Hugo Marston, former FBI agent, now head of security for
the
American Embassy in London, is on way to a meeting with
the
US ambassador, when he decides to visit a 100 year-old
crime
scene. His musings take him to cemetery where he comes
across a body hanging from a tree.
After calling the authorities, Hugo goes to the pub to
meet
Ambassador John Cooper. Hugo's task will be to babysit
American movie star Dayton Harper, who is getting out of
jail momentarily; he and wife Ginny Ferro are guilty of a
hit and run. Ginny was released 2 days prior, but Dayton
doesn't know she got out. Dayton will be staying at Hugo's
flat because police fear the public might go rabid.
When they learn that the body in the cemetery was that of
Ginny Ferro, Dayton breaks down and becomes restless. In
need of distraction, the Americans drive out into the City
but they are ambushed by the press and Dayton escapes. He
takes to the countryside, and while searching for him,
Hugo
and John learn that the victim of the hit and run was the
son of an important landowner; a murderer apparently
hanged
himself in a halfway house, two weeks after being released
from jail, and another killer is slated for release from
jail in three days.
Mark Pryor completely captures the essence of all things
English countryside in THE BUTTON MAN. I love the contrast
between the realistic dialogues and the elegant narration.
Mr. Pryor understands how Americans and English people
differ in their behaviour, and his characters act and
speak
according to their nationalities, occupations, and ages.
The
protagonists are wonderfully colourful, and intriguing.
The
atmosphere created by the author adds to the suspense.
What
a joy it is to see an author of such immense writing
skills
create a captivating suspense where some characters do
startling things and others meet an unexpected demise.
In this prequel to The Bookseller, former FBI profiler
Hugo
Marston has just become head of security at the US Embassy
in London. He’s asked to protect a famous movie-star
couple,
Dayton Harper and Ginny Ferro, who, while filming a movie
in
rural England, killed a local man in a hit and run.
The task turns from routine to disastrous almost
immediately. Before Hugo even meets them, he finds out
that
Ferro has disappeared, and her body has been found hanging
from an oak tree in a London cemetery. Hours later a
distraught Harper gives Hugo the slip, and Hugo has no
idea
where he’s run off to.
Taking cues from a secretive young lady named Merlyn, and
with a Member of Parliament along for the chase, Hugo’s
search leads to a quaint English village. There, instead
of
finding Harper, more bodies turn up. Teaming with local
detectives and then venturing dangerously out on his own,
Hugo struggles to find connections between the victims. Is
this the work of a serial killer—or something else
entirely?
Knowing he’s being tailed, the killer prepares for the
final, public act of his murderous plan, and Hugo arrives
just in time to play his part. . . .
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