MARK GATISS'S debut novel is everything you would expect from one of The League Of Gentlemen. Darkly funny and scintillatingly shocking, The Vesuvius Club tells one of the many adventures of Lucifer Box.
Living in the sumptuous environs of Edwardian high society, Lucifer resides at Nine Downing Street - the house that was the only thing left to him by his father - and scrapes by on a living as the rich and well-to-do's most fashionable portrait painter.
A cad, a socialite and a dedicated follower of fashion, Lucifer Box is many things, particularly to the many women in his life. But to a select few he is also one of Britain's most expert secret agents. So when the country's most prominent scientists start turning up dead, Lucifer is called to investigate.
Strange happenings and stranger characters provide the gently delivered but very sharp humour.
Lucifer and his adventures should make an easy translation to the big or small screens.
But first we should expect more of his 'journals' from Gatiss - and it won't only be the women of Edwardian society that fall for him.
The Vesuvius Club by Mark Gatiss is published by Simon and Schuster priced £15.
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