The ashes of London

First Title Value for Searching:

The ashes of London

Personal Author:

Taylor, Andrew, 1951 October 14-

Physical Description:

482 pages : maps ; 24 cm.

Series:

Marwood and Lovett ; 1

General Note:

Maps on lining papers.

Genre:

Historical fiction.

Thrillers (Fiction)

Mystery fiction.

Summary:

London, September 1666. The Great Fire rages through the city, consuming everything in its path. Even the impregnable cathedral of St. Paul's is engulfed in flames and reduced to ruins. Among the crowds watching its destruction is Richard Marwood, son of a disgraced printer, and reluctant government informer. In the aftermath of the fire, a semi-mummified body is discovered in the ashes of St. Paul's, in a tomb that should have been empty. The man's body has been mutilated and his thumbs have been tied behind his back - the sign of a Regicide, one of those who signed Charles I's death warrant. Under orders from the government, Marwood is tasked with hunting down the killer across the devastated city. But at a time of dangerous internal dissent and the threat of foreign invasion, Marwood finds his investigation leads him into treacherous waters - and across the path of a determined, beautiful and vengeful young woman.

Subject Term:

Great Fire, London, England, 1666 -- Fiction.

Murder -- Investigation -- Fiction.

Publication Info:

New York : HarperCollins Publishers, 2017.

Subject:

Great Fire, London, England, 1666 -- Fiction.

Murder -- Investigation -- Fiction.

London (England) -- History -- 17th century -- Fiction.

Historical fiction.

Thrillers (Fiction)

Mystery fiction.

Great London Fire, London, England, 1666

SAILS ISBN:

9780008207755

Available:

Library	Shelf Number	Shelf Location	Status
Searching... Foxboro - Boyden Library	FIC TAYLOR, A.	FICTION	Searching... Unknown
Searching... Hanson Public Library	TAYLOR	FICTION	Searching... Unknown
Searching... Mansfield Public Library	FIC TAYLOR	FICTION	Searching... Unknown
Searching... Mattapoisett Free Public Library	TAY	FICTION	Searching... Unknown
Searching... Pembroke Public Library	FIC TAYLOR, A.	FICTION	Searching... Unknown
Searching... Rehoboth - Blanding Free PL	FIC TAYLOR, A.	FICTION	Searching... Unknown
Searching... Seekonk Public Library	FIC TAYLOR	FICTION	Searching... Unknown
Searching... Taunton Public Library	TAYLOR, ANDREW	1ST FLOOR STACKS	Searching... Unknown

Bound With These Titles

On Order

Summary

From the No.1 bestselling author of The American Boy and The Silent Boy comes a brand new historical thriller set during the time of the Great Fire of London. The first of an exciting new series of novels.

A city destroyed.

A killer exposed.

London,1666. The Great Fire rages through the city, consuming everything in its path. Even the impregnable cathedral of St. Paul's is engulfed in flames and reduced to ruins. Among the crowds watching its destruction is James Marwood, son of a traitor, and reluctant government informer.

In the aftermath of the fire, the body of a man is discovered in the ashes of St.Paul's. But he is not a victim of the blaze- there is a stab wound to his neck and his thumbs have been tied behind his back. Acting on orders, Marwood hunts the killer though London's devastated streets- where before too long a second murder is uncovered.

At a time of dangerous internal dissent, Marwood's investigation will lead him into treacherous waters- and across the path of a determined and vengeful young woman.

Reviews (1)

Kirkus Review

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.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. Excellent historical fiction. Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.