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THE POISONED ISLAND
by
Lloyd Shepherd
Tahiti 1769. English sailors arrive on the shores of the Polynesian paradise— a place of staggering beauty where magic and ancient myths still hold sway. But they soon devastate the island with disease, war, and death, planting deadly seeds that will be carried back to England forty years later.
London 1812. On a gray June morning, the Solander docks, her hold containing hundreds of exotic plants from Tahiti for the King’s Gardens at Kew. The apparently successful expedition soon takes a horrifying— and inexplicable—turn: The crew of the Solander starts dying one by one. Thames River Police Chief Charles Horton can find no signs of murder or suicide to explain the deaths, and the ship’s surviving crew seems intent on hampering his investigation. When one of the plants begins to show frightening changes, it is up to Charles Horton to determine how it might be stopped.
Given Amazon is a bookstore (among a great many other things), it seems a
bit weird to be introducing myself on here. I mean, if you wandered
into a real-world bookstore and there was an author standing there
offering to fire random facts about himself at you, it'd be a bit
off-putting. Wouldn't it? Or perhaps it'd be nice to bump into David
Mitchell or Stephen King as you're browsing the racks.
So I'll keep this short, and do tell me to go away if it's getting a bit weird.
My name's Lloyd. I live in South London. I've got two children and a lovely wife (she's a headteacher). My first book, The English Monster, came out in 2012. My second, The Poisoned Island, followed in 2013. They're both set in London in the early 19th century, they both feature a proto-detective named Charles Horton and his magistrate John Harriott, and they both combine historical fiction with murder-mystery and a good healthy dash of the supernatural. They've been called 'Regency X-Files' and I rather like that.
If you're interested, I enjoy reading literary fiction, horror and some science fiction. My favourite book is The Portrait of a Lady. My favourite author - possibly by virtue of how many of his books I've read - is Stephen King. The best novels I've read recently were The Thousand Autumns of Jacob De Zoet by David Mitchell and The Sisters Brothers by Patrick Dewitt.
I blog at www.lloydshepherd.com, I've got a Facebook page (Lloyd Shepherd: Author) and a pretty active Twitter account (@lloydshep). Do come and say hello. We can talk, then, without me feeling that I'm intruding.
Happy shopping!
REVIEW
This book is a wonderful work of fiction. Beginning in Tahiti (Otaheite) in 1769, An Englishman is pursuing a royal native princess. This is an island that is just like Eden. The problem being it may soon be infested with diseases that were never known before.
The European disease was sitting calmly in the air.
We then go to England, 1812. This is when the SOLANDER arrived in port.In the case of The Poisoned Island the settings are exotic but bound for trouble South Sea Island of Otaheite where ancient rites are practiced still, magical, perhaps? Meanwhile the island’s most valuable tropical plants are harvested and transported to England It was a full of exotic species from the island that were to be taken to the Royal Gardens at Kew, This travel was paid for primarily by Joseph Banks, who was the president of the Royal Society.which are intelligent and stylishly written, being part historical thrillers, part detective fictions, and part fantasy horrors. Both include actual historical figures in fictional plots.
During all the uproar on the ship's arrival, six of the seamen, in a hurry to reach land and they were in a secrecy pact. They disappear into London.
he author wrote a complex murder plot that held many secrets. During this time, the Age of Enlightenment evolves. This is falling apart. Murder is on the horizon, just beyond the enterprise. This murder plan started on the voyage and as soon as the SOLANDER arrives at home port, the plant takes hold.Terror strikes, the sailors are found, their throats slashed with smiles on their faces. The murders happen one after another. John Harriott, a magistrate of the River Police Office and his detective Thames River Police Chief Charles Hortona were in charge of solving these murders.
The author takes you from the highest parts of government to the crowded poor sections.
The author shows the dreams of an empire and the opposite which is the greed that will haunt the age for a long time.
If you like a little magic, murder, voyages, greed and all that goes with it, you will definitely like this book The author combined a good deal of characters that gave a little spice to the novel and yet weren't all that important. I was so fascinated with the plants that were of such value which the author put in the novel.. Well written, good descriptions and wanting more. There is still the secret of the plants that is to be discovered. Will you figure it out?
Tahiti 1769. English sailors arrive on the shores of the Polynesian paradise— a place of staggering beauty where magic and ancient myths still hold sway. But they soon devastate the island with disease, war, and death, planting deadly seeds that will be carried back to England forty years later.
London 1812. On a gray June morning, the Solander docks, her hold containing hundreds of exotic plants from Tahiti for the King’s Gardens at Kew. The apparently successful expedition soon takes a horrifying— and inexplicable—turn: The crew of the Solander starts dying one by one. Thames River Police Chief Charles Horton can find no signs of murder or suicide to explain the deaths, and the ship’s surviving crew seems intent on hampering his investigation. When one of the plants begins to show frightening changes, it is up to Charles Horton to determine how it might be stopped.
- Paperback: 416 pages
- Publisher: Washington Square Press; Original edition (January 14, 2014)
- Language: English
- ISBN-10: 1476712867
- ISBN-13: 978-1476712864
Given Amazon is a bookstore (among a great many other things), it seems a
bit weird to be introducing myself on here. I mean, if you wandered
into a real-world bookstore and there was an author standing there
offering to fire random facts about himself at you, it'd be a bit
off-putting. Wouldn't it? Or perhaps it'd be nice to bump into David
Mitchell or Stephen King as you're browsing the racks.So I'll keep this short, and do tell me to go away if it's getting a bit weird.
My name's Lloyd. I live in South London. I've got two children and a lovely wife (she's a headteacher). My first book, The English Monster, came out in 2012. My second, The Poisoned Island, followed in 2013. They're both set in London in the early 19th century, they both feature a proto-detective named Charles Horton and his magistrate John Harriott, and they both combine historical fiction with murder-mystery and a good healthy dash of the supernatural. They've been called 'Regency X-Files' and I rather like that.
If you're interested, I enjoy reading literary fiction, horror and some science fiction. My favourite book is The Portrait of a Lady. My favourite author - possibly by virtue of how many of his books I've read - is Stephen King. The best novels I've read recently were The Thousand Autumns of Jacob De Zoet by David Mitchell and The Sisters Brothers by Patrick Dewitt.
I blog at www.lloydshepherd.com, I've got a Facebook page (Lloyd Shepherd: Author) and a pretty active Twitter account (@lloydshep). Do come and say hello. We can talk, then, without me feeling that I'm intruding.
Happy shopping!
REVIEW
This book is a wonderful work of fiction. Beginning in Tahiti (Otaheite) in 1769, An Englishman is pursuing a royal native princess. This is an island that is just like Eden. The problem being it may soon be infested with diseases that were never known before.
The European disease was sitting calmly in the air.
We then go to England, 1812. This is when the SOLANDER arrived in port.In the case of The Poisoned Island the settings are exotic but bound for trouble South Sea Island of Otaheite where ancient rites are practiced still, magical, perhaps? Meanwhile the island’s most valuable tropical plants are harvested and transported to England It was a full of exotic species from the island that were to be taken to the Royal Gardens at Kew, This travel was paid for primarily by Joseph Banks, who was the president of the Royal Society.which are intelligent and stylishly written, being part historical thrillers, part detective fictions, and part fantasy horrors. Both include actual historical figures in fictional plots.
During all the uproar on the ship's arrival, six of the seamen, in a hurry to reach land and they were in a secrecy pact. They disappear into London.
he author wrote a complex murder plot that held many secrets. During this time, the Age of Enlightenment evolves. This is falling apart. Murder is on the horizon, just beyond the enterprise. This murder plan started on the voyage and as soon as the SOLANDER arrives at home port, the plant takes hold.Terror strikes, the sailors are found, their throats slashed with smiles on their faces. The murders happen one after another. John Harriott, a magistrate of the River Police Office and his detective Thames River Police Chief Charles Hortona were in charge of solving these murders.
The author takes you from the highest parts of government to the crowded poor sections.
The author shows the dreams of an empire and the opposite which is the greed that will haunt the age for a long time.
If you like a little magic, murder, voyages, greed and all that goes with it, you will definitely like this book The author combined a good deal of characters that gave a little spice to the novel and yet weren't all that important. I was so fascinated with the plants that were of such value which the author put in the novel.. Well written, good descriptions and wanting more. There is still the secret of the plants that is to be discovered. Will you figure it out?
I was given a complimentary copy of THE POISONED ISLAND from the author, Lloyd Shepherd and Night Owl Reviews for my view of the book. No other compensation took place.
I would give this book 4 STARS.
LINKS
bemiown@yahoo.com
http://bemiown.blogspot.com
www.nightowlreviews.com
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