Seasons in Hell: A Bowman of the Yard Omnibus

by Richard James

'Wonderfully atmospheric, full of the thrills of Victorian London.' Adam Croft The Head in The Ice Winter, 1892. A woman’s head found in the River Thames. Battling with feelings of guilt over his wife’s death - and having spent time recovering in an asylum - Detective Inspector George Bowman must join his colleagues, Sergeant Graves and Inspector Hicks, to discover the woman’s identity. A deal struck with the editor of the Evening Standard to follow the investigation from within turns sour following a botched ambush on a suspect’s lair. The investigation unfolds, but Graves and Hicks grow increasingly concerned at Bowman’s mental state. A chase across the frozen streets of London leads to a final confrontation on the waters of The Thames, where Bowman must face the demons that haunt him to catch the killer. The Devil in The Dock Spring, 1892. No longer trusted by Scotland Yard because of his unpredictable behaviour, Detective Inspector George Bowman is despatched to London’s docks on a security detail. But he is soon plunged into a world of extortion and murder. When his colleague Sergeant Graves investigates a corpse discovered in Drury Lane, the two detectives soon realise they are working on the same case. But are the two men exceeding their authority? Bowman is brought to task by the Special Irish Branch for interfering with their investigation into Fenian activity at the docks. Bowman has more questions than answers. A piece is missing from the puzzle. Bowman must face his nemesis across the newly constructed Tower Bridge and prevent a deadly strike against the heart of the Empire itself. The Body in The Trees Summer, 1892. Detective Inspector George Bowman finds himself in Larton, a sleepy village on the River Thames. A series of supposed suicides has opened up old wounds between the locals and a gypsy camp in the woods. The detectives are viewed with suspicion as the villagers close ranks against their investigation, even more so when Bowman succumbs to visions of his dead wife. His sanity in the balance, it’s not long before he places Sergeant Graves himself in danger, risking the wrath of the Commissioner of Scotland Yard. Is Bowman in full possession of his wits? Bowman finds himself ensnared in the machinations of a secret society, with a figure at its head who will stop at nothing to escape justice. Soon, the inspector is embroiled in a case that began on the dusty plains of Africa, and ends at the gates of a lunatic asylum. Richard James is an actor, playwright and author with many credits to his name. The Bowman Of The Yard series marks his first as an author. Praise for Richard 'A genuinely impressive debut.' Andrew Cartmel, The Vinyl Detective 'Crime fiction with wit and twists.' Richard Foreman, The Complete Innings

734 pages, Kindle Edition

Published August 12, 2020

About the author

I've been telling stories all my life. As an actor I've spent a career telling other people's, from Charles Dickens to David Walliams. As I writer, I get to create my own!

I have written almost thirty plays which are produced the world over; from USA to New Zealand and just about everywhere in between. They're mostly comedies and frequently win awards in competitions and festivals.

In 2014 I wrote a memoir, Space Precinct Unmasked, detailing my experiences working as an actor on Gerry Anderson's last live action sci-fi series. This was followed by an adaptation of the unscreened pilot episode, Demeter City, and four new short stories featuring the officers of Precinct 88, Space Precinct: Revisited.

As to my own series, I decided I wanted to write a sequence of books set in a world I would want to spend time in and featuring characters I would want to be with. Most importantly, it would have to feature a grisly murder or two! I love the Victorian era. It seems such a rich period of history, populated by some hugely colourful characters, so that is where we first meet Detective Inspector George Bowman.

The Head In The Ice is the first in the Bowman Of The Yard series and follows Bowman's investigation into the discovery of - well, a head in the ice of the River Thames. Over the course of the book, however, and throughout the series in general, we see he has demons of his own to contend with.

There are four books in the Bowman Of The Yard series in all, together with some short stories from Bowman's Casebook. These have been collected into two volumes and fill in the gaps between the novels, giving the reader the chance to follow Bowman's professional progress and personal battles (he's a troubled man, as you'll see) over twelve months of his life.

'A masterful new Victorian mystery series.' Rosie Amber books
'A genuinely impressive debut.' Andrew Cartmel
'Full of the thrills of Victorian London.' Adam Croft

I really hope you like the books. If you do, you can tweet me your thoughts at @RichardNJames. I hope to hear from you!

Richard James
2019

www.richardjamesonline.com