The Red Ribbon: An utterly thrilling spy novel for fans of Sherlock Holmes, with twists you won't see coming

by H.B. Lyle

Overview

The thrilling follow up to The Irregular: A Different Class of Spy, featuring Wiggins - an ex-soldier who was trained as a child by Sherlock Holmes.

Praise for The Irregular

'H.B. Lyle has found the golden thread between Bond and Holmes' Giles Foden, author of The Last King of Scotland

'Impressive period detail and sharp dialogue add charm to the strong plot' Daily Mail

'A thrilling story of espionage, murder and the creation of the Secret Service' Charles Cumming, author of A Colder War

Now an agent of the newly-formed Secret Service, Wiggins is still determined to track down Peter the Painter, the murderer of his friend Bill. Meanwhile Captain Kell is under pressure to identify who is leaking vital information from the government and his wife Constance is getting dangerously close to the more militant faction of suffragettes.

When Wiggins traces one of the old Baker Street Irregulars gang to a mysterious club in Belgravia, the action follows thick and fast in another brilliantly compelling novel of betrayal and suspense.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781473655461
Publisher:	Hodder
Publication date:	08/23/2018
Series:	The Irregular
Sold by:	Hachette Digital, Inc.
Format:	eBook
Sales rank:	584,102
File size:	1 MB

About the Author

H.B. Lyle lives in South London with his partner and their twin daughters. After a career in
feature film development, he took an MA in creative writing, followed by a PhD, at the University of
East Anglia, an experience which led to the creation of The Irregular. He also writes screenplays
and teaches undergraduates.

Editorial Reviews

"Entertaining...scenes between the irrepressible but infallible Wiggins and Constance, who shares his remarkable gift for detection, are clever and witty. Readers will hope to see plenty more of Wiggins."
—Publishers Weekly

"The Red Ribbon is a spy novel, a mystery, a study of social change, and an examination of personal relationships...Lyle demonstrates that a thoroughly entertaining story can also subtly encourage reflection on larger themes."
—New York Journal of Books

"A thriller that harkens back to England in the days before the Great War...An engrossing story that leaves time for a sequel or two before war breaks out."
—Kirkus Reviews

"A good espionage adventure which reminds us that Edwardian England was not a golden age of peace and harmony."
—Historical Novel Society

"A smorgasbord of Edwardian vignettes."
—Don Crinklaw, Booklist

H.B. Lyle has a knack for historical accuracy...the tumultuous times roil with competing societal forces. The working class (some just one generation away from dire poverty), the emerging middle class, and the ruling classes, long accustomed to the corridors of power, all vie for their slice of the pie. Lyle melds mystery and history with a delicate touch: readers will look forward to Kell and Wiggins next adventure."
—Criminal Element

Praise for The Irregular


"With so many books set in the wide world of Sherlock Holmes, it is difficult to come up with a new story that is both original and compelling, but H.B. Lyle has managed it beautifully with The Irregular."
—Otto Penzler, ed., The Big Book of Sherlock Holmes Stories

"An inventive espionage thriller set before World War I...A twist-filled adventure that proves far from elementary."
—Tom Nolan, The Wall Street Journal


"A thrilling story of espionage, murder, and the creation of the Secret Service."—Charles Cumming, author of A Divided Spy


"A fine first entry in what promises to be a great new series. Wiggins is a captivating hero, and Lyle draws his Edwardian backstreets in convincing color. The game is most definitely afoot."—Mick Herron, author of the Slough House series


"A flavorsome smorgasbord that features not only Holmes but also Winston Churchill, this is irresistible stuff."—Barry Forshaw, The Guardian

"H.B. Lyle has found the golden thread between Holmes and Bond in a thriller that engages on every page."
—Giles Foden, author, The Last King of Scotland


"Fans of Arthur Conan Doyle's stories will remember young Wiggins as the leader of the Baker Street Irregulars . . . Though Lyle's debut novel is certainly an homage, it's not a flat-footed imitation but a crisp, stylish spinoff."—Kirkus Reviews


"I think H.B. Lyle is probably our most talented historical mystery writer today. An author who writes like a veteran but instead brings a fresh new perspective."—Andrew Gulli, Strand Magazine

"It is hard to generate something new in such an avalanche of well-worn tropes, but H.B. Lyle has managed to do that quite cleverly in The Irregular."—Crime Time


"A fast-moving, hugely enjoyable story with interesting characters and authentic background . . . It is the first of a series, and I look forward to the sequels."—Historical Novel Society

From the Publisher