In case you missed my guest blog spot on Dru’s Book Musings, here is a recap...
Ernie
Bisquets blames his lot in life on many things, but never on his name. To the
contrary, it rolls off his tongue as if he were the mayor of London. Add to
that the confident swagger in his walk and you have a gentleman who fits right
in among the swells of Mayfair society. He’s always impeccably dressed, with
shoes polished and the day’s paper tucked neatly under his arm. On a leisurely
stroll through Grosvenor Square he might stop you for a light, commenting on
the weather or a bit of business he thought you might find of interest. You
would share pleasantries, even commend him for seeing your point of view on the
latest headline, and then with a wink and a nod he bids you good day.
Most
people walk away feeling good about sharing a pleasant moment of their day with
a new acquaintance. I’m sure a few even convinced themselves they had met
before over cocktails at the club. Did he mention his name? No matter, you’re
quite sure you’ll see him again on Bond Street or strolling through Berkeley
Square. Ernie Bisquets has quite an effect on people, so it’s no wonder it
would be hours before you realized your wallet was missing.
Common
pickpocket? Not Ernie Bisquets. In the shadows of London, where others less
skilled in his profession can be found, his name is whispered with respect.
“Anybody can nick a purse at night in a crowd” they would say, “but it’s a true
artist what does it midday in Mayfair.” And it was midday in Mayfair that Ernie
Bisquets earned his reputation.
Lord
Patterson Coats, now retired, was HM Chief Inspector of Prisons at the time
Ernie Bisquets was working in the prison cafeteria in Edmunds Hill. A dripping
soup ladle at lunch one autumn day brought the two together. Ernie’s life took
a hard right turn, though the aspect of murder and mayhem tugging relentlessly
at his coattails was somehow overlooked in Patterson’s proposal of uniting
their talents.
From
time to time Patterson Coats is called on to investigate particularly
challenging police cases, or handle delicate matters for the Crown. Despite his
personal reach into all aspects of British society he lacks the ability to walk
about in the shadows of London. It was to fill that void he extended an
opportunity to Ernie to give back to the society he spent years making
withdraws from. Ernie was quick to accept. His stay at Edmunds Hill was enough
for him to consider stepping over to the other side of the law, but not
everyone welcomed him with open arms.
If
putting his past behind him and the new challenge of dealing with proper
villains isn’t enough, Detective Inspector “Derby” Flannel stands just out of
the shadows waiting for Bisquets to slip back into his old ways. The good
inspector and Ernie have a history, and Flannel intends to write the last
chapter sooner rather than later.
This
last fact makes the new book, Passage OfCrime, that much more intriguing. Flannel finds himself navigating a very
treacherous course. The recent murder of a young woman has links to 5 previously
unsolved murders. Flannel’s superiors have warned him for the last time to
tread cautiously around an MP he suspects was involved in the past. Because of
the MP’s association with Patterson Coats, the inspector is left with no choice
but to go behind his back and rely on the assistance of Ernie Bisquets.
Together they disentangle a mesh of old lies and current clues attempting to
bring a ruthless murderer to justice–ignoring the dangerous notion of murder
being a carefully disguised trait passed from one generation to the next.
It was great having the opportunity to share a little bit of the life of Ernie
Bisquets with Dru and her readers. If you get a chance, stop by her blog and see what's new.
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