PETER HOWARD
THE MUSEUM OF CONFISCATED PROPERTY
The cardinal rule of the Museum of Confiscated Property is that confiscated items are never returned
So when a blackmailer demands the return of an ancient statuette of a hyena said to have prophetic powers, the curator Maria Cordobes must choose: abandon her brother in his hour of need or break the law and go against everything she believes in.
Things get more complicated when her friend Jake Martin tells Maria there is someone stalking her ...
I grew up in Zimbabwe and Zambia, and went to university in England. During my 20s and 30s, I hitchhiked through Africa and elsewhere, and started and ran a furniture making, interiors and museum showcase business. These days I do some consultancy to pay the bills, but spend most of my time writing fiction in my shed. I'm an alumnus of theFaber Academy 'Writing a Novel' course.
ABOUT ME
REVIEWS
“Great Book and great characters. A really interesting read with great characters. I really enjoyed it."
Kindle Customer - The Certain Guilt of an Innocent Man
“An excellent debut novel. Howard has created a fast paced story which combines the character building of Graham Greene with the action thrillers of Fredrick Forsyth."
John M - The Certain Guilt of an Innocent Man
“This book sucked me in to what it may well be like living in the aftermath of coup. Its a page turner and would make a great film."
Paul K - The Certain Guilt of an Innocent Man
"What an adventure! An uplifting tale for our times, and a perfect read for anyone who enjoys good literary fiction with intrigue, pace, a cast of diverse and engaging characters, and a story that takes you to unexpected places. You'll be guided on a journey that twists diverse elements together to a striking conclusion, and that leaves you wanting just a little bit more - like all the best books do. In Howard you will read a skilled wordsmith who has an innate feel for story."
HANNAH C - The Miraculous Music of Clara Martinelli
"A beautiful book for our times. The language transported me just as Clara’s music and Rinzen’s meditation transported them. For me, it managed to be a page turner, a love story and a book that made me think about mindfulness and spirituality (in all its guises). So ambitious and so well executed."
TRACEY S - The Miraculous Music of Clara Martinelli
"A beautiful book for our times. The language transported me just as Clara’s music and Rinzen’s meditation transported them. For me, it managed to be a page turner, a love story and a book that made me think about mindfulness and spirituality (in all its guises). So ambitious and so well executed."
TRACEY S - The Miraculous Music of Clara Martinelli
"A kind of magical realism mystery, it intertwines the stories of Clara the harpist and Rinzen the Nepalese monk. I thought Clara in particular was brilliantly realised and totally original, offering increasingly deep insights into an unusual life. The book fully integrated philosophical insights into the story, allowing the reader to follow the journey on multiple levels. Thoroughly enjoyable. Reminded me of Michael Gruber, one of my favourite authors."
ROBIN G - The Miraculous Music of Clara Martinelli
"Every now and again your read a book that is so outrageously imaginative and yet so thoroughly believable, that you just have to stop and wonder how the author thought they could pull it off – and then simply marvel at the fact that they have. What could a neurotic London harpist and a Tibetan monk possibly have in common? Merely the future of the planet. The absurdity of the premise is surpassed only by the thorough joy of being taken for the ride. This book is a delight."
Richie O'H - The Miraculous Music of Clara Martinelli
“An unusual novel, with interesting and relevant themes, obsession, mother-daughter relationship, bereavement, love, zen meditation, inner truth/reflection, martial-arts, music composition, paths to wholeness and healing, kidnap, murder, suspense, adventure!.... for teens and adults. Characters felt solid and engaging. A very visual and enthralling read ... might make a fascinating film too :)"
Honest Shopper - The Certain Guilt of an Innocent Man
"Mysterious. Mystical. Marvellous. Howard writes with a light, lyrical and elegant touch, and manages to keep you turning the pages to discover how the stories of Rinzen's journey and Clara's musical addiction will connect, and where they will take you. It is on one level an adventure story, one which effortlessly transports you between the Himalayas and London's classical music scene, and to points between. On the other, it is a story of loss and despair, of an obsession and of a mission, of a looming disaster and of hope."
Simon H - The Certain Guilt of an Innocent Man