Gerald Kersh places his story in bohemian London, peoples it with artists and criminals and dresses it in the mystery genre, but his real concern is to find the hungry beast that lurks within every person. First published in 1947, in the aftermath of the Second World War, the author is driven by his fury at the atrocities committed by Nazi Germany, reflected here in the rape and murder of a child as the conflict looms. Prelude To A Certain Midnight is classic Kersh, full of outrage and cutting satire, but with enough punch to leave you with a bloodied mouth.
London Books, 9780956815545
Hardback 240pp