Redwulf's Curse: A Tom Marlowe Adventure

Tom Marlowe Adventures #3

by Chris Priestley

This exciting murder mystery, set in the eighteenth-century, delves into the Anglo-Saxon past.

Tom and Dr Harker’s latest adventure takes them outside London to visit a friend, Mr Gibbs, in Norfolk who has recently unearthed fabulous Anglo-Saxon treasures from an archaeological excavation. They are believed to have belonged to the East-Anglian king, Raedwulf. Local legend tells of a ghostly guardian of the king’s tomb and a curse against anyone who threatens it.

When not one but two murders occur in the Gibbs’ household, it is hard to dismiss the legend. As the atmosphere of hostility increases, Tom and Harker investigate. Discovering in fact that Gibbs’ wife is behind the attacks seems to explain what’s been happening. But then Tom sees a figure in the mist.

176 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2005

About the author

His father was in the army and so he moved around a lot as a child and lived in Wales. He was an avid reader of American comics as a child, and when he was eight or nine, and living in Gibraltar, he won a prize in a newspaper story-writing competition. He decided then “that my ambition was to write and illustrate my own book”.
He spent his teens in Newcastle-upon-Tyne, before moving to Manchester, London and then Norfolk. He now lives in Cambridge with his wife and son where he writes, draws, paints, dreams and doodles (not necessarily in that order). Chris worked as an illustrator and cartoonist for twenty years, working mainly for magazines & newspapers (these include The Times, The Guardian, The Independent, The Economist and the Wall Street Journal) before becoming a writer. He currently has a weekly strip cartoon called 'Payne's Grey' in the New Statesman.

Chris has been a published author since 2000. He has written several books for children & young-adults, both fiction and non-fiction, and
has been nominated for many awards including the Edgar Awards, the UKLA Children's Book Award and the Carnegie Medal. In recent years he has predominantly been writing horror.
Ever since he was a teenager Chris has loved unsettling and creepy stories, with fond memories of buying comics like 'Strange Tales' and 'House of Mystery', watching classic BBC TV adaptations of M R James ghost stories every Christmas and reading assorted weirdness by everyone from Edgar Allen Poe to Ray Bradbury. He hopes Uncle Montague's Tales of Terror will haunt his readers in the way those writers have haunted him.

Reviews

[Andrew · Rating 3 out of 5]

So I have now completed the trilogy (not that I am sure if was written to be one or just that is all that has been published so far). I will say now that of the 3 three I think this is the weakest of the three - it didnt grab me as strongly as the other books - maybe because it was not set in London and there is something magical and appealing about stories accurately set in London and even more so when there is a historical leaning to them.
The story still has the same twists and redirections as the other two although I did guess the villain of the piece quiet early on - in fact earlier than either of the two previous books which I think also added to the lower rating. However its still a fun story and the peace and style still makes me want to sit there and read it to the very end (which yes I did) so all in all a great read although for me not as strong as either its two predecessors. Still with Chris Priestley you can never go wrong just some are stronger than others.

[Kahlil Gardner · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thought this book was very mysterious. The fact that Tome and Dr. Harker went all the way to London to find out that Susannah Gibbs, the husband of the wealthy, Mr. Gibbs was behind the murders the whole time.

[Lulu · Rating 3 out of 5]

In the Holmsian style for the young at heart.

[Cheryl · Rating 2 out of 5]

Tom and Dr Harker travel to with wild coast of Norfolk. They meet a friend who is studying the contents of an ancient grave. (Of course) There is a curse on anyone who disturbs the grave which is guarded by Redwolf. I could not get into this story. I have read other Tom Marlowe Adventures and like them. Maybe because it's spring.

[Kell · Rating 4 out of 5]

*REVIEWED FOR PUBLISHER*

This final instalment in the Tom Marlowe Adventure trilogy is every bit as engaging as the previous instalments and has just a touch of Sherlock Holmes’ style with mysterious happenings, a devilish dog and a ghostly figure on the moor. A rip-roaring read from start to finish.

[Lynchan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a really good book, fast-paced and very exciting to read! Though as a fan of mystery genre, I admit that the mystery of the culprit was quite predictable.
I also adore Tom and his close companion, Dr. Harker.

[Catherine · Rating 2 out of 5]

This had the potential to be a very good book but just never quite made it.

[Ninia · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of the few mystery/thriller books that I got hooked up with. Mysteriously fascinating with a wicked twist.