Johannes Cabal the Detective

Jonathan L. Howard

Jul 2010 · Johannes Cabal Novels Book 2 · Sold by Anchor

About this ebook

Johannes Cabal returns in this fearfully funny and terrifically twisted tale of murder and international intrigue . . . five thousand feet off the ground.
 
When an attempt to steal a rare book turns sour, Johannes Cabal, a necromancer of some little infamy, finds himself in a foreign prison awaiting execution. A crafty plan -- as horrific as it is cunning -- allows him to steal the identity of a government official and make his escape aboard a luxurious aeroship heading out of the country. But what should be a perfect getaway rapidly becomes complicated by the bizarre disappearance of a passenger, an attempt on Cabal's life, and an unwelcome face from the past. Trapped aboard with a killer, can even Cabal's open-razor of a mind save him?
 
Full of twists, turns, sword fights, archenemies, newfangled flying machines, narrow escapes, and, of course, resurrected dead, Johannes Cabal’s latest eldritch escapade is a Ruritanian romp from first to last.

Ratings and reviews

I have to say, I was disappointed by this second book about Johannes Cabal. The first book had fantastical stuff on nearly every page to enjoy. But in this book, the dark arts are second nature to the story. And yes, I realize the title of the book includes the word 'detective', I just didn't think Cabal's sleuthing qualities should overshadow his near-supernatural abilities with chemicals and corpses. Even so, it proved a fun read.

An excellent follow up the first novel and previous short stories, though it's OKAY if you haven't read them. Really! You'll be fine. If you're not into day trips to Hell for tea with Satan, this the perfect way to jump into Cabal's world and take a look around. Nothing too scary (even if the idea of an entomopter scares me personally - seriously... ... no) but great overall imagery. And Jon manages to keep the mystery going until the second to the last chapter.

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About the author

Jonathan L. Howard is a game designer who notably co-scripted the first three Broken Sword adventure games. He is the author of the novel Johannes Cabal the Necromancer. He lives near Bristol, England, with his wife and daughter.