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Ishmael Jones travels to the Scottish Highlands on a mysterious dual mission in this intriguing, genre-blending mystery. The Organisation has despatched Ishmael and his partner Penny to Coronach House on the shores of Loch Ness where the secretive but highly influential Baphamet Group are holding their annual meeting. The Organisation believes an imposter has infiltrated the Group and they have instructed Ishmael to root him - or her - out. It's not Ishmael's only mission. The first agent sent by the Organisation has been found dead in her room, murdered in a horribly gruesome manner. Ishmael must also discover who killed his fellow agent, Jennifer Rifkin - and why. Dismissive of rumours that the legendary 'Coronach Creature' is behind Jennifer's death, Ishmael sets out to expose the human killer in their midst. But he must act fast - before any more Very Important People are killed.… (more)
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Ishmael was not the Organization's first field agent sent to make sure the meeting at Coronach House on the shores of Loch Ness, Scotland. Jennifer Rifkin was murdered under unusual circumstances. While the Loch Ness monster, 'Nessie', is not among the suspects, could it have been the legendary Coronach creature? Ishmael is accompanied by his kickass partner, Penny Belcourt, so at least he has one person he can trust.
Our hero wastes no time in letting the Baphomet Group and their bodyguards know who the new head of security is. The scene where he gets past the guards is fun for the reader, if not for them. An examination of the corpse shows her condition is even stranger than that of the room she was staying in.
How many more deaths will Coronach House see before Ishmael and Penny solve the case?
Notes:
Chapter 1:
a. Ishmael and Penny discuss Nessie.
b. The Baphomet group is explained.
c. Ishmael and the Colonel recount the infamous history of Coronach House.
d. Had to laugh at the mention of Crow Lee as the Most Evil Man in the World, who stayed at Coronach House in the 1930s. [see Aleister Crowley] Since Ishmael met Crow Lee while he was working for Black Heir, and Crowley died in 1947, it makes sense that we have a homage character.
e. Ishmael tells the legend of the Coronach creature. (it's crueler than the legend of the Monster of Glamis Castle.)
f. Penny wants spy gadgets, but settles for the use of a Rolls-Royce Phantom.
g. Jennifer Rifkin was also ex-Black Heir.
h. Penny brings up the Bilderburg [not Bilderberg] Group and things their members are reputed to be.
i. See From Hell With Love, book four in Mr. Green's Secret Histories series, for the Spawn of Frankenstein and the Droods versus the Immortals. (I have to laugh at Ishmael talking Penny believing in ghosts but balking at the Droods. Since Ishmael Jones' series is in the same universe as the Droods, the ghosts Jones refuses to believe in ARE real.)
Mentions: the Loch Ness monster, Aleister Crowley (homage to), Rolls-Royce Phantom, Lizardoids, Alien Greys, Secret Ascended Masters, Baron Frankenstein, Roswell, the Knights Templar, Alien Infiltration, New World Order, and the Great Satanic Conspiracy
Chapter 2:
a. Ismael explains the Men in Black to the readers.
b. Coronach House's exterior is described, as is Loch Ness.
c. We meet Helen McGregor, the Major Domo of Coronach House.
d. The reception area is described.
e. McGregor explains the problems with the members of the Baphomet Group, also known as the principals.
f. Ishmael and Penny are taken to examine the late Ms. Rifkin's body.
g. Ismael has fought a vampire before.
h. Look here for where Ishmael schools the principals' bodyguards.
i. Only December and November bother to speak to Ishmael.
j. Here is where we learn that the principals insisted every last bit of surveillance equipment be taken down for the duration of the meeting and the house's secret passages were sealed centuries ago.
Mentions: Men in Black and UFO contactees
Chapter 3:
a. There's some more description of the interior of Coronach House.
b. We meet Emily, one of the maids. She flirts and answers questions. (A servant named Laura found Ms. Rifkin.)
c. The sex workers are me t in a private bar in the house.
d. A woman called Scarlett talks to Ishmael. She says she used to be a field agent. Three other sex workers are called 'Lovely Lola,' 'Ranger Rider,' and 'Wanda Whiplash'.
e. Ishmael spots someone he's worked with/against when he and Penny return to the reception area. The man is going by 'Chris Baron' these days.
f. Chris was brought in as head of house security.
g. Ishmael's first job was with MI13 back in the 1960s. He met Chris there. Chris names the case that caused them to leave MI13. He joined the Space Pirates and Ishmael the Demon Runners. (Ishmael didn't stay with the DR for long.) They met up again in the 1970s when they both joined the Beachcombers, the group that replaced by Black Heir. Chris talks about the project that made Ishmael leave.
h. Chris worked for awhile at the Carnacki Institute - the Ghost Finders. (This is another of Mr. Green's series. The first books is Ghost of a Chance. I recommend it.)
i. Chris talks about a rumored connection between the Beachcombers and the Immortals.
j. Penny brings up the Illuminati
Mentions: cat-stroking [James] Bond villains and the Illuminati
a. The Great Hall of Coronach House is described.
b. Ishmael and Penny eat with the McGregor and Chris. They discuss the murder. Chris talks about something the outside guards told him they've seen.
c. A servant named Holroyd brings important news.
d. Dessert is plum duff, as it was in chapter six of book one. If I recall correctly, it was the same in book five.
e. October's room is searched.
f. the investigative reporter among the staff is unmasked and spouts nonsense.
Mentions: 'Stag at Bay' firescreens, Daniel in the lion's [lions'] den, the German Black Forest, the True Believers, Communist
Chapter 5:
a. Ishmael runs for the top floor. Penny catches up. It's a situation. The principals are not happy with it.
b. January, March, and August are briefly described. They and December have reasons they aren't with sex workers.
c. Chris Baron claims he stropped working for the organization because he found out who they really are.
d. See book two, Dead Man Walking, for Frank Parker and Ringstone Lodge.
e. Chris passes on a story about an old family cellar in the house.
f. Penny makes a proclamation about proper old-house mysteries.
g. Ishmael and Penny go to the cellar where they discuss the Coronach creature.
h. Penny is sent to help the Major Domo while Ishmael and Chris talk.
Chapter 6:
a. Ismael thinks about Chris and the shared parts of their past.
b. January and March can't fool Penny.
c. Ishmael brings up Ringstone Lodge.
d. Penny notices something about August and someone else.
f. Irwin the security guard has something to report.
g. We find out how long ago the Baphomet Group formed.
h. Ishmael talks to John Smith, chauffeur through the dining hall door.
i. Scarlett comes to fetch Ishmael and Penny.
j. More of the escorts are named: Georgina, professional tomboy; Maurice, muscle man; and Lady Paine, la Belle Dame Sans Merci.
k. Indiana Jones used that line about the years and the mileage.
Mentions: hell hounds and elves
Chapter 7:
a. Ishmael and Penny discuss a clue about what happened in the cellar.
b. Ishmael and Penny return to Jennifer Rifkin's room.
c. Penny and Ishmael state what they gave each other for Christmas.
d. Chris claims to know something about Ishmael's past that Ishmael doesn't.
Mentions: werewolves, the Jacobite times, Fifty Shades of Grey, a tin of Quality Street [chocolates and toffees], DNA, and a wolfman
Chapter 8:
The book has one last surprise for us.
I enjoy these books. They're short, fun mystery romps. I love the banter. I love the way Ishmael talks to twits who assume they can order him around. His relationship with Penny is delightful. If some things are extremely easy to figure out if one pays attention, Mr. Green can still throw in a surprise or two.
William Hope Hodgson's Carnacki the Ghost-Finder is an obvious inspiration for this series, although I like Ishmael Jones better than Thomas Carnacki. Some of Carnacki's cases involved genuine hauntings or monsters, some had been faked, and some were mostly fake with a touch of the supernatural. This novel definitely falls into one of those categories.
I read this book via NetGalley. I thank them for this book. #NetGalley
By Simon R. Green
Ishmael travels to be a security agent for some high profile business people. One of his fellow agents was killed there and he is sent there to find who did it while he is there. It's a great mystery with weird characters, some creepy science fiction/horror,