The Ashes of London (James Marwood & Cat Lovett, Book 1)

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Andrew Taylor (born 14 October 1951) is a British author best known for his crime and historical novels, which include the Lydmouth series, the Roth Trilogy and historical novels such as the number-one best-selling The American Boy and The Ashes of London. His accolades include the Diamond Dagger, Britain's top crime-writing award. I found the descriptions of London vivid, convincing and authentic with every sense catered for so that I could not have been more impressed by the quality of research and realism in this brilliantly conveyed narrative. The Ashes of London has a filmic quality I thought was simply fabulous. Andrew Taylor has also written a number of novellas with ghostly or other-worldly themes, originally as Kindle Singles. The first three have now been published in print form under the title Fireside Gothic.

The Ashes of London by Andrew Taylor | Waterstones

With Charles I beheaded and Oliver Cromwell in his grave, King Charles II has claimed the throne. Now his reign is threatened by unrepentant republicans, the most radical being the Fifth Monarchists who want a Puritan theocracy with King Jesus as ruler. Trapped in these shenanigans are Catherine “Cat” Lovett, whose father fought against Charles I, and James Marwood, whose father, now pardoned, followed Cromwell. While seeking her father in the aftermath of the fire, Cat lives with her Alderley cousins, who resent and exploit her. Meantime Marwood has been extorted into working for Whitehall by a shadowy figure he knows as Williamson, a man who apparently has significant influence with the king, Privy Council, and Common Council. Williamson demands Marwood find Cat’s father, still a threat. Soon Cat and Marwood find themselves in danger. Taylor's ( The Silent Boy, 2015, etc.) characterizations are distinctive, with Marwood cautious, constantly worried his physically weak and senile father will be returned to prison; and Cat fascinated by architecture, pushing against social barriers to become assistant to Master Hakesby, an artist rendering Christopher Wren’s plans to rebuild St. Paul’s Cathedral. Taylor is marvelous at replicating a historical world that might otherwise be relegated to dusty history books, especially through his renditions of the era’s arch speech and his approach to class and status. Additionally, when a character remarks after an assault that “it was well known that young women were lascivious creatures,” Taylor again shows his talent for adding depth by weaving in examples of the historical subjugation and oppression of women. It’s worth noting that these fascinating minutiae interlaced into the narrative have no negative effect on focus or pace. Fans of the novel found that there is a hero that is a likable guy, interesting supporting characters, and great ending that has a twist to it. The story is simply brilliant, you will be moved along as one thing leads to another, to the very end. You will be up all night reading and reading the novel, trying to see what happens next. Some found that these books are better than the novels that Taylor is known for writing later on in his career. The punditry team will include Michael Vaughan, Sir Alastair Cook, Phil Tufnell, Glenn McGrath, Jason Gillespie, Ebony Rainford-Brent, Vic Marks and Hartley, with Andy Zaltzman returning as scorer.As the Great Fire burns the heart of London in 1666, political manipulators and religious fundamentalists struggle behind the scenes for control of the kingdom. From No.1 bestselling author Andrew Taylor comes the sequel to the phenomenally successful The Ashes of London

THE ASHES OF LONDON | Kirkus Reviews

When he also discovers he has power over a young woman whose life is even more complicated than his own, the puzzles swimming around Marwood’s mind become even harder to solve. London, September 1666. The Great Fire rages through the city, consuming everything in its path. Even the impregnable c... Andrew Taylor grew up in East Anglia. He read English at Emmanuel College, Cambridge, and has an MA in Library, Archive and Information Science from University College London. The story behind The Silent Boy". Upcoming4.me. 4 September 2014. Archived from the original on 6 September 2014 . Retrieved 6 September 2014.Forget about solving all these crimes; the signal triumph here is (spoiler) the heroine’s survival.