Dr. Emeryk Quintillus.
Alive or dead, he is my favourite. Of all the villains I have created over the years, he is the one that has stayed with me the longest and in the most vivid of ways. I have dreamt about him, almost seen him out of the corner of my eye on scary occasions and, when I have been writing about him, he has haunted both my waking and sleeping hours. So when it came to penning the last in the trilogy that began with Wrath of the Ancients, the task was bittersweet for sure.
But it wasn't meant to be like this.
There was never supposed to be a trilogy. Wrath of the Ancients was written as a standalone novel. It was the original publisher that demanded a series of at least three books, and, as a result, the Nemesis of the Gods trilogy was born.
Fast forward some nine years later and here I am again. Bidding him farewell in this latest incarnation of Damned by the Ancients. A cat and a child feature prominently here. The cat, though, is no pussycat. Just thought I would warn you in case you are tempted to pick her up.
Is this really Quintillus's swansong? I couldn't possibly say.
I shall leave that for the gods to decide...
Dare to defy the gods and you will pay the price…
Vienna, 1908 – Quintillus, brings Gabriele Ziegler to the studio of Gustav Klimt. The artist will paint the troubled girl as Cleopatra, with whom Quintillus is infatuated, but the painting is cursed and the girl is possessed by the spirit of Cleopatra’s long-dead sister, the vengeful Arsinoe.
Now Arsinoe and Quintillus begin their unholy alliance.
Vienna 2018 – nine-year-old Heidi Mortimer can see things others cannot. Her almost cat-like vision enables her to see the mysterious man in the basement. He asks for her help but her parents will not believe her. Yet in the basement, Quintillus is trapped, but not for long. He knows the little girl will help him.
Whatever the cost.
“Gothic historical settings that grab you and hurl you back to the past.” Book Nook Retreat
You can find Damned by the Ancients here:
and other online and high street retailers
.jpg)
