The Penguin Podcast is back! Listen Now
The Strings of Murder

The Strings of Murder

Frey & McGray Book 1

Summary

'A hugely entertaining Victorian mystery' New York Times
'I enjoyed this - properly creepy and Gothic' Ian Rankin

A spellbinding concoction of crime, history and horror - perfect for fans of Sherlock Holmes and Jonathan Creek
_______

Edinburgh, 1888.
A violinist is murdered in his home.

The dead virtuoso's maid swears she heard three musicians playing in the night. But with only one body in the locked practice room - and no way in or out - the case makes no sense.

Fearing a national panic over another Ripper, Scotland Yard sends Inspector Ian Frey to investigate under the cover of a fake department specializing in the occult.

However, Frey's new boss, Detective 'Nine-Nails' McGray, actually believes in such supernatural nonsense.

McGray's tragic past has driven him to superstition, but even Frey must admit that this case seems beyond reason.

And once someone loses all reason, who knows what they will lose next . . .

_______

'This is wonderful. A brilliant, moving, clever, lyrical book - I loved it' Manda Scott

'A great cop double-act . . . It's the pairing of the upright Frey and the unorthodox McGray that notches up the stars for this book'
Sunday Sport

'A brilliant mix of horror, history, and humour. Genuinely riveting . . . with plenty of twists, this will keep you turning the pages. It's clever, occasionally frightening and superbly written - The Strings Of Murder is everything you need in a mystery thriller'
Crime Review

About the author

Oscar de Muriel

Oscar de Muriel was born in Mexico City and moved to the UK to complete his PhD. He is a chemist, translator and violinist who now lives and works in Manchester. The Loch of the Dead is his fourth novel, following A Mask of Shadows, A Fever of the Blood and The Strings of Murder.
Learn More

More in this series

Sign up to the Penguin Newsletter

For the latest books, recommendations, author interviews and more