{"title":"John Geerer","description":"","products":[{"product_id":"the-devils-kiss-paperback-1","title":"The Devil's Kiss - Paperback","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIsrael Hands grows up amidst the tumult of the Salem Witch Trials. At the age of twelve he slays a local innkeeper who has accused his father of being in league with the devil. To evade capture Israel absconds to the sea, where he becomes a preeminent sailor and ruthless killer. Feared and betrayed by his friend Edward Teach, Israel is crippled for life and driven from the only world he's ever known. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThree hundred years later, retired naval officer Tom Stone buys an old tavern in the seaside town of Marblehead, Massachusetts, with the plan to open a B\u0026amp;B. He quickly realizes that he's not alone. An unwelcome guest, a murderous sailor of old, is searching for something hidden within the house: a ring called The Devil's Kiss. With the help of a Marblehead cop, a local witch, and an old navy buddy, Tom combats the forces that threaten both his livelihood and his life.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe historical narrative is a well-paced adventure, featuring detailed and compelling portraits of both Edward Teach (aka Blackbeard) and Israel. Comparisons with Stephen King's style are inevitable, but the incorporation of the Robert Louis Stevenson-esque pirate tale works surprisingly well. The novel as a whole has a brisk, upbeat tone, and even though the violence is sometimes brutal-particularly among the buccaneers-there's always a sense of playfulness. The ghost story sails perilously close to cliché at times, but this only adds to the charm. Geerer also demonstrates a real knack for cliffhangers. A gripping chiller with an entertaining pirate yarn thrown in. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"BooksCloud","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":68283508752607,"sku":"9781735365411","price":20.5,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0813\/8958\/4607\/files\/Z9PaH1RYyG9781735365411.webp?v=1792770716"}],"url":"https:\/\/blackandbarhe.com\/collections\/john-geerer.oembed","provider":"Black \u0026 Barhe Bookstore","version":"1.0","type":"link"}