A spellbinding concoction of crime, history and horror - perfect for fans of Sherlock Holmes and Jonathan Creek. New Year`s Day, 1889. In Edinburgh`s lunatic asylum, a patient escapes as a nurse lays dying. Leading the manhunt are legendary local Detective `Nine-Nails` McGray and Londoner-in-exile Inspector Ian Frey. Before the murder, the suspect was heard in whispered conversation with a fellow patient - a girl who had been mute for years. What made her suddenly break her silence? And why won`t she talk again? Could the rumours about black magic be more than superstition? McGray and Frey track a devious psychopath far beyond their jurisdiction, through the worst blizzard in living memory, into the shadow of Pendle Hill - home of the Lancashire witches - where unimaginable danger awaits...Praise for The Strings of Murder: ”This is wonderful. A brilliant, moving, clever, lyrical book - I loved it. Oscar de Muriel is going to be a name to watch.” (Manda Scott). ”One of the best debuts so far this year - 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).