A Knife in the Fog

Physician Arthur Conan Doyle takes a break from his practice to assist London police in tracking down Jack the Ripper in this debut novel and series starter. September 1888. A twenty-nine-year-old Arthur Conan Doyle practices medicine by day and writes at night. His first Sherlock Holmes story, A Study in Scarlet, although gaining critical and popular success, has only netted him twenty-five pounds. Embittered by the experience, he vows never to write another "crime story." Then a messenger arrives with a mysterious summons from former Prime Minister William Gladstone, asking him to come to London immediately. Once there, he is offered one month's employment to assist the Metropolitan Police as a "consultant" in their hunt for the serial killer soon to be known as Jack the Ripper. Doyle agrees on the stipulation his old professor of surgery, Professor Joseph Bell--Doyle's inspiration for Sherlock Holmes--agrees to work with him. The two are soon joined by Miss Margaret Harkness, an author residing in the East End who knows how to use a Derringer and serves as their guide and companion. Pursuing leads through the dank alleys and courtyards of Whitechapel, they come upon the body of a savagely murdered fifth victim. It becomes clear that the hunters have become the hunted when a knife-wielding figure approaches.


Genre: Historical Mystery

"A superbly imagined story of how the creator of Sherlock Holmes solves the notorious Jack the Ripper murders. Not only does Harper skillfully immerse the reader in the squalid conditions of the London slums of the 1880s, he does so convincingly and engagingly in the authentic voice of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. In addition, Harper introduces us to the man who actually inspired the creation of the Holmes character beloved by millions, Doyle’s mentor, Dr. Joseph Bell. But the real treat is the touching relationship that develops between Doyle and Margaret Harkness, a writer and feminist who rocks Doyle’s chauvinistic world. Oh, and Mark Twain makes a cameo appearance, too! I love this story!" - John DeDakis

"Arthur Conan Doyle is on the case of the infamous Whitechapel murders of 1888, and Bradley Harper shows what fans have long suspected: that Doyle would have been as brilliant a detective as Sherlock Holmes, his greatest creation. What a ripping good yarn!" - Stefan R Dziemianowicz

"Ardent feminism and cerebral detection face down the Ripper in the fog-shrouded streets of London: a feast for lovers of historical crime!" - Laurie R King

"Entertaining and meticulously researched, A Knife in the Fog brings to vibrant life a gathering of historical figures—Arthur Conan Doyle, Joseph Bell, and Jack the Ripper—that will fascinate readers of both historical fiction and Sherlock Holmes. The dark streets of London’s East End have never felt more real or more dangerous." - Gordon McAlpine

"Arthur Conan Doyle chasing after Jack the Ripper? Bradley Harper makes this irresistible pairing come alive. Ingenious in its premise and plotting, impressive in its unique forensic precision, infectious in its overflowing passion for the subject matter, A Knife in the Fog will be relished by fans of historical fiction, Sherlock Holmes, and Ripper literature. A debut novel worth falling for." - Matthew Pearl