"The Kingdom of Bones" is the haunting story of Tom Sayers, a former boxing champion who must continue to fight--to clear his name after a series of gruesome murders, for the heart and soul of a leading lady, and to uncover the truth behind a legend as old as evil itself.
Wrongly accused of the slaughter of pauper children in the wake of the touring theater company he manages, Tom Sayers is forced to disappear into a twilight world of music halls and traveling boxing booths. Beginning with a chance encounter in a Philadelphia pleasure park one weekend in 1903, this brilliantly macabre mystery traces Sayers' journey from England's provincial playhouses through London's mighty Lyceum Theatre and on to the high society of a transforming American South--with many a secret to be uncovered in the dark alleyways, backstage areas, and houses of ill repute that lie along the way.
As Sayers seeks the truth behind the killings, he is pursued in turn by the tireless Detective Inspector Sebastian Becker. Desperate to ensure the safety of actress Louise Porter, Sayers calls on an old friend, Bram Stoker, for help. But Stoker's links with the world of the Victorian occult lead Sayers to discover a danger even greater than he could have imagined.
Thrown into a maelstrom of obsession, betrayal, and sacrifice--where even the pure may not escape damnation--Sayers must face the implications of an unthinkable bargain: the exchange of a soul for a chance at eternal life.
With action that spans continents, decades, and every level of society, "The Kingdom of Bones" follows the troubled lives of those touched by Tom Sayers, ultimately weaving their stories into a harrowing climax that stirs the mind--and the blood.

I read the The Bedlam Detective (Sebastian Becker, #2) first and thoroughly enjoyed it and I was thrilled to find out that another Becker novel existed.

The author gets the settings and the atmosphere pitch perfect and you feel you are reading a novel of the time. Highly recommended ( )

“The Kingdom of Bones” is a mystery, and a book about the supernatural, but mostly it’s a book about obsessive love.

Tom Sayers, ex-boxer and manager of a small theatrical troupe, is in love with Louise Porter, the troupe’s ingénue. Sadly for him, she is infatuated with the troupe’s young lead, who is being groomed by the owner of the troupe. It’s obvious he’s being groomed to replace him on stage, but what most don’t realize is that he’s also set to take over a far darker role from his mentor.

When a string of murders becomes connected to the movements of the troupe and the detective investigating it is killed, Sayers is implicated. He is forced to flee, but his own safety is not his prime worry- he’s also concerned with Louise’s well being, as it’s obvious that the murderer is someone in the group of actors. Another detective, Sebastian Becker, takes the case personally, but the mystery ends up covering decades and a change of continents before he gets full satisfaction. It’s not a simple serial killer, but an ancient evil that Becker and Sayers have found.

In one way, the book was gripping. But I found myself unsatisfied; Sayers character is a bit flat, his only motivation being to preserve Louise, even when she makes it very, very clear she does not love him. In fact, all the characters are undeveloped although not horribly so. The plot is a bit slow at times, but the descriptions fill out the late Victorian/early Edwardian scenes wonderfully. The addition of Bram Stoker, who was historically involved in both the theater and the occult world, is a nice touch. A worthwhile, readable book but not a great one. ( )

Paranormal? Well, it's really up to the reader to decide but Gallagher raised the hair on the back of my neck.

I really enjoyed this book, though I thought more work could have been put into Sayer pugilist skills. ( )

Has to do with a friend of Bram Stoker's, who was then the stage/road manager for an old actor with his own troupe. The main character gets framed for murder and ends up in the United States. The underlying premise is rather silly, but it's a very exciting story. ( )

The Kingdom of Bones is ultimately a story about what a man will do for love. Tom Sayers is a former prizefighter turned stage manager for a traveling company in the late 1800's and his quest to first clear himself of a series of murders, then rescue his love from an ancient evil. In the mix, Gallagher adds a nicely twisty plot involving help from a police inspector turned Pinkerton agent and Bram Stoker and lyrical prose that easily captivates the reader. Highly recommended! ( )