, so that when revealed it came as a complete surprise.
A Hangman for Ghosts is an excellent mystery which takes the reader from the murky streets of colonial Sydney to London. A tale of convicts and the Australian penal system made more interesting by an unusual main character. This is a very entertaining read that I'm sure fans of historical mysteries will enjoy, as well as those interested in Australia's colonial past.
I received a free copy of this book to read and review.
April 3, 2021
"A Hangman for Ghosts" - written by Andrei Baltakmens and published in 2018 by Top Five Books. It's 1829 near Sydney, Australia, and prison business goes on as usual. "Gabriel Carver. The hangman. Holds himself cold and hard and proud and separate from us all." This world is muddy, dark and dreary and many of the characters are convicts transported from England for various crimes. Carver interests himself in the situation of a woman in the prison who might not be guilty, and spends the book putting together the pieces of a puzzle much larger than he imagined. As in "The Raven's Seal," Baltakmens has written an engrossing story, led here by the introspective Carver with a real flavor of those long ago penal colonies. Great historical fiction along with the mystery.
June 21, 2018
Fascinating premise
This story makes you wonder how did people negotiated freedom in penal colonies. And the fluidity of identity and how identity shapes the life you lead. A little slow to start, for me, but kept my interest nonetheless.
I won this book on a goodreads.com giveaway.
This story makes you wonder how did people negotiated freedom in penal colonies. And the fluidity of identity and how identity shapes the life you lead. A little slow to start, for me, but kept my interest nonetheless.
I won this book on a goodreads.com giveaway.
November 28, 2020
"She smiled, and against his will he thrilled at her regard. "Why, Mr. Carver, do you not yet see that being badly thought of frees a man to do what is right as well as wrong?"
July 9, 2018
*I received this book as a Goodreads Give Away.
Set in colonial Australia, this murder mystery will keep you guessing.
Set in colonial Australia, this murder mystery will keep you guessing.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews