It’s a heavyweight piece and solid historical fiction, if perhaps not Taylor’s finest. The ending, although tying these events up in a perfectly satisfactory style, still felt slightly open, like a sequel might be in the offing. Forget about solving all these crimes; the signal triumph here is (spoiler) the heroine’s survival. The fifth and final men's Test begins on 27 July, with Australia having retained the Ashes following a rain-affected draw at Old Trafford in the fourth Test. Even if you've read Pepys on the Great Fire you don't get as vivid a portrait as Taylor gives in this novel. The heat, the winds, the burning embers, the almost spontaneous flaming and the fact that it went on for months after the main fire was subdued are all vividly portrayed in this novel, which is apparently the first in a series. The story behind The Silent Boy". Upcoming4.me. 4 September 2014. Archived from the original on 6 September 2014 . Retrieved 6 September 2014.

The Ashes of London - Historical Novel Society

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.Enter the story’s two main protagonists. James Marwood is the son of a Republican, who lost everything when Charles II regained the throne. Catherine Lovett is daughter of a regicide – one of that small circle directly involved in the trail and execution of the king’s father. Both are affected and their actions shaped by forces beyond their control. She is a spirited teenager who dreams of becoming an architect and escaping an unsatisfactory marriage her aunt and uncle have arranged. Marwood, the son of another old puritan, is a minor civil servant whose only desire is to live down his notorious name and make his way in the world. When Cat is raped by her cousin, she tries to kill him and is forced into hiding. There were a number of times that I wanted to query a character or the author but each time it was immediately followed by Taylor's explanation or justification. Most of the characters try to think ahead and calculate how a recent bit of information could affect their situation, but of course they miscalculate and you want to yell at them, especially Catherine whose first reaction to anything bad is to run as far and fast as she can.

Ashes of London Review The Ashes of London Review

My goodness I enjoyed The Ashes of London. It opens dramatically and continues with a fast, sometimes brutal, pace that makes the plot fly past right up to the exciting end. I was entirely entranced by Andrew Taylor’s writing. His style is accessible and yet authentic for the era with direct speech especially well attuned to convey class, social standing and gender. In the year 2007, “The Roth Trilogy” was made into a three part drama for television that starred Emilia Fox and Charles Dance. It was given the title “Fallen Angel”. The Roth Trilogy (now also available in an omnibus edition as Requiem for an Angel) was shown on ITV in March 2007. It was a three-part drama series under the title of Fallen Angel, starring Charles Dance and Emilia Fox. The series was broadcast on three consecutive nights, beginning 11 March 2007. Andrew Taylor provides a masterclass in how to weave a well-researched history into a complex plot.' The Times, Books of the YearAlso, one of the characters gets away with murder far too easily. This is a major issue since they are meant to be a major character, going forward and yet - we're supposed to accept a person who killed two people as the sleuth or co-sleuth in future? I don't even buy the justification for their actions, at least not in the 2nd and 3rd instance. What is to stop them just casually stabbing someone every time they get angry? Story Behind The Scent of Death". Upcoming4.me. 18 October 2013. Archived from the original on 20 October 2013 . Retrieved 18 October 2013. 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