May 20, 2021
River Song has her own novel written by the actress who plays the character, Alex Kingston, out now!
This stylish sci-fi noir adventure features her most famous characters: private detective Melody Malone and legendary time-travelling archaeologist River Song.
You can order The Ruby’s Curse, here as a hardback or ebook, or on audio here
You can read the first chapter below:
Chapter One
Stormcage, ad 5147
20 seconds
The next obstacle was my favourite. I’ve never quite understood why a laser maze is considered a top-tier deterrent when a laser wall would be much more effective. But I’m not complaining. I’ve never felt more like a superhero than when I danced across the floor, deflecting each incoming beam with a hand mirror. Up above! Down low! Never too slow!
. . . and rest.
10 seconds
Two directions. The first leading straight to the staff area. Everything’s run from there. I’ve considered making a detour before – turn off the defences, make a few discreet alterations to my file, maybe schedule myself a mani-pedi – but it’s difficult, even for me, to get in without loss of life, and that could make a gal unpopular around here. I’d have to take the other direction.
There’s a children’s game in which you need to drop marbles through holes. The aim is to line up different holes to create an unobstructed path downwards, and bye-bye marble. Stormcage has something similar. The doors all need to align to enable you to get to your chosen location. Each corridor is accessible once a day only. Trouble is, you can only see the first door. If you mistime, if one of the others is out of place . . . well, absolute best outcome is you arrive on the wrong floor. You really don’t want to hear what happens if you’re not lucky. But did I mention? Child of Time here. I could tell the second everything fell into place.
5 seconds
Deep breath.
4 seconds On your mark.
3 seconds Get set.
2 seconds Go!
1 second I ran. I dived. I flew through the first door . . .. . . and I landed on the other side. Both feet together, don’t stumble, arms up! I’d make any gymnastics teacher proud.
0 seconds I still had the labyrinth to go, but I’d been through that so many times I could find my way even without a handy ball of string. Achievement unlocked! I let myself into Cell 426, and pulled the door closed behind me. How lovely, someone changed my sheets while I was gone. I must be sure to thank the guards. I sat down on my bunk and pulled the typewriter out of my backpack.
What bliss. I’d finally found somewhere with the peace and quiet I needed to write my book. I started to type:
Come through the doors of the Angel Detective Agency Inc., Floor 33,RCA Building, Manhattan, and maybe you’re expecting just another private eye . . .
Or hear Alex Kingston read it here:
You can order The Ruby’s Curse, here as a hardback or ebook, or on audio here
