THE STRANGE AFFAIR OF SPRING HEELED JACK Burton & Swinburne, Book 1

Spring Heeled Jack is a violent and mysterious creature who preys upon women and is known for giant leaps. Hodder takes this Victorian legend and turns it sideways in his steampunk look at Victorian England. Narrator Gerard Doyle's range is obvious with the broad cast of historical characters who are thrown together, beginning with the well-known explorer Burton and his sidekick, Swinburne, who is an unsuccessful poet with a strong appetite for brandy and pain in the tradition of the Marquis de Sade. The duo tracks Jack, whose leaps through time cause visible (and audible) deterioration in his abilities and countenance. Doyle proficiently portrays the mayhem and terror that Jack inspires. J.E.M. © AudioFile 2013, Portland, Maine [Published: OCTOBER 2013]