In Leicester Fields
London, 1783. Dying artist Henry Grace is atoning for sins he committed with a hell-fire club in an extraordinary way which threatens the rich and powerful. When Grace's female apprentice Michel Angelo enlists journalist Morris ‘Mouse’ Malone to investigate, deadly forces are unleashed. What connects the painter's secretive masterpiece with the murders of children whose bodies have been found on the streets of London? Michel and Mouse are about to find out. Soaked in blood and oil-paint. “In Leicester Fields' will immerse readers in a boisterous London of Hogarthian crowds, buzzing coffee houses, Grub Street newspapers and public executions.
‘Ross Gilfillan delivers a masterful blend of history, intrigue, and dark secrets in this atmospheric 18th-century tale. The story of Henry Grace, an artist facing death and desperate for redemption, is both haunting and compelling especially as his past sins entwine with the dangerous world of hell-fire clubs and the power structures of London. Apprentice artist Michel Angelo and journalist Mouse Malone make for fascinating guides through the city’s underbelly, and their investigation unleashes twists that kept me hooked until the very last page.
What I loved most is the immersive detail, the grime, the decadence, and the political tension of the era are so vividly rendered that you feel transported into the shadows of Georgian London. This is historical fiction at its most gripping: intelligent, atmospheric, and full of unexpected turns.
Perfect for readers who crave stories with moral complexity, richly drawn characters, and the thrill of danger lurking beneath society’s polished veneer.’ Natalie Simmons, Cleveland, Ohio (Goodreads)
'Wonderfully interleaved passages with various characters and periods coming together as events develop. Detailed observations make it highly visual with a convincing evocation of era and place. As soon as I finished, I went back to the beginning for a second immersion. A superb read.' Noel Myles, fine artist
‘I have read with the same delight I imagined Ross felt penning it. It was a surprise to find the internet had remembered I had read The Snake Oil Dickens Man and The Edge of the Crowd.’ Adrian Cox
'Fantastic read. Will definitely check out his others.' Thomas Kibble
