The Kingdom of Bones: A Novel [Hardcover]

Stephen Gallagher (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 25, 2007

In the twilight of the Gilded Age, a man accused of gruesome murders struggles to clear his name—and save his soul.

The Kingdom of Bones is the haunting story of Tom Sayers, a former boxing champion who is wrongly accused of a series of grisly murders. As Sayers struggles for justice, he also must battle for the heart and soul of a theater troupe’s leading lady, and to uncover the truth behind a legend as old as evil itself. 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, this brilliantly macabre mystery is a modern psychological thriller.

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

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's 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.

Questions for Stephen Gallagher

Jeff VanderMeer for Amazon.com: Could you describe your surroundings as you answer these questions?

Gallagher: I'm in my study with a bare wood floor and a beamed ceiling that goes all the way up to the roofline. The lighting comes from a rack of spotlights on one of the beams. There are two desks back-to-back with a flatscreen monitor on each and a swivel chair so that I can spin from one to the other in your basic Evil Genius world domination setup. The house is a rural Victorian cottage about half an hour's drive from Lancaster, England, and until ten years ago this room was just space above the garage. Back then I rented an office in town, but it made more sense to spend the money creating a dedicated workspace while putting the house back to its period look.

Amazon.com: What provided the spark for The Kingdom of Bones?

Gallagher: Writing a short story called "Old, Red Shoes" for a Ripper-themed collection edited by Gardner Dozois. It was a contemporary tale but the work involved visiting all the Whitechapel locations and researching the period, and I came out hooked. Not so much on the Ripper stuff as on that whole rich and epic environment. I saw the prospect of attempting something utterly real and historically accurate, but with a genuine operatic sweep.

Amazon.com: I assume there was some research involved. Can you share a few interesting details that didn't make it into the novel?

Gallagher: It was fascinating to sort through Bram Stoker's working papers for Dracula in Philadelphia's Rosenbach museum and get a sense of another writer's process. The way he sketched out rough structures for each chapter and set a wordage target for each, striking each one out with a single pencil stroke when the chapter was done. Sudden flashes of insight scribbled on hotel stationery. None of this makes any direct appearance in The Kingdom of Bones, but it helped me get a real sense of Stoker's presence. As you probably know, he was Henry Irving's right-hand man and stood right at the heart of the theatrical and social scenes of the day. But no contemporary portrayal ever quite seems to nail him.

Amazon.com: Besides making sure the historical detail didn't overwhelm the story, what was the biggest writing challenge for you with this novel?

Gallagher: There were so many strands that it allowed me to pull together. The biggest challenge was in making them all work to a single end. I wanted to capture some of the energy of the old dime novels and story papers but also to be able to say something meaningful about love, death and obsession along the way. However you think I did, give me some credit for aiming high. There's no reason why popular fiction should be devoid of theme, and no reason why serious art shouldn't entertain.

Amazon.com: Do you have a favorite scene in The Kingdom of Bones?

Gallagher: That would have to be the scene where Tom Sayers climbs up into the ironwork of a railway bridge to take shelter and to hide from his pursuers on the day of his arrest. He's got nothing but the clothes he's wearing and the coat he just stole from a beerhouse, and no money for food other than some pennies he found in the coat's pocket. Steam trains are thundering over his head, and smoke and sparks are falling around him like fairy rain. It's the first time he's been able to stop and draw breath. He's been falsely accused, beaten by the police, and faces a hanging if they catch him. But all he can think about is the safety of the woman he loves. That's despite the fact that she doesn't love him back, and almost certainly never will. I suppose it's my favorite scene because it's one of those moments where we can see fate being determined by character.

Amazon.com: What has reader reaction been like to the book?

Gallagher: Unbelievable. I mean, genuinely. Complete strangers have been tracking me down just to tell me how they feel about it. It's only been out a few weeks and it's drawn the biggest reader reaction of anything I've ever done. People are doubling up copies to give them as Christmas presents. Which I'm entirely in favor of.

Amazon.com: What are you currently working on?

Gallagher: Another big period story. It's not a sequel, but a standalone novel of similar character. Some of the same people play a part, but you see them at a very different time and place in their lives. What I do next may depend on the progress of the WGA strike. The format rights of my last UK series have been picked up by Jerry Bruckheimer and that's opened some doors into American TV, but everything's on hold until the issues are resolved. But earlier this year I roughed out the key story points for a third book in The Kingdom of Bones vein, so there's no danger of me standing idle.

From Publishers Weekly

Set mainly in late 19th-century England, Gallagher's ingenious horror thriller revolves around the extraordinary life—and death—of Tom Sayers, a real-life bare-knuckle fighter who, after retiring, briefly traveled the country staging reenactments of his most memorable bouts. While working as a manager for a touring theatrical company, Sayers falls in love with the troupe's leading lady, 22-year-old Louise Porter, who unfortunately doesn't share his feelings. Sayers also becomes the prime suspect in a series of mutilation murders and, while barely evading arrest, embarks on a quest to save Porter, who's become hopelessly entangled in an all-too-real occult legend. Bram Stoker and Aleister Crowley play minor roles. Combining the meticulous historical detail of Caleb Carr's The Alienist with gothic mysticism and Christian mythology, Gallagher (The Painted Bride) delivers a nicely macabre blend of fact and fiction. (Oct.)
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Product Details

• Hardcover: 384 pages
• Publisher: Crown; First Edition edition (September 25, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 030738280X
• ISBN-13: 978-0307382801
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 5.9 x 1.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,271,140 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Novelist, screenwriter and director, born in Salford, Lancashire and specialising in contemporary suspense.

STEPHEN GALLAGHER was described by The Independent as "the finest British writer of bestselling popular fiction since le Carré ... Gallagher, like le Carré, is a novelist whose themes seem to reflect something of the essence of our times, and a novelist whose skill lies in embedding those themes in accessible plots." According to Arena magazine, "Gallagher has quietly become Britain's finest popular novelist, working a dark seam between horror and the psychological thriller."

The Daily Telegraph wrote, "Since Valley of Lights, he has been refining his own brand of psycho-thriller, with a discomforting knack of charting mental disintegration and a razor-sharp sense of place." Charles de Lint wrote in Mystery Scene magazine, "Gallagher is a master of abnormal psychology and he just gets better and better." Also in Mystery Scene David Mathew added, "never a writer to rest on his laurels, he has written good hard thrillers, some horror genre work (such as Valley of Lights), and a novel (Oktober) that might even qualify as a vague distortion of contemporary world fantasy... in places. You might go as far as to employ that overused phrase sui generis. He is, at any rate, one of the best writers of his generation."

Winner of British Fantasy and International Horror Guild awards, Stephen Gallagher's screen work began with Doctor Who and includes miniseries adaptations of his novels Chimera and Oktober, which he also directed. He created and wrote for both the British and American versions of Eleventh Hour, which starred Patrick Stewart in the UK and Rufus Sewell in Jerry Bruckheimer's CBS remake. His most recent novel is The Kingdom of Bones and his next will be The Suicide Hour, both from Random House.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A depth not often found in thrillers, October 30, 2007

By 

Bookreporter (New York, New York) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Kingdom of Bones: A Novel (Hardcover)

Love can be the most wondrous force in our lives, or the mechanism of our worst nightmare. Regrettably, we can't choose who we love, even when the object of our desire might be the cause of our ultimate destruction. Spanning nearly two decades, from the late 1800s to the early 1900s, THE KINGDOM OF BONES tells the story of how one man's obsession changed a multitude of lives.

Tom Sayers, a once-great prizefighter, has hopelessly lost his heart to Louise Porter, an actress in the theater troupe with which he now travels. Beautiful, sweet Louise. But her affections lie elsewhere. Despite Tom's gentle wooing, Louise thinks of him as merely a friend. Before Tom has much of a chance to try to win her over, an anonymous informant tips off the London authorities about a series of murders ranging across England in towns the troupe has played. The anonymous tipster points the finger squarely at Tom Sayers.

Tom's protests of innocence fall on deaf ears, and he is forced to flee for his life. Someone has set him up well, and he thinks he knows who that someone is. He may not have had much before, but now he has nothing, not even his good name. If he is ever again to find an ounce of happiness, he must stop the killer. It is a huge task he has set for himself, but his very life depends on his success. Somehow, he manages to survive, despite the unwavering attentions of Sebastian Becker, the resolute policeman intent on collaring the man he believes to be a serial killer.

Becker is as determined to catch Tom as Tom is determined to find Louise. Across continents, seas and years, the chase continues. Louise has made herself as diaphanous as the costumes she once wore. Hers is not an easy trail to follow, but difficulty never stopped him before. Besides, what else has Tom to live for now?

Louise has told Tom she can never love him. It is not in her heart to do so. She has given her love to another, a man who trifled with her and robbed her of her soul, she now has come to believe. Despite her declaration of love for that man, Tom Sayers pursues Louise with near-superhuman resolve. At the very least, he wants to restore her faith in herself. At best, he hopes to win her love. It is a dangerous game he is playing, for the actors aren't what they seem and the man shadowing him has much to make up for.

Stepping up to help him is an old acquaintance, Bram Stoker, who knows Tom from the theater. He believes unwaveringly in Tom's innocence as he always felt him to be a forthright and honorable man. Stoker's help proves invaluable.

Beautifully written and tenderly portrayed with a depth not often found in thrillers, THE KINGDOM OF BONES melds history and mystery for a spectacular result.

--- Reviewed by Kate Ayers

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars "Your business is yours. I can see that this is dark country.", October 28, 2007

By 

Luan Gaines "luansos" (Dana Point, CA USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Kingdom of Bones: A Novel (Hardcover)

Adding the name Bram Stoker to any late 19th-early-20th century novel introduces an element of otherworldliness in a fascinating tale that winds through England's theatrical world and society's dark dens where purveyors of sin sell their wares. Begun with the chase of an assumed murderer who leaves a trail of death that follows a particular theatrical group, Detective Inspector Sebastian Becker is certain of the culprit, stage manager Tom Sayers, a former boxer with some success in the ring and on the stage. The evidence appears incontrovertible, Sayers the obvious villain as Becker peruses the theater advertisements that perfectly coincide with the dates of the murders.

Sayers is in custody but manages to escape, thanks to the petty bullying of the officers who release Tom for a bare-fisted match. Now the suspect is on the run, Becker determined to recapture his prey. From Tom Sayers' point of view, the problem is not so simple: he knows he is innocent, can suggest the identity of the real killer, but nothing matters once Sayers' name is posted all over England. Turning to the only man who may give him the benefit of the doubt, Sayers approaches Bram Stoker, who is managing a more successful theater company. A man of diverse interests and appetites, Stoker introduces Sayers to a world beyond reason, beyond the obvious, a world where souls enter a godless bargain.

To further complicate his escape, Sayers is obsessed with the well-being of a beautiful young singer-actress to whom he is devoted, Louise Porter. Even with the possibility of eluding the authorities, Sayers cannot turn his back on the innocent Louise, returning to the theater company in hopes of protecting her. Over the course of the next few years, Tom follows the object of his unreciprocated affections, counseled by Stoker as the two men seek a resolution to Sayers' dilemma. Tom remains a wanted man, although the trail has long grown cold; Sebastian is as resolute as his quarry, following from England to Philadelphia to the old south.

Balancing the actions of three pivotal men, Becker, Sayers and Stoker, and the female at the heart of their quest, Gallagher has created an intelligent, challenging novel that explores one man's ungovernable passion and the true nature of evil. As realistic as the abattoirs where the victims are discovered, the shadowy world of theaters, carnies and con men, Sebastian injects the logic of police work, while Stoker suggests darker forces, Sayers single-minded in his pursuit of redemption. One man's good intentions are powerless against a pervasive evil; yet good men agree that the battle must be waged, that good can never acquiesce in the face of attack. Wonderful and frightening characters inhabit this novel, caught in a century in flux, where the truly dangerous slip with ease through an unsuspecting crowd. Luan Gaines/2007.

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Haunting and very strange, October 14, 2007

By 

David W. Nicholas (Van Nuys, CA USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Kingdom of Bones: A Novel (Hardcover)

This is one of the strangest books I've read in a long time. Tom Sayers, an English boxer from the late 19th Century, is suspected of killing a Scotland Yard Inspector, and pursued by that man's protege, another Scotland Yard detective. Fifteen years later, in American now, the Scotland Yard man is now retired, working for the Pinkertons, and on his day off he comes across the boxer, and demands answers from him. The book is constructed as a giant flashback for the first half, then a long sequel that takes place during the early 20th Century.

The central thrust of the plot is that the main character, Sayers, is in love with a woman who in turn likes him but doesn't love him. Sayers works as the manager of a traveling theater troop; the woman he's in love with is an actress who works in it. She's in turn in love with one of her fellow actors, who's evil and endlessly blase about everything around him. As the book progresses, it becomes apparent that the evil, such as it is, isn't entirely worldly, though what it consists of is never entirely clear. Sayers pursues that evil, however, to America and finally to an ending that's poetic, if a bit enigmatic.

I enjoyed this book, though I must say the ending was (as I said above) puzzling to say the least. The writing is intelligent and the setting well-described. I would recommend the book to those interested in period mysteries and/or horror novels.