TruncateA unique Victorian era suspense story heightened with a touch of mystery and romance. The focus rests on the efforts of the unwitting protagonist to thwart attempts on his life instead of the usual ace detective or the latent genius of an amateur sleuth so typical of the genre. The plot centers on the survival of an unsuspecting member of the rising London commercial gentry toward the end of the nineteenth century. Timothy Brompton is the proprietor of a thriving pharmaceutical firm, Thames Pharmaceuticals, in the age of growing brand name companies. He has inherited the firm after his father's untimely death and has effectively managed it to one of the major players in the lucrative pharmaceutical industry in England. Unknown to him, his company's success has interfered with the expansion of a sinister underground syndicate which deals exclusively in opium and its derivatives- Opium at the turn of the twentieth century was not restricted by law. This clandestine consortium intends to expand their operations into legitimate apothecaries throughout England. Their intent is to further capitalize on the addictive properties of an often times prescribed drug for treating a variety of maladies from depression to body pains. When an agreement between Thames Pharmaceuticals and the influential Tinsworthy Apothecary in Bristol is imminent, this anonymous group decides to take action and destroy Mr. Brompton as they have others who effectively hinder their plans for expansion. Timothy Brompton is thrust into one life threatening predicament after another starting with a mysterious package found by his front door. Little does he suspect that he is being fiendishly toyed with by the opium syndicate's enforcer who has a penchant for teasing his victims much like a cat with a captured mouse before snuffing it out. The Victorian period has always held fascination for Michael Toledano. A computer programmer/analyst by profession, Mr. Toledano's avid interest in Victorian England was the perfect vehicle to launch his pursuit of being a published writer. After years of research, he has penned a thrilling Victorian suspense novel, Truncate. Mike's aspiration to write began in his college days. Now later in his life he fulfills this dream by publishing a novel having the suspense, mystery, romance, and betrayal in a genre he loves. An avid fan of the classic novels and films of this time period, Truncate is the culmination of years of gleaning the stirring aspects of the Victorian mystery, and creating a unique tale combining these elements. The result is a fast pace Victorian odyssey. |
