Spring-heeled Jack

by John David Buchanan

Belching fire and jumping rooftop to rooftop, Spring-heeled Jack returned to terrorize Londoners.

Doctor Pendergrass had settled into London and his surgeon’s job at Saint Bartholomew’s Hospital. He loved the city, but he detested its criminal element. At night, in the dark alleys and lanes, Pendergrass did what constables at Scotland Yard could not. His dark excursions were ripe with hypocrisy, not to mention the risk of going to prison, or the gallows if he were caught.

The year was 1889, and an old menace returned to terrorize London’s inhabitants. Old timers said it was a ghost that had come back to haunt them. Countless theories about who, or what, Spring-heeled Jack might be filled the newspapers. Doctor Pendergrass thought the theories were rubbish.

Scotland Yard was no closer to controlling the rise of crime than they were a year before. Now, the scoundrel known as Spring-heeled Jack was frightening Londoner's to the limits of their sanity. Pendergrass was livid. Crime was out of control. Spring-heeled Jack was making it worse. He also made it personal.

308 pages, ebook

Published April 15, 2019

About the author

I grew up in San Antonio, Texas watching science fiction cartoons on television and acting out adventures in my backyard. At the age of 8 I published a small comic strip that my cousin and I briefly marketed to the neighborhood. By middle school I had my first set of drums and a band. In high school I played sports, joined another band, and watched all the science fiction programming available on television. I attended college at Southwest Texas State University, and it was there that I discovered creative writing. Six years later I graduated with a Masters in Science and began my career as an environmental specialist. To address my love of music I joined a Pink Floyd cover band - Anybody Out There? - and began writing lyrics for a solo CD. When my young daughter began reading a series of fiction books I read them with her, and that ignited my desire to write a science fiction book. the result - Jump Starting the Universe, the first book in a series by the same name. The second book, The Edge of Nothing and Everything, was released in May 2016. Book 3 of the series - World Eaters - was published December 2017.

I've been to London several times and began toying with the idea of writing a historical fiction novel with a twist. The result was The Obsession of Dr. Pendergrass, published May 30, 2018. Since then I've published two more books in the series; Spring-heeled Jack, and Sarah Shelley and the Deadly Aperitifs.

Reviews

[Ileana Renfroe · Rating 5 out of 5]

This author put such effort into the description and the well-crafted characters that I had a hard time putting the book down.

The OBsession of Doctor Pendergrass is very well written and I can't wait to read more by this author in the future. Great job!!

[Sreevarsha Sreejith · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great instance of historical fiction, kind of a Holmesian feel to it. Well written, interesting character sketches and well-worth a read.

[Lynda Stevens · Rating 3 out of 5]

Set in Victorian London, detective Dr John Pendergrass has an extraordinary mystery to unravel - the identity to a mysterious villain with apparently supernatural abilities to breathe fire, scale buildings like a modern Spiderman and flashing eyes. Could he be the product of the fevered imagination of the delicately constituted females he targets; if not, then where could he get his talents from?

It is suspected that Spring-heeled Jack may even be a mantle that has been assumed by more than one perpetrator. More recently though, things have taken more sinister turn: people are starting to get killed. Including a valuable patient at a hospital. It is time to find out where Spring-heeled Jack has learnt his skills. Could it be from a circus?

Fans who enjoy this kind of historical whodunnit should enjoy this novel: Buchanan gets the atmosphere of the times right. However, this still did not engage me as it could have and that might have something to do with the way the story is told. Jack's tragic history makes an interesting case study according to then-extant knowledge of how lunacy evolves, but it might have been more suspenseful if these discoveries had been made through the eyes of Dr Pendergrass as the villain's identity is unmasked.

There are really two mysteries to be solved rather than one, though at first they seem related: finding the killer before he can strike again and unmaking Spring-heeled Jack. Pendergrass is helped by the redoubtable nurse who is his assistant, even though detective work at that point would not have been considered a suitable job for a lady.

[Joshua Grant · Rating 5 out of 5]

One menace returns to fight another in John David Buchanan’s The Obsession of Doctor Pendergrass: Spring-heeled Jack! Spring-heeled Jack is more monster than man, jumping from rooftop to rooftop and breathing fire, a legend come to life to terrify the citizens of London, and a real thorn in Doctor Pendergrass’ side. As with other criminals, Pendergrass decides to take matters into his own murderous hands. This book is like one of those awesome superhero villain face offs, except both people are villains. Buchanan once again sets the perfect tone for industrial London and Pendergrass is a fascinating character. This one’s great for anyone that enjoys a good vigilante thriller!

[Kelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

An outstanding example of historical fiction.. "The Obsession of Dr Pendergrass. " Captivates on every level… A must Read if you love History Fiction