Hundred and Ninety-Nine Steps: The Courage Consort

Siân, troubled by dark dreams and seeking distraction, joins an archaeological dig at Whitby. The abbey's one hundred and ninety-nine steps link the twenty-first century with the ruins of the past and Siân is swept into a mystery involving a long-hidden murder, a fragile manuscript in a bottle and a cast of most peculiar characters. Equal parts historical thriller, romance and ghost story, this is an ingenious literary page-turner and is completely unforgettable.THIS EDITION ALSO FEATURES MICHEL FABER'S NOVELLA THE COURAGE CONSORT

Part historical thriller, part gothic romance, part ghost story, it is further confirmation that its author is a singular talent with a unique perception of the universe., This is a man who could give Conrad a run at writing the perfect sentence., Engrossing . . . the writing is spare and evocative and Siân's slow return to health is powerfully wrought., With impressive subtlety and economy, Faber raises questions about . . . the way in which the past haunts the present and the invisible undercurrents lying beneath human relations., Visits the strangest of places and makes them real.

Michel Faber is the author of several books, including the highly acclaimed The Crimson Petal and the White, The Fahrenheit Twins and the Whitbread-shortlisted novel Under the Skin. He has also won a variety of short-story awards, including the Neil Gunn, the Ian St. James and the Macallan. Born in Holland, brought up in Australia, he now lives in the UK.