Only The Thunder Knows - East End Girls: JournalStone's DoubleDown Series - Book I

By Gord Rollo and Rena Mason

(1) William (Billy) Burke and William Hare were two real-life, beer-swilling, fist-fighting lowlifes who managed to stumble their way into infamy in Edinburgh, Scotland in the late 1820’s. Step by step, they graduated from the unemployment line to petty thievery, to grave robbing, and then on to cold bloody murder – ultimately becoming Britain’s first documented serial killers. – (2) Seized by the vicious killings of Jack the Ripper, Victorian London’s, East End is on the brink of ruin. Elizabeth Covington, desperate and failing to follow in her beloved father's footsteps, risks practicing medicine in the dangerous and neglected Whitechapel District to improve her studies. Only she knows the truth that drives the madness of a murderer.

• Language: English
• Publisher: JournalStone
• Release date: Jun 7, 2013
• ISBN: 9781936564798

Gord Rollo

Gord Rollo was born in St. Andrews, Scotland, but now lives in Ontario, Canada. His short stories and novella-length work have appeared in many professional publications throughout the genre and his novels include: The Jigsaw Man, Crimson, Strange Magic, Valley Of The Scarecrow, The Translators, Only The Thunder Knows, and The Crucifixion Experiments.. His work has been translated into several languages and his titles are currently being adapted for audiobooks. Besides novels, Gord edited the acclaimed evolutionary horror anthology, Unnatural Selection: A Collection of Darwinian Nightmares. He also co-edited Dreaming of Angels, a horror/fantasy anthology created to increase awareness of Down’s syndrome and raise money for research.

Book preview

Only the

Thunder Knows

By

Gord Rollo

JournalStone

San Francisco

Copyright © 2013 by Gord Rollo

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the publisher except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

This is a work of fiction. All of the characters, names, incidents, organizations, and dialogue in this novel are either the products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously.

JournalStone books may be ordered through booksellers or by contacting:

JournalStone

www.journalstone.com

www.journal-store.com

The views expressed in this work are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

ISBN:     978-1-936564-82-8            (sc)

ISBN:     978-1-940161-16-7            (hc – limited edition)

ISBN:     978-1-936564-79-8            (ebook)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2013935628

Printed in the United States of America

JournalStone rev. date:  June 7, 2013

Cover Design:       Denis Daniel

Cover Art:             Alan M. Clark

Edited By:             Norman Rubenstein

Dedication

I’d like to give a shout out to my friend and fellow author Steve Savile. He’s a brilliant writer and a huge inspiration for me. More importantly for the project you’re holding in your hands, it was Steve who originally suggested the idea for a dark tale about the grave robbers turned serial killers, Burke and Hare. For years we talked about writing something together and I’d hoped this book might eventually be the one. Unfortunately, Steve is so incredibly busy (not that there is anything unfortunate about that—he’s earned every bit of his success) we just couldn’t find the time to make it happen this time around. When this opportunity came along for me, and I heard that Rena Mason was writing a historical horror tale set in Great Britain, I knew I wanted to write something in a similar historical vein as well. Burke and Hare fit that theme perfectly. I asked Steve if he minded if I wrote the story myself and he graciously told me to go ahead. I still hope we get the chance to work together sometime soon, but for now I’ll be content if Steve reads my book and doesn’t think I screwed it up too badly.

Endorsements

"Only the Thunder Knows is a wonderfully written story by Gord Rollo, possibly his very best writing (which is saying quite a bit). The story starts with two grave robbers but it moves into unexpected territory as it continues and by the end I was totally enthralled. I was amazed at the skill Rollo brings to the table to be able to pull this off. Very highly recommended!" – John R. Little

Readers who enjoy toying with alternate-historical hypotheses and can endure gore should find these lively accounts appealing.

– Publishers Weekly

A Little Knowledge

Is

A Dangerous Thing

An Introduction by Alan M. Clark

This volume marks the beginning of the new Double Down series of books to be released by JournalStone Publishing.  The unusual tête-bêche books are inspired by the Ace Doubles from the 1950s to the 1970s.

Part of what draws the two novellas in this book into one volume is that each of the authors has chosen to give their story a well-known historical setting.  Both take place in Great Britain; Gord Rollo’s, Only the Thunder Knows, in Edinburgh in the late Georgian era of the resurrectionists, particularly Burke and Hare, and Rena Mason’s, East End Girls, in Victorian London during the time of Jack the Ripper.  

I love a good historical fiction or alternate history tale, one that helps me do a bit of time-travel, and these stories transport me to fascinating periods.  Nearly everyone enjoys looking back in history and considering a simpler time.  Some of that pleasure comes from trying to imagine how the world might be today if events had unfolded differently in the past.  For me, much of the enjoyment comes from knowing that the people of the past had something to look forward to; some of the advances in science and medicine that we enjoy today.  Those people had hope of a better world, and we know they had the guts and the drive to get there, for here we are.  When casually considering the past, however, we often don’t think about what it took to turn those hopes for a better world into reality; the struggles, the growing pains, the unintended consequences of trying something new.

Both the late Georgian and Victorian eras saw enormous advancements in science in Great Britain.  With the science came new technologies in medicine and industry.  Of course there were those who capitalized on the economic growth that ensued, and they had their share of hubris, their ofttimes heedless and single‐minded efforts to drive the technologies into the future resulting in unintended consequences that caused their fellow man no end of trouble and harm.  Of course we are always on the cusp of knowing more, but frequently, even when we have only a little knowledge, we tend to have big ideas—sometimes dangerous ideas—of what we could do with it.  But then, this is in part how we learn.  We make mistakes.  It’s messy, but there seems to be an inevitability about the process and no good way around it.

What’s fascinating to me is that when looking back on such eras we are strangely nostalgic about our naiveté.  Some even lament the loss of those simpler times.  What these periods provide for the writer is settings for great tragic drama. 

And Mason and Rollo have employed them for just that. 

East End Girls takes place in the 1880s when the industrial revolution had made Great Britain the richest nation in the world.  That same revolution, however, had put so many of the British people out of work that the East End of London experienced some of the worst poverty known anywhere at the time.  The poor and vulnerable were the prey of Jack the Ripper.  Perhaps nothing could have stopped the first murder, but with better law enforcement techniques the subsequent murders might have been prevented.  The repeated loss of life becomes more poignant when considering that fingerprinting, a technology that might have helped catch the killer, was introduced to the London police and rejected by shortsighted officials in 1886, 2 years before the Ripper.   In this case, the lack of action in taking up a technology caused unintended harm.  Yes, I think it even as I tap the keys to write this—they were simpler times.  Jack the Ripper may have had little fear of being caught.  Because the history of the Ripper has many such wellsprings of collective human regret, I have always been fascinated with stories of the murderer and have explored the history in my own writing.  Mason’s tale has wonderful new twists and turns to add to the growing body of speculation about Jack the Ripper.

Gord Rollo’s story is centered around the most notorious characters from the dark history of bodysnatching, William Burke and William Hare.  To this day, the best way to study anatomy is to dissect a human being.  In modern times we tend to have plenty of people willing to hand over their bodies after death to this purpose, but that’s not how it’s always been.  In the past, due to religious beliefs and other scruples throughout most of the developing world, we have not been consistently willing to give up our dead for dissection sufficient to the need of every one striving to become a physician. 

Whenever we’ve failed to meet that need, a market for stolen dead bodies has emerged.  My grandfather, Dr. Sam Lillard Clark (1898 to 1961), was head of the Anatomy Department at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, and was on the Tennessee Anatomical Board (he called it the Board Stiff), charged with the task of securing cadavers for all the medical students in Tennessee.  When there were not enough to go around, he employed a body snatcher.  I have long loved the history of bodysnatching, ever since reading my grandfather’s paper, Medical Education from the Ground Up, that he wrote and delivered to his gentleman’s club in the 1940s.  Part of the paper are the words of his body snatcher—originally recorded on Dictaphone® (wax cylinder dictation machine), then transcribed by my grandfather into the paper—telling of his exploits in the Nashville area, the city where I grew up. 

Rollo’s novella puts a shovel in my hand and pays me handsomely to dig for corpses alongside his characters, and I’m right there with them when they make an incredible discovery that turns the reader’s expectations inside out.  

When I was asked to paint the cover art for this Double Down book, I was excited by the subject matter.  Reading the beautifully crafted stories I became immersed in long lost, gritty worlds of British history, both realistically and fantastically portrayed by Rollo and Mason.  Then I was offered the honor of writing this introduction!  Rarely have I been presented with a project that so well suits my own interests.  I hope you enjoy this book as much as I have.

Only the

Thunder Knows

By

Gord Rollo

Chapter

1

Edinburgh, Scotland

October, 1828

Other than the incessant rain, which is pretty much a given this far north, the Gaffer had told Charlie Mawson hot wax burns would be what he’d hate most about igniting the gaslights along the narrow cobbled streets of Westport. The Warden’s Curse he’d called it, but the Gaffer had been wrong. Naturally, Charlie cursed every time he held his pole aloft and scalding drops of melted candle rained down on him, but the skin on his hands had toughened up – burnt into insensitivity most likely – and for the last week he had taken to wearing a wide-brimmed felt hat which he fancied made him look like a Spaniard out to fence his way across some pirate’s galleon. Besides, practice had taught him ways to avoid most of the spills. The burns he could cope with.

No, it was the fog he truly despised, the thick Edinburgh pea‐soupers that left the cobbles invisible beneath his feet as he trudged along the empty streets.

Charlie loathed being alone when the fog descended on the city. And he hated the way his mind conjured up all kinds of demons and phantoms – always just out of sight and reach but only just so – hovering ominously on the periphery of his vision, masked by the swirling mist. And when the fog rolled in extra thick, as it had tonight, blanketing Westport in its eerie shroud, Charlie’s palms would grow sweaty and chills danced up and down his back as iron bands of dread tightened slowly around his chest, squeezing the very breath from his lungs.

Charlie had thought it a stroke of genius on his part to apply for a job as a Warden with the gasworks – instead of being cooped up in some rat-infested factory along the Firth of Forth all day long, he’d be working outside, no one watching over his every move. And it was good money besides. He couldn’t believe how many folks on the route paid him an extra ha’penny a week to knock them awake come sunrise. Easy money, he’d thought, knocking on a few windows after he’d doused the gaslights for the day to come. Thirty days into his employment, and the fog had convinced Charlie that a factory job wasn’t the ‘evil to end all evils’ after all.

Ah, to Hell and buggery, just get on with it, yer fool, Charlie thought, chastising himself. Once the blasted lights are burnin’ you’ll feel better.

A Hackney cab ghosted by in the distance; or perhaps it was one of those fancy new two-wheeled hansom cabs he’d been hearing about lately, its iron-rimmed wheels striking sparks on the uneven cobbles. Though in truth he might never have known it was there without the clop of the horse’s shoes and the clatter of the wheel rims on the broken stones. The fog smudged out its black shape until it simply ceased to be.

Charlie shivered, thinking of ghoulies and ghosties and other nasty things that went bump in the night.

Fear is peculiar like that, Charlie knew. You struggled through with clenched teeth like you were lugging a bloody great bag of coal on your back. You’ve just got to get on with it or it will drop you in your tracks. And right enough, once he’d ignited most of the gaslights along the High Street he felt more in control. The flames burned off some of the fog and pushed the darkness back to a safer distance. Charlie knew it was all in his head but nevertheless he felt the bands around his chest slowly ease their grip. He took several deep breaths, doing his best to relax.

Then he heard the footsteps.

Slow and measured.

Heavy, confident strides.

Assuredly male. Not the leggy gait of a whore out working the streets or the nervous tap-tap-scuffle of a more refined lady – no self-respecting woman would be out this late, he reasoned, certainly not in this part of town – definitely a man.

He felt his chest tightening again.

The footsteps approached out of the fog, coming from some still unlit section of the city but with the all-encompassing white mist it was impossible to judge if they came from behind him, ahead of him or from either side. That was another thing Charlie hated about the fog; it rendered direction meaningless. He strained to peer through the gloom but there was nothing to see except a calico cat sheltered under the eaves of the local bakery, enjoying the lingering aromas of cinnamon and saffron that were drifting out from the air vents.

Suddenly, like one of the wraiths that plagued his imagination, a tall figure dressed in black strode purposefully out of the night, the curtain of fog torn asunder and scattered by his appearance. Charlie stared at the shape coalescing out of the mist. The fragment of jaundiced light from the gaslight gave the man’s face a deathlike pallor, as though his bone‐white skull showed through the folds of skin drawn over it. The newcomer was like something that might walk out of Dante’s Hell. Tails fluttered like the wings of black birds around his legs.

The footsteps slowed.

Stopped.

Charlie very nearly screamed but he bit down on it hard enough to draw blood from his bottom lip.

The newcomer was big, well over six feet and easily fifteen stone, though his bulky overcoat and top hat made him appear both wider and taller. Their eyes met for a moment but Charlie quickly broke the contact and looked away, pretending to fumble with the glass casing on the light above him despite the fact that it was already lit and closed. Fear tied anxious knots deep in his belly.

Sweet Mary, Mother of All Things Good and Holy!

He had thought, for no more than a heartbeat, that the tall man had no eyes. Good Catholic boy that he was, Charlie moved instinctively to make the sign of the cross on his chest but he stopped himself. He didn’t want the stranger thinking he was some simpleton fresh out from the asylum.

Just keep yer head down an’ let him walk by, Charlie, my old son. Just let him walk by…

A word with you, young sir? a deep, gravelly voice asked. Then silence and Charlie had no choice but to look up and face its owner.

A small measure of relief washed over him: The man wasn’t some mystical Speaker of the Dead; he did in fact have eyes and not cold round shillings, albeit the strangest eyes Charlie had ever seen. Twin blanks; the whole eye the same ice white as the stranger’s long hair and slightly ragged beard – an exact match for the shifting banks of fog. A shiver wormed its way down the length of Charlie’s back.

Can I help you, Gov’nor?

That depends. I’m looking for Tanner’s Close, White Eyes said. I was told I might find a lodging house there. It is, after all, deep into the dead of night and even the most restless souls must sleep.

Directions. All he wants is a place to kip down. Thank Christ for that. For all that Charlie still couldn’t look the stranger square in the eye.

Aye sir…‘tis. Charlie turned and pointed along the street in the direction of the Quayside. Down that way toward the water, Tanner’s is the fourth turning you’ll come to, you can’t miss it. Go into the crescent and you’ll see Log’s Lodging House right on the corner. Big building. Bit rundown, but then what isn’t around here? Anyway, like I said, you can’t miss it.

He was rambling.

White Eyes made no response. His inspection was invasive. It made Charlie feel dirty, violated, as though the tall man wasn’t staring at him, but rather into him. Perhaps, Charlie thought wildly, he could see into his soul and was actually reading it then to see if he spoke the truth or not. Charlie shook his head blaming the crazy notion on the wee dram of whiskey he’d knocked back before coming out. Apparently satisfied, he gave Charlie a slight nod then moved off down the street without so much as another word.

Would a thank you ‘ave killed you, you upper‐ class git? Oh no, too good to be thankin’ the likes of a simple Warden. Bleedin’ Toff. 

The stranger stopped in midstride, inclining his head ever so slightly as though listening to some sound only he could hear, and then walked on. Over his shoulder, he called: My thanks, young man. You’ll find your reward, I am sure, in Heaven. Ah… and speaking of the good Lord’s house, the old lady on Princess Street won’t wake up come sunrise, so save your banging, Charlie Mawson. She’s sleeping the good sleep.

Charlie could only stare, unwilling, unable to turn his back on this mysterious man. How the bloody buggerin’ Hell does he know my name?

Chilled bone deep, Charlie watched the stranger walk away. One by one, each gaslight along the High Street dulled, flickered, and then went out as he passed it.

Charlie dropped his candle and fumbled for the flask of whiskey he kept hidden in the depths of his coat pockets, not nearly as afraid of the fog now as he was of the darker things that walked within it. Shaking, he uncapped the silver stopper and drank deeply. The whiskey burned on its way down but it didn’t even begin to touch the chill in his rapidly beating heart.

*   *   *

Maggie Hare answered the door almost before the first knock had sounded. She threw it wide open and braced herself there in the doorway like some common fishwife, ready to give her miserable excuse for a husband a mouthful for coming home in the middle of the night stinking of beer and smoke.

She’d kept a faithful vigil at the downstairs window for hours with only the ticking of the grandfather clock in the common room for company. Not that she could see anything of the streets outside. A fog had crept in off Colston Hill and the peaks of the Highlands beyond, smothering the city in mist so thick she had trouble seeing the end of her nose much less the road and the workhouses and factories beyond her front stoop. William, her husband, was a good for nothing drunk. Worthless as a human being, worth even less as a husband, Maggie thought bitterly. Given his usual state of inebriation she was constantly surprised when he found his way home, but then even the mangiest of mongrels seem to have the knack for finding their beds and a softie to feed them come morning.

Damn you, William Hare! If you’ve been out pokin’ some damned whore– Maggie launched into her tirade but the familiar invective had barely left her tongue before she saw the stranger waiting on the doorstep.

She wasn’t sure who the tall dark-clothed man was, but he definitely wasn’t her William.

Ah, my sincerest apologies, Good Wife. I appear to have come at a bad time, the stranger said, no hint of the Scottish burr to his voice; nor Irish for that matter. An English Gentleman maybe, out in the dead of night. I was hoping to rent a room but I can return in the morning, or perhaps you know of somewhere else nearby?

Goodness me, no, sir. Come in, come in. It’s colder ‘n a witches tit out there… you must be frozen. We’ve got a nice warm fire stoked and I can heat up a bowl of broth for you no trouble… get some heat into your old bones, eh? Maggie graced him with her most winning of smiles, pretending that it was a common thing for complete strangers to come calling this late at night. It was nothing short of magic the way the thought of getting her hands on the stranger’s money dampened her anger with her husband.

How long will you be with us, mister…?

Black… Ambrosious Black, he said, smiling. I know, quite a mouthful, but you get used to it by the time you get to my age. I was thinking something along the lines of a couple of months, perhaps even more. It all depends on the work I have to do here really, so it’s hard to say exactly.

A basic room is two ‘n eight a night, nothing fancy mind, just good plain home cooking and a warm bed. Her eyes took on a far away quality as she wrestled with the arithmetic in her head. Two shillings, eight pennies a day, for at least sixty days was almost ten guineas. Half up front, of course, she added hurriedly.

Of course, Black said, reaching into his top coat pocket for his leather purse.

Black with the white eyes. Maggie found herself saying.

Pardon? Black said, his smile spreading.

Black. Funny name for a fella with white hair and white eyes…oh my, you ain’t blind are you? Can’t be giving you something upstairs if you’s blind…oh do listen to me prattling on like a fool.

I’m not blind, dear lady. Though a downstairs room, perhaps out of the way of your other guests would be appreciated. I’ll be working during my stay.

Well, she said doubtfully, We have got a room out back, William uses it for his workshop, not that he ever does any work, mind.

Marvelous.

I think William’s got a cot in there.

Even better. He palmed five guineas into Maggie’s hand, more than he even owed. I can see we are going to get along like a house on fire, Mrs. Hare.

Do call me Maggie, everyone else does, she said, without so much as wondering how he had come to call her

Reviews for Only The Thunder Knows - East End Girls

[poseyj-1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

This is a two book in one . The first was Only the Thunder and I enjoyed it very much. It was easy to read and kept my interest. I began to read the second (East End Girls) but didn't complete it. I enjoy mysteries but do not like horror and just couldn't get into reading it.

[zjordi_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

The first of the two (Only the thunder...) is a correct but not specially inspired re-creation of live in the Edinburgh of XIX century, high in local colour (speech patterns, geographical names) but somewhat low in actual interest. Besides, resurrectionists is a subject hardly new.The second (East End Gilrs) is a new take on the Ripper's tale (hardly a new subject too), but I had to say that it managed to interest me not only for the twist in the story, but for a vigorous writing and a firm grasp on action, flavour notwhitstanding. The better of the two, to be sure.

[katyas_26 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Book Info: Genre: Dark urban fantasy/Historical fictionReading Level: AdultRecommended for: Fans of horror, dark fiction, reading about serial killersTrigger Warnings: murder, body snatching, serial killing, mutilationMy Thoughts: This is a double-feature, so to speak: two books in one binding. They are each a blend of historical fiction with urban fantasy, each dealing with a serial killer or killers. They are not available to review separately as nearly as I can tell, so I'll just be writing two reviews here. First up:“Only The Thunder Knows” by Gord Rollow: Combining the story of Britain's first serial killers with a dose of horror and a bit of Arthurian legend, this dark story was a real pleasure to read for someone like me who is interested in the mythology of the British Isles. The point-of-view is limited third person, so there isn't a lot of introspection, although we do go into both William and Billy's heads at different times for short periods. Still, the point of the story is the mystery and the search, and that is what this novella focuses on, moving from Edinburgh to London, spending time in cemeteries and dive bars and creaky boarding houses. A really great story that feeds nicely into the second novella in this book...“East End Girls” by Rena Mason: This is Ms. Mason's debut book, and it creates an interesting theory about Jack the Ripper. Unfortunately I can't provide many details so as to avoid spoiling the story, but it was a really good book, very well-written. It provides an interesting look into the lives of women in Victorian England, and through Eliza we see how imbalanced society was. She dreamt of being a doctor, but of course was expected to drop all that once she married. An outstanding book and character study, this is an author whose work I'll be wanting to read again in the future. I see a bright future.These two stories fit together well and were both a highly entertaining read. For those who enjoy reading horror, dark fiction, especially about serial killers, you will definitely want to check this double book out. Highly recommended.Disclosure: I received this two-book combination novel from JournalStone in exchange for an honest review through the LibraryThing Early Reviewer's program. All opinions are my own.Synopsis: “Only The Thunder Knows”: William (Billy) Burke and William Hare were two real-life, beer-swilling, fist-fighting lowlifes who managed to stumble their way into infamy in Edinburgh, Scotland in the late 1820s. Step by step, they graduated from the unemployment line to petty thievery, to grave robbing, and then on to cold bloody murder—ultimately becoming Britain’s first documented serial killers. What history doesn’t know about, or consider is the possibility that Burke and Hare may not have been acting on their own; and the blame for those heinous crimes might not entirely be theirs. Two mysterious strangers have arrived in the city—an old sculptor and a stunningly beautiful actress—both of which use their money and influence to manipulate the young Irishmen into searching for an ancient artifact rumored to have the awesome power of Heaven and Hell combined. “East End Girls”: Seized by the vicious killings of Jack the Ripper, Victorian London’s, East End is on the brink of ruin. Elizabeth Covington, desperate and failing to follow in her beloved father’s footsteps, risks practicing medicine in the dangerous and neglected Whitechapel District to improve her studies. News of a second brutal murder spreads. Elizabeth crosses paths with a man she believes is the villain, triggering a personal downward spiral taking her to a depth of evil she never knew existed. Only she knows the truth that drives the madness of a murderer.

[britt84 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Two short novellas based on historical facts, with the author's own twist.I very much enjoyed these stories. I thought the authors did a very good job of weaving their own stories into the historical facts and thereby mixing up fact and fiction.The first story, 'Only the Thunder Knows', tells the story of two grave robbers, who end up involved in an ancient battle of good and evil, with legendary figures brought back to life. The story was a pleasure to read, had a good flow and kept me reading. The main characters weren't exactly likable, but still the story drew me in.The second story, 'East End Girls', is more of a realistic horror tale, in which we meet Jack the Ripper. Again, well-told, a pleasure to read and a page-turner. Definitely two stories I'd recommend to anyone who enjoys tales of horror with a historical touch.

[kmt01_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This book is comprised of two separate novels, Only the Thunder knows, a new twist on the story of grave robbers, and East End Girls, a new twist on the Jack the Ripper tale. Both are well written and extremely interesting. I finished the entire book in a very short time because they were well written and totally held my interest. In the first book, the author puts a new twist on the story of William (Billy) Burke and William Hare, two men in Scotland accused of robbing graves to sell to medical schools in the early 1800’s. The author has put a new spin on the well-known story of these two lowlifes, introducing a new element combining a bit of horror fiction and legends, so seamlessly that I barely even noticed it. In the other work, the other author introduces a new idea about just who exactly the well-unknown Jack the Ripper was and how and why he committed his infamous rash of murders, again, in the early 1800’s. Like the other, I found this story totally engrossing and had difficulty putting it down once I had started. The authors have done a superb job of bringing the reader right into the environment in which all occurred and, though introducing new twists to the familiar, did this so well that the reader almost never knew that they were doing so and found themselves believing the tales as told. I think anyone who enjoys a good story or is interested in historical fiction would find both of these stories well worth the effort. I am looking forward to more by these authors. I received this from Library Thing to read and review.

[lschwarzman_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Great story! I enjoyed it immensely; and learned a lot about grave robbing from centuries past. Entertaining and enlightening! The way a good book should be.

[blfens · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Both novellas in this “double down” provide a good read. Gord Rollo’s Only the Thunder Knows” cleverly interweaves the factual events in connection to the crimes of the historical figures Burke and Hare, Edinburgh’s most notorious – early nineteenth-century – grave robbers with appearances of mythical characters such as Merlin, King Arthur and Morgana le Fey. Well-written, it kept me in suspense until the very end. Rena Mason’s East End Girls was equally well-written, although less suspenseful. The plot was quite obvious from the beginning and the portrayal of the heroine/villain character somewhat lacking in credibility, considering the limitations imposed upon women at the time. Nevertheless, combining the two stories into one volume was a great idea by the publisher, and I’m looking forward to the next.

[kellswitch_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I really enjoyed both of these books, though in completely different ways. First I really enjoyed having the two novellas joined together, I thought it was a great idea to have them being printed in reverse of each other, it really added to the feel that you were reading two separate books. The first one, Only the Thunder Knows by Gord Rollo, I ripped through in less than two days, it was hard to put down. I loved the atmosphere, he really did a good job of creating the feel for the gaslight era of London and I loved his take and twist on the Burke and Hare resurrection story. He had just enough of the actual story done correctly for a nitpicker of history such as myself that the liberties he took with the story felt seamless and appropriate. I knew there was a twist coming at the end but I deliberately did not try and figure out what it was until I go there in the story, there were subtle hints (and some not so subtle) that the reader could easily guess at the direction things were going in but I found it way more fun to just go along for the ride. This was a really fun story.The second story, East End Girls by Rena Mason I got through almost as quickly as the first. It wasn’t as fun as Only the Thunder Knows but just as well written. This is a new take on the Jack the Ripper story and while you could tell immediately where it was going it was still fascinating to watch the story unfold. There were a few twists and conceits of the story that felt a bit too coincidental and convenient but I feel that has more to do with the story of The Ripper being to well known that any folding in of the facts with this story would have felt that way and only one really at the end that stood out and was bothersome but even at that it fit the story.No one in this story was particular likable and this is usually a detriment for me but in this case it worked really well and felt appropriate. And again, the author did a great job of creating the atmosphere of the time in a very short amount of time.I am adding these to authors to my watch list as I really enjoyed their new takes on old, well worn and used stories.

[toades_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I thoroughly enjoyed both of these books. I found them well written and they both kept my attention till the end. I would definitely recommend this "Double Down series book" to anyone. I look forward to reading more of both these authors.

[danielle_browning-1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I love the idea of packaging two connected novellas into one package. JournalStone publishing is doing just that by taking an established writer in the genre and pairing them up with an author new to horror. The two novellas are centered around real life events with some twists and turns.I read the first novella Only The Thunder Knows in record time. I really enjoyed it and was engaged throughout. (If I was reviewing based off the first story alone, I would give it five stars)The second story East End Girls, I kept putting down and forcing myself to pick it back up. It took me a bit to get through it. Looking back, it was a really solid story on it's own, but the bar was set to high for me after finishing the first story.I wouldn't recommend it to everyone, but for fans of horror it will make an interesting read.I received a review copy of this title from LibraryThing

[lyhansen · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This is a two novella collection from Journalstone (a publisher to keep and eye on!). The first novella is Only the Thunder knows by Gord Rollo. I liked the strange setting of this story and was instantly drawn to the characters. It is a strange story about two drunks who one day take a dead lady to a Doctor because they don't know what else to do and the Doctor pays them money to use the cadaver in his school. This takes the story on a real interesting twist and keeps twisting and turning throughout. I thought the author did a great job of telling so much story in so few words! I did think that parts of the story felt rushed but I rather enjoyed it!The second novella is East End Girls by Rena Mason. Again, I liked this story a lot and was instantly drawn in to the characters. This was a very unique twist on the historical famous slasher Jack the Ripper. I liked that this author was very knowledgeable about the human body and had very descriptive gruesome wording in this book! I won't go much into telling you about the story because I don't want to spoil it for you. I can say this, if you like Jack the Ripper this one will take you for a ride! Buckle up!!!

[mclane_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

This volume contains two novellas related by theme, based on historical facts. Only the Thunder Knows by Gord Rollo is based on the actions of Burke and Hare, the notorious grave robbers active in Scotland in the 1820's. It combines elements of horror and magic, including the participation of Merlin, Morgana Le Fey and King Arthur in a classic story of good versus evil. East End Girls by Rena Mason set in London inthe 1890's and is a new take on the story of Jack the Ripper. Could Jack have been Jill? Both novellas come off well, but I preferred the Burke and Hare story for its presentation of realistic characters (if one can say that about Merlin!) and a quite realistic setting. This is the first in a series of DoubleDown books by JournalStone Press. The series is off to a good start!

[longdogmom · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I received Only the Thunder Knows by Gord Rollo through LibraryThing Early Reviewers. In came as one ebook alongwith East End Girls as a special double-novellas ebook that the publisher is putting out that includes one novella by an established writer along with one from a relatively new voice in horror. This set had to do with real life events in Victorian times which both authors took and used in their own unique fictional interpretation of events. In Only the Thunder Knows, Gord Rollo take the story of Billy Burke and William Hare, two real life body-snatchers from the early 1800s who dug up fresh corpses and sold them to Dr. Robert Knox, who used them to teach anatomy to medical students, and later turned to murder to keep Dr. Knox supplied. In Rollo's story, however, Burke & Hare are part of a much bigger story that is wrapped in magic and age-old battles, legend and religion. I don't want to say too much because it would spoil the story, but the author does a wonderful job creating an atmosphere that will raise the hairs on the back of your neck and creating characters that stand out as powerful and frightening. I enjoyed the story and found it to be a page-turner! Great twist on the real life story of Burke & Hare!East End Girls by Rena Mason was also a fascinating read and a unique take on the Victorian slasher Jack the Ripper. The story follows Elizabeth Covington, daughter of a medical doctor to the Royal family, and a girl determined to become a doctor herself during a time when women were not encouraged to pursue such occupations, especially not girls of her high standing. She is fiercely determined to complete her medical training despite being engaged and due to be married to a "good match", leaving all the planning of her nuptials to her mother who is not pleased by her daughter's untraditional obsessions. Desperate for real life experience and first hand knowledge, Elizabeth often goes to the dangerous East End where she wears a hooded cloak and goes by the name of Jane offering her medical services, often performing abortions for prostitutes in back alleys. When one procedure goes horribly wrong, and with her medical future at risk, Elizabeth decides to use the crimes of Jack the Ripper that have just begun and provide another corpse for the police to ponder, using his methods so that they believe her victim is part of his killing spree. Her disdain for the prostitutes and their lives comes through strongly and continues to grow and influence the decisions that Elizabeth makes along the way in order to achieve the goals most important to her. An interesting glimpse into the social class structure of Victorian England and a unique twist on Jackj the Ripper.

[felelith · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I liked the book, wasn't quite what I expected but I liked it. The world building was well done and it was an entertaining book with interesting characters that make the alterative history believable.

[shoosty · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Only the Thunder Knows - It took me a while to get through this novel. I liked the idea behind the story - 2 village drunks think they have struck gold. Two schemes they have found - one to dig up old graves for a couple scary characters looking for something that they will recognize when they see it and robbing fresh graves to sell to the local medical school. They are some twists are turns in the story line. Although I liked the story the writing itself did not keep my attention. I kept putting the book down and forcing myself back to it.East End Girls - A story about Jack the Ripper, with a twist. Again as with the first novella, the story itself is interesting. Catherine is a well off lady, about to be married and trying to finish medical school before she does. This story is better written than the first but I still found my attention wandering.

[lehack · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

East End Girls is a new twist on the Jack the Ripper novels. Catherine Elizabeth Covington is studying to be a doctor in Victorian England. She is from a well-to do family, so her choice in a career rocks the boat, as most young ladies of her station do not have careers other than as wife and mother. She is using an alias to provide health care to the poor. Meanwhile, her mother is planning her upcoming wedding. How is she going to continue with her studies and helping the poor when her safety may be at risk in the East End with the Ripper, as the killer is called, murdering women. Only the Thunder knows takes place in Edinburgh, focusing on the crime of grave robbing. There is a market for dead bodies to medical schools as the only way to study anatomy is through the use of a cadaver. Religious beliefs, then and today, bar many from donating their bodies to science. Thus the market for stolen bodies. Well-written, Rollo's story holds your attention throughout. I could have been lulled to a long nap sitting by the pool, but I kept turning pages.

[vanhelsingstein · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

This is combination of two imperfect but solidly entertaining novellas. Not a lot of depth, but a fun way to spend an afternoon.Only The Thunder Knows focusses on a lowlife drunkard who graduates from wife-abuse to grave robbery and murder with surprising ease. It incorporates historical events, but fantasy elements are apparent within the first chapter. It's a fun contrast between the real-word crimes and the much more fanciful (and by the climax, quite action-oriented) fictional world. It kept me off-balance and uncertain, which is definitely a good thing.A chance for some juicy drama is lost when the author fails to show the response of the protagonists' wife to his eventual apprehension. Instead, the woman, who had possessed an interesting mix of submissiveness and disdain for her husband, vanishes from the narrative just when things were getting interesting. Not a deal-breaker, but a bit of a shame.The characterization is pretty shallow, but suits the story well enough. East End Girls was much more frustrating in that regard.The central character is a Victorian woman who is training to be a doctor, who dismisses her marriage as being secondary to her career, and who outsmarts Scotland Yard to boot. That makes her a character I want to root for, psychopath or no. Unfortunately, she shares too many pathetic qualities with 'Thunder's protagonist to allow that. She's a bumbling idiot who relies on her father's position to ensure her degree, and the authorities' incompetence to accomplish her crimes. She doesn't even invent her criminal persona -- there's still a traditional male Ripper present to do that.These are two stories that focus on pathetic and contemptible characters who turn to murder almost accidentally. I recommend the first story for its atypical plot and action-fantasy ending, and the second story for some very effective passages of nausea-inducing violence that are truly worthy of a Ripper story. But don't expect very compelling characterization from either.

[nitacater · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

These were both very good books. I was surprised to see them in one book and think the upside down style worked very well. They were good stories built on acual facts and the supposition that it could have happened this way was interesting. I liked them both.

[saginawhorror · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I enjoyed Only The Thunder Knows a lot more than East End Girls. I read Only the Thunder Knows in one sitting. I only wish that both books were longer so they could be more detailed.

[dlga_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

This book, only the thunder knows by Gord Rollo, was an easy read, with large format print on my kindle. It was an interesting and imaginative twist on the old story of the first serai killers from 1820's Edinburgh, the two Williams' Burke and HareThis novella length book was clearly written with much to recommend it to those who like historical fiction with an original twistThis novella is a the first of a double featured in this book, the second being East End Girls by a different author. Gord Rollo has created a very clever and original plot linkage between the two books which connects up Burke and Hare in Edinburgh with Jack the ripper in London's East End.

[perduem · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Part of a Double down book/two books in one, one upside down to other, this story of grave diggers in 1800's complemented the other story East End Girls -story twist on Jack the Ripper Victorian London - and both are well written if too short. I think would have been better - both - if longer, stand-alone book length.

[shizz_2 · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

I read this as an early reviewers PDF copy. One of the issues that put me off this book was its venture into more than one genre. That in itself is not necessarily a bad thing but I just don't think it worked here. Possibly because the writing of historical fiction is dependent upon precise research and an understanding of the era. That includes linguistic vernacular. I am not certain the Victorian used terms such as 'w**kers', 'bo**ocks, and 'a*se kissing' as standard!! But in fantasy fiction anything goes of course. Except that for me it just didn't go.I'm not going to offer spoilers but the premise just didn't work for me. I preferred the companion book East End Girls where the historical elements were better sustained and more accurate and the premise here was an interesting one and almost plausible.

[silentq_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

A doubled book, each novella printed a different way up. The two are nicely related, with the first being a new take on the Burke and Hare gravediggers/murderers. The movie with Andy Serkis and Simon Pegg is wonderful but it covered much of the same ground as this story, though this added in a supernatural element. I wanted more of the non B&H characters, they were left fairly mysterious until the very end.The second is an interpretation of the Jack the Ripper murders, positing a second serial killer. This one felt weaker, I think because it was struggling to show and not tell the justifications for the actions that were taken, as well as having a very unsympathetic protagonist. Not sure how I liked one set of serial killers more than the other, but I hope to discuss the books with someone else and figure it out verbally.

[crazybatcow · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

Well... another disappointment. There are two novellas in this book - neither of them are very good. The first is a blend of historical fiction, horror, and straight-up fantasy. Could this have worked? Probably - for example Kage Baker's The Company blends these genres quite sucessfully. But it didn't work here, mainly because the characters are only two-dimensional, and while it starts out with great drama and pomp (the arrival of Mr. Black), this just peters out as we follow two dufuses we don't care about as they do stupid things and fantasize about the beer they'll have later. If they got smacked on the head and dumped into the graves they were robbing, who'd care? Not the reader, and, it felt like, not the writer either. Then, of course, the fantasy component was dropped into the story... I'm guessing this was supposed to be "oh WOW, what a twist" but it really was "oh wow, WHAT? a twist?.Book two is slightly better in that it doesn't have a purple elephant sitting in the grave... err, doesn't drop some fantasy on your head out of the blue... but the character (really there is only one that is more than one dimensional) is also poorly detailed: she is pretty cardboardy, so much so that you could swap out her gender, age, era, job, voice... pretty much everything... for another set of details and probably still not give a hoot. Perhaps it was more "believable" since it was a possible explanation of what could have been the motivation behind Jack the Ripper... but that's really the only interesting part of this story.I don't think I'd read this type of double book again - there is not enough page-space given to either story in this book to do either of them justice. Two mediocre novellas could be replaced by one decent novel, and I'd probably have been happier... providing it was the East End Girls novel, and not that mishmash historical-horror-fantasy one.

[erratic_charmer · Rating: 1 out of 5 stars]

In a nutshell, Only the Thunder Knows is a fantastical reimagining of the criminal careers of Burke and Hare; historical fiction with some heavily supernatural elements added. The plot premise was interesting at first but got too farfetched for me to enjoy it - the Arthurian angle sat really oddly with the rest of the book. The characters are also a bit too overly simplistic. A very undemanding read. The second story in the book, East End Girls, is a story about 'Jack the Ripper.' It was a little better for being slightly more plausible than the first tale, I thought. It's quite gorey and once again the characters are pretty two-dimensional.

[romonko · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

This is actually two novellas in one. One of the books is "Only the Thunder Knows" by Gord Rollo and the other is "East End Girls" by Rena Mason. The first book is about Billy Burke and William Hare - two wastrels from early 19 century Scotland. This precious pair start out by working for a strange gentleman. They are asked to dig up very old graves. They're not told what they're looking for, but they are supposed to know when they find it. They also discover that there is money to be made as Resurrectionists. They also dig up fresher graves for their own gain, and sell the cadavers to a medical school in Edinburgh. They go from being grave robbers to serial killers as they find its easier to kill people and turn in the bodies than to dig up graves. Hare and Burke are actual people that did live and kill in Edinburgh in the early 19 century. This book is actually a fantasy. Even though Hare and Burke were real people we are introduced to witches and Merlin the Magician, and a strange resurrection of King Arthur. A very strange tale indeed.The second book is a take on the Jack the Ripper story. (later 19 century in London). Ms. Mason presents a unique viewpoint that the Ripper murders were in fact committed by two different people. A young English woman who is training to be a doctor uses the Jack the Ripper MO to commit some murders of her own. I found this book to be rather graphic, and didn't really enjoy it that much. I also found that both books did not use the language and slang from the eras that they were written from. I found a lot of modern day anachronisms and words that never would have been used at these times. This made them both rather unbelievable. These books were both so strange, but both so different I couldn't understand how they were released together as an early reviewer book.

[frankerrington · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Review CopyJournalStone Books first foray into their new Double Down series is an absolute success. This is where JournalStone puts together a single volume featuring two novellas, one from an established writer and another from a relatively new voice in horror. If this effort is any indication of what to expect in the future, then the future looks so bright I gotta wear shades.Both stories take known events and extrapolate them into entertaining tales of horror. First up is Only the Thunder Knows from Gord Rollo who was born in St. Andrews, Scotland, and now lives in Ontario, Canada. Fittingly he choose the story of William (Billy) Burke and his friend William Hare who took to bodysnatching in Edinburgh, Scotland as a way to make easy money. They would dig up the recently dead and sell them to Dr. Robert Knox for use in his dissection school. That much is history, but where Gord Rollo takes us from there is wonderful.I enjoyed much of Rollo's prose as he placed me right into the midst of the action, "No, it was the fog he truly despised, the thick Edinburgh pea-soupers that left the cobbles invisible beneath his feet as he trudged along the empty streets." And later, "That was how he liked to think of it - not that the fog came and hid the houses but that it took them away to some distant land where if the sleepers awoke they would see wonders aplenty through their shuttered windows."Aside from being a well written story about the Ressurectionist period in Great Britain, it takes a number of dark twists and turns into the eternal fight between good and evil. No spoilers from me, but I think most readers will will enjoy the twists in this story. The second novella is East End Girls from newcomer Rena Mason. Rena takes another famous villian from Great Britain's past and weaves a believable tale of Jack the Ripper where Catherine Elizabeth Covington is studying to be a doctor and performing abortions on the street for East End prostitutes. When one of those abortions goes bad Eliza manages to do a fairly convincing Ripper copy-cat. Although, not at all what I expected, I found East End Girls captivating and well realized on the page and I absolutely loved the final twist.Only the Thunder Knows/East End Girls is available now in a Signed, Limited Edition flip book. This is where you read one story and then flip the book over to read the other, and in e-book format as well. JournalStone Books plans another in the Double Down series in September from Lisa Morton and Eric J. Guignard. I'm already looking forward to that one.

[marnigreatrex · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I would recommend these stories for light reading, Only the Thunder Knows resurectionist theme i found interesting but the twist was a little to much for me, I found the timeline to short, but in general it is an interesting mix. East End Girls was a Jack the Ripper theme, i really liked the authors premise, felt more engaged reading this one, I would recommend it just for the different perspective on the killings.

[scubafiend · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

There are actually two separate novels by two separate authors. I will review each separately.1. Only The Thunder Knows: The beginning of Only The Thunder Knows recounts much of what is already historically known about the first serial killers. Taking place in Scotland, the story goes along at a somewhat decent clip providing background on how the two inept drunkards found themselves in the position of becoming serial killers. But there is a definite twist that I certainly did not expect - one that left me unable to put it down until I got to the end. I'm not including spoilers, but the novel does a good job at taking historical fact and weaving legend into a wild ending.2. East End Girls. I'm a little fascinated by the many varied writings published over the years about Jack the Ripper. I have read quite a few which demonstrate many of the suppositions about who Jack the Ripper was. This one - well - this one is COMPLETELY DIFFERENT. I started reading it this morning and did not put it down to shower or eat until I was done. It is such a new, creative, and well thought out envisioning of the story that I can't say much without including spoilers. So I'll just say - very much worth reading!Only the thunder knows: 3 1/2 starsEast End Girls: 5 stars

[luisali-1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Only The Thunder Knows. East End Girls is the first of an incoming series of tête-bêche books, like the ones published by the Ace Doubles from the 1950s to the 1970s. The two novellas share a common historical setting - 19th century - and the interest for the serial killers, but are truly different as a genre. The first one, "Only the Thunder Knows" is a retelling of Burke and Hare's crimes with an original fantasy twist that involves Merlin and the Holy Grail. I liked the depiction of grim atmospheres and the unhurried, build-up discovery of the plot that was so deceiving that it lead me to misjudge a character, before the final revelation. The epilogue offers a clever link between the Hare's death and Jack the Ripper's infamous murders that are the core of "East End Girls".This novella offers an interesting variation of the "Jack the Ripper" theme, but I liked it less than the first one because the Eliza's transformation from saviour to killer was too fast and lacked a credible explanation; her manners and speeches, also, looked to me quite anachronistic. "Only The Thunder Knows. East End Girls" is, anyway, a pleasant page-turner book and I'll look forward to the next Mason and Rollo's books.