London, 1902. A string of murders committed by a killer the press has dubbed the Deptford Strangler has the police mystified. The victims seem to have nothing in common, and the crimes appear random and motiveless. Meanwhile, retired Inspector Brough and his nephew Nicholas Calvin, researching a book on the history of murder, unearth a series of killings committed in Rogano, Italy in 1454 identical in pattern to the present-day crimes. What possible connection could there be between these horrific events separated by over 450 years? Brough and Calvin are determined to find out—but they are not prepared for the terrible truth they will uncover.
Originally published in 1979, Requiem at Rogano was the only novel by Stephen Knight (1951-1985), best known for a nonfiction bestseller that promised the 'final solution' in the case of Jack the Ripper. This new edition of Knight's novel, a page-turning supernatural thriller whose plot twists will keep readers enthralled, features an introduction by Bernard Taylor.
"A superlative thriller . . . I have not had such a good weekend with a thriller for years . . . I recommend this to all who enjoy literate crime fiction."—Martin Seymour-Smith, Financial Times
"A confident debut."—The Guardian
"Ingenious."—The Observer