The atmosphere of Bleak House, the sensuous thrill of Perfume, and the mystery of Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell all combine in a story of murder, deceit, love, and revenge in Victorian England.

"After killing the red-haired man, I took myself off to Quinn's for an oyster supper." So begins the extraordinary story of Edward Glyver—booklover, scholar, and murderer. As a young boy, Glyver always believed he was destined for greatness. A chance discovery convinces him that he was right: greatness does await him, along with immense wealth and influence. Overwhelmed by his discovery, he will stop at nothing to win back a prize that he knows is rightfully his.

Glyver's path to reclaim his prize leads him from the depths of Victorian London, with its foggy streets, brothels, and opium dens, to Evenwood, one of England's most beautiful and enchanting country houses, and finally to a consuming love for the beautiful but enigmatic Emily Carteret. His is a story of betrayal and treachery, of death and delusion, of ruthless obsession and ambition. And at every turn, driving Glyver irresistibly onward, is his deadly rival: the poet-criminal Phoebus Rainsford Daunt.

The Meaning of Night is an enthralling novel that will captivate readers right up to its final thrilling revelation.

迈克尔·考克斯

一九四八年生于英国北安普敦郡。一九七一年于剑桥大学毕业后,他投身音乐行业,作为歌曲作者和歌手曾发行三张唱片。一九七七年进入出版业,自一九八九年起担任牛津大学出版社工具书编辑部高级策划编辑。

迈克尔·考克斯出版的第一部著作是鬼怪故事作家M.R.詹姆斯的传记。他参与主编的《牛津英语鬼怪故事集》、《牛津维多利亚时代鬼怪故事集》和独立主编的《牛津维多利亚时代侦探故事集》、《牛津间谍小说集》,以及编纂的《作家作品大辞典》、《牛津英国文学年谱》等书,都是研究英国文学及维多利亚时代类型小说的重要工具书。

二〇〇四年,身患癌症而动手术的迈克尔?考克斯决心抓紧时间完成他构思了三十年的长篇小说《夜魂》。小说未出版就在英国出版界引起轰动,最终约翰·默里出版社以四十三万英镑高价在激烈竞争中夺得出版权,创下当时英国预付金最高的处女作小说纪录,版权销售至二十多个国家和地区。之后他又完成了《夜魂》的续集《时间之镜》。

二〇〇九年三月三十一日,迈克尔?考克斯因癌症复发而去世。