Miranda Carter Knihy

In the years leading up to the First World War, three cousins—George V of Britain, Wilhelm II of Germany, and Nicholas II of Russia—ruled their respective empires, presiding over the last vestiges of dynastic Europe. Their reign coincided with the onset of the most destructive war in history, which would transform Europe into a landscape of violence. Miranda Carter draws on their correspondence and various historical sources to depict a world that was often out of touch with the realities of its time, struggling to maintain control as history unfolded around them. The narrative presents a vivid, sometimes humorous portrait of these three men: the damaged and egotistical Wilhelm, the quiet and stubborn Nicholas, and the anxious, dutiful George. It also features nuanced portrayals of other notable figures, including Queen Victoria, whose conservative legacy cast a long shadow, and Edward VII, whose unexpected diplomatic skills belied his playboy persona. Interwoven with their personal stories is a gripping account of the events leading to World War One, illustrating the interplay between personal relationships and political turmoil. Ultimately, the war shattered their familial bonds, culminating in a tragic finale marked by murder, betrayal, and abdication.

"Anthony Blunt: His Lives reveals the man behind the myths and rumours: aesthete, communist, homosexual, spy. As Surveyor of the Queen's Pictures and Director of the Courtauld Institute, Blunt's position as a stellar member of the Establishment had seemed utterly assured. But, in 1979, Margaret Thatcher exposed him as a former Soviet spy, and Blunt was stripped of his knighthood and became a figure of universal opprobrium."--BOOK JACKET.

It's 1841, and three years after we left them at the close of The Strangler Vine, Blake and Avery are reunited in very different circumstances in London. There has been a series of dreadful murders in the slums of the printing district, which the police mysteriously refuse to investigate, and Blake and Avery must find the culprit before he kills again.