A Decline in Prophets

Book 2: The Rowland Sinclair Mysteries

Sulari Gentill

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A Decline in Prophets

Book 2: The Rowland Sinclair Mysteries

Sulari Gentill

Winner of Davitt Award for Best Adult Crime Fiction 2012

“I’m afraid, Sinclair has a habit of being in the wrong place every possible time. I would think twice about standing next to him.”

“God forbid, Rowland, you should return home without some sort of scandal… leading some kind of insane cult!”

In 1932, the RMS Aquitania embodies all that is gracious and refined, in a world gripped by crisis and doubt.

Returning home on the luxury liner after months abroad, Rowland Sinclair and his companions dine with a suffragette, a Bishop and a retired World Prophet. The Church encounters less orthodox religion in the Aquitania’s chandeliered ballroom, where men of God rub shoulders with mystics in dinner suits.

The elegant atmosphere on board is charged with tension, but civility prevails… until people start to die. Then things get a bit awkward.

And Rowland finds himself unwittingly in the centre of it all.

 

“…An elusive killer, a charming sleuth and a historical setting, A Decline in Prophets is glossy, original and appealingly Australian.”
– Women’s Weekly

Book 2 in the award-winning Rowland Sinclair Mystery Series

Sulari Gentill

Sulari Gentill

Sulari Gentill

Sulari Gentill - Author of the award-winning and best-selling Rowland Sinclair Mysteries, the Greek mythology adventure series The Hero Trilogy, and winner of the Best Crime award at the 2018 Ned Kelly Awards, Crossing the Lines.

Award-winning author Sulari Gentill set out to study astrophysics, graduated in law, and then abandoned her legal career to write books instead of contracts.

Born in Sri Lanka, Sulari learned to speak English in Zambia, grew up in Brisbane and now lives in the foothills of the Snowy Mountains of NSW where, with her historian husband, she grows French black truffles, cares for a variety of animals and raises two wild colonial boys. Sulari also paints, but only well enough to know she should write, preferably in her pyjamas.

 

Photo credit: Erica Murray

More about the author

“…An elusive killer, a charming sleuth and a historical setting, A Decline in Prophets is glossy, original and appealingly Australian.”

“Sulari Gentill’s A Decline in Prophets continues the sparkling crime series that began with A Few Right Thinking Men…Gentill writes charming Australian historical crime. There’s an Evelyn-Waugh-meets-Agatha-Christie feel about this series, though it perhaps bears closer comparison to the celebrated contemporary author of period crime, the Russian Boris Akunin.”

“The sequel to A Few Right Thinking Men: A Decline in Prophets – a heady mix of religion, murder and scandal… the inner workings of an international cult (the Theosophical Movement), luxury boats, seances and mystics and the Masons – in short, the grace, charm and contradiction of the 1930s (plus a rather alarming body count), all put together with Gentill’s now trademark light-hearted irony.” Click here to buy it at Booktopia

“A historical crime series featuring a wiley detective makes us think of Miss Marple or Inspector Poirot…”

“This is a very entertaining and lovely book… what is so lovely about it is the characters and the historical detail… People who love Kerry Greenwood’s books featuring Phryne Fisher, the very wealthy flapper in 1928 in Melbourne, well, Rowland is your equivalent and these books are very reminiscent… that same attention to the history… that same attention to the luxury and having a central character who has money and is able to go anywhere in the world as a consequence… and we’re in these extraordinary places… I was much more interested in the colour, movement, light history, the sense of Sydney in the 1930s, the sense of place… that is what I loved…” Click here to listen to the podcast

“This richly detailed historical mystery, beautifully bringing 1930s society to life, is a terrific read.”

“If you’ve not caught up yet with Rowly Sinclair… where on earth have you been? … great story telling. Good characters, a believable plot, both of which transport the reader to a place and a time that just feels right. A Decline in Prophets is just a fantastic book.”

“PICK OF THE WEEK… I zoomed through A Decline in Prophets…”

“I’m inclined to describe A Decline in Prophets as ‘keen, snazzy, swell’ – an assured, engaging, highly entertaining novel from a talented and prolific author… To sum up in the language of the 1930s, Sulari is one cool broad whose juicy books will blow your wig.”

“It looks like I’m set for another adventure which will bring to life some more little-known events in Australian history and combine my interests in things artistic and political. How delicious.”

“… the relationships between the various members of the group are a real highlight of this book… a gripping mystery… thoughtfully drawn characters, gentle but clever humour and the obvious love Gentill has for the story she wants to tell and the time period in which it is set made this a very satisfying read for me and one I would recommend widely.”

“…the start of a promising new series set in 1930s Sydney about a character who is a little like a male Phryne Fisher. Rowland Sinclair is a gentleman artist who comes from a privileged background but whose sympathies are with bohemians, lefties and ratbags. It’s a rich political and cultural era to explore and Gentill has a lot of fun with a hero who is always getting paint on his immaculate tailoring.”

“I ADORED THIS… the inclusion of historical figures in this series is stunning… very looking forward to books three and four in this series.”

“An interesting mix of fact and fiction… very satisfying read, good Australian flavour. 4.8 out of 5.”

“…Gentill has created a delightful, easy to read series complete with gorgeous covers. Do yourself and favour & give one a go – you’ll be pleasantly surprised.”

“Getting the balance between history and mystery spot on, the characters continue to evolve individually and as a group…Gentill seamlessly weaves the fictional into the factual.”

“…a beguiling and congenial cast of characters… Gentill mixes them all in a tasty package of murder, suspense and delight, blending real events and people with her colorful characters. This is more than a mere cozy.”

“Sulari Gentill has penned this appealing whodunit in the classic style, but with an Australian twist. The unique setting of a luxury liner, instead of the more usual drawing rooms or train, adds to the novel’s appeal. Gentill describes the passengers’ social class differences effectively in this mystery. The well-narrated scenes and the introduction of some real-life characters take us back to the pre-WWII era. Although this is second in a series after A Few Right-Thinking Men, it can be read as a standalone. Readers will look forward to the next installment.”