The streets of 1887 Edinburgh seethe with youthful anarchy as two rival gangs of students, Scarlet Runners and White Devils, try to outdo each other in wild exploits. After a pitched battle between them, an old woman is found savagely battered to death in Leith Harbour. Enter Inspector James McLevy, a little more grizzled, but unchanging in his fierce desire to mete out justice. As the inspector delves further he meets up with one Robert Louis Stevenson, author of *Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde*, in the city to bury his recently deceased father.

**

### Review

'McLevy is one of the great psychological creations and Ashton is the direct heir to Robert Louis Stevenson' - Brian Cox, star of the BBC radio 4 McLevy play 'David Ashton's writing is excellent, his characters thoroughly convincing, and his narrative grabs you ... and doesn't let you go' - The Sherlock Holmes Society of London 'An intriguing Victorian detective story ... elegant and convincing' - The Times 'An accomplished murder mystery which effortlessly paints a vivid picture of the dark and often savage streets of Edinburgh in 1887' - Scottish Field 'an accomplished murder mystery which effortlessly paints a vivid picture of the dark and often savage streets of Edinburgh in 1887' - Scottish Field 'It's really good, in fact I think the best McLevy yet. Not just the story, and the splendid characters, nor just the portraits of rain-sodden Victoria Leith, but the actual imagery of the text - every page, every sentence bears your own imaginative stamp' - Timothy West

### About the Author

**David Ashton** is a Scottish actor and writer. He appeared in the film *The Last King of Scotland* and the radio show *The Old Ladies at the Zoo*, which won the *Radio Times *Drama Award. He has written episodes for several television series, including *EastEnders *and *Casualty*, and he is the creator of the BBC Radio 4 series *McLevy*. His books based on that series include *Fall from Grace*, *The Shadow of the Serpent*, and *A Trick of the Light*.