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Victims Tell Their Story
The Buffalo Butcher: Jack the Ripper in the Electric City, follows a group of five prostitutes who band together to stop a murder who is praying on working girls in a city that turns a blind eye to their deaths. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
When I began to imagine a scenario in which Jack the Ripper—whose 1888 murders in London were never solved—came to Buffalo in 1901 and picked up again where he’d left off, I began to do my usual background research. And I read a lot of books about the Ripper and about other serial killers, in hopes, I suppose, of figuring out what made them tick. I quickly gave up on that, and decided that I would never understand the mind of a serial killer—nor really did I care to. But the thing that gave me the critical idea for my book—and what makes it different from other ‘slasher’ books—is that I found that in so many of these serial killer biographies, the authors (intentionally or not) seemed to adopt a kind of ‘hero-worshipful’ tone about the killers, going on in lurid detail about their exploits, criminal genius, ability to evade the law, and so on. And all this while the actual victims of their crimes were treated as so much stage-dressing, their entire lives reduced to the single moment of a terrible death at the hands of a madman. And frankly that made me sad. So I resolved to write my book differently—from the victims’ perspective. I wanted to let them tell their stories, and give them an opportunity to reclaim—and proclaim—their full humanity, which had been stolen from them, first by the procurers and pimps who lured them into vice, and then by a killer stalking them as so much prey. I’m proud of the result.
I love that the protagonists are women who are typically ignored, scorned, and blamed for their own troubles. What were some driving ideals behind their characters’ development?
Thank you for saying so! I love them, too, for that very reason. In The Buffalo Butcher, all of ‘decent society’, from the cops to the common citizens, considers these young prostitutes (my protagonists) as disposable, unworthy, morally defective creatures. Yet in truth these “working girls” are some of the most decent, genuine people you would ever like to meet. They’ve known poverty and exploitation, and have endured aconstant drip of scorn from their so-called betters. All their illusions about what life ‘ought to be’ have been stripped away—and yet through it all, they have maintained a full measure of human kindness, decency, and willingness to put it all on the line—even to the cost of their lives—for a friend. I like to tell stories about real people—and these young ladies are about as real as they come. As such, The Buffalo Butcher is no ‘cozy mystery’: it’s a gritty, unflinching look at a part of life that perhaps we’d all like to pretend doesn’t exist—but for the sake of my characters—and my love and respect for them—I could not in good conscience turn away from depicting the sometimes horrifying reality of their circumstances.
I find the world you created in this novel brimming with possibilities. Where did the inspiration for the setting come from, and how did it change as you were writing?
Being from Buffalo, New York, I’m fascinated with the history of the place, and its former centrality—once a kind of early Silicon Valley—in the economic and social history of the United States. And in 1901, the biggest world’s fair of all time, the Pan-American Exposition, took place in Buffalo, bringing eight million people to the city. No author could ask for a better setting! But here’s the more interesting part, the metaphor: the great Exposition ran for only one brief season, May through November 1901, and then all but a single building was torn down, and the glittering pleasure city reduced to rubble. Knowing that fate lends The Buffalo Butcher a slightly elegiac quality, which mirrors the lives, loves, and losses of the main characters. And, if I may add, this arc of rise and fall serves as a larger metaphor: as a young person, I witnessed my beloved hometown go through a similar decline and collapse—from boom to bust. But what is beautiful and triumphant, both in real life and I hope in the book—both for cities and with people—is that hope is never lost. Today Buffalo—a city that people once dismissed as a relic of the past—is once again on the rise, re-emerging refreshed and vibrant, and learning both to embrace its rich history and, at the same time, welcome a new and different future.
What is the next book that you are working on, and when can your fans expect it to be out?
Current of Darkness, the next installment of my Avenging Angel Detective Agency™ Mysteries, is to appear in April of 2024, and in it society sleuth Sarah Payne returns to confront a case of industrial espionage in early Niagara Falls . . . then, in October, my next off-series book, The Phantom of Forest Lawn, will be out. I’m pretty excited about both stories, and I hope readers will share my enthusiasm!
Author Links: Goodreads | Website | Instagram
Summer 1901, and the great Pan-American Exposition welcomes the world to Buffalo, New York—Queen of the Lakes . . . the Electric City. Eight million visitors throng the bustling boomtown—all of them looking for a good time.
While the Pan-American blazes bright, in its shadow lies a zone of darker pleasures: the Tenderloin District, a rabbit’s warren of saloons, brothels, and ask-no-questions hotels. In this sprawling vice quarter, fully as large as the Exposition itself, fairgoers can indulge their less innocent appetites.
As heat and swarming crowds choke the city, the bodies of prostitutes begin turning up, slashed and mutilated by a pitiless hand—their flesh carved with strange symbols. Their gruesome murders are a final indignity worked on once-hopeful young women.
Some say the killings are the work of the Devil himself. Others hint that the Whitechapel Murderer, Jack the Ripper, has crossed the Atlantic to resume his bloody career. Yet the city’s power brokers—afraid of any publicity that would harm the Exposition—turn a blind eye to the victims.
As the bloody summer wears on, only one thing is clear: it’ll be up to the working girls themselves to stop the carnage. And in The Buffalo Butcher, five of them will stand together to confront the killer . . . and to reclaim their humanity.
An important new novel by Robert Brighton, acclaimed author of the Avenging Angel Detective Agency™ Mysteries.
The Buffalo Butcher: Jack the Ripper in the Electric City
In The Buffalo Butcher: Jack the Ripper in the Electric City, author Robert Brighton immerses readers in the vividly recreated world of Buffalo, New York, circa 1901, amidst the bustling backdrop of the Pan-American Exposition. As the city, aglow with the marvels of the Electric City, draws in millions of tourists, a dark narrative unfolds in the shadowy corners of the Tenderloin District, known for its less savory aspects.
Brighton skillfully weaves a tale of mystery and suspense as the city braces for a presidential visit, only to be shaken by a series of grisly murders within the red-light district. The victims, prostitutes, are found brutally mutilated, bearing cryptic symbols—a detail that adds a chilling layer to the narrative. Amidst fears of the impact this news might have on the city’s reputation, there is a palpable tension between the city officials’ efforts to suppress the news and the police’s urgent quest to apprehend the culprit. An intriguing subplot emerges as the women of the Tenderloin District, disillusioned by the city’s response, take it upon themselves to confront the serial killer. This twist not only propels the plot but also showcases the resilience and agency of these characters in a compelling manner.
Brighton delves deep into the theme of abuse, exploring its multifaceted impact on the characters. Through Helen, a central figure, the narrative poignantly illustrates a harrowing cycle of poor decisions and worsening circumstances, culminating in a profound portrayal of the psychological toll of abuse. The story is characterized by its meticulous attention to detail, both in character development and historical context. The author’s unflinching approach to the grittier aspects of each character’s journey adds depth and realism to the story. The pacing is particularly commendable; the story unfolds at a measured tempo, allowing readers to fully immerse themselves in the world Brighton has created.
The Buffalo Butcher: Jack the Ripper in the Electric City is a gripping novel and an emotionally resonant thriller that masterfully blends historical authenticity with suspenseful storytelling. Its exploration of mature themes like murder, prostitution, and drug abuse lends it a gritty realism, making it suitable for a mature audience with a penchant for mystery and historical fiction. This book promises to keep readers engrossed to its very last page.
Pages: 328 | ASIN : B0CKS7P2L8
Motives That Lie Beneath
A Murder in Ashwood follows an amateur sleuth who suspects the murder of a prominent man in town is only the start of the secrets that are being hidden. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
I think the most common reaction to any injustice is outrage, followed by a desire to shine a light on the people who try to shirk responsibility or shift the blame to others. In Ashwood, Sarah Payne had fallen in love with the victim, and since no one is officially held to account for his murder—and because every one of the likely suspects has something to gain from remaining in the shadows—she decides that it will be up to her to avenge him.
Was there anything from your own life that you put into the characters in your novel?
I don’t suppose any writer can entirely keep himself from revealling something about himself in his work, but in my case if it happens, it’s entirely unconscious. In fact, I have a practice I follow quite closely: If, as I am writing, I ever feel that my personality, beliefs, or autobiographical elements are creeping into the story, I stop writing and go and do something different. Then I come back and begin again with a clean slate. I want to tell my characters’ story—not my story.
How do you balance story development with shocking plot twists? Or can they be the same thing?
It never fails to surprise me how consistently shocking real life can be, so to my mind fiction ought to offer up surprises and shocks that happen just as naturally as a story goes along. Human beings will very willingly do strange and shocking things for power, money, revenge, or conquest — often without much, if any, thought to the consequences of their actions. Good fiction, I think, is both a mirror in which we can view human behavior, and also an X-ray machine that allows us to see the motives that lie beneath it.
What is the next book you are working on, and when will it be available?
The next installment in the Avenging Angel Detective Agency Mysteries, Current of Darkness, will appear in Spring 2024. It’s all finished and is with the imprint now, so it’s time for them to work their magic!
Author Links: Goodreads | Pinterest | Instagram | Website | Amazon
Buffalo, New York…as the remains of the great Pan-American Exposition are swept away, and the bitter memories of William McKinley’s assassination begin to fade…the city reels again, at the sensational murder of successful businessman Edward Miller, bludgeoned to death in his cozy den, in one of the city’s most fashionable enclaves: Ashwood.
But for all its glitz and glamor, Ashwood guards the dark secrets of its fashionable residents…including those of Edward’s estranged wife Alicia, her lover Arthur Pendle, and would-be detective Sarah Payne. Soon, they will all face a hurricane of courtroom drama, public outrage, and the behind-the-scenes scheming of cold and corrupt District Attorney Terence Penrose.
Meanwhile, those caught up in the most scandalous crime of a new century have reputations to protect…skeletons best kept hidden away in the tidy closets of trendy Ashwood…and plenty of reasons to keep the motive behind Edward Miller’s murder from ever seeing the light of day – a motive that only the victim and his killer knew…
Can justice be done…and the truth uncovered by the Avenging Angel Detective Agency…before a killer strikes again?
Find out in award-winning A Murder in Ashwood…the second novel in the Avenging Angel Detective Agency™ Mysteries from Robert Brighton, acclaimed author of The Unsealing.
It’s as much a ‘whydunit’ as a ‘whodunit’ in a page-turning story that leaves readers wanting more.
Contains three original interior scratchboard illustrations by Mark Summers.
Discover the Avenging Angel Detective Agency Mysteries…
Get your copy today!
A Murder in Ashwood
After the discovery of Edward Miller’s lifeless body in his residence, a prominent member of the Ashwood social circle, the once-thriving society is thrown into turmoil. Adding to the intrigue, Edward’s estranged wife, Alicia Miller, returns to the scene amid whispers, conjecture, and relentless media scrutiny fueled by their ongoing divorce proceedings. While the police diligently pursue their investigation, a sudden suicide raises suspicions, potentially sabotaging any hope of a successful resolution. In this volatile environment, it falls upon the intelligent and determined Sarah Payne to untangle the web of deception, seek justice, and uncover truths that will shatter her faith in both the concept itself and the people she believed she knew.
Robert Brighton’s A Murder in Ashwood is a meticulously crafted mystery notable for its well-crafted narrative. While it serves as a sequel, it functions seamlessly as a standalone novel, requiring no prior knowledge of the series. Brighton’s prose is lucid, focused, and, at times, vividly descriptive. The story eschews unnecessary filler, placing a heavy emphasis on natural and engaging dialogue. Characters behave convincingly and realistically, reflecting Brighton’s thorough research into the societal norms and behaviors of the chosen period. The result is a remarkable historical mystery that defies conventional expectations.
The heart of the mystery in this novel is less about identifying the perpetrator, as the identity becomes apparent early on. However, this revelation doesn’t diminish the tension but instead shifts the focus onto the journey rather than the destination. How did the murderer execute their plan? How many allies were involved? Can truth and justice prevail against an orchestrated web of corruption and oppressive authority? These are the mysteries that our protagonists must unravel, and their ultimate triumph remains uncertain. As they inch closer to the truth, they begin to question the very values that initially drove them to seek justice, leaving readers to ponder their fate with bated breath.
Pages: 534 | ASIN : B0C7H3NHLN
A Murder in Ashwood
A Murder in Ashwood by Robert Brighton is the ultimate turn-of-the-century murder mystery. When Mrs. Miller’s husband is found brutally killed in their home, everything turns upside down; as the coroner removes the body, an autopsy is conducted, and an investigation is initiated. The story quickly becomes an intriguing mystery about Mr. Miller’s murder, with everyone a potential suspect, leading to a compelling case.
From the beginning, the reader plunges into the heart of the action in this enthralling historical mystery novel, with strong, well-developed characters and raw, emotional dialogue. The author is descriptive, unveiling each scene and event so that readers can see it clearly in their minds, noting any possible clues that may be revealed. I enjoyed the details of each development throughout the book, from the family’s complicated relationship with each other to the funeral arrangements and suddenly becoming the center of media attention.
The author brings a unique writing style and characters to the traditional murder-mystery genre with page-turning excitement and the determination of Sarah of the Avenging Angel Detective Agency to solve the case. I enjoyed the modern twist of a woman detective and the blunt, strong language expressed by key players in the story. The narration style and lively characters piqued my interest in the book, and after completing the story, they exceeded my expectations.
A Murder in Ashwood by Robert Brighton is an entertaining, gritty, and exciting read that captivated me. I recommend this spectacular book for its original style and intriguing characters, which kept me reading from one chapter to the next. The story felt realistically portrayed as if I was reading a true crime novel set in the first years of the twentieth century. It’s an excellent read for fans of murder mysteries and suspense.
Pages: 448 | ASIN: B0C5Y1TYMZ
The Slow Moral Collapse
The Unsealing follows two attorneys as they descend into the world of corruption in the upper class during the Gilded Age. What was the initial idea behind this story, and how did that transform as you were writing the novel?
The Avenging Angel Detective Agency™ Mysteries are what I like to call ‘whydunits’ – not ‘whodunits’ as in the classic Agatha Christie type mystery. I like to explore what motivates people, sometimes very ordinary people, to do extraordinary things. (Many of which are criminal, immoral, or in shockingly poor judgment.) In The Unsealing, I explore the slow moral collapse of two initially high-minded attorneys and friends, who succumb to the temptations of wealth, power, and sex. It’s a very human story, but with the additional interest and complexity of being set in a very different time from our present day and one with very different attitudes toward just about everything.
I find that my characters reveal their stories to me gradually. There are times when something appears in my mind’s eye – a scene, a snippet of conversation, a sound or smell – without any apparent connection to the story I think I’m telling at the time. So I wait … and eventually the connections are revealed, and I write them down. I think of myself more as an observer than as a creator: I am emphatically opposed to making things up. If that all sounds a bit mystical, then I am guilty as charged, but it’s the way it happens to or for me. The title The Unsealing was (in part) inspired by this slow process of revelation, in which the characters themselves share with us more and more of their lives and innermost desires as the book progresses. I hope that readers will enjoy that unveiling of a story that my characters knew all along and which they chose me to write down.
Why choose this place and time for the setting of the story?
I grew up in Buffalo, and have always been fascinated by the place. In 1901, Buffalo and its neighbor, Niagara Falls – were the Silicon Valley of the day: a hive of innovation and bustling commerce across a number of industries. Buffalo was at the time the eighth-largest (and fastest growing) city in the United States, and it was in many ways ‘the place to be’ for the young and ambitious. Today, though, the city’s population is smaller than it was in 1890, while the United States’ population has expanded fivefold, and clearly the centers of innovation have gone elsewhere. How that happened and why – what seeds of decay were sown even in the city’s heyday – is a very intriguing and complex story, and one I like to tell. And that, too, is a human story – how it can take many years for bad decisions or bad karma to catch up to you. But they always do.
What were some of your inspirations as a writer?
I suppose that I’ve always been captivated by the written word’s mysterious ability (not unlike music) to conjure up thoughts and emotions in people I have never met, never will meet, or who may not yet be born. My greatest goal is to transport people to another place and time, show them things they can never see any other way, and then bring them safely back. If I think about artists who have inspired me, Emily Dickinson and Jim Morrison would be at the top of the list. Both of them were obsessed with the notion of peering beyond the boundaries of ordinary human experience and guiding us through those sometimes unusual psychological landscapes – and all at no risk to ourselves, other than a challenge to our settled ways of thinking.
Will this novel be the start of a series or are you working on a different story?
The Unsealing is the first in a series of books, the Avenging Angel Detective Agency™ Mysteries. Some of the characters from The Unsealing will continue on in future volumes, but many new ones will appear – and each book is a free-standing, independent story that does not require that one read the books in any order. That said, I think readers who follow along as the books appear will be rewarded with a deeper appreciation of the back-stories of their favorite characters. But it’s by no means a requirement. Thus far I’ve completed four Avenging Angel manuscripts, and they’ll be published over the next two years or so, and I’m working on the fifth now. If readers enjoy them, they’ll keep on coming.
Author Links: Website | GoodReads | Instagram
Named BookLife “Editor’s Pick” – “… Written with grace and power, capturing the moment that electricity lit up the world …”
Love, Lust, and Murder in the Gilded Age …
Buffalo, New York, 1901 … a muscular, young city, Queen of the Lakes … The Electric City … where the money spent to build Newport mansions and Park Avenue townhouses is made, plays host to the world’s greatest fair, the Pan-American Exposition and its 8,000,000 guests. Yet the city is only weeks away from disaster, when a crazed anarchist will assassinate President McKinley.
And less than a mile from the spectacle of the Pan-American, a web of love, lust, and intrigue is forming within the elite enclave of Ashwood. Alicia and Edward Miller may be one of Ashwood’s most envied couples, but inside the walls of their luxurious home, a toxic malice is brewing. When simmering and sultry Alicia falls for dashing Ivy League attorney Arthur Pendle, on whose mysterious income he and his longsuffering wife Cassandra – facing demons of their own – live fast and high, infatuation soon curdles into something sinister and obsessive.
Meanwhile, the beautiful Sarah Payne – who from girlhood has dreamed of becoming a detective – struggles to find fulfillment in a man’s world. Trapped in a loveless marriage to a dissolute dentist — who has become dangerously dependent on ether and alcohol — Sarah befriends the unhappy Ed Miller and is drawn into the deadly drama inside the Millers’ disintegrating marriage.
When Edward comes into possession of a trove of explicit letters from Arthur to Alicia – love letters, to be sure, but also a confession of much darker doings – he and Sarah, along with the Pendles, are plunged headlong into a deadly whirlpool of official corruption, graft — and murder.
Inspired by Buffalo’s true crime ‘murder of the century’, in The Unsealing Robert Brighton recreates a world at once utterly strange and strangely familiar. Pitting detective against detective, husbands against wives, and set against the backdrop of Gilded Age splendor and excess, The Unsealing is a gripping, psychological tale of forbidden pleasures and fathomless pain.
Contains three original interior scratchboard illustrations.
Join Robert Brighton on a journey into the real Gilded Age in an electrifying tale of scandal, love and murder – and the birth of the Avenging Angel Detective Agency. Get your copy today!
The Unsealing: Love, Lust, and Murder in the Gilded Age
The Unsealing by Robert Brighton is a riveting story that takes place from the 1880s to the early 1900s, around the earliest part of the twentieth century, in northern New York. It’s a quickly evolving period that involves coal mining, labor unrest, widespread protests, and a significantly different legal system that includes the electric chair. It’s an intense era that centers around an attorney, Arthur R. Pendle, and Terry Penrose, a district attorney. Together, they face a mounting level of criminal activity, corruption, shady practices by wealthy individuals, and many other challenging cases in court.
I found the story to be exciting, quick-paced, intriguing, but not too complex. The characters are unique and well-developed, with strong personalities that I could relate to. The further Terry and Arthur delve into their surroundings and the wealthy, upper-class society, the more they encounter corruption and a stark contrast between various members of society. Despite the dreary state of legal work, the author brings the fascinating world of hidden gambling dens, brothels, and shady building developers into vivid reality.
I really enjoyed the plot development, society, and how the characters’ lives adapt to unexpected changes around the turn of the twentieth century. The narration and dialogue are impressive, realistic, and colorful. It felt like I was present, in the room or scene with the characters, experiencing the intensity and stress of a situation. The author’s ambitious writing style captivated me, and I found the book easy to read and follow.
The Unsealing is a thrilling story that will keep you turning one page after the other from start to finish. I highly recommend this excellent book for the historical legal drama that weaves a bit of film noir into the theme. With a fantastic atmosphere and strong characters, this is a sensational story that fans of thrillers and well-drawn mysteries will surely enjoy.
Pages: 416 | ASIN: B0BQP4K93G
LITERARY TITAN 