The Shadows of London
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The Shadows of London
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Narrated by:
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Leighton Pugh
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By:
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Andrew Taylor
About this listen
‘An absolute delight in a series that goes from strength to strength’ S. G. McLean, prize-winning author of the Seeker series
‘This is Taylor at his unassailable best’ Financial Times
London 1671
The damage caused by the Great Fire still overshadows the capital.
The disfigured body of a man is unearthed in the ruins of the old almshouse, forcing architect Cat Hakesby to stop restoration work. It is clear he has been murdered, and Whitehall secretary James Marwood is ordered to investigate.
When the man’s identity is revealed, it’s clear that there are larger forces at play, and Marwood comes under serious pressure to solve the case. But an old adversary is attempting to stop him.
As Cat and Marwood follow the threads of corruption into the heart of government, the king himself is being distracted from affairs of state. A young, impoverished Frenchwoman has caught his eye – a quiet affair that will have monumental consequences.
©2023 Andrew Taylor (P)2023 HarperCollins Publishers LimitedListeners also enjoyed...
Critic reviews
'Another brilliantly realised historical mystery' A Waterstones Best Books of 2023: Crime and Thriller
‘Andrew Taylor has brought the sights, smells and sounds of the Great Fire and its aftermath brilliantly to life’ Daily Express
‘With a mixture of real and fictional characters, this tale of intrigue and power imbalance is well up to standard in a series that has set a benchmark for historical mystery fiction.’ Guardian
‘With their complex characters, clever plots, political intrigue and vivid depictions of London just after the Great Fire of 1666, Andrew Taylor’s books about troubled civil servant James Marwood and prickly architect Cat Lovett are historical crime fiction at its finest.’ Irish Times’ 25 Great Holiday Books
‘Some of the most enjoyable historical thrillers of recent years have been Andrew Taylor’s novels set in Restoration England … Taylor weaves together all the varying threads of his plot with his customary skill, but fans of the series will be sorry to learn that this is the last hurrah for Cat and Marwood’ Sunday Times
‘Another sophisticated 17th-century mystery abounding in page-turning twists and period detail’ Waterstones
‘Taylor’s storytelling brio is on full display.’ The Sunday Times Historical Fiction Book of the Month
‘Sheer brilliance … Truly, this is breathtaking. The combination of emotional literacy, with beautiful language and an utterly immersive sense of time and place is perfect.’ Manda Scott
‘Andrew Taylor offers us a completely convincing portrait of life in the city and at court in Restoration London … An absolute delight in a series that goes from strength to strength’ S. G. McLean, prize-winning author of the Seeker series
‘This is Taylor at his unassailable best.’ Financial Times
Another strong story in the series
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In The Ashes of London Government secretary James Marwood was ordered to investigate a savage murder at the time of the Great Fire; in The Shadows of London , this new title in the series, Marwood is again under orders after a faceless body is found in the grounds where new almshouses are being built. The architect of the houses is Marwood’s long standing special friend Cat, now he widow of a man she had loathed. The relationship between feisty Cat and Marwood deepens engagingly throughout (no spoilers!).
In 1671 Restoration London, the dreadful damage wrought by the Great Fire still casts its dark shadows and the restored monarch Charles 11 resides over a court seething with intrigue and plots . As Marwood investigates he comes to suspect duplicity at the highest levels. These are dangerous times.
Taylor’s skills include the assimilation of genuine historical figures (eg Lord Arlington, the Duke of Buckingham, quotations from John Evelyn…) into his historical fiction thus creating an astoundingly real society steeped in espionage and deceit in rich visual and sensory detail .The narrative bristles with danger as violence erupts from just below its surface. At the highest level is the young (historically real) French woman Louise de Kerouaille being brought over as a mistress for Charles whilst acting as a spy for France. Outside the Royal Court t here are cheats and liars: old men procure defenceless young women for their money and murdered men are left uninvestigated beside the highway.
Taylor paints everything indoors and in the streets with all its teeming life so minutely and vividly that we are absolutely absorbed: like the dangerous, cramped coach journeys with jostled passengers wearing masks against the dust and the stink. We can see details even as tiny as the courier’s leather pouch as we become familiar with the sending and receiving of letters and messages.
It’ makes for hours of great listening and Leighton Pugh is a superb narrator who cannot be faltered or bettered.
Great stuff!
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Another triumph
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Deserves more than 5*
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Great story, read well
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Another superb book!
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I hope there are more to come in this series
Best yet
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Best one yet
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Very good read
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The story itself is a return to form, a good mystery and an enjoyable continuation of the arc. The reveal was a complex surprise, so I would have enjoyed more clues, but personal preference.
Superb narration of a fine mystery
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