The Dracula Dossier: A Novel of Suspense

Author of the New York Times bestseller The Book of Shadows, James Reese returns with a remarkable feat of literary invention. In The Dracula Dossier, Reese combines real historical figures and events—Bram Stoker, Walt Whitman, Jack the Ripper—with glorious speculation in a tour de force of suspense fiction that races non-stop through Victorian London. Bestselling author Michael Connelly raves about The Dracula Dossier, calling it, “a damn good thriller…that had me mesmerized from chapter one.”

Stalled in his writing career and feeling overwhelmed by his charismatic, successful boss Sir Henry Irving, Bram Stoker returns to London in the summer of 1888 determined to turn his life around.

Late one night Stoker decides to take a stroll through the streets of Whitechapel, an impoverished district of London known for its many prostitutes as well as the citizenry crowding its shadowy alleys. Amid the shadows, he spies a seemingly familiar figure, a man resembling a quack American "doctor" of his acquaintance. But before Stoker can be certain, the man disappears.

Little does he know that just a few steps away, the crime spree of the century has begun: a vicious killer has claimed his first victim, a local prostitute. And Stoker somehow becomes the prime suspect. To clear his name, he enlists some of his illustrious friends, including Walt Whitman, Lady Jane Wilde (mother of Oscar), and the million-copy-selling Victorian novelist Sir Thomas Henry Hall Caine. When they discover that the murder weapon is a Gurkha knife owned by Stoker and recently stolen from his home, there can be no doubt that the elusive American doctor—Francis Tumblety—is the very same man terrorizing and taunting London as Jack the Ripper.

Moving from Manhattan to London's West End and Whitechapel, from Dublin to a ritualistic denouement in Edinburgh, this sweeping, magnificent novel is a suspenseful trip into the heart of literature and history, as Stoker sets out on the "true" adventure that will later inspire him to write Dracula. James Reese has been praised for his "sweeping narrative" (Clarion-Ledger, Jackson, MS), "vivid characters" (Washington Post Book World), and "imaginative wizardry" (Orlando Sentinel), and The Dracula Dossier is perhaps his most stunning achievement to date.

“[L]ush and engaging.” - New Orleans Times-Picayune

“Distinguishes Reese as a star pupil in the Anne Rice school of dark sensuality.” - Publishers Weekly

“[I]nvolving, richly detailed... will surely delight fans…as well as convert new readers” - Booklist

“[C]ompelling sequel...the many varied settings and particulars of the time period are vividly portrayed.” - Publishers Weekly

“A sweeping narrative of period and peril [that] transports the reader into an undiscovered realm of erotica...” - The Jackson Clarion-Ledger

“Not only does THE DRACULA DOSSIER grip us with its fast paced hunt for history’s most notorious killer, it also enchants us with sophisticated and lyrical recreations of its unique period and strong characters. A daring achievement.” - Matthew Pearl, author of THE DANTE CLUB

“[A] scrupulously imagined thriller...a rip-roaring penny dreadful that compels reading to the end.” - Publishers Weekly

“Those who enjoy gothic novels set in Victorian times…will revel in James Reese’s story…Seamlessly blurring the line between fact and fiction, the book is both characters study and speculative fiction folded into a well-told tale.” - Pittsburgh Tribune

“...a mesmerizing blend of fact and fiction, with plenty of Gothic chill.” - Miami Herald

“The Dracula Dossier is ...an homage in style and structure to its namesake novel, an engrossing look into the lives of eminent Victorians, and a smashing, scary read.” - St. Petersburg Times

“Reese [is] a star pupil in the Anne Rice school of dark sensuality.” - Publishers Weekly

“THE DRACULA DOSSIER is as powerful in its imagination as it is in its dedication to historical detail and social reflection. But what’s more is that it’s a damn good thriller...With Bram Stoker and Jack the Ripper along for the ride, you can’t go wrong with this book.” - Michael Connelly

“It’s marvelous to have one so eloquent exploring and transcending the gothic genre.” - Anne Rice

“Vivid characters...painstaking research...delectable.” - Washington Post Book World

“Delectable.” - Washington Post Book World

“Darkly erotic...lavishly told...Prepare to put your life on hold for 468 pages and immerse yourself.” - Tampa Tribune

“James Reese’s startling second novel is filled with magic and heartbreak…It is a sumptuous feast for the senses.” - Eric Van Lustbader , New York Times bestselling author