ALEX SCARROW – THE CANDLE MAN

A VICTORIAN , GRUESOME THRILLER.

IT STARTS ABOARD THE TITANIC, 1912, IT IS STARTING TO TAKE ON WATER AFTER HITTING THE ICEBERG.  A LADY IN A WHEELCHAIR IS PUSHED INTO THE DINING ROOM AS THE STEWARD WAITS FOR THE LIFEBOATS TO BECOME AVAILABLE.  IN THERE SHE FINDS AN ELDERLY GENTLEMAN.  HE HAS A STORY TO TELL, HE KNOWS HE WON’T GET ON A LIFEBOAT,  IT IS WOMEN & CHILDREN FIRST.

HIS TALE TAKES PLACE IN WHITECHAPEL IN 1888  A MAN IS PAID BY SOME POWERFUL PEOPLE TO MURDER A WOMAN AND HER CHILD.  UNABLE TO DO THE DEED ON THE CHILD HE THEN EMPLOYS TWO OF HIS WHORES.  HE FINDS A LOCKET ON THE WOMAN WITH A PICTURE OF HERSELF, HER CHILD AND A MAN WHICH HE TAKES, SENSING THAT THIS MAN IN THE PICTURE IS VERY IMPORTANT AND POSSIBLE BLACKMAIL MONEY IN THE OFFING.  THE PEOPLE WHO PAID THEM TO DO THE ‘JOB’ CANNOT LEAVE ANY LOOSE ENDS SO THEY ARRANGE FOR A HITMAN FROM AMERICA TO COME & TAKE CARE OF THEM AND SO STARTS THE RUMOUR OF JACK THE RIPPER.

  IN ANOTHER PART OF WHITECHAPEL PROSTITUTE MARY KELLY FINDS A NEARLY DEAD MAN LYING IN THE GUTTER.  HE HAS A SATCHEL WITH A VAST AMOUNT OF MONEY IN IT, SHE TAKES THIS AND FLEES.  THE MAN WAKES IN HOSPITAL WITH NO MEMORY OF WHO HE IS OR HOW HE GOT THERE.  MARY DISCOVERS HIS WHERE ABOUTS AND HIS CONDITION AND FINDS HERSELF INVENTING A LIFE FOR THEM, WITH THOUGHTS OF A POSSIBLY HAPPY FUTURE FOR THEMSELVES, AFTER ALL THIS RICH AMERICAN MAY HAVE MORE WEALTH BACK HOME SHE CAN TAP INTO. 

IT IS A TALE WHICH INVOLVES THE DISCRETION OF YOUNG PRINCE ALBERT, HIS MISTRESS AND CHILD, AND MURDERED PROSTITUTES.  CONSPIRACY THEORY AROUND JACK THE RIPPER MURDERS AND TITANIC (BEAR IN MIND THE TITANIC IS VIRTUALLY NON EXISTANT EXCEPT FOR THE BEGINNING COUPLE OF PAGES AND THE END).  BEWARE, SOME OF THE MURDERS ARE QUITE GRAPHIC AND BRUTAL

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