The Blood Promise: A Hugo Marston Novel

The Blood Promise: A Hugo Marston Novel

Hugo Marston must figure out what lies hidden inside an old sailor's chest before a 200-year-old blood promise is revealed and claims another life. In post-Revolution Paris, an old man signs a letter in blood, then hides it in a secret compartment in a sailor's chest. A messenger arrives to transport the chest and its hidden contents, but then the plague strikes and an untimely death changes history. Two hundred years later, Hugo Marston is safeguarding an unpredictable but popular senator who is in Paris negotiating a France/U.S. dispute. The talks, held at a country chateau, collapse when the senator accuses someone of breaking into his room. Theft becomes the least of Hugo's concerns when someone discovers a sailor's chest and the secrets hidden within, and decides that the power and money they promise are worth killing for. But when the darkness of history is unleashed, even the most ruthless and cunning are powerless to control it. Praise for The Blood Promise : “Mark Pryor is one of the smartest new writers on the block. His new novel is a doozy.” — Philip Kerr , author of A Man Without Breath , a Bernie Gunther novel "Pryor seems to have hit his stride in this series, as he adroitly juxtaposes the light banter between Marston and Green with some scenes of intense emotion.... And, all the while, the suspense ramps up. Top-notch mystery in a skillfully delineated Parisian setting." — Booklist Praise for previous Hugo Marston novels: "[I]n Pryor’s propulsive second novel starring affable former FBI profiler Hugo Marston…. The engaging characters sweep readers into a suspenseful chase from Pigalle to the Pyrenées." — Publishers Weekly “ The Crypt Thief is an eerily good read. Mark Pryor has crafted another chilling, complex, and compelling story. Don’t start it if you need a good night’s sleep!” — Allison Leotta , author of Speak of the Devil “A complex puzzle, genuine suspense, and a compelling protagonist—what more can any reader ask for? Oh yeah, a great location: Paris. I’m sold.” — Michael Robotham , author of Say You’re Sorry "Pryor's steady and engrossing debut combines Sherlockian puzzle solving with Eric Ambler–like spy intrigue. With a cast of characters you want to know better. . . ." —Library Journal Starred Review and Debut of the Month! "A tale of a city that's gritty, utterly real and filled with surprises both horrifying and tender. Much like a baguette, this fabulous story is crusty on the outside, sweet on the inside, and once you've had a bit, you can't wait for more." —Oprah.com "Enough intrigue to satisfy every reader…. A fantastic debut!" — RT Book Reviews "The Hugo Marston series now belongs on every espionage fan’s watch list." — Booklist Mark Pryor (Austin, TX) is the author of The Bookseller and The Crypt Thief, the first two Hugo Marston novels, and the true-crime book As She Lay Sleeping. An assistant district attorney with the Travis County District Attorney’s Office, in Austin, Texas, he is the creator of the true-crime blog DAConfidential. He has appeared on CBS News’s 48 Hours and Discovery Channel’s Discovery ID: Cold Blood. Visit him online at www.markpryorbooks.com, www.facebook.com/pages/Mark-Pryor-Author, and http://DAConfidential.com. THE BLOOD PROMISE A Hugo Marston Novel By MARK PRYOR Prometheus Books Copyright © 2014 Mark Pryor All rights reserved. ISBN: 978-1-61614-815-7 CHAPTER 1 PARIS, 1795 The man moved from the upstairs window to his desk near the fire.He sat slowly; the damp and cold that had saturated Paris for twoweeks had stiffened his back and legs, all the more irritating because it wassupposed to be summer. The fire in the grate hadn't made a dent in the chilljust yet, but its crackle and spit were good comfort, and soon the flameswould roast the stone of the fireplace to warm up the room—and him. Once seated, Albert Pichon smoothed a hand across the blankpage in front of him and picked up the quill that his new domestique ,Laurence, had prepared. He grunted with satisfaction when he saw thatthe young man had obtained, without having to be told, a feather fromthe left wing of the goose; Pichon had many eccentricities, and this wasone, but if pressed he would insist that the curve of this shaft fit hishand better than a right-winged feather did. And if he was willing topay a little more for the left wing, wasn't he entitled to his quirk? This letter, however, was no mere whim. It was perhaps the mostimportant thing he'd ever written. In fact, he wasn't unnecessarilyscaring himself by thinking that more than life depended on it. Theman who would receive his communiqué, along with the small boxthat would accompany it, was one of the most influential men in themodern world—and gaining influence by the day. Out of habit, Pichon reached for the small knife that lived in hiswaistcoat pocket, opened it with some trouble, and grazed the bladeacross the quill's tip, perfecting the arrow-point and checkin