Fires of London

Law (Voices) does a bangup job of recreating London during the Blitz and portraying real-life artist Francis Bacon as an unlikely sleuth. A murderer is taking advantage of blackout conditions to target gay men, starting with Damien Hiller, an acquaintance of the painter, who was bludgeoned to death. This link draws the unwelcome attention of Scotland Yard’s Insp. John Mordren, whom Bacon had run into while he was performing his air raid warden duties. The claustrophobic atmosphere of the blackouts will remind many of the foggy streets of Victorian-era detective stories, while Law vividly describes the terrifying German attacks (e.g., “But though the fiery angel had passed over us, it was only a temporary reprieve... what we got was fire, infernal and spectacular, the night sky lit up like a Turner seen on opium”). Bacon’s unconventional views on religion and death help round out his character. Agent: Otto Penzler. (Sept.)