I love historical fiction but seventeenth century England is not a setting that would normally attract me. I suspect it may be memories of various ‘Cavalier & Roundhead’ books, films and TV programmes from my youth which were, lets be honest, not very good. They tended to be full of stereotypes, and morally ambiguous. So I picked this novel up with some doubt in my mind.
It opens whilst the Great Fire of London is at it’s height in 1666. James Marwood is watching St Paul’s as it is consumed by fire, and he saves a young lad from rushing into the flames. In return, the lad steals his cloak and runs off. Later, James catches up with him, only to discover that the lad is actually a girl, who has her own secrets.
He has recently started working for the under-secretary to the Secretary of State for the South, and his role is vague; to do whatever is asked of him. His patron shows him a body found in the ruins of St Paul’s – one of many unfortunates found during the fire. But this one is different; his thumbs are tied behind his back, and he has been stabbed in the back of the head.
James is asked to do some investigation into the death, and this soon leads him into a dangerous world. Charles II is on the throne, but he is not universally accepted or popular. The regicides are still being hunted and punished, and James himself is the son of a man branded a traitor. He gradually discovers that may be one of the reasons he finds himself employed and involved in the case. More deaths make his investigation more urgent as more important personalities become involved.
Meanwhile, the girl he saved from the fire – Cat, short for Catherine – has her own tale to tell; a disgraced father, an unscrupulous uncle and cousin, and a desire to live an unconventional life. This story is interwoven with that of James. There are connections between the two that neither is fully aware of until late in the tale, although others know of some or all of them.
The story did keep me involved, I liked the main characters, and there are a few surprises along the way. The descriptions of the fire and the effect it had on the people affected are believable and accurate. It also deals with the dangerous atmosphere during the Restoration, when old and new loyalties are tested to the limit, and old secrets and lies come back to haunt almost everyone.
If I wanted to be critical, some of the characters are rather cliched, and one or two of the events are a little too forced. And after I finished the book, I realised I was uncertain as to the motive of at least one of the murders! (But that might just be me.)
I feel I also need to mention the physical book itself. As happens far too often these days, the print is very large, with huge line spacing, making it appear a far larger work than it actually is. Unusually, the binding of the book was also rather weak, and breaking down by the time I finished.
Nevertheless, it is an interesting mystery, with a good sense of place and time. If you’re seeking a light historical mystery novel, then it’s certainly worth considering.
This is a review of the Harper 2016 paperback edition.
