Lord John and the Hellfire Club (novella)
Encyclopedia
Lord John and the Hellfire Club is a historical
novella
written by Diana Gabaldon
, a New York Times best-selling author. The story was initially released in audio
form only. It was later included in the paperback version of Lord John and the Private Matter
, and in the Lord John and the Hand of Devils
collection.
Set in 18th century London
, Lord John and the Hellfire Club follows the adventures of Lord John Grey
as he stumbles upon the secrets of the Hellfire Club, an underground society
concerned with the supernatural
.
, Lord John Grey is introduced to Robert Gerald, a cousin by marriage to Grey's friend and colleague, Harry Quarry. Gerald asks Grey to meet him in secret that night, hinting at intrigue. Before the meeting, however, Gerald is killed in front of Grey and Quarry, and the two men begin to search for clues pertaining to Gerald's murder. A few days later, during a high-society party, Grey is invited to a Hellfire Club meeting by one of its members, George Everett (one of Grey's former lovers). When Grey attends the meeting at the club's hideout, Medmenham Abbey, he soon discovers that his life might be in danger as well!
Historical fiction
Historical fiction tells a story that is set in the past. That setting is usually real and drawn from history, and often contains actual historical persons, but the principal characters tend to be fictional...
novella
Novella
A novella is a written, fictional, prose narrative usually longer than a novelette but shorter than a novel. The Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America Nebula Awards for science fiction define the novella as having a word count between 17,500 and 40,000...
written by Diana Gabaldon
Diana Gabaldon
Diana J. Gabaldon is an American author of Mexican-American and English ancestry. Gabaldon is the author of the Outlander Series. Her books they contain elements of romantic fiction, historical fiction, mystery, adventure, and science fiction.-Early life and science career:Diana J. Gabaldon was...
, a New York Times best-selling author. The story was initially released in audio
Audio book
An audiobook or audio book is a recording of a text being read. It is not necessarily an exact audio version of a book or magazine.Spoken audio has been available in schools and public libraries and to a lesser extent in music shops since the 1930s. Many spoken word albums were made prior to the...
form only. It was later included in the paperback version of Lord John and the Private Matter
Lord John and the Private Matter (novel)
Lord John and the Private Matter is a historical mystery novel written by Diana Gabaldon. It was originally intended to be another novella, but became much longer than planned...
, and in the Lord John and the Hand of Devils
Lord John and the Hand of Devils (collection)
Lord John and the Hand of Devils was written by Diana Gabaldon and collects the novellasLord John and the Hellfire Club, Lord John and the Succubus, and Lord John and the Haunted Soldier...
collection.
Set in 18th century London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, Lord John and the Hellfire Club follows the adventures of Lord John Grey
Lord John Grey
John William Grey is a recurring secondary character in the Outlander series and the protagonist of his own series, both of which are written by Diana Gabaldon....
as he stumbles upon the secrets of the Hellfire Club, an underground society
Secret society
A secret society is a club or organization whose activities and inner functioning are concealed from non-members. The society may or may not attempt to conceal its existence. The term usually excludes covert groups, such as intelligence agencies or guerrilla insurgencies, which hide their...
concerned with the supernatural
Supernatural
The supernatural or is that which is not subject to the laws of nature, or more figuratively, that which is said to exist above and beyond nature...
.
Plot
While at the Beefsteak ClubBeefsteak Club
Beefsteak Club is the name, nickname and historically common misnomer applied by sources to several 18th and 19th century male dining clubs that celebrated the beefsteak as a symbol of patriotic and often Whig concepts of liberty and prosperity....
, Lord John Grey is introduced to Robert Gerald, a cousin by marriage to Grey's friend and colleague, Harry Quarry. Gerald asks Grey to meet him in secret that night, hinting at intrigue. Before the meeting, however, Gerald is killed in front of Grey and Quarry, and the two men begin to search for clues pertaining to Gerald's murder. A few days later, during a high-society party, Grey is invited to a Hellfire Club meeting by one of its members, George Everett (one of Grey's former lovers). When Grey attends the meeting at the club's hideout, Medmenham Abbey, he soon discovers that his life might be in danger as well!