The setting: London 1666 - fire has torn through the city but leaves behind more than just "blood and ashes". It leaves behind a murder victim in St Pauls Cathedral. James Marwood, government clerk, is tasked with tracking down the murderer and comes across Cat at the scene of the crime. Who is this victim that so sets the main characters (who have more in common than they know) off on a dangerous journey to discover the truth.
I quite enjoyed this mystery set in London just after the Great Fire - it put me in mind of CS Quinn's quartet of novels of the same period. In this instance we are introduced to two whose backgrounds are haunted by the ramifications of the execution of King Charles I of England. Slowly Taylor unravels the threads and the back-story is filled in.
The story of James Marwood is narrated in the first person whilst that of Cat (Catherine Lovett) is narrated in the third person - and as such I guess I was more drawn to James than Cat. I found the overall story engaging, suspenseful enough, and liked the introduction of the historical facts of London of the period.
I read the book over a about a week, but through no fault of the book or the author. A copy now sits proudly on my own bookshelf.
Further Reading;
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