The Annihilation Score

Marc Notes: Hugo Award-winning author Charles Stross presents the next case in the Laundry Files, a weirdly alluring blend of superspy thriller, deadpan comic fantasy, and Lovecraftian horror (Kirkus Reviews). Dominique O'Brien--her friends call her Mo--lives a curious double life with her husband, Bob Howard. To the average civilian, they're boring middle-aged civil servants. But within the labyrinthine secret circles of Her Majesty's Government, they're operatives working for the nation's occult security service known as the Laundry, charged with defending Britain against dark supernatural forces threatening humanity. Mo's latest assignment is to assist the police in containing an unusual outbreak: ordinary citizens suddenly imbued with extraordinary abilities of the superpowered kind. Unfortunately these people prefer playing super-pranks instead of performing super-heroics. The Mayor of London's being levitated by a dumpy man in Trafalgar Square would normally be a source of shared amusement for Mo and Bob, but they're currently separated because something's come between them--something evil. An antique violin, an Erich Zahn original, made of white human bone, was designed to produce music capable of slaughtering demons. Mo is the custodian of this unholy instrument. It invades her dreams and yearns for the blood of her colleagues--and her husband. And despite Mo's proficiency as a world-class violinist, it cannot be controlled..--; Provided by publisher. Review Quotes: Praise for the Laundry Files Novels A bizarre yet effective yoking of the spy and horror genres. "The Washington Post Book World" A bravura display of intelligent action and real human characters amid eldritch menaces. S. M. Stirling, "New York Times"bestselling author of"The Desert and the Blade" A terrific pull-no-punches paranormal espionage thriller. "Alternative Worlds""Biographical Note: Charles Stross, born in 1964, is a full-time science fiction writer. The author of seven Hugo-nominated novels and winner of three Hugo Awards for best novella, Stross has had his work translated into more than twelve languages. He has worked as a pharmacist, software developer, and tech-industry journalist. Review Quotes: Praise for the Laundry Files Novels "A bizarre yet effective yoking of the spy and horror genres."--"The Washington Post Book World" "A bravura display of intelligent action and real human characters amid eldritch menaces."--S. M. Stirling, "New York Times "bestselling author of "The Desert and the Blade" "A terrific pull-no-punches paranormal espionage thriller."--"Alternative Worlds"Publisher Marketing: Hugo Award-winning author Charles Stross presents the next case in The Laundry Files, a weirdly alluring blend of super-spy thriller, deadpan comic fantasy, and Lovecraftian horror ("Kirkus Reviews"). Dominique O Brien her friends call her Mo lives a curious double life with her husband, Bob Howard. To the average civilian, they re boring middle-aged civil servants. But within the labyrinthian secret circles of Her Majesty s government, they re operatives working for the nation s occult security service known as the Laundry, charged with defending Britain against dark supernatural forces threatening humanity. Mo s latest assignment is assisting the police in containing an unusual outbreak: ordinary citizens suddenly imbued with extraordinary abilities of the super-powered kind. Unfortunately these people prefer playing super-pranks instead of super-heroics. The Mayor of London being levitated by a dumpy man in Trafalgar Square would normally be a source of shared amusement for Mo and Bob, but they re currently separated because something s come between them something evil. An antique violin, an Erich Zann original, made of human white bone, was designed to produce music capable of slaughtering demons. Mo is the custodian of this unholy instrument. It invades her dreams and yearns for the blood of her colleagues and her husband. And despite Mo s proficiency as a world class violinist, it cannot be controlled " Contributor Bio:  Stross, Charles Charles Stross, born in 1964, is a full-time science fiction writer and resident of Edinburgh, Scotland. The author of six Hugo-nominated novels and winner of the 2005 Hugo Award for best novella ( The Concrete Jungle ), Stross has had his work translated into more than twelve languages. He has worked as a pharmacist, software developer, and tech-industry journalist.