The Devil in Amber
Lucifer Box investigates a fascist occult group in 1920s New York.
The Devil in Amber is the second novel in a series featuring the fictional spy, Lucifer Box. It was published on 6 November 2006.
Quick Facts
- Author
- Mark Gatiss
- Country
- United Kingdom
- Language
- English
- Series
- Lucifer Box No. 2
- Genre
- Historical
- spy novel
- horror
- Publisher
- Simon & Schuster Ltd, Pocket Books (Imprint)
- Released
- 2006
- Format
- Print (hardcover, paperback)
Facts from the source article.
Plot summary
Box, an assassin for the Royal Academy, is sent to kill a fence and cocaine dealer named Hubbard in 1920s New York. The assassination fails, and Box survives only because Percy Flarge, a younger agent, intervenes. On Hubbard's corpse, Box finds a cloth with curious ancient writing. His superior, Joshua Reynolds, suggests Box retire but assigns him to investigate the Fascist Anglo-United States Tribune (FAUST) and its leader, Olympus Mons. At a costume party, Box meets Professor Reiss-Mueller and Sal Volatile, a defector who hints that FAUST is a grave threat. Sal arranges for Box to attend a FAUST meeting, where Box discovers his sister, Pandora Box, is second in command. Later, Reiss-Mueller identifies the writing on the cloth as part of an occult invocation to summon the devil. Christopher Miracle tells Box that Olympus Mons has been digging at a castle on the Swiss-French border, a site linked to a past mission where Box's lover Charlie Jackpot died and Miracle was broken. Sal Volatile confides that FAUST seeks the Lamb of God, which Sal claims to have found, but is murdered before he can say more. Box is framed for the murder, and the Royal Academy orders no assistance. With help from a bellhop named Rex, Box boards the tramp freighter Stiffkey, commanded by Captain Corpusty, who commissions a portrait from Box during the voyage to England.
Characters
Lucifer Box is a decadent Edwardian gentleman, portrait painter, wit, dandy, and indiscriminate rake who works as an agent for the British Secret Service through the Royal Academy. He is middle-aged, handsome, charming, and sardonic. Percy Flarge is a tall, lean, brown-skinned agent with an infuriating grin, poised to replace Box upon retirement. Pandora Box, Lucifer's younger sister, adopts fringe causes with fanatical passion and is in love with Olympus Mons. Joshua Reynolds, the head of the Royal Academy, has run to fat and speaks with an oily, self-satisfied voice; the name is passed on like a title. Sal Volatile, a defector from FAUST with a heroic jaw and strong thighs, disapproves of the group's satanic plans. Delilah, a physically strong and discreet domestic servant for the Secret Service, has a Cockney accent and overuses the letter H. Christopher Miracle, a fellow painter and friend of Box, suffered a mental breakdown after military action on the French-Swiss border. Charlie Jackpot, Box's valet, servant, and lover, died in that same action before the novel begins.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who wrote The Devil in Amber?
The Devil in Amber was written by Mark Gatiss.
Who published The Devil in Amber?
The Devil in Amber was published by Simon & Schuster Ltd, Pocket Books (Imprint).
Which book follows The Devil in Amber?
The Devil in Amber is followed by Black Butterfly.
More in British Steampunk Novels
Spotted an error? Know more?
Reader corrections go straight into our review queue. Suggest an edit · How this site is sourced