And so it begins: five identical murders, bodies hacked, eviscerated, organs decorating the scene in jest. A terrifying sight for Beverly Wharton and her colleague Sergeant Homer. Wharton tags Melkior Pendred as the assailant, an autistic mortuary assistant with genius abilities. Homer thinks she's made a mistake. In fact, Melkior's twin, Martin, is the man he suspects was the true killer.
Now, years later, with Melkior dying in his prison cell, Sergeant Homer is given a second chance to prove he is right, and to prove Melkior innocent. An identical murder gives him this opportunity, but as soon as Martin the twin is arrested, he is released on a minor technicality, prompted by the intervention of Helena Flemming, his solicitor.
No sooner is he free, Martin then disappears only for another murder to quickly follow. Former pathologist John Eisenmenger is familiar with the original murder case that was pinned on the autistic Melkior, and Eisenmenger's refined technical skill might be the key to solving the case.
Keith McCarthy was born in 1960. He is a working cellular pathologist as well as a novelist, famous for his Eisenmenger-Flemming mysteries. Another pen name he uses is Lance Elliot. Raised in Surrey England and educated at Dulwith College before St George's Medical School, he has worked for many years for the Royal Marsden Hospital. Now he lives in a small Cloucestershire village, where he continues to consult on cellular pathology. He is married with three daughters.