Overview

Reader's Favorite 5-Star Review Seal Recipient ""An often engaging gothic whodunit."" -Kirkus ""I wouldn't hesitate to recommend it to fans of suspense and intrigue everywhere."" -K.C. Finn, Readers' Favorite ""A fantastic read! Ingram Hargrave has produced a masterful historical mystery with his debut novel."" -Abigail Darby, Author of Merryhearth Manor & Me Perfect for fans of Agatha Christie's classic murder mysteries, Vienna Blood by Frank Tallis, The Cloisters by Katy Hays, and followers of William Kent Krueger. At twenty-eight, Hermann Horst is the youngest professor of philosophy to grace the marble corridors and richly paneled lecture halls of Austria-Hungary's esteemed University of Vienna. The charismatic young professor's success has been driven in part by personal tragedy: the mysterious death of his only sister. Her fatal obsession with divination and the occult has placed Hermann on a course to scientifically and logically explain the psychology of the occult and those who believe in supernatural powers. The university affords Hermann the resources needed for his research, albeit under the guise of his sanctioned academic coursework. When a letter arrives from Senior Inspector Orczy Géza of the Budapest Gendarme asking for Hermann's help in a murder investigation, Hermann jumps at the opportunity to put his research into practice. The investigation centers on Schattenturm, Shadow Tower in German, an extravagant Neo-Gothic estate built atop the ruins of a medieval fortress. The body of the estate's gardener was found with an ancient war hammer lodged in the back of his skull, at the center of the swirling maze that surrounds the castle's mausoleum. Géza's investigation has been stalled by superstition surrounding the castle: a legend that ghosts and the devil are at work to drive out the family who recently acquired Schattenturm. A convenient story to assist a murderer perhaps, but one that has derailed Géza's efforts all the same. Géza is a no-nonsense veteran of conflicts in Bosnia, but he's at his limit with this investigation and he'll have to learn to trust and confide in Hermann's mentalist methods and knowledge of the occult if the investigation, and his career, are to be saved. The current owners of Schattenturm, the Baum family, acquired the castle under unscrupulous circumstances after establishing a coal mine in the town nearby that exploits the locals and robs the countryside of its peace and beauty. The displaced aristocratic owners, the von Voitsbergs, are still very much a factor in the estate's realm. Hundreds of years of ownership and rule over the area are not easily forgotten, nor has the loss of their dark romantic home been amicably accepted. A handful of long-term servants know everyone's secrets and are willing to take them to the grave, though not necessarily to their own. What lies beneath the black stones of Schattenturm, from the catacombs of the von Voitsberg crypt to terrible acts kept secret for decades, has destroyed lives. The secrets uncovered and the nature of the victim will shake Hermann and the readers, forcing them to question the morality of murder itself and whether some crimes should ever be forgiven.

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9781955810241

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Reviews

""Oh my goodness-As Above, So Below: A Hermann Horst Mystery is a fantastic read! Ingram Hargrave has produced a masterful historical mystery with his debut novel. This is a fast-paced novel with a lot of action, plenty of creepy castle, and a great balance of really good storyline. The author took considerable effort to make this an historically precise, and culturally accurate for the times, novel with a literary feel to the writing and presentation of the story. I have no doubt that Hermann Horst mysteries will be a huge hit with a new generation of mystery lovers, much like Agatha Christie's beloved detectives were when they hit the book scene in the twentieth century. I am very much looking forward to this series!"" -Abigail Darby, Author of Merryhearth Manor & Me ""I love a book with great characters, a deeply atmospheric setting, and a plot that keeps me guessing to the very end. Ingram Hargrave achieved that, and then some, with As Above, So Below: A Hermann Horst Mystery. From the moment Hermann stepped onto the night train that took him deep into the Hungarian countryside-I was there! This book sucks you right into the pages and you become an invisible participant in the action. If you like historical fiction, love whodunit mysteries, find haunted castles irresistible, and adore unpredictable characters and complex plots-you'll love this book too!"" - C. S. Leonard, Author of the McBee Magic series ""Ingram Hargrave weaves a suspenseful tale of murder, mystery, and the occult against the backdrop of a Neo-Gothic estate with a dark past, taking familiar tropes from different genres but offering them from a unique and vividly described new point of view. The interplay between philosophy, psychology, and the supernatural added depth to the narrative, and the exploration of morality and forgiveness made for a thought-provoking read that really stayed with me. The novel's well-crafted atmosphere and intricate plot have a lot to offer fans of gothic styling and historical richness, and Hermann's blend of logic and the occult added a unique layer to the story that creates a wonderful juxtaposition for modern readers to relate to. Overall, As Above, So Below was an immersive reading experience that combined historical drama with intricate characters and a gripping mystery, and I wouldn't hesitate to recommend it to fans of suspense and intrigue everywhere."" - K.C. Finn, Reviewer with Readers' Favorite

"""Oh my goodness-As Above, So Below: A Hermann Horst Mystery is a fantastic read! Ingram Hargrave has produced a masterful historical mystery with his debut novel. This is a fast-paced novel with a lot of action, plenty of creepy castle, and a great balance of really good storyline. The author took considerable effort to make this an historically precise, and culturally accurate for the times, novel with a literary feel to the writing and presentation of the story. I have no doubt that Hermann Horst mysteries will be a huge hit with a new generation of mystery lovers, much like Agatha Christie's beloved detectives were when they hit the book scene in the twentieth century. I am very much looking forward to this series!"" -Abigail Darby, Author of Merryhearth Manor & Me ""I love a book with great characters, a deeply atmospheric setting, and a plot that keeps me guessing to the very end. Ingram Hargrave achieved that, and then some, with As Above, So Below: A Hermann Horst Mystery. From the moment Hermann stepped onto the night train that took him deep into the Hungarian countryside-I was there! This book sucks you right into the pages and you become an invisible participant in the action. If you like historical fiction, love whodunit mysteries, find haunted castles irresistible, and adore unpredictable characters and complex plots-you'll love this book too!"" - C. S. Leonard, Author of the McBee Magic series ""Ingram Hargrave weaves a suspenseful tale of murder, mystery, and the occult against the backdrop of a Neo-Gothic estate with a dark past, taking familiar tropes from different genres but offering them from a unique and vividly described new point of view. The interplay between philosophy, psychology, and the supernatural added depth to the narrative, and the exploration of morality and forgiveness made for a thought-provoking read that really stayed with me. The novel's well-crafted atmosphere and intricate plot have a lot to offer fans of gothic styling and historical richness, and Hermann's blend of logic and the occult added a unique layer to the story that creates a wonderful juxtaposition for modern readers to relate to. Overall, As Above, So Below was an immersive reading experience that combined historical drama with intricate characters and a gripping mystery, and I wouldn't hesitate to recommend it to fans of suspense and intrigue everywhere."" - K.C. Finn, Reviewer with Readers' Favorite"

Author Information

Ingram Hargrave is an author of historical mystery and speculative fiction. His love of history, particularly antiquity and the late nineteenth century, propelled him to pick up the pen and give life to new stories. He is excited to probe the depths of rich European history and excite readers with new settings and enigmatic characters rooted in classical literature. Ingram believes in the value of folk tradition and the legacy of high culture in all things. A native of Virginia, Ingram lives just outside of Washington, D.C. He graduated from the University of Mary Washington with a B.A. in political science, and from Tulane University School of Law with a Master of Jurisprudence. When he is not touring historic homes and gardens around Virginia, or hiking and canoeing in the Blue Ridge Mountains, you can find him buried in his home library with his standard poodle, Ashby, nearby.

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