Tales from the Archives: Volume 4

Tales from the Archives are short stories set in the world of the Ministry of Peculiar Occurrences. They explore events mentioned in the novels, characters seen and unseen and may include novel teasers of things to come.

This volume includes:

Sins of the Father by Tee Morris—Summer, 1888. Arthur Books welcomes home his son, Wellington, from the jungles and deserts of Africa. In his own manner, the invalid father bestows upon his heir all the pride and respect due to actions in the field. The returning war hero, though, has returned more than a decorated soldier in Her Majesty’s Army; and Arthur collects on an investment spanning across decades.

A Swan in Siam by P.J. Schnyder. Fall, 1863. Phailin is not your typical personal guard to the King of Siam. This royal protector of secrets finds herself intrigued by a guest of the British Ambassador’s, the enigmatic John M. Alvey of the Ministry of Peculiar Occurrences, and his quest for a swan possessing mythical powers…

Women of the Empire by JR Blackwell. Wellington Thornhill Books and Doctor Josepha Raven Blackwell share ‘an encounter’ after-hours at the Ministry, all part of Dr. Blackwell’s research into hysteria. Brief as the encounter, one of them will not come out quite the same from it.

The Emperor’s Fist by JR Murdock. Spring 1889. Agent Reginald Coffey and Special Liaison Meiying Ling are deep within the jungles of China, setting technology against the oldest of dark Chinese magic. The two are set on a rendezvous with the most sinister of sorcerers and a plot to plunge the world into darkness.