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The Thing in the Close




Gresham & Doyle (2018) trade paperback edition, 272 pp.

ISBN 978-0-9787634-6-6
$14.95 U.S.




FEAR STALKS THE CATHEDRAL CLOSE . . .

The time passed slowly. After a while he pressed fingers to bleary eyes. He had enjoyed little sleep of late. Shifting uneasily in his chair, he became suddenly conscious of a vague feeling as of an alien presence there in the room. Moments later a slight sound brought him to dreadful attention.

There was a shaving-mirror stood next to the table. Something in the corner of his eye, something he saw reflected in the glass, had given him rather a shock. It was the wardrobe that stood against the wall behind him. The door of the wardrobe, which had been closed, was seen to be opening, its hinges a-creak, mouse-like. This had been the slight sound.

He recoiled in alarm. Framed in the doorway was a blackened, shriveled mass -- a grisly, horrid, wasted thing, more like a diseased mannequin than a man. Two gleaming orbs like points of burning coal, twin lamps of lurid crimson deep-sunk in withered sockets, regarded him from the stealthy dark of the wardrobe.

Waves of horror washed over him. The thing was beyond all comprehension -- hellish, foul, abominable.

With panic urging him to flight, he lurched up out of his chair. The next he knew a bony, claw-like hand of steel had slammed down on his shoulder. He gave an involuntary cry. Then his face dimmed like a snuffed candle, his eyes rolled glassily in his head, he took two or three steps, sagged and, melting down like lard on a hot griddle, knew no more . . .


CHARACTERS

Canon Bagshot

Minor canon in the Cathedral at Bogminster; a sedate bachelor, and brother of Mrs. Sidebottom

Miss Charlotte Bentloe ("Charley")

Daughter of the following, his youngest child and a peach, and admired short-stop of the Lingonshire Poachers

The Rev. Mr. Tom Bentloe

The vicar of Snod's End, in Lingonshire; boyhood chum of Father Maconchy's, and chief of the Lingonshire Poachers club

Joe Billickin

One of Nan Chugwell's drivers, in command of Cowcatcher, a dwarf shovel-tusker mastodon

Harry Cheatham

A short, stocky, stubble-jawed individual, hard-cut, with a malmsey nose

Mr. Chessford

The squire of Little Dene, in Bogminster, and chief benefactor of the Slopshire Nines club

Mr. Matt Chugwell

Son of the following, and a skilled driver of mastodons

Mrs. Nan Chugwell

Chief of a shovel-tusker mastodon team based at Deadmarsh

Prof. Jedediah Clutterbuck

A professor of physics, and celebrated aeronaut

Windy Conklin

The Slopshire Nines' fearless tiger at third base

Cowcatcher

A dwarf shovel-tusker mastodon, on loan to the Slopshire Nines and Fr. Maconchy from Mrs. Chugwell

Dean Dripstone

The Dean of Bogminster Cathedral, and former college chum of Fr. Maconchy

The Dutchman

Catcher of the Slopshire Nines club, and its captain; real name Kringle

Eamon

Fr. Maconchy's youthful usher in St. Dunstan's Church

Billy Gannon

Relief left-fielder for the Slopshire Nines

Mr. Haredale

Highly successful brewer at Bogminster, and a backer of the Slopshire Nines club

Mr. Jephro Hasty

Shorthand writer and reporter for the Bogminster Mail & Echo

Miss Joan Higbee

A bright, pretty young woman, and special friend of Mr. Chessford's

Horatio

Fr. Maconchy's sexton and confidant at St. Dunstan's

Miss Mary Elizabeth Jinks ("Maizie")

Niece of Bishop Tobias, and fiery-haired first-baseman for the Slopshire Nines

Miss Betty Julaper

Friend of Joan Higbee's, and sister of the following

Onslow Julaper ("Mangles")

Star left-fielder for the Slopshire Nines

Squint Larkin

A pompous umpire

Father Seamus Maconchy

Parish priest of St. Dunstan's RC Church in Bogminster, and chief of the Slopshire Nines club

Moon Man Mullen

Center-fielder for the Slopshire Nines, and captain of the outfield

Nicholas Greatpaw

Mr. Chessford's tabby cat at Little Dene, with supernumerary toes on each forefoot

"Doc" Pepper

Chief hurler of the Lingonshire Poachers

Pip

Fr. Maconchy's fussy little white woolly dog ("me gallant watchdog")

Austin Pounders

Dangerous-hitting left-fielder for the Lingonshire Poachers

Mr. Parker Prosper

A prominent banker at Bogminster

Ranger

Bull shovel-tusker mastodon in Mrs. Chugwell's team, driven by Matt Chugwell

Sandy

Easy-gaited little buckskin belonging to Mr. Chessford

Phungo Shrowl

Nimble short-stop of the Slopshire Nines, the best at easy fly balls ("phungoes")

Mrs. Elsie Sidebottom

Fr. Maconchy's widowed cook and housekeeper at St. Dunstan's; sister of Canon Bagshot

Dr. Slag

A gaunt, gray, dry old fossil of a physician

Abel Slinger

Prized pitcher of the Slopshire Nines

Mr. Lionel Snooks

Assistant verger in Bogminster Cathedral

Cully Soames

Truculent right-fielder of the Slopshire Nines; a raving Scot

Yep Stock

Wiry second-baseman of the Slopshire Nines

Bishop Tobias

RC Bishop of Bogminster, and doting uncle of Maizie Jinks

Amanda Tutty

Housemaid at Little Dean, with some experience as a nurse

Wall-eye Wallace

Reserve pitcher of the Slopshire Nines, with a fearful glower ("the quid monster")

Tack Weatherell

Catcher and captain of the Lingonshire Poachers


Featured image: Detail from Hereford Cathedral (oil on canvas), by John William Buxton Knight (1843-1908). (Bradford Art Galleries and Museums, West Yorkshire, UK/Bridgeman Images)