THE JACK ROGAN MYSTERIES SERIES

MAIN CHARACTERS PROFILE AND GLOSSARY

FOURTH EDITION

Gabriel Farago

Main Characters Profile and Glossary

Gabriel Farago

Copyright © 2021 Gabriel Farago

The right of Gabriel Farago to be identified as the author of this work has been asserted by him in accordance with the Copyright Amendment (Moral Rights) Act 2000.

All rights reserved. Except as permitted under the Australian Copyright Act 1968 (for example, fair dealing for the purposes of study, research, criticism or review) no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the written permission of the publisher.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.

Contents

The Main Characters: A Profile Study and Glossary

Profile Study Jack Rogan

Countess Katerina Kuragin

Madame Petrova

Tristan te Papatahi

Isis

Mademoiselle Darrieux

The Villains

The Good Guys

Glossary

The Jack Rogan Mysteries Series Glossary of Principal Characters and General Timelines

The Empress Holds The Key

The Disappearance of Anna Popov

The Hidden Genes of Professor K

Professor K: The Final Quest

The Curious Case of the Missing Head

The Lost Symphony

The Death Mask Murders

The Novellas

The Kimberley Secret

The Forgotten Painting

Author’s Note

Connect with the Author

The Main Characters:

A Profile Study and Glossary

As every storyteller knows, characters are the lifeblood of a good story. Therefore, I take character development very seriously and devote a lot of care and attention to this absolutely essential subject. A good story alone is not enough. To bring it alive, characters are needed who can ‘connect’ with readers, and the best way to do that is through characters who are not only interesting, true-to-life personalities anchored in reality, but are people my readers can relate to.

‘Character building’ is an art. It takes a lot of imagination and ingenuity to create a character profile that does all that. I have found the best way to approach this complex, challenging subject, is to ‘reveal’ the character gradually, step by step. By giving the reader little glimpses into the lives, personality and background of the characters, it is possible to make this process interesting and engaging. The best way to illustrate this is by way of examples, which are set out below.

Profile Study

Jack Rogan

Journalist, celebrated author, hopeless romantic and adventurer. In short, a very likeable, but far from perfect, ‘incorrigible rascal’ with a great Aussie sense of humour.

Obviously, Jack Rogan is the central character (I don’t like the term ‘hero’) in the Jack Rogan Mysteries Series, and therefore features in all of my books. I have approached his character gradually, by revealing ‘snippets’ of relevant information about him, his background, habits, strengths and weaknesses, etc. in each of my books. I do this by weaving relevant information into the storyline, particular scenes, dialogue and, of course, the relationships and interplay between Jack and other characters.

With each step, my readers learn a little more about Jack. They find out why he acts the way he does, what motivates him, and what frightens him. They learn about his dreams and his nightmares, his strengths and, of course, his weaknesses and vulnerabilities, until a clear picture emerges that my readers can relate to and, in Jack’s case, begin to love. Needless to say, this is critically important, as the central character sets the tone for the entire series.

Here’s an example taken from The Disappearance of Anna Popov (Book 2 in the Jack Rogan Mysteries Series), when Rebecca Armstrong asks Jack about his past:

‘What was it like? Growing up on a cattle station?’

Jack took his time before replying and looked pensively at Rebecca. ‘Lonely and harsh,’ he said. ‘I learned to ride before I could walk and helped around the house as soon as I could stand. Our closest neighbour was fifty miles away, and it took three hours on a good day to reach town in the old ute. I used to ride in the back with Bonny and Clyde—’

‘I thought you had no siblings,’ interrupted Rebecca.

Jack began to chuckle. ‘Bonny and Clyde were our cattle dogs. Sharp as tacks. They were my friends. Our enemy was the drought. It was never far away,’ said Jack, turning serious, ‘and when it came, it lasted for years. That’s when the land became a dustbowl, the cattle began to die, and the bank manager came knocking.’ Jack looked away. ‘Mum hated it with a passion. She was a country girl from Wales. She married my father when she was just eighteen ...’

Realising that she had opened old wounds, Rebecca reached across and put her hand on Jack’s. ‘What happened to your parents?’ she asked.

‘Mum left. One day, she couldn’t take it anymore and ran off with the publican in town. We never saw her again. And then I ran away too,’ Jack said, the sadness in his voice reflecting the heartache of painful memories. ‘Dad eked out a living on the cattle station with three Aboriginal stockmen until he got sick ...’

‘What happened to him?’

‘He lost the farm and died a broken man in a boarding house in Townsville a few years ago.’

‘I’m sorry.’

‘Such is life,’ said Jack, reaching for his wine glass. ‘We all have to follow our own path. Often barefoot, and some of it is treacherous and paved with nails.’

With a few, brief ‘literary brush strokes’ seen through the eyes of Rebecca, we have already learned a great deal about Jack and his past.

Another very important aspect of character building is to listen to your readership. I receive valuable feedback about my characters in that way. They appear to ‘grow’ into real people as far as many of my readers are concerned. When that happens, you know you are on the right track.

This has certainly happened with Jack. So much so that my readers wanted to know more about Jack’s background and early life before he first appeared in The Empress Holds The Key, Book 1 in the series.

I thought a lot about how best to address this issue in a meaningful, engaging way. The answer? Write an introductory novella to the series. I did this quite recently in my novella The Kimberley Secret, which is available for free on my website https://gabrielfarago.com.au/free-download-kimberley-secret, Amazon of course, and all other major platforms. In fact, you can download it for free right now.

In addition, my previous novella The Forgotten Painting also delves into Jack’s past, and reveals interesting aspects of his personality and earlier life not addressed in the series proper. This novella is also available for free, and can be downloaded right now for free on my website https://gabrielfarago.com.au/free-download-forgotten-painting/

Also, I’m delighted to tell you that The Forgotten Painting has just received a major literary award in the US. It was awarded a gold medal by Reader’s Favorite in the Short Stories and Novellas category.

So, how can I best describe the central character of the series in a few short sentences? Not easy, but here we go:

Jack is in his forties when he first appears. We follow his story from there. As a country boy who grew up on a remote cattle station in outback Australia, he has known hardship and heartache from an early age. (This and other interesting aspects of Jack’s childhood are dealt with in The Kimberley Secret.)

Without giving too much away, Jack is resourceful, full of curiosity and charm, but always a little reckless, and the adventures and exciting stories always seem to find HIM. A strong believer in destiny and fate, Jack never hesitates to ‘delve in’ and have a go. However, perhaps the most important aspect of his character and personality is the fact that he is likeable. To be likeable isn’t something you can learn, or acquire. You either are, or you are not. This is Jack’s greatest, most endearing asset that shines through everything he does.

Here’s a brief illustration taken from The Empress Holds The Key, when we meet Jack for the first time:

Jana was just about to leave when the door opened and a man in faded jeans, torn at the knees, and a striped pyjama top unbuttoned to the waist, squinted out at her.

‘I can’t stand getting up this early in the morning. What do you want?’ he demanded, running his fingers through unkempt hair.

‘Still chasing that big story, Jack?’

‘Jana?’ said Jack, shielding his eyes from the sun. ‘Well, what a surprise! What have I done wrong this time?’

Jana laughed. ‘You’ve done nothing wrong except not return my calls,’ she said. ‘I’ve left several messages on your answering machine.’

‘Is that a federal offence now?’

‘Seriously, Jack, I want to talk to you about a dead firefighter, a newspaper article, and a photograph.’

‘You’d better come in,’ he said. ‘But I have to warn you, my cleaning lady took the week off ...’

‘I can see ...’ said Jana, smiling.

The tiny lounge room on the ground floor looked like it hadn’t seen a cleaner for at least a year. A scratched coffee table was covered in empty beer cans, bottles and crushed milk cartons, and the sofa in front of the fireplace was barely visible under layers of old newspapers, magazines and various items of crumpled clothing. A lonely ironing board stood in the middle of the room with a basket full of limp washing nearby. Newspaper cuttings littered the floor.

Perhaps the most telling remark that describes Jack’s personality most accurately can be found in a brief exchange between two old friends: countess Kuragin, and Leonardo da Baggio in The Death Mask Murders, book seven in the series:

Despite the significant time difference – Venice was seven hours ahead of Cajamarca – Countess Kuragin and Leonardo were watching the Cajamarca transmission on TV in the palazzo salon.

‘I don’t know how he does it,’ said the countess, ‘but the stories certainly seem to find Jack wherever he goes. Just look at this!’

‘I know why.’

‘You do?’

‘He’s something very rare and special,’ said Leonardo.

‘What’s that?’

‘A just man.’

The countess looked at Leonardo, surprised. ‘You put it very well,’ she said. ‘That’s exactly what he is.’

Women find Jack very attractive and are drawn to him. However, he is a ‘rolling stone’ when it comes to serious relationships and has difficulty making commitments. He therefore drifts from one relationship to another in his charming, easy-going way, but without creating acrimony or offending his temporary partners. So much so, that several of them stay friends long after the relationship has ended. This too, is part of the great charm of the man.

Countess Katerina Kuragin

Countess Katerina Kuragin is another key character who features in several of my books. However, she first appears in a scene in The Disappearance of Anna Popov. First impressions count; they define a character from the very beginning. Here’s an example:

The dining room was lit entirely by candles, making the large room appear intimate and warm. Countess Kuragin knew that the difference between a memorable entrance and a flat one was timing. Wearing a simple black evening dress, but jewellery fit for a tsarina, she swept into the room just as her guests were being seated. No-one would have believed that the tall, elegant woman with the youthful face and regal bearing was in her forties.

Countess Kuragin features prominently once again in The Lost Symphony:

At twelve noon sharp, François pulled up in the old Bentley outside. He had gone to the retirement home earlier that morning to make the necessary arrangements for what was to come.

‘Wow!’ said Jack, as he held the back door open for the countess. Wearing a stunning, full-length fur coat that had belonged to her mother, and a matching Russian fur hat, the countess looked like a celebrity who was about to attend a reception at the tsar’s Winter Palace in St Petersburg. The only things missing were the horse-drawn sleigh and uniformed guards.

‘You make me feel decidedly underdressed.’ Jack pointed to his well-worn leather bomber jacket and thick woollen scarf he had wound around his neck in a hurry before stepping outside. ‘You look absolutely stunning!’

‘I rarely get to wear this stuff. So I thought, why not send the old lady off in style? She would certainly have liked that, don’t you think?’

‘Absolutely! Let’s go.’

Once again, a few ‘literary brush strokes’ have delivered a great deal of information about the countess.

Madame Petrova

Character development must by no means be restricted to the main characters alone. To do that, or to focus only on the principal ‘players’ would be a big mistake. Often, minor characters who only make a brief appearance can greatly enhance the story and add important elements to the overall structure of the plot.

Madame Petrova, an elderly Russian ballerina, is an excellent example. Here’s a brief extract from my novella The Kimberley Secret. Jack and Countess Kuragin visit Madame Petrova in a retirement home:

‘Anastasia Petrova was already famous in her early teens,’ said the countess as they drove through the ornate wrought-iron gates. The exclusive retirement home, a converted chateau, was popular with well-heeled aristocrats and celebrities. ‘She was one of the baby ballerinas of the Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo and later became a film star. She was also one of my mother’s closest friends.’

‘I can’t wait.’

‘You won’t be disappointed.’

‘And we are going to meet her because …?’

‘She lived at the Ritz during the war.’

‘Wow!’

A nurse in a crisp uniform who seemed to know the countess well, welcomed them in the entry foyer and showed them to Madame Petrova’s room on the ground floor. ‘She’s expecting you,’ said the nurse and opened the door to a large room overlooking the manicured grounds.

Madame Petrova sat in a chair facing the open window. Elegantly dressed in a tight-fitting black dress and wearing a priceless string of baroque pearls and a pair of beautiful earrings that whispered ‘Tiffany’, she certainly had presence, even in her nineties. ‘Elegance and style are timeless’, was her motto, and she lived by it. Her snow-white hair was pulled back and tied in a neat bun, exposing a long, swan-like neck. Impeccable makeup accentuated her prominent cheekbones and made her almond-shaped, slightly slanted eyes look large, giving her an exotic, almost feline look.

‘How wonderful of you to come, my dear,’ said Madame Petrova in French, struggling to stand up with the aid of a walking stick she hated.

‘I saw you arrive.’

The countess walked over to her friend and kissed her on both cheeks. ‘I’ve brought someone who wants to meet you,’ she said in English.

‘A young man, how exciting,’ said Madame Petrova, switching to perfect English. ‘Please come a little closer so I can see you.’ She refused to wear glasses ‘in public’.

‘He’s a writer,’ said the countess, lowering her voice. She knew that would excite her friend even more. She had a soft spot for writers.

Once again, a few ‘literary brush strokes’ make all the difference, and introduce a delightful character full of personality and charm, who adds depth and another dimension to the storyline.

Tristan te Papatahi

Tristan is another key character in the series. He first appears in The Disappearance of Anna Popov – Book 2 in the series – and we follow him closely after that and watch him ‘grow up’ and develop. This happens gradually as more detail about his extraordinary background and psychic gifts are revealed, and the relationship between him and Jack is explored and developed. Once again, I believe the best way to demonstrate how this is done, is to provide a few short extracts. This one is taken from The Disappearance of Anna Popov and describes the first meeting between Jack and Tristan arranged by Tristan’s mother, Cassandra, at the nursing home where her son had spent several years in a coma:

At the top of the landing Cassandra stopped. ‘Please wait here,’ she said.

Jack looked around: naked light globes dangled from the ceiling, the light fittings a distant memory. Most of the ornate cornices had fallen off long ago and the wallpaper was barely recognisable under the rising damp and grime of neglect. But worst of all was the stench: a nauseating mixture of urine and cleaning fluids.

‘Quick, Jack. In here,’ said Cassandra, opening one of the doors.

There was only one bed inside the large room. The boy lying propped up in the bed – motionless and with his eyes closed – looked like a corpse. It was impossible to tell his age, other than to know he was still a child.

Various tubes and monitoring devices were attached to him and a complicated-looking piece of machinery stood next to the bed. Jack guessed that he was on life support. A woman in a nurse’s uniform stood up and left the room. Cassandra closed the door, walked over to the boy and kissed him tenderly on the forehead.

‘Thank you for coming, Jack. I owe you an explanation. We must talk, but there isn’t much time. My escort will arrive shortly and no-one must know that we’ve met here. Do you understand?’

Tristan features as a ‘central’ character in the next book, The Hidden Genes of Professor K, as we follow the relationship between Jack and Tristan, which turns into a close bond and friendship.

Jack knocked softly on Tristan’s door, unsure if he was still awake. ‘Come in, Jack,’ Tristan called out from inside. Tristan was sitting at his desk, his copy of The Disappearance of Anna Popov open in front of him. ‘I’m mentioned in the acknowledgements,’ Tristan said excitedly.

‘Well deserved. You’ve helped me with the book in more ways than you know,’ said Jack. ‘And you were very brave in allowing everything to go in; even the scary, personal bits.’

‘Thanks, Jack. I have something for you, too. Here, have a look.’ Tristan switched on his computer and turned the screen towards Jack. ‘Watch.’

‘What on earth is that?’ asked Jack. Five half-naked, heavily tattooed men and a woman – obviously the singer, looking like a bird in a crazy costume – were performing on a huge stage. The music was deafening. ‘Turn it down before the paying guests complain and leave.’ As the camera swung around, a stadium filled with thousands of adoring fans – hands held up high – came into view.

‘You mean you don’t recognise them?’ asked Tristan, shaking his head.

‘I’m afraid this isn’t exactly my …’

‘That’s Isis and The Time Machine, the greatest rock band of our time, and you don’t know?’

Jack shrugged. ‘I have heard of them, of course …’ he lied. ‘Why are you showing me this?’

‘Because you and Isis are destined to meet. Your fate lines are intersecting,’ said Tristan, turning off the computer. ‘You have to prepare yourself.’ Tristan took the DVD out of the slot and handed it to Jack. ‘Listen to the music and try to understand it before it’s too late,’ he said, turning serious.

‘All right,’ said Jack, slipping the DVD into his pocket. ‘And when will this meeting take place?’ he asked, smiling incredulously.

‘Soon, very soon. You don’t believe me, do you?’

‘It seems a little far-fetched, don’t you think?’

‘It’s not what I think that matters; it’s what I see …’ retorted Tristan, looking at Jack with his large, dark, almond-shaped eyes.

The Māori in him is becoming more prominent as he gets older, thought Jack. He’s very good looking. Jack felt something ice-cold move slowly down his spine. Tristan’s words reminded him of Cassandra, Tristan’s Māori mother, a gifted psychic. He’s much better than I, he remembered her saying. He can glimpse eternity. ‘It’s getting late,’ said Jack, trying to shake off the disturbing memories.

‘Be careful, Jack. There’s real danger here,’ warned Tristan. ‘And remember, I can help you when the time comes. I always will.’

‘I know that. Thanks,’ said Jack, giving the boy a hug. ‘Good night, mate. I’ll see you in the morning before I leave.’

Isis

In my view, one of the most fascinating characters in the series is Isis, the transvestite rock star who appears in several books. I have taken great care and a lot of time to develop this complex character, as it allows me to introduce difficult and often controversial subjects, and illuminate them from a unique point of view. In addition, I have developed a close relationship between Jack, the principal character in the series, and Isis, which may at first appear implausible and a little contrived. However, as the story unfolds, I believe this is definitely not the case. What I have tried to highlight in this somewhat unusual relationship is the fact that true friendship transcends all, and stands above stereotypes one would expect to find in action-packed thrillers.

Isis does not appear until The Hidden Genes of Professor K, book 3 in the series.

At first, I wasn’t sure how this unusual character would be received by my readers. I needn’t have worried. Isis became very popular from the start, and enthusiastic feedback from my readers made it clear to me that Isis was definitely here to stay and could be safely incorporated into the storylines going forward.

The best way to illustrate how this character was first introduced is by way of examples taken from the text:

This is an encounter between Isis and Sir Charles Huntley, her solicitor, in The Hidden Genes of Professor K shortly after her parents were killed:

Sir Charles turned to his client. ‘What do you think you’re doing, Georgie? Do you want to end up in the back of a police van under arrest? The press would have a ball! You look terrible, by the way.’

‘Thanks, Charles,’ said Isis, relieved to see her friend and confidant.

‘What on earth has happened?’ asked Sir Charles.

‘My father was shot dead in the house and my mother died in hospital less than an hour ago.’

‘Jesus! I’m so sorry! Anything else?’

‘That’s about all I know.’

‘Then, let’s fill in the gaps, shall we?’ Isis nodded. ‘And please let me do the talking – okay?’

‘Okay.’

‘And one more thing, George; you are legally a man – clear?’ said Sir Charles.

‘Yes, yes … we’ve been through this before; it’s tedious.’

‘It may be tedious to you, but people do get a little confused,’ Sir Charles prattled on, trying to distract his obviously distressed client. ‘You may be one of the highest paid rock stars on the planet, but you still have to live in the real world occasionally.’

‘Yes, Charles.’

‘This is one of those occasions; are you with me?’ Isis nodded. ‘Let’s try and stick to the facts – okay? Isis is your stage name. You dress like a woman, you look like a woman, you consider yourself a woman, but you are George, Edward, Elms, a man. You do understand that, don’t you?’

‘I’m a woman trapped in a man’s body, that’s all. I can’t help it if I was born with a dick …’

Sir Charles tried hard not to show his exasperation. ‘Please, Georgie, not now! Do it for me?’

‘Sure.’

‘My God, you do lead a complicated life!’

‘That’s why I have chaps like you – to simplify things for me,’ said Isis.

Another telling encounter that reveals a little more about Isis’s unique character, is the first meeting between her and Jack. The dialogue in particular is significant, as it illustrates the very different personalities, and how they interact with one another. This sets the tone for the many scenes to come and introduces a complex relationship that appears to have entertained my readers from the very beginning:

‘Superb,’ said Isis, holding up an elaborate, helmet-like headdress made entirely out of multi-coloured feathers.

‘Here, let me help you,’ said her elderly French dress designer, hovering like a protective crow over his creation. It was a perfect fit. Isis looked at herself in the mirror and nodded. ‘Magnifique!’

Dressed head to toe in a tight-fitting costume inspired by the elaborate ceremonial cloaks and headdresses worn by Aztec priests, Isis looked like a goddess. Following the contours of her athletic body, the feathers and glass beads shimmered like precious stones in the candlelight.

Lola hurried across to Isis and kissed her on both cheeks. ‘He’s here,’ she whispered.

Isis took off her headdress, handed it to her designer fussing next to her and walked slowly towards Jack. She’s much older, thought Jack, watching the tall woman come closer. The woman stopped in front of him and, for what seemed an eternity, just looked at him dreamily.

He’s much younger, thought Isis, holding out her hand, and very good looking. ‘Thank you for coming. Do you like the costume?’ They shook hands.

‘It’s spectacular,’ said Jack, a little taken aback by the unexpected question. ‘Dress rehearsal?’

Isis smiled. ‘Something like that. We are preparing for the highlight of our tour. Spectacular, you say? Good. You are the first one to see my new stage attire.’

‘You like Bach? This is one of his solo cantatas – ‘Ich will den Kreuzstab gerne tragen’ – if I’m not mistaken.’

This guy’s good, thought Isis. ‘This may surprise you, but a lot of my music is based on classical principles,’ she said. ‘I listen to classical music all the time and try to learn from the masters.’

‘It reminds me of Huitzilopochtli.’

‘What does?’

‘Your costume.’

It was Isis’ turn to look surprised. ‘Did you hear that, Jean-Paul?’ said Isis, looking over her shoulder at her dress designer. ‘Right again; that’s exactly what it’s modelled on. The Aztec god of war, sun and human sacrifice. And he was also the patron of Tenochtitlan, the ruins of which are all around us. And you, Mr Rogan are full of surprises.’

She wants to play cat and mouse, thought Jack. All right by me. ‘And so are you,’ he retorted, enjoying himself.

More than you can possibly imagine, thought Isis. ‘Music, art and history all in one breath? I can already see we’ll get on famously,’ said Isis. ‘Come, let’s sit, and I’ll tell you why I’ve invited you to come here.’ Isis looked at Lola and shook her head. ‘But only you,’ she added quietly.

Realising they had been dismissed, Lola, Hanna and the ageing dress designer discreetly left the chamber.

Isis features again prominently in The Curious Case of the Missing Head. In one delightful scene, Isis makes a memorable entry in her own spectacular apartment in London to meet Jack. Once again, this encounter is a good illustration of the character and the interaction between her and others in the storyline:

Isis’s spectacular apartment – a cube-like architectural steel-and-glass marvel oozing industrial chic constructed on top of a converted warehouse – was more like an art gallery than the home of a retired billionaire rock star turned philanthropist.

‘Where’s Isis?’ asked Jack, looking around.

‘Right here,’ said a voice from the top of the stairs.

As usual, Isis, the consummate performer, couldn’t resist making an imposing entry, even when close friends were involved. Her full name was George Edward Elms – Lord Elms, since her father’s tragic death in 2011 – but millions of fans around the world knew her as Isis, the legendary, transgender rock star and lead singer of Time Machine. Dressed in an impossibly tight black bodysuit by one of her favourite Paris designers that showed off her hourglass figure and wearing impeccable, if a little too theatrical makeup, Isis came slowly down the stairs. ‘What a wonderful surprise,’ she said, blowing kisses to her friends seated in the lounge below. ‘All of us together again. How wonderful!’

Jack walked over to the stairs and held out his hand. Isis took his arm and, walking side by side, they swept into the room. ‘Do you like my short hair?’ asked Isis, frowning.

‘You look ten years younger,’ said Jack, smiling.

‘Not too radical?’

‘Not at all; just stylish.’

‘That’s what Lola said. Growing old is such a bitch, don’t you think; and staying slim such a bore?’

‘Can’t say I’ve thought too much about it. Champagne?’

‘Absolutely! I’m parched, darling.’

The most effective way to bring a character to life is through dialogue. Clever use of dialogue gives a character a voice readers can recognise and relate to. Habits and idiosyncrasies are other useful tools to ‘flesh out’ a character and give it personality. I use all of these and take great care to structure scenes accordingly, and weave them into the storyline in believable and true-to-life ways.

Mademoiselle Darrieux

In Mademoiselle Darrieux, we meet a very different, yet nevertheless fascinating and endearing character: a Paris socialite with a difference. She makes her first appearance in The Hidden Genes of Professor K:

Over the years, Mademoiselle Darrieux had perfected the art of being noticed. To ignore her was almost impossible. The fact that many laughed behind her back didn’t seem to bother her. A flamboyant dresser in her late fifties – she admitted only to forty-something – she liked to show off her figure and considerable bosom by wearing daring dresses only worn by the reckless or the very brave, twenty or so years younger. She had never married; her relationships never lasted long, and she went through men faster than birthdays. However, her lovers became younger as she got older. Despite all this, she was well liked and respected as a serious and talented writer. Paris society embraced likeable eccentrics, and Mademoiselle Darrieux passed with flying colours – literally.

Highly intelligent, feisty, and full of unexpected surprises with a past that will shock many, Darrieux forms a close relationship with both Countess Kuragin and Jack, and represents a character I decided to develop further in The Lost Symphony, and give her more prominence.

Developing a character is one of the main challenges, and at the same time satisfying rewards if you get it right, of writing fiction. This is the process that brings a story to life and gives it depth because it reflects the real world and makes fiction exciting and believable.

Once again, the best way to illustrate this, is by turning to a brief extract from the book. Here, Jack and Countess Kuragin meet Darrieux in an exclusive Paris restaurant:

‘There she is,’ said Jack as the maître d’ showed them to the table. ‘Wow!’

‘Look cheerful,’ said the countess, ‘and try to ignore the dress and don’t let your eyes fall into her décolleté. They might get stuck!’

‘I’ll do my best,’ hissed Jack, ‘but it won’t be easy.’

Aware that all eyes in the crowded dining room were upon them, the countess and Jack approached Darrieux’ table.

‘How wonderful to see you, Adrienne,’ said Jack, and obediently kissed Darrieux on both cheeks as he had been instructed to do. More difficult by far, however, was to ignore the formidable bosom bursting out of a designer dress several sizes too small for a lady of her generous proportions, pressing against his chest.

‘And you, Jack. I’ve heard so much about your escapades in Istanbul last year, it’s a wonder you made it out in one piece. It was all over the papers.’

‘I often wonder myself,’ said Jack and ordered champagne. He realised that alcohol was the best medicine in situations like this.

By introducing a colourful character like Darrieux, it is possible to manipulate the dialogue in certain entertaining ways that reflect the personality involved. This gives the storyline a new dimension and provides the reader with a new perspective, or lens, through which to view and experience the plot.

The Villains

No thrillers worth reading would be complete without dark, exciting villains. As you can imagine, during my long legal career in criminal law I came across some extraordinary characters and gained rare insights into their lives and their minds, which I can now draw upon for inspiration. Therefore, most of my ‘villains’ are anchored in real life and based on actual people I have met and interacted with over the years.

Take Sir Eric Newman, for instance (The Empress Holds The Key). I recall a war crimes trial early in my career with a similar accused, and certain aspects of this character have therefore been inspired by a real person. The court scenes featured in the book are an accurate reflection of what happens in a court of law, how cross-examination works, and how witnesses and barristers behave under pressure. In a way, all of this forms part of authenticity that is, in my view, critically important in making a story plausible and ‘real’.

For this to work, the characters must be believable and true to life. I therefore like to portray them in context, in their own ‘space’ so to speak, and let the scenes and the dialogue do the heavy lifting in bringing the characters to life in an interesting, believable way. Here’s a brief excerpt from The Empress Holds The Key, when Inspector Jana Gonski first meets Sir Eric at his home:

‘And I am Eric Newman,’ Jana heard someone call out from behind. A tall, lean man with a striking head of white hair – neatly parted in the middle – walked slowly towards her. ‘You are obviously interested in art, Inspector. I noticed your eyes went straight to my friend over here. Right?’ he asked, running his hand playfully over the top of a large stone bust on a pedestal. ‘A little frightening, isn’t he?’ he continued without waiting for an answer. ‘And so he should be. He is a demon after all; the Hebrew demon, Asmodeus.’

‘How fascinating.’

‘Do you know who he is?’

‘No,’ replied Jana, shaking her head.

‘Protector of secrets and minder of hidden treasure.’ Newman motioned casually towards a mahogany sideboard. ‘Please, do sit down. A cool drink perhaps?’

How extraordinary, thought Jana. He’s totally at ease and in complete control. And he’s trying to put me off balance. Within moments, Newman had taken over. As he came closer, Jana noticed that his eyes, behind a pair of small, gold-rimmed glasses, were still clear and ice-blue. Quite remarkable for a man of eighty-seven, she thought. He shook her hand with a grip that was both firm and gentle. His hand was cold and dry and she found his touch unnerving. He spoke perfect English, with only the slightest hint of an accent occasionally betraying his foreign origin. Jana tried to resist his obvious charm. She did not want to be distracted by the easy, polished manner of this urbane man, or to be side-tracked by pleasantries or trivia.

Another good example is ‘the Wizard’ in The Disappearance of Anna Popov. This extraordinary character is in fact loosely based on a frightening, larger-than-life leader of a bikie gang I came across many years ago, who is currently serving a life sentence for murder.

The best way to describe a scary character like that is by meeting him in his own, personal space, to get a ‘feel’ for the milieu of the character through the eyes of others. An example is when Jack and Rebecca Armstrong go to meet the Wizard for the first time at the Wolf’s Lair, an abandoned church used as a clubhouse by the Wizards of Oz, a notorious Australian bikie gang:

Inside, the music was deafening. In the middle of the church, where rows of pews had once faced the altar, a group of girls were dancing with each other. Wearing skin-tight leather pants and high-heeled boots – their long black hair streaked with red – they looked like witches waiting for a date with the devil. Some wore glittering dog-collars, others had multiple studs in their ears and noses. One of the girls spun around as Rebecca walked past. Staring at her with unseeing eyes, she leaned forward and stuck out her tongue like a snake searching for its prey.

Standing on a dais in front of the altar, a heavily tattooed transvestite was operating a pair of turntables, cranking out audio-poison. Perched on stools along a bar fashioned out of wooden confessionals, their backs turned indifferently to the dancing girls, a couple of middle-aged bikies were drinking beer. Pungent smoke – unmistakably marijuana – curled slowly around the coloured fingers of light reaching through the stained-glass windows from above.

‘Down this way,’ grunted the man who had frisked Jack. He pointed to a narrow set of stairs cut into the stone floor behind the altar.

‘I don’t like this,’ whispered Rebecca, holding onto Jack’s arm.

‘Too late. Come on.’

Lit entirely by candles, the vaulted crypt below the altar was surprisingly cool. Except for a large round wooden table and twelve chairs, the crypt was empty. ‘Look at this,’ said Jack, pointing to a row of pictures hanging on the sandstone wall. ‘Exquisite.’ There were twenty-four pictures in all. ‘Do you know what this is?’ Rebecca shook her head.

‘Come over here, I’ll show you. You start with this one, the Fool, and then you go anticlockwise to the next one, the Magician. Then comes the Priestess, see?’

‘You’re well informed. What is it?’

‘The twenty-four Major Arcana of the restored Tarot ...’

‘Exactly,’ said a deep, gravelly voice from behind. Jack spun around. Slowly, a dark shape separated from one of the pillars, moved a little to one side and floated into a pool of candlelight. The Wizard was much taller than Jack had expected. Lit up from below, his face looked quite different from the police mug shot. The long hair, now streaked with grey, was pulled back and tied into a ponytail, accentuating the slanted eyes and prominent cheekbones. ‘You look like you’ve seen a ghost, Mr Rogan,’ said the Wizard, his voice echoing through the chamber. ‘Perhaps you have.’ He began to laugh. ‘You obviously know a bit about the Tarot. That’s a good start. Welcome to Wolf’s Lair. This is our round table where everyone is equal, but lies and deception are costly ...’

The candlelight lent the Wizard’s features a sinister sheen, as he pointed to the oak table. ‘I’m curious, Mr Rogan’, continued the Wizard. ‘Why would a famous writer like you want to meet someone like me? Please, sit down.’ The Wizard gestured towards the table. ‘You can have the Alchemist’s chair, right here, and your friend ...’ he nodded, acknowledging Rebecca for the first time, ‘can have Cassandra’s, over there. Cassandra’s the only female on our council.’ Looking wistfully at Rebecca, he asked, ‘Can you see into the future? I think not’, he continued. ‘Cassandra can, she has the gift ...’ The Wizard sat down opposite them and rested his huge fists on the table. Unbuttoned to the waist, his black leather vest barely covered his hairy chest. The broad shoulders and bulging biceps were the result of years of pumping iron in jail. Even in middle age, the Wizard radiated brute strength. He looked like a man who could easily crush a human skull with his bare hands.

Another chilling, but quite different villain, is Hamish Macbeth in The Hidden Genes of Professor K, Book 3 in the series. This is an excerpt from the scene where Dr Alexandra Delacroix meets Hamish Macbeth on his yacht:

It was well past midnight when Carlotta opened the door to Macbeth’s stateroom. ‘Dr Delacroix,’ she announced, letting Alexandra walk into the cabin in front of her.

‘Please leave us, Carlotta, and close the door,’ said Macbeth, looking at Alexandra standing in front of him. ‘You are much younger than I imagined,’ he said. ‘Your career and your reputation suggest someone older. Please take a seat.’

Alexandra tried to see the face of the man addressing her, but his wheelchair was in the shadows, the lamp on his desk the only source of light in the room. She had the impression that this was quite deliberate. Alexandra sat down in the chair facing the desk and crossed her legs.

She’s very composed, thought Macbeth, admiring the young woman’s self-control. And quite attractive. Brains and beauty. For a while, Macbeth let the silence speak, the soft throb of the ship’s powerful engines the only sound. ‘I’m Alistair Macbeth,’ said the man in the wheelchair after a while, ‘Chairman of Blackburn Pharmaceuticals, I’m sure you’ve heard of us. And in case you were wondering, you are on Calypso, the company’s research vessel.’

Alexandra looked up, surprised. So, that’s the connection, she thought. There wasn’t a research scientist alive who hadn’t heard of Blackburn Pharmaceuticals. The whole industry was in awe of Alistair Macbeth, its charismatic founder and man at the helm of the international juggernaut.

* * *

All of my villains are very different. Because each of the books in the Jack Rogan Mysteries Series ‘stands alone’ and can be read as such, each story is self-contained; the villains do not ‘carry over.’ Other characters, like Jack Rogan, of course, and Countess Kuragin, Dr Alexandra Delacroix and Tristan, for example, feature in several of my books. They are the links between the stories that make the series interesting, without presenting the books strictly as ‘sequels’. That said, readers who are familiar with all of my books in the series and have read them in order, will of course get a little more out of each book because there are of necessity certain links and nuances that will only become apparent if the reader is au fait with the earlier stories. However, I hasten to add that this is definitely not essential for the understanding and enjoyment of each of the books, regardless of the order in which they are read.

In book 4 of the series – Professor K: The Final Quest – there are several colourful villains in the storyline. The deadly ‘spider’ in the middle of the net is Salvatore Gambio, a notorious Mafioso operating in Florence. Once again, I reveal this chilling character gradually, and the full extent of his evil, ruthless nature only becomes apparent through the way he operates and how he manipulates others to do his deadly bidding. Here’s an example:

Gambio’s affable manner was deceptive. He liked to appear casual, easy-going and friendly. This was quite intentional and designed to put everyone at ease and make them lower their guard. But his eyes never smiled. They observed, radiating ruthlessness, cunning and danger. Especially danger.

‘You are looking swell, buddy,’ said Gambio, patting Bahadir on the back, the familiar, rasping voice of his former boss bringing a smile to Bahadir’s face. While they had stayed in contact and done business together since leaving the US three years before, they hadn’t met in person. This was by no means unusual, as Gambio preferred to do business that way. He was paranoid about security.

‘It’s been what, three years?’ he said. ‘Let’s go into my study and watch the show.’ Shortish, a little overweight, especially around the waist and thighs, with thinning black hair brushed straight back and a pencil-thin moustache that gave his pudgy face an almost comical appearance, he looked more like an Italian greengrocer than the head of one of the most feared Mafia families in Tuscany.

Gambio is a master manipulator, who knows how to surround himself with people he can dominate by manoeuvring them into positions where they have nowhere else to go, and will do everything he asks. He does this with great skill by exposing their weaknesses and secret fears, ambitions and desires, and using this insight to bend them to his will. Luigi Belmonte is such a personality:

Luigi Belmonte made sure he looked like all the other tourists enjoying the sunshine. Casually dressed in a pair of jeans, polo shirt and a linen jacket and wearing a straw hat and dark glasses, he certainly blended in well. But his appearance was deceptive. In his forties, shortish with a barrel chest and broad shoulders, he radiated strength and moved with surprising agility for a man with such a powerful physique. Belmonte looked at his watch, reached for his Campari and smiled. The location, a busy restaurant opposite the Palazzo Vecchio in the heart of Florence, was perfect – and so was the time.

This brings me to The Curious Case of the Missing Head – Book 5 in the series. There are several particularly interesting characters in the storyline, and I spent a lot of time delving into the chilling character of Professor Fabry, a gifted surgeon with a murky past. Once again, I reveal this character step by step, to create curiosity, and show the different, fascinating aspects of this complex man. One of the most effective ways to do this, is to present the character through the eyes of someone else, preferably someone who is meeting this character for the first time. Here’s an example: Tristan is meeting Professor Fabry for the first time in Malta:

Tristan nodded and stepped forward to shake Fabry’s hand. As he looked briefly into Fabry’s eyes, a strange feeling came over him, like he was looking into a murky, bottomless pool full of dark promises, drawing him in. A well of accusing souls, thought Tristan, recognising the unsettling feeling he had experienced before, usually in situations of acute danger. The feeling became stronger as he touched Fabry’s cold hand. This man has killed, many times. We have to be careful! On this occasion, Tristan, who could hear the whisper of angels and glimpse eternity, glimpsed only misery and horrible death.

Another colourful villain is Hernando Cordoba, a ruthless drug baron and head of the notorious H Cartel in Bogota. I decided to portray this character in a different way by presenting him in his environment. Because this environment – a fortress-like compound in Bogota – is quite unique; it tells a great deal about the man and his character:

Rodrigo looked at his client, who was staring out of one of the bulletproof windows. Ignoring the armed guards patrolling the grounds and the tall razor-wire fences behind the exotic, manicured gardens surrounding the compound, it was a beautiful, peaceful view down to Bogota, covered in morning mist. Protected by thick concrete walls, state-of-the-art security systems and massive steel gates, most of the large, fortified building was underground. The Cordoba compound on the outskirts of Bogota was more like a fortress than a villa. In Colombia this wasn’t unusual, but to be expected of the headquarters of the notorious H Cartel, one of the most powerful and ruthless cartels in the country.

Named after Huitzilopochtli, the bloody Aztec god of war, sun and human sacrifice, the cartel had the Xiuhcoatl, the fire serpent that the god wielded as a weapon, as its emblem. With influence, money and power came powerful enemies. As head of the H Cartel, Hernando Cordoba was still alive only because he understood that very well.

Cordoba rarely left the compound and conducted most of his business from his ‘observation room’ as he liked to call it, overlooking his beloved garden and the city in the distance below.

When he did leave – usually to inspect secret drug manufacturing sites hidden deep in the jungle – he did so by helicopter, which was more like a gunship than a civilian aircraft. Sourced from the Venezuelan Air Force and modified to suit his needs, it was equipped with the latest weapons systems, which gave it awesome firepower. Cordoba lived in a constant state of war and he liked it that way. It kept him sharp and alert, and a step or two ahead of his enemies and competitors.

‘We are cutting it fine,’ said Cordoba, turning to face his lawyer sitting at a desk behind him. ‘If the execution goes to plan, the boy will be dead in less than forty-five minutes.’

In The Lost Symphony, book 6 of the Jack Rogan Mysteries Series, I have introduced villains of a slightly different kind. A great deal of research has gone into creating a plausible, true-to-life psychological profile of a chilling criminal mind my readers will find both fascinating, and frightening. Her name? Anielka.

Exploring the dark side of human nature is always fraught with danger. It is a balancing act because nothing is black and white or clear-cut when it comes to portraying a complex character without moral compass in a believable, and realistic way.

This is particularly the case with Anielka, a terrifying psychopath who is one of the central characters in the book. To understand how her disturbed mind works, we have to first learn something about her background, the milieu she moves in, and the forces that have shaped her:

Anielka had spent several years in a psychiatric prison hospital in Paris after she had savagely attacked a fellow inmate with a kitchen knife in the juvenile detention centre where she was serving time for assault. Before that, she had almost killed a man she claimed had tried to rape her. Because she was only seventeen at the time, the prosecutor reduced the more serious charge of attempted murder to common assault, and she was sent to an institution for rehabilitation.

For the first three months she was a model prisoner, then something happened in the kitchen that set her off. It had taken three guards to restrain her and take the knife out of her hand. Hysterical and screaming, she was sent for psychiatric assessment and ended up in hospital under the care of a psychiatrist Malenkova knew well.

Now that we’ve had a brief introduction into the twisted world of her early years, it is time to delve a little deeper into her chilling mind:

Anielka’s mind was a strange place. Exceptionally bright, charming and vivacious, she was a pathological liar who concealed her psychopathic inclinations and behaviour in incredibly imaginative ways that could fool even the most critical observer. In many ways, she was an artist of mind games and deception.

Devoid of any feelings of remorse or guilt, she was capable of violent acts – including self-harm – so extreme, they would have shocked even the most seasoned homicide investigator. If caught, she could lie her way out of a compromising situation in ways that could convince a jury and even a trial judge. Her stunning looks – especially her almost angelic face – were of great help here, as her appearance and manner seemed at odds with what she was supposed to have done.

Because of those looks, she attracted the attention of men wherever she went and she exploited this attraction ruthlessly because deep down, she hated men. She liked sex, often coupled with violence, because of the power it gave her over others. Without inhibitions or moral compass of any kind, she was prepared to engage in sexual activities that would have taught a debauched pervert a lesson or two. Her promiscuous sexual behaviour had been one of the main problems since her release that had caused some hesitation in Zuzanna about using Anielka for certain assignments. However, as she got to know her better and Anielka became more and more trusting and dependent on her, Zuzanna realised that this very inclination could be used to great advantage in certain situations.

A complex personality like Anielka doesn’t exist in isolation. In the book she is closely linked to Zuzanna, her ‘handler’, and Frieda Malenkova, the ‘mastermind’. The three form separate manifestations of the criminal mind. Each one is pursuing separate goals, but using the others in ingenious ways to achieve them. This forms a fascinating interaction between these characters, adding intrigue and tension and a new dimension to the storyline to keep the reader speculating, and guessing through the many unexpected twists and turns of the complex, multi-layered plot. Here’s a brief glimpse into Malenkova’s background and personality:

As a seasoned veteran of many challenging projects, she had developed a sixth sense that rarely let her down when it came to following the trail of long-forgotten secrets and hidden treasure. And the key to following such trails and finding that treasure always came down to two simple things: information, and people.

Malenkova’s father had been very resourceful when it came to obtaining information in imaginative ways, and Frieda had been an attentive pupil. Many would say, she had surpassed her father in tenacity and ruthlessness which were often the key to success. She never hesitated to go where others feared to tread, and was prepared to take risks that would have made a fearless tightrope walker pale.

Just like her father, Malenkova was a master manipulator who knew how to use people and bend them to her will. How she did this was both subtle and clever. Based on instinct and an extraordinary understanding of human nature, behaviour and emotions, she carefully tailored her tactics and approach in ways that would have impressed even the most experienced psychiatrist. She also believed in destiny, and followed her instincts with the certainty of a somnambulist.”

It would be a mistake to portray villains only as main characters. In real life, some of the most brutal and ingenious villains stand in the shadows and support the main players and make it possible for them to function and carry out their evil plans. Dimitri Aldar, a former KGB agent in his sixties who works for Sokolov, a Russian billionaire kleptocrat, is a good example. We meet him in Sokolov’s Scottish castle and find out some historic material about his past, which provides some background and context for this dangerous, complex man:

The disintegration of the Soviet Union had also brought about the dissolution of the notorious KGB, and Aldar found himself adrift, without the career he had thrived on. A few years later, he made contact with his old friend Sokolov, who offered him a job. Aldar became the young tycoon’s trusted right-hand man in charge of security and ‘sensitive’ projects. Aldar’s KGB experience and many contacts among USSR officials and former KGB operatives were invaluable, and had accelerated Sokolov’s meteoric rise as one of the most successful and ruthless ‘kleptocrats’ of his day.

One of Aldar’s greatest assets was his appearance, which he had carefully cultivated. Diminutive in stature, quietly spoken, with thinning hair and a deceptively disarming manner and charm, it was easy to be lulled into complacency and underestimate him. Yet under this almost mundane and ordinary facade resided not only a razor-sharp mind, but also one of the most ruthless tacticians who would stop at nothing to achieve his objectives, however brutal or devious.

In many ways, Sokolov and Aldar complemented each other and were the perfect combination: a brilliant entrepreneur, and a ruthless tactician and enforcer to back him up, remove obstacles and pave the way.

In The Death Mask Murders, book 7 in the series, I have introduced a new kind of villain: Ronan O’Hara, a master manipulator and ‘cyber criminal’ who remains in the shadows and ‘manipulates’ his victims from a distance by using the dark net.

To understand a fascinating man like that, we have to first become familiar with the environment in which he operates, in this case, a picturesque Bavarian farmhouse set in stunning alpine scenery. This is the milieu where O’Hara feels relaxed and at home and hatches some of his most diabolical plans:

Deep in thought, Ronan O’Hara sat at his workstation facing the wide, floor-to-ceiling window overlooking the stunning Bavarian mountain panorama. The morning fog had just lifted, revealing snow-covered peaks glistening in the bright sunlight like massive, timeless columns of rock pointing towards heaven. It was his favourite place of contemplation in the converted old farmhouse, where he did most of his creative thinking.

Looking like a command centre, the powerful computer with its three large, suspended monitors, and a communications system that would have been the envy of an aircraft carrier crew, allowed him access to almost every corner of the globe with the click of his mouse. With this, O’Hara had everything he needed at his fingertips. For a man like O’Hara, who thrived on power but craved anonymity and preferred to remain in the shadows, it was the perfect place from which to run his dark empire.

I have intentionally chosen a notorious, well-known location for O’Hara’s ‘cyber fortress’: the Obersalzberg near Berchtesgaden where Hitler spent a lot of time during the war, and came up with some of the most evil ideas ever conceived by a dictator responsible for the death of millions. Step by step we find out a little more about O’Hara and his modus operandi:

The spacious, three-hundred-year-old alpine farmhouse he had purchased almost thirty years earlier from a distant relative – an old aunt – and now rarely left, was the perfect domain. In his early seventies, diminutive in stature, completely bald and wearing thick glasses, O’Hara looked more like a retired headmaster than the secretive and shy billionaire businessman behind the Dark Net Bazaar.

The DNB, as it was known to the initiated, was an illegal, banned underground site pursued by almost every major security organisation around the world, trying in vain to shut it down. It was a marketplace where it was possible to buy just about anything imaginable, for a price. From a teenage slave girl in Kenya, to a state-of-the art rocket launcher, a jet fighter aircraft, or parts to build a nuclear power station, this site had something for everyone. It was also a place where it was possible to indulge one’s deepest and darkest desires, from every drug imaginable, to snuff movies, real-time murder scenes, and the most perverse live pornography.

O’Hara’s complex personality and strange mind are closely intertwined with the stunning environment in which he operates. The parallels between O’Hara and Hitler, who also thrived in this alpine setting, are of course intentional and serve as an ‘indirect’ illustration of how beauty and evil can interact, and thrive in the most unlikely places:

Looking at the picture-postcard farmhouse surrounded by dense forest – mainly tall, gnarled fir trees that had weathered many a harsh alpine winter – no-one would have guessed that these idyllic surroundings were hiding a dark, sophisticated operation below ground, directly under the hoofs of a herd of contented cattle grazing peacefully in the lush meadows.

Located just a kilometre from the Obersalzberg – Hitler’s alpine fortress where the Fuehrer had spent a lot of time during the war and planned some of his most ambitious campaigns and diabolical ‘solutions’ – O’Hara’s complex had become the HQ of a different empire. A cyber empire with elements of potent evil that would have rivalled the Nazis, and in many ways made their concentration camps look tame by comparison. In fact, O’Hara’s converted farmhouse and the neighbouring properties he had bought up over the years didn’t look all that different from Hitler’s beloved ‘Berghof’ complex. Of course, nothing remained of that or of any of the other buildings on the Obersalzberg except for an extensive, fortified, underground bunker network that still criss-crossed the area like a maze. Everything else had been destroyed after the war.

The Good Guys

Each book in the series is carefully structured as far as the characters are concerned. Of course, Jack Rogan features in all of them. However, there are other main characters in the series such as Countess Kuragin, Tristan, Jana Gonski and Dr Delacroix, for example, who feature in several books and are ‘woven’ into the storyline to provide a loose ‘link’ between the books.

Connecting with my readers is a very important way of finding out how various characters resonate with them. In fact, I have often been asked if a particular, obviously popular character, would return and feature in future books. This has been the case with Jana Gonski, Dr Rosen, and Inspector Haddad. Jana returned in The Hidden Genes of Professor K, and Inspector Haddad and Dr Rosen feature quite prominently in Professor K: The Final Quest.

Another endearing character is Mademoiselle Darrieux, who appears for the first time in The Hidden Genes of Professor K, but returns in a more prominent role in The Lost Symphony.

Then we have Lorenza da Baggio, a new character and one of the main personalities in Professor K: The Final Quest. We meet her for the first time in Florence. This character is inextricably intertwined with a location, and we see her through the lens of that place and through the eyes of other characters, creating mystery and anticipation:

Lorenza da Baggio listened to the bells and was counting the hours. Time passes slowly when you are desperately trying to sleep, but can’t. Her amazing victory the day before that had made her a finalist in Top Chef Europe was keeping her awake. Watched by millions, Top Chef Europe was Europe’s most prestigious cooking competition. At twenty, Lorenza was not only the youngest competitor, but her cooking skills had stunned the judges and she had quickly become the darling of the program.

Instead of feeling elated, her unexpected victory against Kemal Bahadir from Istanbul, one of Europe’s most celebrated chefs, filled her with dread. It wasn’t winning that bothered her, but what had come later. When a smiling Bahadir embraced her after the judges had pronounced her the winner, he had whispered something in her ear she couldn’t get out of her mind. What did he mean when he said, ‘You will regret this; you are not as good as you may think?’ she asked herself over and over. Perhaps I misunderstood?

Covered in sweat, Lorenza opened her eyes and stared at the open balcony door as the first light of the new day crept hesitantly across the marble floor and began to banish the darkness. Feeling better, she got up, stepped out onto the terrace on the first floor of Villa Laurentius and looked down into Florence shrouded in morning mist. The familiar sight of Santa Maria del Fiore – the Duomo, with Brunelleschi’s spectacular dome – seemed to calm her, bringing back memories of school holidays and lazy shopping afternoons with her grandmother. A smile creased the corners of her mouth as memories of her late mother flooded back with alarming clarity.

Lorenza realised that she had to prepare herself for the biggest challenge of her life: the grand finale in the evening. Now that her dream was within reach, nothing else mattered; she knew that any distraction could be disastrous. With that, she dismissed the disturbing thoughts, closed her eyes, turned her face towards the rising sun and dreamed of victory.”

What makes a thriller a page-turner, impossible to put down? Nail-biting action, suspense, exotic locations and a well-constructed storyline with unexpected twists, turns and surprises undoubtedly play an important part. However, most critical of all are the characters. They bring the story to life and engage the reader.

In a way, therefore, it’s all about characters. Characters draw readers into the story. They turn readers from curious bystanders, into attentive participants who become emotionally involved, and ultimately view the characters as ‘real’ people. Cesaria Borroni and Chief Prosecutor Grimaldi in Professor K: The Final Quest are good examples:

Cesaria Borroni, her face flushed with excitement, hurried towards the restaurant. News about the shooting had spread like a sex scandal through police headquarters, abuzz with speculation. But that wasn’t the reason for her excitement. It was the phone call from the commissioner that had left her speechless – and a little scared. It wasn’t often the commissioner called a junior officer and gave instructions for a sensitive assignment of great urgency and importance.

Cesaria found the chief prosecutor bent over the bloody corpse of the bodyguard in front of the men’s toilet. He was examining the gunshot wounds with one of the men from Forensics.

Cesaria waited for Grimaldi to finish. As soon as he stood up, she walked over to him. ‘The commissioner asked me to report to you, sir,’ she said.

Grimaldi looked at her, surprised. He had expected someone older, not a strikingly attractive young woman in her twenties. Grimaldi knew the commissioner well. She had to be something special, otherwise he wouldn’t have sent her. ‘Come with me,’ said Grimaldi, and quickly walked through the open side door out into the lane behind the restaurant. He lit a small cigar and looked at the young woman standing demurely by the door, watching him. ‘Tell me about yourself,’ he said. ‘There isn’t much time.’

‘What would you like to know, sir?’ asked Cesaria, surprised. It wasn’t the question she had expected from the man with such a fierce reputation.

As a survivor of two assassination attempts, Grimaldi was a legend. He was known as a demanding taskmaster, a perfectionist and relentless workaholic. Fearless, and almost fanatical in the pursuit of truth and justice, he left no stone unturned in tracking down the culprits and sending them to trial. ‘How long have you been in the police force?’ he asked.

‘Two years.’

‘Education?’

‘Apart from my training?’

‘Yes.’

‘I have a law degree.’

‘Good.’ That explains the intelligence radiating from the girl, thought Grimaldi, enjoying the tobacco rush, and why he sent her. Like the commissioner, Grimaldi knew that integrity and dedication to the job were far more likely to be found in the young, before temptation, intimidation and disillusionment could do their dirty work. And what he had in mind required both: unconditional trust and dedication – plenty of it. And besides, a woman’s touch could in fact be quite useful, he thought. ‘I would like you to do something for me,’ he said. ‘Something urgent and very important.’

‘Yes?’

‘I want you to persuade a man to do something he has vowed never to do again.’

Cesaria looked at Grimaldi, surprised. ‘Oh?’

Grimaldi held up his hand. ‘I’ll explain later,’ he said. ‘You will have to drop everything and travel, straight away. Would that be a problem?’

‘No. Travel where?’

‘Palermo.’

‘When?’

‘Tonight.’

Another good illustration of character development is the meeting between Cesaria and Fabio Conti, a pivotal character in Professor K: The Final Quest, book four in the series:

Cesaria walked over to the bar at the far end of the dimly lit room. ‘I am looking for Fabio Conti,’ she said, addressing the barman.

The old man looked at her with undisguised curiosity. ‘Who?’ he asked, cupping his ear with his hand.

‘Fabio Conti,’ shouted Cesaria, trying to make herself heard. Suddenly, the room went silent, all eyes on Cesaria standing at the bar. ‘Fabio Conti?’ repeated the barman. Cesaria nodded.

‘Come,’ he said. Cesaria followed the barman into another crowded, smoke-filled room behind the bar. The barman pointed to a man sitting on a wooden stool in the corner. The man was leaning against a barrel – eyes closed, his mouth wide open – obviously asleep. His crumpled, red wine-stained shirt was unbuttoned to the waist and a cigarette between his fingers had turned into a column of ash.

Good God, thought Cesaria, assessing the situation. The man in front of her in no way resembled the man described by Chief Prosecutor Grimaldi as a hero and one of the most fearless Mafia hunters in the country. Cesaria turned to the barman standing next to her. ‘Do you know where he lives?’ she asked.

‘Right here, upstairs,’ replied the barman and pointed to the ceiling.

‘Could you please make us some coffee, and could someone help me take him to his room?’

‘Sure,’ said the barman, impressed. ‘I’ll help you. I do this almost every night. Pasquale, give me a hand!’ he shouted. A young man came out of the kitchen and helped the barman take Conti upstairs.

Smelling of vomit and stale cigarette smoke, the tiny room above the bar was a total mess. The wooden floor was littered with crumpled clothes, empty bottles and newspapers. An unmade bed with dirty sheets and a torn blanket, an open wardrobe full of empty coat hangers – some of them broken – and a small table and chair were the only furniture in the room. A cracked washbasin with a cracked mirror above it, the tap dripping, was filled with underwear waiting in vain to be washed.

‘He wasn’t always like this,’ said the barman, and lifted Conti onto the bed. ‘Relative of yours?’

Cesaria shook her head.

‘I’ll send up some coffee.’

As soon as she was alone with Conti, Cesaria opened the window, picked up a towel from the floor and held it under the tap.

What could make a man sink this low? she asked herself and began to wipe Conti’s flushed face with the wet towel and a tenderness that surprised her. Well-built, in his late forties with a shock of unkempt black hair badly in need of a haircut and a face that may have seen a little too much of the dark side of life, Conti was, even in this sorry state, an impressive man. Cesaria put the towel aside and began to massage Conti’s temples.

After a while Conti began to groan as Cesaria’s strong, practised fingers began to penetrate the stubborn alcohol fog numbing his brain. Conti opened his eyes and stared straight-ahead, his gaze blank. Then slowly, as his bloodshot eyes began to focus, Cesaria’s face swam into view. ‘Who are you?’ he whispered, his speech slurred.

‘I’m Cesaria Borroni from Florence … police,’ replied Cesaria without interrupting the massage.

‘What are you doing here?’

‘Chief Prosecutor Grimaldi sent me.’

Conti sat up with a jolt and looked at Cesaria sitting on the edge of the bed next to him. ‘Why?’

‘To remind you of something ...’

‘He sent you all this way to remind me of something? Remind me of what?’ demanded Conti.

‘A date.’

‘I don’t understand,’ said Conti, looking confused. ‘What date?’

‘The seventh of January 2014,’ said Cesaria quietly.

Mystery and suspense are very effective ways to arouse curiosity, and curiosity, by definition, is the desire to find out more. In short, curiosity makes the reader turn the pages. Another effective way to ignite curiosity is through unusual, fascinating characters whom my readers are unlikely to meet in real life. Cardinal O’Brien – another important, charismatic personality in Professor K: The Final Quest – is an excellent example:

Alexandra stood up as soon as the cardinal and the CEO entered the room. The CEO made the introductions and withdrew. Alexandra pointed to a chair, but the cardinal waited for her to sit down first before taking a seat.

‘Firstly, allow me to congratulate you, Professor Delacroix. The Nobel Prize, what a wonderful achievement,’ said the cardinal, ‘and a great credit to the institute.’

‘Thank you, Eminence.’ He’s much younger ... thought Alexandra, watching the cardinal with interest. She had expected someone much older. Tall, athletic, in his late fifties with greying hair around the temples and a tanned, youthful face that had seen a little too much sun, he looked more like a former tennis star keeping in shape than a prince of the Church. However, his most striking feature by far was his eyes: penetrating, ice-blue, and smiling. Classic Celtic looks, thought Alexandra, impressed.

Dressed in a simple black suit and shiny black shoes, the white dog collar and pectoral cross the only clues hinting at his high office, he looked totally at ease sitting in his chair with his long legs crossed, and filled the room with his presence. A balanced blend of modesty, authority and charisma, impossible to ignore.

What an impressive man, thought Alexandra, feeling completely relaxed.

‘You must be wondering what this is all about,’ began the cardinal, leaning back in his chair.

Alexandra smiled, but didn’t reply.

I am not exaggerating,’ said the cardinal, speaking quite softly, ‘when I tell you that I am here on one of the most important missions of my ecclesiastical career.’ The cardinal, a skilled negotiator, paused to let this sink in.

‘That’s quite a statement, Eminence,’ said Alexandra, her curiosity aroused even further. ‘And what may that be?’

‘To persuade you to help save a life.’

Needless to say, new characters are introduced in each one of my books and woven into the storyline to interact with personalities my readers are already familiar with. This can create tension, excitement, and intrigue. Detective Chief Superintendent Lapointe is an excellent illustration of this. We meet him for the first time in The Lost Symphony:

‘You are expected,’ said the officer and opened the door after the countess had told him who she was.

Dupree and another man in his fifties sat at the kitchen table. ‘Good morning, Countess, thank you for coming,’ said Dupree. He nodded to Jack and stood up. The other man stood up as well. ‘This is Detective Chief Superintendent Lapointe,’ continued Dupree making the introductions.

Jack looked at the man in front of him with interest. Shortish, powerfully built and wearing a heavy overcoat, he reminded Jack of Maigret, the legendary fictional Paris detective who featured in more than seventy novels by Georges Simenon, a Belgian writer, and became an iconic character and the subject of countless films and TV dramas. But most striking of all was the man’s face. Radiating intelligence but also sadness and compassion, the eyes had seen a little too much brutality and violence, and the deep lines around the mouth and prominent chin, suggested a determination to do something about it. The only thing missing is the bowler hat and the pipe, thought Jack. Then he saw the slouch hat and the pipe on the table, and smiled.

Once again, with a few ‘literary brush strokes’ we have been introduced to another fascinating personality who may only play a brief role in the overall story, but nevertheless adds considerable character and appeal to the plot. By referring to Maigret, a legendary literary French detective who is no doubt well known to many of my readers, it is possible to visualise Lapointe through certain endearing idiosyncrasies explored by Georges Simenon in his wonderful novels. References to literature can be another useful tool in character building and ‘visualisation’, which I take very seriously as it adds another important dimension to the reading experience.

A character of a very different kind, but another good illustration of how new personalities interact with old, and familiar ones, also featured in The Lost Symphony, is Avigdor Stein, a rabbi. Jack meets him in the Jewish Cemetery in Prague on a cold winter’s morning:

Jack stopped at the walled entrance, looked at the plan of the cemetery he had downloaded earlier, and began to orientate himself. He could feel a cold chill racing down the back of his neck as he walked along the solemn rows of silent graves. He was looking for a large, ornate sand-coloured headstone decorated with a lion, belonging to the sixteenth century rabbi of Prague. A morning mist hovered above the headstones like a shroud, making the long-forgotten reminders of generations past and lives long forgotten, look monotonous and confusing.

I’ll never find this, thought Jack when suddenly he could see a tall dark shape melting out of the mist. As he came closer, the shape morphed into a man standing motionless next to a headstone at the end of the row. Wearing a long black coat and black hat, the man looked like a Hebrew sentinel guarding the domain of the dead.

‘You are much younger than I expected,’ said Avigdor Stein in perfect English, his long white beard, sidelocks, and prominent nose, giving him an almost biblical look. ‘But then, you are from Australia, I hear.’

‘Please don’t hold it against me,’ said Jack, giving Stein his best smile.

In The Death Mask Murders, book 7 in the series, several new, fascinating characters are introduced to give the storyline a realistic glow, and add structure and excitement to the plot. One such character is Professor Francesca Bartolli, an Italian criminal psychologist and well-known profiler. Jack travels to Rome to make her acquaintance and has shrewdly chosen a delightful Italian restaurant for their first meeting because he has been told that ‘she loves to eat.’ Once again, the setting is used to illustrate the personality of this new character:

Jack crossed the Piazza della Minerva in front of his hotel next to the Pantheon, stopped briefly at Bernini’s Elephant and Obelisk – one of his favourite statues in Rome – and then turned into a small side street leading to Armando al Pantheon, a Roman institution popular with locals, serving traditional Roman and Lazio fare. The reason Jack had chosen this small, intimate family restaurant for his meeting with Professor Bartolli was a comment made by Lapointe after he had arranged the meeting: ‘Remember, like all good Italians, Professor Bartolli loves to eat. Make sure you take her to a nice restaurant. I told her all about you ...’

As soon as Jack stepped into the crowded, wood-panelled room and was shown to his table, he felt instantly at ease. Run by the Gargioli family since the sixties, the restaurant radiated wellbeing and Roman charm, and the mouth-watering cooking aroma drifting out of the kitchen promised outstanding food for which the establishment was well known. Jack could understand why reservations had to be made weeks in advance to get a table.

Jack ordered some olives and a bottle of 2007 Illuminati Ilico Riserva Montepulicano d’Abruzzo, which he hoped his guest would enjoy, and then sat back soaking up the bustling, rustic atmosphere. He had almost finished his second glass of wine when Professor Bartolli walked in and looked around. Jack recognised her at once from the photos on her website and held up his hand to attract her attention.

Carrying a battered violin case under her arm and looking somewhat flustered in her tight-fitting leather jacket – her long, curly dark-blonde hair a little dishevelled – Bartolli didn’t quite fit the image Jack had formed in his mind of the sophisticated criminal psychologist with a fearsome reputation, whose court appearances were legendary and performances under cross-examination formidable, instilling fear in those brave enough to question her opinions and findings.

‘I am so sorry for being late,’ said Bartolli, shaking Jack’s hand, but despite my best efforts to leave the rehearsal before we finished, I was unable to do so. I play in a small chamber orchestra.’ Bartolli bent down and pushed the violin case under the table as there was nowhere else to put it. ‘But the conductor would have none of it. “How would Vivaldi feel,” he said, “if suddenly a number of key phrases in the concerto went missing?” I had nowhere to go after that. That’s why I’m late; sorry. The last Friday of the month is practice night, only to be missed at the risk of being pilloried or, God forbid, expelled,’ Bartolli prattled on. ‘But Lapointe insisted we had to meet tonight. He said it was urgent. So, here I am.’

‘You are a musician as well?’ said Jack, trying hard to look serious as he watched the fascinating woman take off her jacket and scarf, tie back her hair and sit down. Tall and slim, in her early forties, with a prominent Roman nose and wide-set green eyes that didn’t seem to stop smiling, she had an aristocratic look that reminded Jack of a painting by Bartolomeo Veneto of Lucrezia Borgia. He reached for the bottle and poured some wine into her glass. ‘Looks like you could do with some wine.’

‘Is it that obvious?’ asked Bartolli.

‘It is,’ replied Jack, ‘but no-one’s looking.’ They both burst out laughing. ‘Salute!’

Glossary

With seven books, two novellas, and almost 3500 paperback pages (and growing), the Jack Rogan Mysteries Series is a complex body of work with many characters of diverse nationalities and backgrounds. Interrelated, multi-layered storylines span decades and generations, and leave traces and subtle ‘footprints’ in a number of books along the way. This is of course intentional, as it creates echoes of reality in a work that is pure fiction.

While all of my books in the series have been carefully crafted to ‘stand alone’ and can be read individually without having to be familiar with the series and the books that have been released earlier, readers who have in fact read the series ‘chronologically’ will get a lot more out of the characters and storylines, as they will pick up subtle nuances, details, and connections embedded in the books.

That said, doing this in a large body of work like this series, comes at a price. As more books are added to the Jack Rogan Mysteries, it becomes increasingly difficult to remember the characters featured in previous books, and therefore follow and navigate the evolving storylines. Many of my readers have recently pointed this out and indicated that a ‘glossary’ of characters – preferably presented book by book – would be most helpful in navigating and understanding the series, as such a glossary would significantly add to the enjoyment of reading and appreciating the evolving storylines carefully woven into the books.

After giving this careful consideration, I totally agreed.

For that reason, I have now prepared a book-by-book ‘glossary’ of characters (set out below) that can act as a guide and aide-mémoire, especially when a new book is added to the series. Needless to say, this publication is free, easy to use, and can act as a reference point and ‘companion’ that will further enhance the reading experience. At a glance, readers are able to ‘refresh’ their memory and understanding where the characters fit into the storylines, allowing them to seamlessly follow the action without confusion or distraction.

The Glossary appears after the Profile Study, which of course only introduces some of the main characters featured in the series. The Glossary deals with them all. I expect this will be particularly helpful when dealing with many of my more ‘exotic’ characters with often difficult, foreign names to place and remember.

A small hint for your assistance:

You will notice that generally, the character names in the Glossary have been arranged alphabetically to make them easy to find. However, some of them have been listed in a special way. For ease of reference, I have decided to use the names of some of the characters as they appear in the text, rather than their full names and/or descriptions, which are often left in the background and are therefore difficult to locate and follow. This will make finding them in the Glossary much easier, especially when foreign names are involved. Here’s an example:

Tristan te Papatahi

Cassandra’s son with extraordinary psychic powers. He can hear the whisper of angels, and glimpse eternity.

Tristan, a key character who features in all the books except the very first one, is a good example. He can be found under Tristan, and not te Papatahi, his surname, which is rarely used.

Sir Charles Huntley (Isis’s lawyer) is another good example.

In the text he is always referred to as Sir Charles, and his surname, Huntley, is rarely used. For that reason, he has been listed in the Glossary under Sir Charles, and not Huntley.

Timelines

Another important matter I would like to address briefly concerns timelines. As I have pointed out before, each book in the series stands alone, and can be read as such. That said, the storylines and character development are complex and reach across several decades. For that reason, it is important to keep an eye on timing generally, as each book is set within a specific timeframe, which has a bearing on the series generally, and the development of the storylines and characters in particular.

For that reason, I have set out a general timeframe for each of the books at the beginning of the Glossary, which should assist in following and understanding the series and especially character development, which is an important part of how I approach each book.

As far as my two free novellas – The Kimberley Secret and The Forgotten Painting – are concerned, I didn’t think that a glossary of characters was warranted. I have added the table of contents instead, which will assist in following the timelines involved. This material can be found at the very end of the Glossary.

Finally, I would like to briefly turn to a related subject.

Many of my readers have asked if it would be possible to find out a little more about Jack Rogan’s past and background, before he enters the literary stage and appears in The Empress Holds The Key, the first book in the series.

I take feedback and suggestions from my readers very seriously, and it was because of this request that I published two short novellas – The Forgotten Painting (2016) and The Kimberley Secret (2018). These two short books, which are available for free, specifically deal with Jack’s past and provide additional insights into his earlier life, personality, and character.

I hope that these two multi-award-winning novellas will further add to the enjoyment and understanding of the series. If you haven’t already done so, may I invite you to download the novellas for free right now, by following the prompts below. You won’t be disappointed, promise!

Follow this link to download The Forgotten Painting

https://gabrielfarago.com.au/free-download-forgotten-painting/

Follow this link to download The Kimberley Secret

https://gabrielfarago.com.au/free-download-kimberley-secret/

The Jack Rogan Mysteries Series

Glossary of Principal Characters

and General Timelines

The Empress Holds The Key

Book 1 in the Jack Rogan Mysteries Series

Dark secrets. A holy relic. An ancient quest reignited.

Jack Rogan’s discovery of a disturbing old photograph in the ashes of a rural Australian cottage draws the journalist into a dangerous hunt, with the ultimate stakes.

The tangled web of clues – including hoards of Nazi gold, hidden Swiss bank accounts, and a long-forgotten mass grave – implicate wealthy banker Sir Eric Newman and lead to a trial with shocking revelations.

A holy relic mysteriously erased from the pages of history is suddenly up for grabs to those willing to sacrifice everything to find it.

Rogan and his companions must follow historical leads through ancient Egypt to the Crusades and the Knights Templar to uncover a secret that could destroy the foundations of the Catholic Church and challenge the history of Christianity itself.

Will Rogan succeed in bringing the dark mystery into the light, or will the powers desperately working against him ensure the ancient truths remain buried forever?

THE EMPRESS HOLDS THE KEY is the first standalone thriller in the page-turning Jack Rogan Mysteries Series.

TIMELINE

Benjamin Krakowski escapes: Nov 1944

Main plot: 2007

CHARACTERS:

Lena Abramowitz

Polish Holocaust survivor (Auschwitz). Twin sister of Miriam

Akhenaten

1334 BC Heretic pharaoh of Egypt

Cyril Archibald QC

Sir Eric Newman’s defence counsel

Fra. Armand

Templar knight; commander

Lord Ashburton

English lord living in Hamilton Park, England. Sole trustee of the Ashburton Foundation

Athanasius Mariam Selassie

Ethiopian priest, brother of Monsignor Frumentius Mariam Selassie and Guardian of the Ark of the Covenant at the Church of Saint Mary of Zion at Axum, Ethiopia

Ahmad Babar

Egyptian excavation team leader. Worked for Dr Hudson

Professor Bernadini

Director or the American Federation of Violin and Bow Makers Inc. and expert witness in Sir Eric Newman’s trial.

Fra. Bernard

Templar knight

Francine Bijoux

Robert Blackburn

Australian Attorney-General

Armand de Blanquefort

Thirteenth-century Templar knight active in Ethiopia and Egypt

Cardinal Brandauer

Head of the Vatican Congregation of the Doctrine of the Faith, and Dean of the College of Cardinals. Confidant of Pope Julius

Marcus Carrington QC

Eminent Australian barrister and amateur archaeologist, specialising in ancient Egyptian history

Elizabeth Carrington

Wife of Marcus Carrington

Abbe Berenger Diderot

Abdullah Farim

Egyptian businessman representing an Egyptian terrorist organisation

Jakob Finkelstein

Holocaust survivor. Watchmaker living in Warsaw

Monsignor Frumentius Mariam Selassie, known as Brother Frumentius

Ethiopian priest

Gebra Christos

Ethiopian monk and ‘Protector of Secrets’

Jana Gonski

Australian Federal Police officer

Sam Greenberg

American attorney conducting a class action against Swiss banks

Dr Otto Gruber

Austrian civil servant in charge of the Department for the Preservation of Monuments

Father Habakkuk aka The Black Dominican

Ethiopian cleric working for Cardinal Brandauer

Chief Inspector Naguib Haddad

Senior Egyptian police officer based in Cairo

Anton Hoffmeister, known as Don Antonio in Buenos Aires

Night club owner living in Buenos Aires.

Dr Reuben Hudson

Archaeologist from Chicago. Excavated in Egypt

Pope Julius

Resides in the Vatican

Professor Fatima Khalil

Director of the Egyptian Museum in Cairo

Professor Benjamin Krakowski

Polish Holocaust survivor, violin virtuoso, celebrated conductor and composer. Lives in London

David Krakowski

Brother of Benjamin. Prisoner at Auschwitz

Berenger Krakowski

Benjamin and David Krakowski’s father. Polish musician and prisoner at Auschwitz

Menelik

Son of King Solomon and the Queen of Sheba

Jacques de Molay

Last Grand Master of The Poor Knights of Christ and the Temple of Solomon

Sir Eric Newman

Successful Australian businessman of German descent, and head of Newman’s Colonial Bank. Father of Horst and Heinrich.

Sheikh Omar (also referred to as ‘The Chosen One’ and ‘Defender of the Faith’)

Founder and spiritual leader of the Islamic Brotherhood for the Liberation of Holy Places

Jack Rogan

Australian war correspondent and celebrated author, adventurer and private investigator. Jack is the central character of the series and features in every book.

Dr Bettany Rosen

Daughter of Sir Eric Newman. Doctor working in third world countries, and head of the Rosen Foundation, a charity

Queen of Sheba

African queen

King Solomon

King of Israel

Colonel Sorokin, alias Gregori Molotov

Russian Mafiya boss

Sturmbannfuehrer Wolfgang Steinberger

SS Major active in Auschwitz during WWII

The Disappearance of Anna Popov

Book 2 in the Jack Rogan Mysteries Series

When Jack Rogan, celebrated author and journalist, stumbles on a mysterious clue pointing to the tragic disappearance of two girls from Alice Springs, he can’t resist investigating.

Rogan is joined by friends: Rebecca Armstrong, his New York literary agent, Andrew Simpson, a retired Aboriginal police officer and Cassandra, an enigmatic psychic as he follows the trail of the missing girls into the remote Dreamtime-wilderness of outback Australia.

Soon, past the point of no return, they enter a dark web of superstition and are drawn into the upside-down-world of an outlaw bikie gang where the ruler is an evil master, outcasts are heroes, and cruelty and violence are admired and rewarded.

Cassandra, though, has a secret agenda of her own. Using her occult powers to avenge an old, deep wrong, she sets the scene for an epic showdown where the stakes are high and the loser faces death and oblivion.

Will Rogan succeed? Will a desperate mother’s prayers be answered? Will a lost daughter be found? Or will the forces of evil crush all their hopes and dreams?

TIMELINE:

Anna Popov and her friend disappear in January 2005

Main plot: 2010

CHARACTERS:

Rebecca Armstrong

Jack Rogan’s publishing consultant

Captain Thunderbolt

Boxing champion in Australian outback

Cassandra

Tristan’s mother; prominent psychic

Will Elliot

Volunteer firefighter and antiques dealer. Jack Rogan’s close friend

‘Fisticuffs’ Jim O’Grady

Boxing tent operator in Australian outback

Jack Rogan

Australian war correspondent and celebrated author, adventurer and private investigator. Jack is the central character of the series and features in every book.

Jandamarra

Billy Woorunmurra aka Pigeon

Aboriginal freedom fighter in the Kimberley during the 1890s. Leader of the Bunuba Resistance

Countess Katerina Kuragin

Ana Popov’s mother. Owns the Kuragin Chateau, an exclusive boutique hotel close to Paris

Professor Nicolai Popov

Anna Popov’s adoptive father

Anna Popov

French backpacker lost in Australia. Daughter of Countess Kuragin and Nicolai Popov

Andrew Simpson

Aboriginal elder and retired police officer, running an art gallery in Alice Springs selling Aboriginal art

Sladko

The Wizard’s close friend and founding member of the Wizards of Oz

Tristan te Papatahi

Cassandra’s son with extraordinary psychic powers

Wizards of Oz

Australian outlaw motorcycle club

The Wizard.

President of the Wizards of Oz outlaw motorcycle club

Zac Markovich

Zoran’s brother. Runs a pub, the Drover’s Retreat, in Alice Springs owned by the Wizards of Oz

Zoran Markovich

The Wizards close friend and founding member of the Wizards of Oz

Zoltan

Anna Popov’s biological father

The Hidden Genes of Professor K

Book 3 in the Jack Rogan Mysteries Series

Professor K – world-renowned scientist – knows he’s close to a ground-breaking discovery. He also knows he’s dying. With his last breath he anoints Dr Alexandra Delacroix as his successor and pleads with her to carry on his work. Unwittingly, Delacroix enters a dangerous world of unbridled ambition and greed that threatens to destroy her. Desperate and alone, she turns to Jack Rogan – celebrated author and journalist – for help.

Alistair Macbeth – self-made billionaire and enigmatic founder of Blackburn Pharmaceuticals – has a murky past. He knows he must secure Professor K’s discovery for his empire, or perish. Powerful and ruthless, he will stop at nothing to achieve his dark and deep desires.

Meanwhile, when the parents of famous rock star, Isis, are brutally murdered, Jack Rogan is asked to investigate.

On a perilous journey of discovery which takes them around the globe, Jack and Lola Rodriguez—Isis’ resourceful PA—join forces with Jana Gonski, a former police officer; Dr Bettany Rosen, a tireless campaigner for the destitute and forgotten; and Tristan, a gifted boy with psychic powers. Together, they expose a complex web of fiercely guarded secrets and heinous crimes of the past that can ruin them all and change history.

Will Rogan succeed? Will the dreams of a visionary scientist with the power to change the future of medicine fall into the wrong hands, or will his genius benefit mankind and prevent untold misery and suffering for generations to come?

TIMELINE:

Professor K dies in September 2011

Main plot: 2011/12

CHARACTERS:

Lena and Miriam Abramowitz

Twins used for medical experiments at Auschwitz. Miriam dies in the concentration camp, but Lena becomes a Holocaust survivor and ends up in Australia

Abuukar

Senior member of the Al-Shabaab terrorist group

Akhil Achari

Dr Delacroix’s assistant at the Gordon Institute

Cyril Archibald QC

Sydney barrister who defended Sir Eric Newman

Anna Popov

Countess Kuragin’s daughter

Rebecca Armstrong

Jack Rogan’s publishing consultant

Boris

Isis’s bodyguard

Carlotta

Macbeth’s PA

Marcus Carrington QC

Eminent Australian barrister and amateur archaeologist, specialising in ancient Egyptian history

Adrian Cavendish

Medical research scientist working with Professor K at the Gordon Institute

Daniel Cross

MI5 agent. Officer in charge of the Elms murder investigation

George Cunningham

Australian Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions

Mademoiselle Adrienne Darrieux

Author and Paris socialite

Dr Alexandra Delacroix

Medical research scientist following in Professor K’s footsteps

Franz Elminger

Manager of the Paris Ritz during the World War II Nazi occupation of Paris

Lord and Lady (Mercedes) Elms

Isis’s deceased parents

François

Countess Kuragin’s butler cum chauffeur

Dr Gaal

Somali doctor

Reichsmarschall Herrmann Goring

Hitler’s second-in-command

Jana Gonski

Australian Federal Police officer

Dolores Gonzales

Isis’s grandmother. Mother of the late Lady Elms

Jose Gonzales

Isis’s grandfather. Mexican art dealer. Husband of Dolores

Greta Van Der Hoofen

Siegfried’s mother married to Erwin who was killed by the Mau Mau

Professor David Greenberg

One of the most gifted and sought-after surgeons in the US

Hanna

Lola’s assistant

Anton Hoffmeister

Former SS officer living in exile in Argentina and known as ‘Don Antonio’

Sir Reginald Holloway

High-ranking MI5 official. Daniel Cross’s boss

Sir Humphrey

Isis’s personal physician

David Huntington

British (Labour) Leader of the Opposition

Isis

Billionaire rock star. Lead singer of The Time Machine

Jack Rogan

Australian war correspondent and celebrated author, adventurer and private investigator. Jack is the central character of the series and features in every book

Jan Van Cleef

Personal bodyguard and security chief working for Macbeth

Johannes

South African mercenary working for Macbeth

Kobo

African aid worker with Médecins Sans Frontières

Professor Kasper Kozakievicz

Professor K to colleagues because his name was almost impossible to pronounce. Celebrated medical research scientist at the Gordon Institute in Sydney

Dr Simon Kozakievicz

Polish doctor. Professor K’s father. Prisoner at Auschwitz

Countess Katerina Kuragin

Anna Popov’s mother. Owns the Kuragin Chateau, an exclusive boutique hotel close to Paris. Jack’s close friend and confidant

Alistair Macbeth

Founder and managing director of Blackburn Pharmaceuticals, and international pharmaceutical giant

Dr Mengele

Infamous Nazi doctor conducting secret medical experiments at Auschwitz

Detective Sergeant Pasquale Moretti

Australian police officer working in Sydney

Patrick O’Mara

Sydney publican of the Hero of Waterloo in The Rocks.

George Papadoulis

Professor K’s accountant and executor

Paulus Koenig

South African businessman living in Sydney. Owner of Universal Security

Madame Petrova

Retired Russian ballerina. Close friend of Countess Kuragin

Nikolai Popov

Countess Kuragin’s former husband. Anna’s father

Rahim

Kobo’s cousin. A senior police officer and author working in Nairobi, Kenya

Dr Ritter

Sydney pathologist working on the Cavendish case (Blowhole case)

Lola Rodriguez

Isis’s personal assistant

Dr Bettany Rosen

Daughter of Sir Eric Newman. Doctor working in third world countries, and head of the Rosen Foundation, a charity

Sharif

Somali fighter hunting down local terrorists (Al-Shabaab)

Siegfried Van Der Hoofen

Safari guide operating in Kenya. Son of Erwin and Greta

Sir Charles Huntley

Isis’s solicitor and adviser

Dr Erwin Steinberger

Goring’s personal physician who conducted secret medical experiments in the Nazi concentration camps

Sturmbannfuehrer Wolfgang Steinberger

SS officer active in Auschwitz. Brother of Dr Erwin Steinberger

The Time Machine

Famous British heavy metal rock band

Tlacatecuhtli

Aztec warrior-priest, astrologer, healer and ‘chief of men’

Tristan te Papatahi

Cassandra’s son with extraordinary psychic powers. He can hear the whisper of angels, and glimpse eternity.

Erwin Van Der Hoofen

Kenyan farmer with extensive land holdings. Owner of Mukuyu Lodge. Father of Siegfried

Professor K: The Final Quest

Book 4 in the Jack Rogan Mysteries Series

Cardinal Borromeo knows the pope is dying. In a desperate attempt to save the pontiff, he asks Nobel laureate Professor Alexandra Delacroix for help. Following clues left by her mentor and friend, the late Professor K, Delacroix embarks on a breathtaking search to find a cure for the pope’s mystery illness. Soon, her search takes her back to Ottoman times, and the cruel court of the sultans in Istanbul with all its deadly secrets.

When Top Chef Europe winner Lorenza da Baggio is kidnapped in Venice, her distraught family turns to celebrated author and journalist, Jack Rogan. On a perilous journey to find Lorenza, Jack and his young friend Tristan, a gifted psychic, join forces with Fabio Conti, head of the notorious Squadra Mobile in Florence, his assistant Cesaria Borroni, a fearless young police officer and Naguib Haddad, an enigmatic Egyptian detective, on the hunt for a notorious IS terrorist, to defeat the forces of evil threatening to destroy them.

Together, they cross swords with Salvatore Gambio, the head of a powerful Mafia family in Florence, and uncover a network of corruption and heinous crimes reaching to the very top. Ruthless and ambitious, Gambio will stop at nothing to eliminate his rivals and expand his dark empire. Only one man stands in his way – Chief Prosecutor Antonio Grimaldi, who leaves no stone unturned to bring his old foe to justice.

Will Rogan and his friends succeed in finding Lorenza and reuniting her with her family? Does Grimaldi carry the day and crush the Mafia in Florence? Can Professor Delacroix find a way to cure the pope and allow him to fulfil his destiny to bring peace to the Middle East, and save countless lives?

TIMELINE

Nobel Banquet Speech: December 2015

Main plot: 2016 (March to June 2016)

CHARACTERS

Al-Gharib, ‘the Stranger’

IS commander

Dr Amena Algafari

Syrian doctor from Aleppo

Dr Alexandra Delacroix

Medical research scientist and Nobel laureate

Kemal Bahadir

Turkish chef from Istanbul. Top Chef Europe contender

Raffaele Bangarella

Mafia assassin

Luigi Belmonte

Mafia hitman

Boris

Former wrestling champion. Isis’s bodyguard and chauffeur

Cardinal Borromeo

Dean of the College of Cardinals

Cesaria Borroni

Police officer working at the Squadra Mobile in Florence

Father Connor

Biblical scholar and Cardinal O’Brien’s secretary

Fabio Conti

Retired Italian police officer and famous Mafia hunter

Cosimo da Baggio

Osman’s grandfather

Fatma Hatun

Murad’s youngest consort

Salvatore Gambio

Head of the powerful Gambio Mafia family in Florence

Gazanfer Aga

Chief of the white eunuchs and head of the Enderun – the Imperial Seraglio

Riccardo Giordano

Head of the powerful Giordano Mafia family in Florence

Alfonso Giuliani

Salvatore Gambio’s lawyer

Chief Prosecutor Antonio Grimaldi

Chief prosecutor and famous Mafia hunter working in Florence

Habakkuk

Ethiopian priest

Naguib Haddad

Former Chief Inspector of the Cairo police force

Ibn Sina (970 -1037)

Persian physician, astronomer and thinker, known in the West as Avicenna

Ibrahim el-Masri

Lebanese jihadist. Sheikh Omar’s former bodyguard

Isis

Billionaire rock star. Lead singer of The Time Machine

Jack Rogan

Australian war correspondent and celebrated author, adventurer and private investigator. Jack is the central character of the series and features in every book

Mrs Kelly

Cardinal O’Brien’s housekeeper

Prince Khalid

Arab prince

Countess Katerina Kuragin

Anna Popov’s mother. Owner of the Kuragin Chateau, an exclusive boutique hotel close to Paris. Jack’s close friend and confidant

Leonardo da Baggio

Lorenza’s father

Lorenza da Baggio

Venetian chef; Top Chef Europe finalist

Louis Fontaine

Producer of Top Chef Europe contest

Lombardo family

Powerful Mafia family in Florence

Marcus Carrington QC

Barrister living in Sydney

Mario Giordano

Eldest son of Riccardo Giordano

Mehmed

Murad’s eldest son

Professor Montessori

The pope’s personal physician

Murad III

Sultan of the Ottoman Empire and Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, grandson of Suleiman the Magnificent, Caliph or Islam

Nazir Al-Kafri

Dr Rosen’s assistant

Cardinal O’Brien

Australian cardinal residing in Sydney

Sheikh Omar

The “Chosen One;” Egyptian jihadist

Osman da Baggio

Son of Murad III and Fatma. Grandson and heir of Cosimo da Baggio. Famous healer known as Medicus.

Francesca Ottoboni

Prostitute working in Florence

Pope Pius XIII

Bishop or Rome, head of the Roman Catholic Church

Colonel Ali Riza

Senior officer working for the Jandarma, the Turkish Gendarmerie in Istanbul

Dr Rosen

Founder of the Rosen Foundation. Working in the Kilis Oncupinar refugee camp in Turkey

Safiye Sultan

Murad’s favourite consort. Mother of Murad’s eldest son Mehmet

Dr Clara Samartini

Member of Squadra Mobile’s Forensics team in Florence

Tristan te Papatahi

Cassandra’s son with extraordinary psychic powers. He can hear the whisper of angels, and glimpse eternity.

Vimal

Dr Alexandra Delacroix’s assistant

The Curious Case of the Missing Head

Book 5 in the Jack Rogan Mysteries Series

When celebrated astrophysicist Zachariah Stolzfus attends a memorial service for a famous colleague in Westminster Abbey, he unwittingly becomes a pawn in a deadly game that will radically change his life and how mankind sees the mysteries of the universe forever.

Alonso Cordoba, convicted murderer and drug smuggler, is on death row in Arizona, awaiting execution. His father, Hernando, head of the notorious Colombian H Cartel, will stop at nothing to save his son. With the help of his New York lawyer, Hernando hatches a plan so daring that it will send law enforcement agencies around the world into a panic, desperately searching for answers. With the stakes so high, Hernando makes powerful enemies who are determined to crush his evil empire, and destroy him and his son.

When Rebecca Armstrong – Stolzfus’s sister – discovers that her brother has disappeared under mysterious circumstances, she turns to her friend, Jack Rogan, for help. Joining forces with Tristan, a gifted young psychic, and Cesaria Borroni, a police officer in Florence, Rogan decides to investigate. Following hidden clues, he soon uncovers a dark web of corruption, greed and ambition, pointing to the Mafia in Florence and a hotbed of heinous crimes in Malta.

On a perilous journey to find out what happened to Stolzfus, Rogan is drawn into cataclysmic events beyond his control that threaten his life, and everything he holds dear.

Will Rogan and his friends succeed? Will the inspired ideas of a visionary scientist flourish and unlock the secrets of the universe, or will the spark of his genius be lost forever?

TIMELINE

Main Plot: March 2018 – July 2018

CHARACTERS

Dr Agabe

African doctor. Member of Professor Fabry’s team that operated on Stolzfus in Malta

Aladdin

Romany gypsy. Member of Spiridon 4; brother of Silvanus

Alessandro Giordano

Son of Riccardo Giordano involved in drug trafficking

Father Christos Alexopoulos

Eastern Orthodox priest attending the Hawking memorial service in Westminster Abbey

Alonso Cordoba

Son of Hernando Cordoba, notorious Colombian drug lord and head of the Huitzilopochtli or H Cartel

Major Anderson

CIA operative in charge of Stolzfus’s security during his London trip

Joselito Barrera

Chief of Bogota’s secret police

Boris

Former wrestling champion; Isis’s bodyguard

Celia Crawford

Journalist working for the New York Times

Cesaria Borroni

Acting chief superintendent of the Squadra Mobile in Florence

Hernando Cordoba

Notorious Colombian drug lord and head of the Huitzilopochtli or H Cartel

Giacomo Cornale

Captain of the Nike

Daniel Cross

MI5 officer in London

Professor Ambert Fabry

Surgeon. Owner of private hospital in Malta

Vice Admiral Laura Fratelli

Commander of the US Sixth Fleet based in Naples

Riccardo Giordano

Head of prominent Mafia family in Florence involved in drug trafficking

Gizmo

Professor Stolzfus’s dog

Chuck Goldberger

Director of the Marshall Space Center

Professor Greenberg

American surgeon

Chief Prosecutor Grimaldi

Mafia ‘hunter’ working in Florence

Professor Steven Hawking

Theoretical physicist and cosmologist

Dr Rosalind Hubert

Director of the CIA

Isis

Billionaire rock star. Lead singer of The Time Machine

Izabel Santos

Former Victoria’s Secret Angel and Alessandro Giordano’s girlfriend

Jack Rogan

Australian war correspondent and celebrated author, adventurer and private investigator. Jack is the central character of the series and features in every book

Lola Rodriguez

Isis’s PA and personal pilot

Lorenza da Baggio

Venetian chef; Top Chef Europe finalist

Fernando Mancilla

Colombian secret police official assassinated by a drug cartel

Read Admiral Andrew McBride

Commander of the USS Endeavour a giant nuclear-powered Nimitz-class aircraft carrier

Nadia

Daughter of Serbian farmer Bogodan Petrovic, twin sister of Teodora. Member of Spiridon 4

Natasha Rostova

Photographer working for National Geographic

Omda

Chief of Fungor village in the Nuba Mountains

Bogodan Petrovic

Serbian farmer, father of Nadia and Teodora

Rahima Cordoba

Wife of Hernando Cordoba and mother of Alonso

Raul Rodrigo

Personal lawyer of Hernando Cordoba representing the H Cartel

Rebecca Armstrong

Jack Rogan’s publicist based in New York. Professor Stolzfus’s sister

Captain Tom Roberts

Commander US Task Force 65

Dr Dritan Shehu

Kosovar Albanian surgeon

Silvanus

Romany gypsy. Member of Spiridon 4; brother of Aladdin

Professor Zachariah Stolzfus

Theoretical physicist and cosmologist

Sir Charles Huntley

Isis’s lawyer

Teodora

Daughter of Serbian farmer Bogodan Petrovic, twin sister of Nadia. Member of Spiridon

Tristan te Papatahi

Cassandra’s son with extraordinary psychic powers. He can hear the whisper of angels, and glimpse eternity

Tukamil

Nuba guide

The Lost Symphony

Book 6 in the Jack Rogan Mysteries Series

A murdered tsarina. A lost musical masterpiece. A stolen Russian icon. Can Jack honour a promise made a long time ago, and solve an age-old mystery?

When acclaimed Australian journalist and author Jack Rogan inherits an old music box with a curious letter hidden inside, he decides to investigate. As he delves deeper into a murky past of secrets and violence, he soon discovers that he’s not the only one interested in solving the puzzle:

Frieda Malenkova, a ruthless art dealer, and Victor Sokolov, a Russian billionaire with a dark past, will stop at nothing to achieve their deep desires and foil Jack’s valiant struggle to uncover the truth.

Joining forces with Mademoiselle Darrieux, a flamboyant Paris socialite, and Claude Dupree, a retired French police officer, Jack enters a dangerous world of unbridled ambition, murder and greed that threatens to destroy him.

On a perilous journey that takes him deep into Russia, Jack follows a tortuous path of discovery, disappointment and betrayal that brings him face to face with his destiny.

Will Jack unravel the hidden clues left behind by a desperate empress? Can he save the precious legacy of a genius before it’s too late, and return a holy icon revered by generations to where it belongs?

TIMELINE

Main Plot: December 2016 – August 2017

Final part of the book: Easter 2018

CHARACTERS

Dimitri Aldar

Former KGB agent working for Sokolov

Empress Alexandra

Tsarina, wife of Nicholas II, mother of Alexei, Anastasia, Olga, Tatiana and Marie

Alexei

Tsarevich, son of Tsar Nicholas II and Empress Alexandra

Grand duchess Anastasia

Youngest daughter of Tsar Nicholas II and Empress Alexandra

Anielka (aka Alina)

Polish orphan and convicted juvenile psychopath who spent time in a psychiatric hospital in Paris

Louis Aubert

Manager of the Paris Ritz

Professor Gero von Babenberg

Zuzanna’s father. University lecturer teaching modern history in Leipzig

Countess Marya Bezukhova

Close friend of Empress Alexandra. Madame Petrova’s mother and wife of Count Vasily Bezukhov

Countess Bolkonskaya

Close friend of the tsarina, Alexandra

Igor Borodin

Russian clairvoyant calling himself the ‘Prophet of Salvation’

Cardinal Borromeo

Dean of the College of Cardinals in Rome

Dr Eugene Botkin

Romanov family physician

Celine

Former cat burglar working for Malenkova, known as Le Fantome

Martin Charpentier

Faberge expert

Father Colgan

Founder of The Blue Army of Our Lady of Fatima, established in 1946

Celia Crawford

NY Times correspondent and close friend of Jack

Mademoiselle Adrienne Darrieux

Paris socialite and author

Louiz da Silva

Member of the International Secretariat running Fatima

Vladimir ‘Bob’ Davydov

Tchaikovsky’s nephew

Professor Alexandra Delacroix

Medical research scientist and Nobel laureate working at the Gordon Institute in Sydney

Demidova

Empress Alexandra’s maid

Claude Dupree

Retired French police officer and watch maker

Hans Elmiger

Manager of the Paris Ritz during World War II (German occupation)

Carl Faberge

Master jeweller, head of the House of Faberge in St Petersburg

Emile Fabron

Retired French safebreaker

Fatima

Moorish princess

Francoise

Countess Kuragin’s butler-cum-gardener and chauffeur

The Guardians

Members of the Brotherhood of the Weeping Madonna of Kazan. A group of scholar-monks in the Novo-Yikhvinsky Convent searching for Kazanskaya Bogomater, the lost holy icon.

Goncalo Hermigues

Portuguese knight in love with Fatima

David Herzl

Jewish master forger living in the Warsaw Ghetto

Ilona Herzl

David Herzl’s wife

Adolf Hitler

Isis

Billionaire rock star. Lead singer of The Time Machine

Jack Rogan

Australian war correspondent and celebrated author, adventurer and private investigator. Jack is the central character of the series and features in every book

Benjamin Krakowski

Holocaust survivor and Polish composer and violin virtuoso

Sandor Kun

Hungarian author living in Budapest

Countess Katerina Kuragin

Anna Popov’s mother. Owner of the Kuragin Chateau, an exclusive boutique hotel close to Paris. Jack’s close friend and confidant

Detective Chief Superintendent Marcel Lapointe

Senior commissaire of the Paris Brigade Criminelle

Dr Stanislav Lazovert

Polish physician

Lola Rodriguez

Isis’s PA and personal pilot

Lorenza da Baggio

Venetian chef; Top Chef Europe finalist

Frieda Malenkova

Art collector and fence living in Paris

Grand duchess Marie Romanov

Daughter of Tsar Nicholas II and Empress Alexandra

Modest Tchaikovsky

Brother of Pyotr Ilych Tchaikovsky

Sister Natalya

Nun residing in the Novo-Tikhvinsky Convent in Yekaterinburg

Patriarch Nicodemus

Patriarch of Moscow and all Rus and Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church

Tsar Nicolas II

Last Tsar of Russia

Olga Gutnik

Borodin’s assistant and medium

Grand duchess Olga Romanov

Daughter of Tsar Nicholas II and Empress Alexandra

Madame Petrova

Retired Russian ballerina. Close friend of Countess Kuragin

Vladimir Purishkevich

Russian politician and outspoken critic of Rasputin and the tsarina

Rahima

Jack’s mother

Grigori Rasputin

Russian mystic and Empress Alexandra’s confidant

Victor Sokolov

Russian oligarch, billionaire, and art collector

Grand duchess Tatiana Romanov

Daughter of Tsar Nicholas II and Empress Alexandra

Pyotr Ilych Tchaikovsky

Russian composer

Tristan te Papatahi

Cassandra’s son with extraordinary psychic powers. He can hear the whisper of angels, and glimpse eternity

Philippe Dupree

Claude Dupree’s son

Prince Felix Yusupov

Russian noble married to the tsar’s niece

Grand Duke Dimitri Pavlovich

Russian noble related to Tsar Nicholas II

Pope Pius XIII

The Seeker

Looking for the return of Kazanskaya Bogomater, Our Lady of Kazan, a holy icon

Abbot Serapion

Abbott of the Novo-Tikhvinsky Convent in Yekaterinburg

Avigdor Stein

Curator of the Jewish Museum in Prague

Sergei Sukhotin

Russian officer in the Life Guard Infantry Regiment

Renee Duval aka Quasimodo

French forger living in Montmartre

Pavel Ustinov aka the Golem of Treblinka

Trawniki guard at Treblinka

Konstantin Vasiliev

Romanov family historian, and handwriting specialist

SS Major Axel Wolfbauer aka Adolphus

Scholar and acclaimed expert on esotericism and the paranormal working for Hitler

Yurovsky

Guard at the Ipatiev House in Yekaterinburg in charge of the execution of the Imperial

Family

Zuzanna Badowski

Frieda Malenkova’s PA

The Death Mask Murders

Book 7 in the Jack Rogan Mysteries Series

Seven brutal murders. A cursed Inca burial mask. A lost treasure. One deadly game.

When convicted killer Maurice Landru reaches out from a Paris jail and asks for help to prove his innocence, celebrated author Jack Rogan cannot resist. Drawn into a web of hidden clues pointing to an ancient mystery, Jack decides to investigate.

Joining forces with Francesca Bartolli, a glamorous criminal profiler, and Claude Dupree, a retired French police officer, Jack enters a dangerous world of depraved cyber-gambling where the stakes are high, and the players will stop at nothing to satisfy their dark desires.

Following his ‘breadcrumbs of destiny,’ Jack soon comes up against an evil genius who terminates his enemies without mercy and is prepared to risk all to win.

On a perilous journey littered with violence and death, Jack uncovers dark secrets of a murky past where ruthless conquistadors, bloodthirsty pirates, and shipwrecked priests are pointing to a fabulous treasure waiting to be discovered.

Can Jack expose the mastermind behind the horrific murders and retrieve the legendary treasure before it falls into the wrong hands, or will the forces of darkness overwhelm him and destroy everything he holds dear?

The Death Mask Murders is Book 7 in the Jack Rogan Mysteries Series for the thinking reader and culturally curious, and can be enjoyed as a standalone novel.

TIMELINE

Main Plot: December 2016 – August 2017

Final part of the book: Easter 2018

CHARACTERS

Alessandro Giordano

Son of Riccardo and Giuseppina Giordano

Aladdin

Member of Spiridon 4

Anna Popov

Countess Kuragin’s daughter

Atahualpa

Sapa Inca. Last king of Cusco

Barrera

Mayor of Tenerife. Local historian (Fourth Death Mask murder victim)

Professor Francesca Bartolli

Italian forensic psychologist and freelance criminal profiler

Elfriede Berghofer (buried in Berchtesgaden)

Wife of Johann Berghofer and mother of Heinrich and Franz Berghofer

Gerhard Blumenthal

German anthropologist (expert on deciphering khipus) working in Berlin. (Second Death Mask murder victim)

Bobby

Anna Popov’s son. Countess Kuragin’s grandson

Cardinal Borromeo

Dean of the College of Cardinals

Cesaria Borroni

Acting chief superintendent of the Squadra Mobile in Florence

Profesor Marcos Chavero

Marine archaeologist working at the Museo Nacional de Antropologia in Mexico City

Captain Cordoba

Seventeenth century Spanish Captain of the Santo Cristo de Tobar, a Spanish man of war

Celia Crawford

Senior correspondent at the New York Times

Mademoiselle Adrienne Darrieux

Author and Paris socialite

Diego de Almagro

Spanish conquistador and governor of Peru

Dolores Gonzales

Isis’s grandmother

Dragan M

Bulgarian hitman

Lucien Doumer

French lawyer representing Landru

Claude Dupree

Retired French police officer and watch maker

Franz Berghofer

Brother of Heinrich

Riccardo Giordano

Senior Mafia boss living in Florence. Father of Mario and Alessandro. Husband of Giuseppina

Giuseppina Giordano

Wife of Riccardo Giordano

Chief Prosecutor Grimaldi

Mafia ‘hunter’ working in Florence

Oberregierungsrat Dr Otto Gruber

Austrian civil servant in charge of a department for the preservation of monuments

Heinrich Berghofer

Son of Johann and Elfriede Berghofer

Anton Hoffmeister aka Don Antonio

SS officer

Izabel Santos

Teodora’s lover

Jack Rogan

Australian war correspondent and celebrated author, adventurer and private investigator. Jack is the central character of the series and features in every book

Johann Berghofer (buried in Berchtesgaden)

Husband of Elfriede Berghofer and father of Franz and Heinrich Berghofer

Countess Katerina Kuragin

Anna Popov’s mother. Owner of the Kuragin Chateau, an exclusive boutique hotel close to Paris. Jack’s close friend and confidant

Maurice Landru

French history professor and convicted murderer

Detective Chief Superintendent Marcel Lapointe

Senior commissaire of the Paris Brigade Criminelle

Leonardo da Baggio

Lorenza’s father

Lorenza da Baggio

Venetian chef; Top Chef Europe finalist

Louis Rodriguez

Librarian working in Seville.

(First Death Mask Murder victim)

Captain Diego de Medina

Seventeenth century Spanish captain of the San Cristobal, a Spanish galleon carrying treasure back to Spain as part of the Flota de Indias

Father Ignazio Morales

Seventeenth century Spanish Jesuit priest who lived in Peru

Nadia

Deceased member of Spiridon 4

Father Sebastian Navarro

Seventeenth century Spanish Jesuit living in Peru

Ronan O’Hara aka Tobias Berghofer

Mathematics genius, and billionaire businessman running the Dark Net Bazaar

Brother Acrivos Papadoulis

Greek psychic consulted by the French police. Monk living on Mount Athos

Bohdan Petrinko

Ukrainian hitman

Madame Petrova

Retired Russian ballerina. Close friend of Countess Kuragin

Francisco Pizarro

Spanish adventurer, conquistador,

Rahima aka Nadia Rostova

Jack’s mother

Frau Reiter

Local historian living in Berchtesgaden in Bavaria

‘Mad Dog Regan’

Caribbean pirate and captain of The Templar’s Revenge

Ruminahui

Inca general and commander of Atahualpa’s armies

Dr Clara Samartini

Member of Squadra Mobile’s Forensics team in Florence

Silvanus

Member of Spiridon 4

Sir Charles Huntley

Isis’s lawyer

Spiridon 4

Group of assassins for hire doing work for the Mafia

Wolfgang Steinberger

SS officer. Brother of Dr Erwin Steinberger

Dr Erwin Steinberger

SS officer. Brother of Wolfgang Steinberger

Teodora

Deceased member of Spiridon 4

Tristan te Papatahi

Cassandra’s son with extraordinary psychic powers. He can hear the whisper of angels, and glimpse eternity

Villaq Umm

Inca high priest

Leopold Wagner

Local historian in charge of Dokumentation Obersalzberg in Berchtesgaden

The Novellas

The Kimberley Secret

A Jack Rogan Novella

When celebrated war correspondent Jack Rogan receives a phone call during a bloody battle in Afghanistan, he knows something is wrong; his father is dying. With his last breath, Rogan’s father makes a disturbing revelation that rocks his son to the core and leaves him pondering who he really is, and where he came from. With his world turned upside down, Rogan soon finds himself irresistibly drawn into a desperate search to find his true identity, and turns to an old friend for help. On a dangerous journey of discovery that takes him around the globe and the remote wilderness of outback Australia, Rogan follows clues hidden in unexpected places to uncover the truth. Will Rogan succeed? Will the truth – if and when he finally finds it – crush him, or will lifting the curtain of uncertainty and doubt be liberating, and finally bring peace by showing him who he really is?

The story begins when Jack’s father dies in 2002

Timeline

Battle of Takur Ghar: 4 March 2002

The Funeral: 11 March 2002

The Pawnbroker: 12 March 2002

The Painter in the Bush: 14 March 2002

The Poker Game: 22 November 1969

The Judge: March 2002

Freemantle Prison: March 2002

The Jazz-singer in New York: March 2002

The Party in Manhattan: March 2002

The Incident in Central Park: 31 March 2002

Hostage of the Taliban: 5 April 2002

The Portrait: May 2002

Wandjina and Gwion Gwion: May 2002

The Pearl Baron: May 2002

The Ballerina in the Nursing Home: 2012

Madame Petrova’s Memory Tree: 2012

Kuragin Chateau, just outside Paris: Christmas Eve 2012

Three months later: Coberg Mission: March 2013

The Forgotten Painting

A Jack Rogan Novella

When celebrated author Jack Rogan stumbles upon a hidden diary, he can’t resist investigating. Honouring the last wish of a dying friend, he is irresistibly drawn into a web of intriguing clues, hinting at a long-forgotten treasure.

Joining forces with Cecilia Crawford, a glamorous New York journalist, and Tristan, a remarkable boy with psychic powers, Jack soon finds himself on a precarious journey of discovery, exposing dark secrets from a distant, violent time, when life was cheap and cruelty ruled without mercy.

Meanwhile, Emil Fuchs, an enigmatic Swiss banker with a murky past, has an agenda of his own. Ruthless, and determined to defend his reputation at all cost, he threatens to expose a fraud that could destroy everything.

Will Rogan succeed? Can he find the forgotten treasure he has been searching for, or will it be lost forever, depriving the world of a masterpiece that belongs to all mankind?

The story begins with the Warsaw Ghetto uprising in May 1943

TIMELINE

Warsaw Ghetto: 15 May 1943

McCormack & Sons of London, auctioneers: December 2014

Monet’s garden, Giverny: 1920

Outback Queensland: December 1985

Berchtesgaden: Christmas Eve 2008

Warsaw: December 2007

Imperial Crypt, Vienna: 2012

The auction

A coffin key and a boy with psychic powers: Imperial Crypt, Vienna: 2012

The thirty-five-million-pound painting and the megastar

The old man in the Swiss mansion

The email from Gstaad

Arrogance and pride

The examination

Warsaw Ghetto: August 1942

Warsaw Ghetto: the ‘sale’

The verdict

The fallout

Six months later

Author’s Note

I hope you’ve found this little insight into the creative process that shapes my characters interesting and informative, and the Glossary helpful in finding, identifying, and placing the many characters who bring the stories alive. I view all of my characters as ‘real’ personalities, anchored in real life. After all, what links us to people we’ve actually known in the past? Memories, of course. A well-written book can create such memories, and if I’ve done my job as a writer properly, you too will, hopefully, view my characters in that way. Happy reading!

Gabriel Farago

Leura, Blue Mountains, Australia, 2021

The Jack Rogan Mysteries Series Box set Books 1–4

Now Available on Amazon

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Table of Contents

The Main Characters: A Profile Study and Glossary

Profile Study Jack Rogan

Countess Katerina Kuragin

Madame Petrova

Tristan te Papatahi

Isis

Mademoiselle Darrieux

The Villains

The Good Guys

Glossary

The Jack Rogan Mysteries Series Glossary of Principal Characters and General Timelines

The Empress Holds The Key

The Disappearance of Anna Popov

The Hidden Genes of Professor K

Professor K: The Final Quest

The Curious Case of the Missing Head

The Lost Symphony

The Death Mask Murders

The Novellas

The Kimberley Secret

The Forgotten Painting

Author’s Note

Connect with the Author