The world has rejoiced in the dramatic return of Sherlock Holmes from the Reichenbach falls – but who would mourn Moriarty? Who, indeed, ever gave his presumed death a second thought? Until the discovery some years ago of three bulky leather-bound volumes.
Now, using the hitherto unknown journals of the Napoleon of Crime himself, John Gardner tells the unfinished tale of Moriarty. The evil genius returns from exile and, within the mysterious depths of the Victorian underworld, works to bring his treacherous allies to heel. Superintendent Crow’s suspicions are raised – but perhaps too late. For he too has been marked down for an ingenious and subtle revenge – revenge that will place Moriarty at the pinnacle of criminal power…

Saturday Night and Sunday Morning is a raw, aggressive novel that is unapologetic in its presentation of ‘real’ life. Its opening demonstrates how the protagonist, Arthur Seaton, could teach contemporary binge-drinkers and ASBO-holders a thing or two: ‘With eleven pints of beer and seven small gins playing hide-and-seek inside his stomach, he fell from the topmost stair to the bottom’. He then drinks another pint and then vomits in someone’s face before fighting his way out. Arthur works at a lathe in a bicycle factory, making just enough money to drink his way through the weekend. He fishes, fights, sleeps with other worker’s wives, goes to the pictures, drinks, works. He has no ambition to speak of other than to look after himself. He hates anyone with any pompous authority, and only looks out for himself and, at a push, his family.

Westward Ho! is one of the works of Kingsley’s mid-thirties, and was published in 1855 and was his second historical novel (after Hypatia (1853)). It was inspired by a period of increased patriotism, and is set appropriately for those sentiments in the time of Elizabeth I. Its setting is largely the North Devon port of Bideford Quay from where various adventures to America and against the Spanish take place. Its hero is Amyas Leigh who, after a rebellious childhood, leaves with Captain Francis Drake across the seas for a some time. One of the main storylines concerns Rose Salterne, who every young man in Bideford wishes to marry, as Amyas finds out when he returns. Amyas captures a Spaniard in Ireland but the man escapes with Rose and the English spend much of the novel chasing Rose in a ship named after her to little success. Later adventures include a voyage to the Caribbean where Amyas and others seek gold and meet a Spanish girl called Ayacanora. The summer of 1588 brings the Spanish Armada and a final journey for Amyas takes place and through certain difficulties he finds his true love somewhat unexpectedly.