!!! Warning-Contains Major Spoilers !!!

A/N: This is an essay assignment for my English class, it's actually more like a book report. The first part is a summary of the plot and the second part is my opinion on the book. Please read the book.

The Devil in Amber

Part One:

The Devil in Amber by Mark Gatiss is the highly anticipated sequel to his earlier novel, The Vesuvius Club. The book begins around the same as his first one with Lucifer already on a mission. Throughout the whole novel there are constant references to Lucifer's age and how he should retire from being a secret agent. His pride and the fact that photography has taken over the art sector are what drive him to remain in the service. The rising star in the Royal Academy, Percy Flarge, is Lucifer's new rival. Before there was no one to even rival him, and now it seemed that the whole service was against him.

His newest mission is to observe the workings of Olympus Mons, who is rumored to be leading a fascist movement, dubbed F.A.U.S.T (Fascist Anglo-United States Tribune), and report his findings. Lucifer finds the mission to be taxing and too low on his level of expertise, but nonetheless takes the job. He finds himself in one of the F.A.U.S.T. gatherings and spots someone he never thought he'd come across at such a place. His sister, Pandora, is a member of this organization and it looks as if she is pretty high on the social scale. Lucifer and Pandora never liked each other growing up, and that streamed into adulthood as well. His sister then proves to be the best connection he could get in order to become closer to Olympus.

Lucifer is then informed that there is someone straying from the faction and that he is to meet with them and gain all the inside information he can. Before the man could tell him anything of importance, other than his traveling plans away from the United States back to the United Kingdom, he is shot. Lucifer then struggles with the assassin, but is eventually brought down by a sort of sleeping potion. When he awakens he finds himself in bed next to a naked and quite dead informant. Percy barges in and automatically accuses him of first degree murder. Lucifer is then taken to the station forcefully, but manages to escape and then finds himself on the very boat his informant was to take.

He then boards the boat under his informants name and meets a young woman named Aggie Daye. Lucifer takes a liking to her and manages to convincer her to follow him on his daring escape from the ship after he finds out that the captain is working with the police and is planning to hand him over. The police catch up with them and they are separated. Lucifer, since the beginning of the novel, carries around a handkerchief with a sort of map embedded upon it. He has no real clue as to what it could be but knows that it is important. Once away from the cops Lucifer finds his way to a church on an island where Olympus is questioning the nuns about 'The Lamb'. A fight ensues and Lucifer barely escapes. He then is finally captured by the police and Percy. By the help of another secret service in the United States Lucifer is able to escape once again along with the previously captured Aggie.

Later we are to find that Aggie is actually 'the sacrificial lamb' Olympus sought after since she is actually a decedent from one of the saints. Olympus and his fascist group are trying to summon the Devil, Lucifer himself, for they will then gain unlimited power. Lucifer is betrayed by the US secret service and Aggie is kidnapped once again while he is out visiting Charlie Jackpot's grave since he died in the war. Percy, who he thought to be his enemy, then becomes a helpful ally after he confesses how he was set up and his emotions manipulated to go against Lucifer. The two them make there way to where the secret FAUST society is meeting and along the way come across Aggie. They make their way and see the summoning ceremony going on. Aggie is captured then bound upon the stone while Lucifer and Percy are held captive. Lucifer finds out that the whole thing was a rouse to get him there, for it was part of the prophecy that he was supposed to bring the last relic to the ritual unknowingly. They take the handkerchief he had the whole time with him before and begin the ceremony in earnest. Pandora is disappointed and angry when Olympus ignores her and she tries to summon the Devil on her own.

The Devil soon rises and Lucifer scrambles to prevent him living in the mortal plane. He confesses to the Devil that it was he who really completed the ritual, and since he started it he could also finish it, so he commanded the Devil to return back to hell. As Lucifer said, "I'd played this Devil by his own rules and bested him."

The book then ends, after Lucifer tracks down the traitor from the Royal Academy, with Lucifer and Aggie going to a hotel.

Part Two:

The Devil in Amber, while being a sequel, was still a very gratifying and fun book to read. The new characters became likable and the old ones will remain forever perfect in The Vesuvius Club. Lucifer, and his impending old age, is still a great character and one who hasn't lost his charm and charisma.

The book is again told from Lucifer's point of view and his wit and talks with the audience are as funny as ever. The supernatural elements in this book are too big to ignore, and the irony that they are trying to summon the Devil himself, was not lost on Lucifer Box. I would recommend this book to anyone who loves a good mystery, suspenseful action, and good humor. It is unknown whether Mark Gatiss will continue with this series, but if not, this is a 'must read'.