What do you think?
Rate this book
Sebastian Becker #1
El reino de los huesos
The Kingdom of Bones is the haunting story of Tom Sayers, a former boxing champion who must continue to fight—to clear his name after a series of gruesome murders, for the heart and soul of a leading lady, and to uncover the truth behind a legend as old as evil itself.
Wrongly accused of the slaughter of pauper children in the wake of the touring theater company he manages, Tom Sayers is forced to disappear into a twilight world of music halls and traveling boxing booths. Beginning with a chance encounter in a Philadelphia pleasure park one weekend in 1903, this brilliantly macabre mystery traces Sayers’ journey from England’s provincial playhouses through London’s mighty Lyceum Theatre and on to the high society of a transforming American South—with many a secret to be uncovered in the dark alleyways, backstage areas, and houses of ill repute that lie along the way.
As Sayers seeks the truth behind the killings, he is pursued in turn by the tireless Detective Inspector Sebastian Becker. Desperate to ensure the safety of actress Louise Porter, Sayers calls on an old friend, Bram Stoker, for help. But Stoker’s links with the world of the Victorian occult lead Sayers to discover a danger even greater than he could have imagined.
Thrown into a maelstrom of obsession, betrayal, and sacrifice—where even the pure may not escape damnation—Sayers must face the implications of an unthinkable bargain: the exchange of a soul for a chance at eternal life.
With action that spans continents, decades, and every level of society, The Kingdom of Bones follows the troubled lives of those touched by Tom Sayers, ultimately weaving their stories into a harrowing climax that stirs the mind—and the blood.
Wrongly accused of the slaughter of pauper children in the wake of the touring theater company he manages, Tom Sayers is forced to disappear into a twilight world of music halls and traveling boxing booths. Beginning with a chance encounter in a Philadelphia pleasure park one weekend in 1903, this brilliantly macabre mystery traces Sayers’ journey from England’s provincial playhouses through London’s mighty Lyceum Theatre and on to the high society of a transforming American South—with many a secret to be uncovered in the dark alleyways, backstage areas, and houses of ill repute that lie along the way.
As Sayers seeks the truth behind the killings, he is pursued in turn by the tireless Detective Inspector Sebastian Becker. Desperate to ensure the safety of actress Louise Porter, Sayers calls on an old friend, Bram Stoker, for help. But Stoker’s links with the world of the Victorian occult lead Sayers to discover a danger even greater than he could have imagined.
Thrown into a maelstrom of obsession, betrayal, and sacrifice—where even the pure may not escape damnation—Sayers must face the implications of an unthinkable bargain: the exchange of a soul for a chance at eternal life.
With action that spans continents, decades, and every level of society, The Kingdom of Bones follows the troubled lives of those touched by Tom Sayers, ultimately weaving their stories into a harrowing climax that stirs the mind—and the blood.
416 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2007
35 people are currently reading
1494 people want to read
About the author
Stephen Gallagher
153 books135 followersStoker and World Fantasy Award nominee, winner of British Fantasy and International Horror Guild Awards for his short fiction, Stephen Gallagher has a career both as a novelist and as a creator of primetime miniseries and episodic television. His fifteen novels include Chimera, Oktober, Valley of Lights and Nightmare, with Angel. He's the creator of Sebastian Becker, Special Investigator to the Lord Chancellor's Visitor in Lunacy, in a series of novels that includes The Kingdom of Bones, The Bedlam Detective, and The Authentic William James. In his native England he's adapted and created hour-long and feature-length thrillers and crime dramas. In the US he was lead writer on NBC's Crusoe, creator of CBS Television's Eleventh Hour, and Co-Executive Producer on ABC's The Forgotten. Recent screen credits include an award-winning Silent Witness and Stan Lee's Lucky Man.
He began his TV career as a writer on two seasons of Doctor Who, and wrote two novelizations of his stories under the pseudonym John Lydecker.
** Photo by Lisa Bowerman **
He began his TV career as a writer on two seasons of Doctor Who, and wrote two novelizations of his stories under the pseudonym John Lydecker.
** Photo by Lisa Bowerman **
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 77 reviews
January 17, 2013
A fast paced thriller with a touch of the supernatural. The Kingdom of Bones starts out a regular Victorian crime story with a dash of limelight and greasepaint, but quickly develops into something more deeply nuanced; a supernatural tale, peopled with strange and shady characters; a tale of obsessive, unrequited love.
The story opens in the world of Victorian British provincial theatre, where Tom Sayers, a once-successful professional boxer, is now stage manager with a touring company. Set up for a murder he didn’t commit, Tom is forced to flee to America where he scrapes a mean living as a fairground prize-fighter – And here the story takes a supernatural twist: Tom hasn’t come to America simply to escape a murder charge, he is tracking Louise - the young singer with his company - convinced she has become possessed by The Wanderer, a demon that bestows youth and near-immortality in exchange for a regular diet of murder and blood. Tom’s only purpose in life has become to find Louise and save her from her fate. Quite why Tom dedicates his life to this quest I never could quite figure out. Louise seems a vain and silly, self-obsessed creature who has no interest whatsoever in Tom and demonstrates her disinterest by pushing him under a train. You’d think that would be enough to kill most men’s ardour, but that, I suppose, is the nature of obsession.
The pace never flags as the story moves smoothly from Britain in 1888, to America, fifteen years later. The characterisation is especially good. Poor, stolid, obsessive Tom Sayers being the best. The protagonist detective Sebastian Becker is a less interesting creation, a more conventional figure, but very well-drawn and entirely believable. Bram Stoker was a wonderfully dour addition to the cast; I loved the idea that Tom Sayers’s monster might have inspired ‘Dracula’
My only real quibbles are with the effusive blurb, which claims this book is in 'the spirit of Sherlock Holmes' (it is not) and claims Stephen Gallagher as 'the finest British writer of popular fiction since le Carre'. This is rather over-egging the pudding, in my opinion. Kingdom of Bones is not a masterpiece - it doesn’t need to be. It is what it is, a highly enjoyable, page-turny bit of foggy, gas-lit, steam powered nonsense, and there’s nothing wrong with that. Highly recommended.
The story opens in the world of Victorian British provincial theatre, where Tom Sayers, a once-successful professional boxer, is now stage manager with a touring company. Set up for a murder he didn’t commit, Tom is forced to flee to America where he scrapes a mean living as a fairground prize-fighter – And here the story takes a supernatural twist: Tom hasn’t come to America simply to escape a murder charge, he is tracking Louise - the young singer with his company - convinced she has become possessed by The Wanderer, a demon that bestows youth and near-immortality in exchange for a regular diet of murder and blood. Tom’s only purpose in life has become to find Louise and save her from her fate. Quite why Tom dedicates his life to this quest I never could quite figure out. Louise seems a vain and silly, self-obsessed creature who has no interest whatsoever in Tom and demonstrates her disinterest by pushing him under a train. You’d think that would be enough to kill most men’s ardour, but that, I suppose, is the nature of obsession.
The pace never flags as the story moves smoothly from Britain in 1888, to America, fifteen years later. The characterisation is especially good. Poor, stolid, obsessive Tom Sayers being the best. The protagonist detective Sebastian Becker is a less interesting creation, a more conventional figure, but very well-drawn and entirely believable. Bram Stoker was a wonderfully dour addition to the cast; I loved the idea that Tom Sayers’s monster might have inspired ‘Dracula’
My only real quibbles are with the effusive blurb, which claims this book is in 'the spirit of Sherlock Holmes' (it is not) and claims Stephen Gallagher as 'the finest British writer of popular fiction since le Carre'. This is rather over-egging the pudding, in my opinion. Kingdom of Bones is not a masterpiece - it doesn’t need to be. It is what it is, a highly enjoyable, page-turny bit of foggy, gas-lit, steam powered nonsense, and there’s nothing wrong with that. Highly recommended.
September 3, 2016
Such a disappointment.
This book had huge potential and it just fell flat. I was well into it (over a hundred pages) and I still didn’t really know or care. But once you get that invested, you need to carry on because surely the turning point is just around the corner and things will become better.
Nope.
If anything it just got more muddled.
First off, the plot had several characters that each had a strong story line. Now I don’t know about you but I’ve found that when an author starts with a specific character, the book essentially follows him or her and has the other characters intertwining around that main line so there’s a sense of flow toward the inevitable climax of resolving the said dilemma or crime or whatever. I found that the story balance shifted imperceptibly but almost immediately so that you were much more emotionally invested in the other character than you were with the first. As well, I found that the story shifted to follow this next character with the initial one falling to the periphery of the action.
It was very disorientating actually, especially when another shift occurs.
Secondly, the heinous crimes were very - hmmm - impotent. The tension would build then it would just - fade. Like you knew something happened - something violent, or sexual, or dastardly, (something that was key to the story in any event) - and all of a sudden you’re whisked onwards in time to the ‘just-after’ time. To me it was just like the memory modification scene in Harry Potter, only you never get the satisfaction of seeing the reason why it was so pivotal.
This plague of vagueness was rampant in the entire story and it really lets the air out of the balloon.
Thirdly, although this story has two actual historical figures and the mythological legend of the wandering Jew, you really are unaware of it. Not that I expect to be mollycoddled on it, I also don’t use the book cover synopsis to give me the book details, nor should the author expect his readers to. Thankfully the sources and acknowledgements at the end fill most of that in but I felt a little cheated somehow to not know this information at the start. (The legend of the wandering Jew however, is not referred to at all.) Maybe that’s just my pet peeve though.
I won’t give up on Stephen Gallagher’s writing completely. I’d like to try another one of his books. This particular story was disappointing only in that it had so much more potential to be incredibly awesome.
This book had huge potential and it just fell flat. I was well into it (over a hundred pages) and I still didn’t really know or care. But once you get that invested, you need to carry on because surely the turning point is just around the corner and things will become better.
Nope.
If anything it just got more muddled.
First off, the plot had several characters that each had a strong story line. Now I don’t know about you but I’ve found that when an author starts with a specific character, the book essentially follows him or her and has the other characters intertwining around that main line so there’s a sense of flow toward the inevitable climax of resolving the said dilemma or crime or whatever. I found that the story balance shifted imperceptibly but almost immediately so that you were much more emotionally invested in the other character than you were with the first. As well, I found that the story shifted to follow this next character with the initial one falling to the periphery of the action.
It was very disorientating actually, especially when another shift occurs.
Secondly, the heinous crimes were very - hmmm - impotent. The tension would build then it would just - fade. Like you knew something happened - something violent, or sexual, or dastardly, (something that was key to the story in any event) - and all of a sudden you’re whisked onwards in time to the ‘just-after’ time. To me it was just like the memory modification scene in Harry Potter, only you never get the satisfaction of seeing the reason why it was so pivotal.
This plague of vagueness was rampant in the entire story and it really lets the air out of the balloon.
Thirdly, although this story has two actual historical figures and the mythological legend of the wandering Jew, you really are unaware of it. Not that I expect to be mollycoddled on it, I also don’t use the book cover synopsis to give me the book details, nor should the author expect his readers to. Thankfully the sources and acknowledgements at the end fill most of that in but I felt a little cheated somehow to not know this information at the start. (The legend of the wandering Jew however, is not referred to at all.) Maybe that’s just my pet peeve though.
I won’t give up on Stephen Gallagher’s writing completely. I’d like to try another one of his books. This particular story was disappointing only in that it had so much more potential to be incredibly awesome.
January 16, 2008
I found the book to be an interesting thriller. Tom Sayers, an accused killer, must clear his name and save the woman that he loves. It traces Sayers journey from England to the United States where is he looking for the "Wanderer," a creature that has sold his soul to the devil in exchange for a very long life and a life without guilt. This is an excellent thriller with great character development and suspense.
August 19, 2023
This dense and unputdownable novel is a curious work.
It began as the ex-Detective, presently Pinkerton Sebastian Baker's quest to learn the truth about erstwhile professional boxer Tom Sayers.
Then we came across a flashback, involving a company of performers which carries a piece of darkness within. That darkness moved from place to place, and from person to person, leaving a trail of death behind.
As we followed the trail and the manhunt, the story became stranger and darker through violence and lust. The American South became a grim and lively landscape for all these to unfold. Fittingly, they concluded with Bram Stoker playing an all-important role.
This well-written and deeply researched story was an unsatisfactory and rather existentialist tale. It seemed to revel in pain, sorrow and loss. But somehow, somewhere, it also underlined the importance of the human endeavour to go on— irrespective of the past and the present. That, I think, matters a lot, even in speculative fiction.
Recommended.
It began as the ex-Detective, presently Pinkerton Sebastian Baker's quest to learn the truth about erstwhile professional boxer Tom Sayers.
Then we came across a flashback, involving a company of performers which carries a piece of darkness within. That darkness moved from place to place, and from person to person, leaving a trail of death behind.
As we followed the trail and the manhunt, the story became stranger and darker through violence and lust. The American South became a grim and lively landscape for all these to unfold. Fittingly, they concluded with Bram Stoker playing an all-important role.
This well-written and deeply researched story was an unsatisfactory and rather existentialist tale. It seemed to revel in pain, sorrow and loss. But somehow, somewhere, it also underlined the importance of the human endeavour to go on— irrespective of the past and the present. That, I think, matters a lot, even in speculative fiction.
Recommended.
May 21, 2010
“The Kingdom of Bones” is a mystery, and a book about the supernatural, but mostly it’s a book about obsessive love.
Tom Sayers, ex-boxer and manager of a small theatrical troupe, is in love with Louise Porter, the troupe’s ingénue. Sadly for him, she is infatuated with the troupe’s young lead, who is being groomed by the owner of the troupe. It’s obvious he’s being groomed to replace him on stage, but what most don’t realize is that he’s also set to take over a far darker role from his mentor.
When a string of murders becomes connected to the movements of the troupe and the detective investigating it is killed, Sayers is implicated. He is forced to flee, but his own safety is not his prime worry- he’s also concerned with Louise’s well being, as it’s obvious that the murderer is someone in the group of actors. Another detective, Sebastian Becker, takes the case personally, but the mystery ends up covering decades and a change of continents before he gets full satisfaction. It’s not a simple serial killer, but an ancient evil that Becker and Sayers have found.
In one way, the book was gripping. But I found myself unsatisfied; Sayers character is a bit flat, his only motivation being to preserve Louise, even when she makes it very, very clear she does not love him. In fact, all the characters are undeveloped although not horribly so. The plot is a bit slow at times, but the descriptions fill out the late Victorian/early Edwardian scenes wonderfully. The addition of Bram Stoker, who was historically involved in both the theater and the occult world, is a nice touch. A worthwhile, readable book but not a great one.
Tom Sayers, ex-boxer and manager of a small theatrical troupe, is in love with Louise Porter, the troupe’s ingénue. Sadly for him, she is infatuated with the troupe’s young lead, who is being groomed by the owner of the troupe. It’s obvious he’s being groomed to replace him on stage, but what most don’t realize is that he’s also set to take over a far darker role from his mentor.
When a string of murders becomes connected to the movements of the troupe and the detective investigating it is killed, Sayers is implicated. He is forced to flee, but his own safety is not his prime worry- he’s also concerned with Louise’s well being, as it’s obvious that the murderer is someone in the group of actors. Another detective, Sebastian Becker, takes the case personally, but the mystery ends up covering decades and a change of continents before he gets full satisfaction. It’s not a simple serial killer, but an ancient evil that Becker and Sayers have found.
In one way, the book was gripping. But I found myself unsatisfied; Sayers character is a bit flat, his only motivation being to preserve Louise, even when she makes it very, very clear she does not love him. In fact, all the characters are undeveloped although not horribly so. The plot is a bit slow at times, but the descriptions fill out the late Victorian/early Edwardian scenes wonderfully. The addition of Bram Stoker, who was historically involved in both the theater and the occult world, is a nice touch. A worthwhile, readable book but not a great one.
November 14, 2016
A complex and creative tale using historical characters covering late 1880's to early 1900's, with action taking place between England and America. This book incorporates a variety of themes; one showing intimate knowledge of the workings of English theatre, one indicating knowledge of the occult (hopefully not intimate), boxing events from formal to carnival as well as early Pinkerton work. The reader's sympathy is initially granted to Tom Sayers, former boxer now efficiently managing a theatre company in England. The relationship between Tom Sayers and his captor, Detective Inspector Sebastian Becker, is a long and bittersweet thread that begins when Tom is wrongly accused of being the one responsible for a series of deaths left in the wake of his theatre's engagements.
"He ages slowly...cut off his head and he'll streak down to hell like a comet," is conjecture of Sayers as he attempts to understand the concept of "the traveler" and how he must attract and kill others in this occult theme so central to this story. And prophetically, "I'd go straight to hell myself to make her safe." But then I didn't tell you about Louise, the "her" of that quote. A central figure from his theatre and this tale, but also the object of Sayers' obsession.
Sayers does save the life of Sebastian Becker once while on the run from prison when Becker is drowning, and later with blood transfusions. Becker lives to be in another book, and I plan to open that up within minutes to continue the story.
"He ages slowly...cut off his head and he'll streak down to hell like a comet," is conjecture of Sayers as he attempts to understand the concept of "the traveler" and how he must attract and kill others in this occult theme so central to this story. And prophetically, "I'd go straight to hell myself to make her safe." But then I didn't tell you about Louise, the "her" of that quote. A central figure from his theatre and this tale, but also the object of Sayers' obsession.
Sayers does save the life of Sebastian Becker once while on the run from prison when Becker is drowning, and later with blood transfusions. Becker lives to be in another book, and I plan to open that up within minutes to continue the story.
March 30, 2012
I recently read 'The Bedlam Detective' which featured Sebastian Becker, former Pinkerton Detective, and later discovered Becker made a previous appearance in Gallagher's 'The Kingdom of Bones' published in 2007. So, of course, I had to read it. It's hard not to compare the two books, I liked them both. Now I'm a big fan of Sebastian Becker's and can't wait for Gallagher to publish the third stand-alone novel featuring the detective.
I liked the story line in 'Kingdom' as well as the characters. I wasn't sure I was going to be happy about moving back and forth in time, the story opens in 1903 then takes us back to 1888. But once I was reading the time frame didn't detract from the story at all.
I like the characters Gallagher created and thought he did an excellent job of portraying the vulnerability of each one, I liked the relationships he gives them and especially enjoyed his portrayal of Bram Stoker. There are certain elements of this story that vegetarians and the squeamish may not enjoy.
And although Gallagher ties in a supernatural theme he does it in a way that doesn't require the reader to be a fan of vampires in order to appreciate it.
I liked the story line in 'Kingdom' as well as the characters. I wasn't sure I was going to be happy about moving back and forth in time, the story opens in 1903 then takes us back to 1888. But once I was reading the time frame didn't detract from the story at all.
I like the characters Gallagher created and thought he did an excellent job of portraying the vulnerability of each one, I liked the relationships he gives them and especially enjoyed his portrayal of Bram Stoker. There are certain elements of this story that vegetarians and the squeamish may not enjoy.
And although Gallagher ties in a supernatural theme he does it in a way that doesn't require the reader to be a fan of vampires in order to appreciate it.
July 10, 2015
Tom Sayers is a former boxing champion who turns to theatre management and then becomes involved in the twilight world of music halls, boxing booths and travelling theatrical shows as he strives to clear his name after a series of murders.
His story unfolds once he meets, purely by chance, an old acquaintance, Sebastian Becker, in Philadelphia. Becker, a former detective in England, is a Pinkerton detective and he pursues Sayers around America in this Gothic tale of obsession and murder that has the reader hauntingly wondering what is going to be the outcome.
The subsidiary characters are all fascinating, particularly Louise Porter, who Sayers lusts after and who he tries to save from her own chosen destiny. In doing so he encounters many strange and dangerous situations which eventually result in an utterly thrilling and unlikely conclusion.
It is a novel that will haunt the reader once finished and the view of it may well change as the demons within its pages are analysed in more detail at one's leisure.
His story unfolds once he meets, purely by chance, an old acquaintance, Sebastian Becker, in Philadelphia. Becker, a former detective in England, is a Pinkerton detective and he pursues Sayers around America in this Gothic tale of obsession and murder that has the reader hauntingly wondering what is going to be the outcome.
The subsidiary characters are all fascinating, particularly Louise Porter, who Sayers lusts after and who he tries to save from her own chosen destiny. In doing so he encounters many strange and dangerous situations which eventually result in an utterly thrilling and unlikely conclusion.
It is a novel that will haunt the reader once finished and the view of it may well change as the demons within its pages are analysed in more detail at one's leisure.
May 14, 2008
This is tailored to my current reading tastes: an historical/detective/mystery/thriller. Gallagher's novel is centered around the fictitious version of a real person: bare knuckle fighter Tom Sayers. Gallagher's impressive historical research shows in the realistic recreations of 1880's Manchester and London and turn-of-the-century Philadelphia, Richmond, and New Orleans. As with even the best historical thrillers, some of the plotting is unlikely to the extreme, but this is offset by the consistency of the characters. I really liked the abrupt, unexpected turns, especially at the end. Gallagher makes this dark, weird period (which has fascinated me for many decades)come alive.
Read
February 5, 2009The Brit Stephen Gallagher isn't new to genre fiction, having published more than a dozen novels and collections, most recently The Painted Bride (2006), The Spirit Box (2005), and Out of His Mind (2004). The Kingdom of Bones does not masquerade as a historical novel. Rather, despite some slow spots and anachronisms, it succeeds as a thriller that perfectly captures the Victorian era's culture. Thanks to attentive research, Gallagher's narrative tapestry
February 15, 2018
Sebastian Becker, once a British detective now a Pinkerton in Philadelphia, encounters an old acquaintance involved in a strange and disturbing case from many years before. Tom Sayer, theatrical manager of a touring troupe, was wrongfully accused of the murder of several children. He escapes and goes on the run, determined to clear his name but more importantly, to protect the woman for whom he has developed an obsessive love.
The story becomes less about battling monsters and more about seeking redemption and salvation from what may be some horrid supernatural force or simply a powerful psychological idea. Gallagher is an assured and expert hand at this sort of twisty and turning trek through a maze of horrors and terrors. Hugely readable.
The story becomes less about battling monsters and more about seeking redemption and salvation from what may be some horrid supernatural force or simply a powerful psychological idea. Gallagher is an assured and expert hand at this sort of twisty and turning trek through a maze of horrors and terrors. Hugely readable.
May 10, 2021
A story that takes place in the 1880s in England, and in the early 20th century in America. Retired British cop now lives in Philadelphia as a detective with the Pinkertons. He sees a rube at the circus taking on all comers in the boxing ring, and unexpectedly gets his mask torn off. Simon Becker recognizes the boxer from his days as an investigator in England. Elements of supernatural, Bram Stocker as one of the characters, inspired no doubt by the characters he encounters at the theater where Tom the ex-boxer manages a theater troupe. Quite a good read, fantastical, obsessive, subtly supernatural -- recommended as a good read, well crafted story, excellent use of language. I am inspired now to read other Stephen Gallagher books.
March 21, 2024
🎩 The Kingdom of Bones is an exciting mix
of Victorian crime and supernatural elements. The story follows Tom Sayers, a former boxer turned stage manager, who is determined to save Louise, a singer he believes is possessed by a demon. As Tom travels from Britain to America to find Louise, the danger escalates.
🎩 The characters are interesting and well-developed, especially Tom Sayers with his intense focus on saving Louise. Detective Sebastian Becker and Bram Stoker add depth to the story.
🎩 While the blurb may exaggerate the novel's greatness, Kingdom of Bones is a thrilling and engaging read. If you enjoy mysteries with a touch of the supernatural, this book is a must-read. Perfect for fans of Victorian-era stories with a twist.
of Victorian crime and supernatural elements. The story follows Tom Sayers, a former boxer turned stage manager, who is determined to save Louise, a singer he believes is possessed by a demon. As Tom travels from Britain to America to find Louise, the danger escalates.
🎩 The characters are interesting and well-developed, especially Tom Sayers with his intense focus on saving Louise. Detective Sebastian Becker and Bram Stoker add depth to the story.
🎩 While the blurb may exaggerate the novel's greatness, Kingdom of Bones is a thrilling and engaging read. If you enjoy mysteries with a touch of the supernatural, this book is a must-read. Perfect for fans of Victorian-era stories with a twist.
March 3, 2020
Lots of macabre fun. Deftly written, with lots of historical (Edwardian) detail and atmosphere. The main character has a bit of Jean Valjean about him, and the plot hinges on a quasi-Faustian bargain. Bram Stoker is a character but this isn't a vampire novel. And theatre people (you know how they can be) populate the book. A fine bit of entertainment.
April 3, 2020
El reino de los huesos me ha enganchado desde la primera página. Tiene un estilo claro, sencillo, que hace que la historia fluya como si la estuvieras viviendo, y con una manera vibrante de recrear el Londres y los Estados Unidos de la época victoriana y eduardiana.
Es un thriller que engancha, y que te va sorprendiendo poco a poco, sin resultar obvio lo que pueda ir ocurriendo en la historia. Es una lectura muy recomendable.
Es un thriller que engancha, y que te va sorprendiendo poco a poco, sin resultar obvio lo que pueda ir ocurriendo en la historia. Es una lectura muy recomendable.
March 29, 2018
42 WORD REVIEW:
A slow-moving but enthralling story of murder and redemption in three acts. Stephen Gallagher does full justice to England in the late 19th and America in the early 20th century. Jonathan Keeble definitively captures the characters of Sebastian Becker and Tom Sayers.
A slow-moving but enthralling story of murder and redemption in three acts. Stephen Gallagher does full justice to England in the late 19th and America in the early 20th century. Jonathan Keeble definitively captures the characters of Sebastian Becker and Tom Sayers.
February 14, 2018
Writes well but daft storyline!
May 18, 2019
Realistic characters and a plot that captured me. The setting feels real and the dark fantasy element is ... creepy. I really enjoyed this book.
August 31, 2021
This was so good! Well written characters, lots of twists and turns, and it seems to be well researched. I'll definitely reed more of these mysteries.
December 18, 2021
It dabbled a little too much in mysticism at times for my tastes, but I hung with it and enjoyed the ride. This was fun book to talk about when a friend asked me what I was reading.
October 7, 2023
I gave up on this one. I got halfway through but I was so bored and uninvested that I just couldn't finish it. I think I am not the target audience.
August 13, 2025
A little slow at first, but I really enjoyed the story & characters once I got into it.
October 21, 2015
"The Kingdom of Bones" is the haunting story of Tom Sayers, a former boxing champion who must continue to fight--to clear his name after a series of gruesome murders, for the heart and soul of a leading lady, and to uncover the truth behind a legend as old as evil itself.
Wrongly accused of the slaughter of pauper children in the wake of the touring theater company he manages, Tom Sayers is forced to disappear into a twilight world of music halls and traveling boxing booths. Beginning with a chance encounter in a Philadelphia pleasure park one weekend in 1903, this brilliantly macabre mystery traces Sayers' journey from England's provincial playhouses through London's mighty Lyceum Theatre and on to the high society of a transforming American South--with many a secret to be uncovered in the dark alleyways, backstage areas, and houses of ill repute that lie along the way.
As Sayers seeks the truth behind the killings, he is pursued in turn by the tireless Detective Inspector Sebastian Becker. Desperate to ensure the safety of actress Louise Porter, Sayers calls on an old friend, Bram Stoker, for help. But Stoker's links with the world of the Victorian occult lead Sayers to discover a danger even greater than he could have imagined.
Thrown into a maelstrom of obsession, betrayal, and sacrifice--where even the pure may not escape damnation--Sayers must face the implications of an unthinkable bargain: the exchange of a soul for a chance at eternal life.
With action that spans continents, decades, and every level of society, "The Kingdom of Bones" follows the troubled lives of those touched by Tom Sayers, ultimately weaving their stories into a harrowing climax that stirs the mind--and the blood.
I read the The Bedlam Detective (Sebastian Becker, #2) first and thoroughly enjoyed it and I was thrilled to find out that another Becker novel existed.
The author gets the settings and the atmosphere pitch perfect and you feel you are reading a novel of the time. Highly recommended
Wrongly accused of the slaughter of pauper children in the wake of the touring theater company he manages, Tom Sayers is forced to disappear into a twilight world of music halls and traveling boxing booths. Beginning with a chance encounter in a Philadelphia pleasure park one weekend in 1903, this brilliantly macabre mystery traces Sayers' journey from England's provincial playhouses through London's mighty Lyceum Theatre and on to the high society of a transforming American South--with many a secret to be uncovered in the dark alleyways, backstage areas, and houses of ill repute that lie along the way.
As Sayers seeks the truth behind the killings, he is pursued in turn by the tireless Detective Inspector Sebastian Becker. Desperate to ensure the safety of actress Louise Porter, Sayers calls on an old friend, Bram Stoker, for help. But Stoker's links with the world of the Victorian occult lead Sayers to discover a danger even greater than he could have imagined.
Thrown into a maelstrom of obsession, betrayal, and sacrifice--where even the pure may not escape damnation--Sayers must face the implications of an unthinkable bargain: the exchange of a soul for a chance at eternal life.
With action that spans continents, decades, and every level of society, "The Kingdom of Bones" follows the troubled lives of those touched by Tom Sayers, ultimately weaving their stories into a harrowing climax that stirs the mind--and the blood.
I read the The Bedlam Detective (Sebastian Becker, #2) first and thoroughly enjoyed it and I was thrilled to find out that another Becker novel existed.
The author gets the settings and the atmosphere pitch perfect and you feel you are reading a novel of the time. Highly recommended
November 30, 2012
'The Kingdom of Bones' is a solidly entertaining crime thriller. It blends elements of the detective story, the gothic or supernatural thriller and historical novel artfully together.
It is easy to read and you'll find yourself quickly drawn into the story. Its historical setting (late Victorian and Edwardian England and America) is well and, generally, convincingly drawn. It is to its credit that minor quibbles (would hotel staff have worn name plates in this age?) stand out because we generally accept the world created.
The world of travelling theatre troupes and circus shows provides a colourful background. The age of Aleister Crowley and strange spiritualist cults provides a backdrop where the more outre aspects of the story fit. Supernatural aspects provide a motor to the plot but even the most staunchly rationalist will not be offended by these well handled elements.
The suggestion on the amazon listing that this book is Sherlock Holmes seems misplaced, however. The tone is rather closer to other stories of a similar age. The author's confession that as a thirteen year old Sexton Blake fan he discovered the Story Papers that were so popular at the end of the nineteenth century and beginning of twentieth point to its more obvious inspiration: this is a great reinvention of the best of the Penny Dreadfuls. Here we have great adventure, heroism shown by ordinary people and dastardly evil set against a world of gas lit Victoriana.
The quote on the front of the book calls Stephen Gallagher 'the finest British writer of popular fiction since le Carre'. On the evidence of this book, that is over praise. This is very enjoyable, easy to read stuff, however, and it comes definitely recommended.
It is easy to read and you'll find yourself quickly drawn into the story. Its historical setting (late Victorian and Edwardian England and America) is well and, generally, convincingly drawn. It is to its credit that minor quibbles (would hotel staff have worn name plates in this age?) stand out because we generally accept the world created.
The world of travelling theatre troupes and circus shows provides a colourful background. The age of Aleister Crowley and strange spiritualist cults provides a backdrop where the more outre aspects of the story fit. Supernatural aspects provide a motor to the plot but even the most staunchly rationalist will not be offended by these well handled elements.
The suggestion on the amazon listing that this book is Sherlock Holmes seems misplaced, however. The tone is rather closer to other stories of a similar age. The author's confession that as a thirteen year old Sexton Blake fan he discovered the Story Papers that were so popular at the end of the nineteenth century and beginning of twentieth point to its more obvious inspiration: this is a great reinvention of the best of the Penny Dreadfuls. Here we have great adventure, heroism shown by ordinary people and dastardly evil set against a world of gas lit Victoriana.
The quote on the front of the book calls Stephen Gallagher 'the finest British writer of popular fiction since le Carre'. On the evidence of this book, that is over praise. This is very enjoyable, easy to read stuff, however, and it comes definitely recommended.
September 7, 2016
Comincio col dire che sul mio giudizio (le due stellette) ha pesato per lo più la traduzione: l'ho trovata piuttosto scialba e con più di una imperfezione, fin troppo moderna per un romanzo storico come questo.
Per il resto si tratta di un discreto romanzo di puro intrattenimento, che non pretende di essere nulla di più. L'autore è riuscito a mettere insieme un prodotto piutosto accattivante: una trama avvincente molto cinematografica, una buona parte di gotico, un tocco di soprannaturale, un po' di thrilling con tanto di serial killer d'epoca, un insieme di personaggi di fantasia e realmente esistiti, scomodando niente di meno che Bram Stocker, la nebbiosa ambientazione inglese e quella decadente di New Orleans. In sintesi, la ricetta perfetta per assicurarsi buone vendite.
Rimane comunque un libro che si legge volentieri, leggero, di puro svago, che non costringe a pensare troppo, da consumarsi sotto l'ombrellone d'estate, durante le vacanze, o per rilassarsi la sera; divertente, tutto sommato.
Per il resto si tratta di un discreto romanzo di puro intrattenimento, che non pretende di essere nulla di più. L'autore è riuscito a mettere insieme un prodotto piutosto accattivante: una trama avvincente molto cinematografica, una buona parte di gotico, un tocco di soprannaturale, un po' di thrilling con tanto di serial killer d'epoca, un insieme di personaggi di fantasia e realmente esistiti, scomodando niente di meno che Bram Stocker, la nebbiosa ambientazione inglese e quella decadente di New Orleans. In sintesi, la ricetta perfetta per assicurarsi buone vendite.
Rimane comunque un libro che si legge volentieri, leggero, di puro svago, che non costringe a pensare troppo, da consumarsi sotto l'ombrellone d'estate, durante le vacanze, o per rilassarsi la sera; divertente, tutto sommato.
January 29, 2011
"Se l'amore può redimere, allora sappi che sei già stata redenta molte volte."
Uno straordinario romanzo gotico, scritto egregiamente da un autore che si intende del genere. Un libro che incanta e che tiene viva la suspence e l'attenzione del lettore fino alla fine. Un finale forse prevedibile, ma comunque bellissimo.
Mi è piaciuta tantissimo (e questo è sorprendente!) l'ambientazione: una Londra oscura e gotica tra Ottocento e Novecento. Lo stile è semplice nella sua narrazione in terza persona, ma l'autore ha dalla sua delle descrizioni particolarmente ricche. Geniale, veramente geniale, l'idea di giocare su personaggi realmente esistenti: a fianco del protagonista (un anonimo lottatore veramente esistito) troviamo Bram Stoker, l'autore di Dracula, e non solo.
Un romanzo davvero originale ed intrigante.
Uno straordinario romanzo gotico, scritto egregiamente da un autore che si intende del genere. Un libro che incanta e che tiene viva la suspence e l'attenzione del lettore fino alla fine. Un finale forse prevedibile, ma comunque bellissimo.
Mi è piaciuta tantissimo (e questo è sorprendente!) l'ambientazione: una Londra oscura e gotica tra Ottocento e Novecento. Lo stile è semplice nella sua narrazione in terza persona, ma l'autore ha dalla sua delle descrizioni particolarmente ricche. Geniale, veramente geniale, l'idea di giocare su personaggi realmente esistenti: a fianco del protagonista (un anonimo lottatore veramente esistito) troviamo Bram Stoker, l'autore di Dracula, e non solo.
Un romanzo davvero originale ed intrigante.
November 6, 2007
Overall, I really enjoyed this book. It was not quite what I was expecting; the book summary made it sound more "thrilling." Despite this, I finished the book in just a few days. The most surprising thing was the fact that all the violent sections in the book were not drawn out, which left the reader filling in blanks (which is probably more intense and terrifying than being told what exactly was happending).
The book would have been more thrilling if the history of the Wanderer was explained. The lack of a detailed history left some aspects of the story hanging - where did the tale come from, why did the characters believe in this, what exactly made one a Wanderer, etc.
The book would have been more thrilling if the history of the Wanderer was explained. The lack of a detailed history left some aspects of the story hanging - where did the tale come from, why did the characters believe in this, what exactly made one a Wanderer, etc.
January 28, 2013
I really liked this story--the characters were complicated enough to keep my interest, and the settings were all wonderfully detailed and not often written about. I was a bit surprised when the story began to lean towards the supernatural, but it did not detract from the story. My only complaint was that every now and then the story seemed to drag slightly--I caught myself wondering how this story could span over so many years. All things considered, this was really exciting, and I would love to find more books written about this era and these settings.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 77 reviews