Murder and intrigue abound in the shadow of the Great Fire of London in the gripping first Marwood and Lovett mystery, as Taylor masterfully evokes the seventeenth-century capital through period detail and walk-on parts for Christopher Wren and King Charles II.
Waterstones Thriller of the Month for January & February (2017)
From the No.1 bestselling author of The American Boy comes a brand new historical thriller set during the time of the Great Fire of London.
'The noise was the worst. Not the crackling of the flames, not the explosions and the clatter of falling buildings, not the shouting and the endless beating of drums and the groans and cries of the crowd: it was the howling of the fire. It was the voice of The Great Beast itself.'
London, 1666: a city in flames…
As the Great Fire consumes everything in its path, even the great cathedral and as the embers smoulder, the body of a man is found in the ruins of St Paul's - stabbed in the neck, thumbs tied behind his back.
A woman on the run…
The son of a traitor, James Marwood is a reluctant government informer, forced to hunt the killer through the city's devastated streets. There he encounters a determined young woman who will stop at nothing to secure her freedom.
A killer seeking revenge…
When a second murder victim is discovered in the Fleet Ditch, Marwood is drawn into the political and religious intrigue of Westminster.
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 woman.
After a varied early career including stints as a librarian, teacher, publisher’s editor and (more unusually) boat-builder on his CV, Andrew Taylor has built a reputation as an astute and accomplished writer. A favourite with Waterstones' customers for his popular series including the Lydmouth novels and the popular Fallen Angel trilogy Taylor is perhaps best-known for his historical fiction, particularly The American Boy, The Anatomy of Ghosts, Bleeding Heart Square and The Silent Boy. The Ashes of London is the first in his latest crime series.
Read more about the background and history that lies behind this bestselling historical thriller as Andrew Taylor gives an insight into the research that influenced The Ashes of London.
Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers
ISBN: 9780008119096
Number of pages: 496
Weight: 410 g
Dimensions: 198 x 129 x 26 mm
‘Ashes of London is terrific’ Sarah Hilary ‘The Ashes of London presents a breathtakingly ambitious picture of an era … the multiple narrative strands are drawn together in a brilliantly orchestrated finale’ Financial Times ‘In this elegant, engrossing novel set during an extraordinary period, Taylor skilfully presents a London in which so many must still pay the price for the Civil War and the murder of King Charles I’ Sunday Express ‘One of the most reliably enjoyable of historical novelists … Taylor demonstrates his usual command of plot and historical background’ The Sunday Times 'A complex weave of history and mystery and the first of a new series from Andrew Taylor' The i ‘The author conveys the confusion and uncertainty of the times in a pacy story of Charles II’s desire for vengeance, the struggle to rebuild a stricken city and the hunt for a murderer’ Daily Mail ‘This is terrific stuff: intelligent, engrossing and, in its evocation of a long-vanished London, wonderfully plausible.’ Toby Clements, Daily Telegraph 'The Ashes of London weaves a pacy story from the framework of true events. A new Shardlake may rise from the ashes' The Times ‘Andrew Taylor provides a masterclass in how to weave a well-researched history into a complex plot.’ The Times, Books of the Year ‘Thrilling… Gripping, fast-moving and credible… It’s a well-constructed political thriller with moments of horror, admirable and enjoyable. Taylor has done his research so thoroughly as to be unobtrusive’ Spectator ‘Finely wrought and solidly researched… The novel’s plot is fiendishly complex’ Sunday Telegraph
Andrew Taylor is a British crime and historical writer, best known for the international bestseller The American Boy and The Fallen Angel Trilogy. But in his latest novel Andrew Taylor turns his attention to a part of... More
It’s 1666 and the Great Fire of London is raging, but bodies are being found that have nothing to do with the flames. The burnt landscape of 17th century London is wonderfully grimy and decadent. Through the eyes of... More
I bought this book after browsing in my local store, where it was prominently displayed & recommended by staff. I agree with the reviews making reference to Sansom & Mantel. I am familiar with their work,... More
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