Dark Waters

Preston, 1741. The drowning of drunken publican Antony Egan is no surprise even if it comes as unpleasant shock to coroner Titus Cragg, whose wife is the old man s niece. But he does his duty to the letter, and the inquest s verdict is accidental death.

But Cragg s close friend Luke Fidelis finds evidence to cast doubt on the events leading up to Egan s demise. Soon, suspicions are roused still further when a well-to-do farmer collapses and it appears he was in town on political business. Is there a conspiracy afoot? With the help of Fidelis s scientific ingenuity he sets about bringing the true criminals to light

“This is rollicking stuff. Cragg and Fidelis are an engaging duo.”

An impressive whodunnit - Publishers Weekly

Fascinating Cragg and Fidelis make a terrific detecting duo Blake s knowledge of an eighteenth century backwater just shaking off medieval superstitions is deep and engaging. - Booklist (starred review)

This is rollicking stuff. Cragg and Fidelis are an engaging duo. - Financial Times

Robin Blake is a novelist, art critic and acclaimed biographer of Anthony Van Dyck and George Stubbs. Born and brought up in Preston, he has lived for many years in London.

An accidental death. A conspiracy afoot. A forensic conundrum . . . Preston, 1741. The drowning of drunken publican Antony Egan is no surprise - even if it comes as an unpleasant shock to coroner Titus Cragg, whose wife is the old man's niece. He does his duty to the letter and the inquest's verdict is accidental death. But Cragg's close friend Luke Fidelis finds evidence to cast doubt on the events leading up to Egan's demise. Soon, suspicions are roused still further when a well-to-do farmer collapses and it appears he was in town on political business. Is there a conspiracy afoot? With the help of Fidelis's scientific ingenuity Cragg sets about bringing the true criminals to light . . . Praise for Cragg and Fidelis 'An impressive whodunnit.' Publishers Weekly 'Fascinating . . . Cragg and Fidelis make a terrific detecting duo . . . Blake's knowledge of an eighteenth century backwater just shaking off medieval superstitions is deep and engaging.' Booklist (starred review) 'This is rollicking stuff. Cragg and Fidelis are an engaging duo.' Financial Times

Preston, 1741. The drowning of drunken publican Antony Egan is no surprise even if it comes as unpleasant shock to coroner Titus Cragg, whose wife is the old man s niece. But he does his duty to the letter, and the inquest s verdict is accidental death. But Cragg s close friend Luke Fidelis finds evidence to cast doubt on the events leading up to Egan s demise. Soon, suspicions are roused still further when a well-to-do farmer collapses and it appears he was in town on political business. Is there a conspiracy afoot? With the help of Fidelis s scientific ingenuity he sets about bringing the true criminals to light

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