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.

From the Trade Paperback edition.

Review

Praise for previous Hugo Marston novels:

"The Hugo Marston series now belongs on every espionage fan’s watch list."
—Booklist
*
"Two young lovers make the fatal mistake of sneaking into Paris’s Père Lachaise Cemetery the same night as a bone-stealing psychopath in 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 *(Fantastic – Keeper)

About the Author

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

Similar The Blood Promise: A Hugo Marston Novel