Sexton Blake: Zenith's Final Curtain

Synopsis:
“Zenith's crimson-irised eyes were reflective. He stood there long of leg and broad of shoulder, immaculately dressed, groomed to perfection, cold as an icicle; and dangerous; transcendently dangerous.” ~Monsieur Zenith, 1936

Immaculately dressed, razor-sharp in wit, and utterly ruthless, Zenith the Albino is a criminal like no other. With his snow-white hair, leprous skin, and piercing crimson eyes, he moves through the shadows of high society and the criminal underworld with equal ease—wielding both a rapier tongue and a lethal swordstick. A master of disguise, an opium fiend immune to its effects, and a law unto himself, Zenith is as enigmatic as he is deadly.

Originally created by Anthony Skene in 1919 as a foil to the legendary Sexton Blake, Zenith quickly eclipsed mere villainy to become an icon in his own right. Collected for the first time in this anthology are the final tales of Zenith’s long and storied career. The first three stories—The White Trinity, The Secret of the Six Locks, and The Clue in the Blue Sampler—feature Zenith leading a trio of criminals in daring exploits. In Monsieur Zenith, his only solo novel, he embarks on a perilous quest for a mysterious something on the discovery of which life—and more than life—depends. The final tale, The Affair of the Bronze Basilisk, chronicles Zenith’s last, unforgettable encounter with Sexton Blake, a confrontation no fan will want to miss.

Anthony Skene was a British author who wrote mystery and detective fiction in the first half of the twentieth century. Best remembered for creating Zenith the Albino, one of the most compelling master criminals in pulp fiction, Skene wrote over 125 Sexton Blake tales, earning a reputation as one of the most stylish and celebrated writers of the saga.

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