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The Chronicles of St Mary's #14
The Good, The Bad and The History
St Mary's is under investigation. Their director has been shot and Max is Number One Suspect. Can things get any worse? We all know the answer to that one.
Max needs to get away - fast - and a Brilliant Idea soon leads her to a full-scale uprising in twentieth-century China. If she can come by a historical treasure or two in the process, even better. That is, if she makes it out alive.
Then there's the small matter of Insight - the sinister organisation from the future hell bent on changing History for their own dark ends. Having successfully infiltrated their ranks, Max is perfectly placed to stop them. But she knows her cover will soon be blown - because it's already happened.
Can Max take down Insight before they come after her? The circle is closing, and only one can survive...
Max needs to get away - fast - and a Brilliant Idea soon leads her to a full-scale uprising in twentieth-century China. If she can come by a historical treasure or two in the process, even better. That is, if she makes it out alive.
Then there's the small matter of Insight - the sinister organisation from the future hell bent on changing History for their own dark ends. Having successfully infiltrated their ranks, Max is perfectly placed to stop them. But she knows her cover will soon be blown - because it's already happened.
Can Max take down Insight before they come after her? The circle is closing, and only one can survive...
509 pages, Paperback
First published June 22, 2023
447 people are currently reading
1879 people want to read
About the author
Jodi Taylor
84 books5,378 followersJodi Taylor is the internationally bestselling author of the Chronicles of St Mary's series, the story of a bunch of disaster prone individuals who investigate major historical events in contemporary time. Do NOT call it time travel! She is also the author of the Time Police series - a St Mary's spinoff and gateway into the world of an all-powerful, international organisation who are NOTHING like St Mary's. Except, when they are.
Alongside these, Jodi is known for her gripping supernatural thrillers featuring Elizabeth Cage together with the enchanting Frogmorton Farm series - a fairy story for adults.
Born in Bristol and now living in Gloucester (facts both cities vigorously deny), she spent many years with her head somewhere else, much to the dismay of family, teachers and employers, before finally deciding to put all that daydreaming to good use and write a novel. Over twenty books later, she still has no idea what she wants to do when she grows up.
Alongside these, Jodi is known for her gripping supernatural thrillers featuring Elizabeth Cage together with the enchanting Frogmorton Farm series - a fairy story for adults.
Born in Bristol and now living in Gloucester (facts both cities vigorously deny), she spent many years with her head somewhere else, much to the dismay of family, teachers and employers, before finally deciding to put all that daydreaming to good use and write a novel. Over twenty books later, she still has no idea what she wants to do when she grows up.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 402 reviews
May 21, 2023
ARC received in exchange for an honest review.
More chaos and calamities from everyone's favourite historians. The Good, The Bad and The History follows directly on from A Catalogue of Catastrophe with Markham and Max on a secret(ish) mission to infiltrate the insidious organisation known as Insight. There's visits to Victoria England and ancient Rome among others with the goal to stop nefarious so and sos from bringing down History and along the way we have Max suffering from travel sickness. And not just any travel sickness, but all consuming, lost in time and space, sickness.
As usual I found this utterly delightful. Max and Co, as I've mentioned previously, have a special place in my heart and I will devour any and all stories that Jodi has to tell about his wonderful found family. Max at this point in the series is starting to think about settling down, much to Leon's delight, and it was interesting to see her come to the realisation that she can't carry on jumping up and down the timeline forever. Even if she wants to. So what do you do when your whole life has revolved around your job? You get a new one working for a highly criminal organisation that may have links to your own chequered past, obviously. I was also nice to see more of Markham and Max's relationship. After recent Markham revelations he's much less the mystery man, and it's allowed Jodi to expand on his already overwhelming personality even more. I'm not alone in saying Markham is my favourite character.
The plot, as usual with St Mary's books is all over the place in the best way. And that ending was not what I was expecting at all, and really begins to bring together thr plots from books 8 onwards. Threads begin reaching their end point, schemes begin to come to fruition. If you're new to the series I absolutely would not recommend starting here because you'd understand it even less than me, who's 14 books and countless novellas in by this point. Start with Just One Damned Thing After Another. Please. It's amazing, and you'll get to see all these plots come together in a really satisfying way.
I love my yearly St Mary's read, and the joy I feel after finishing that last page is yet to be matched by any other book series. If you like time travel, chaos and a hearty dose of British humour and hijinks I really recommend.
More chaos and calamities from everyone's favourite historians. The Good, The Bad and The History follows directly on from A Catalogue of Catastrophe with Markham and Max on a secret(ish) mission to infiltrate the insidious organisation known as Insight. There's visits to Victoria England and ancient Rome among others with the goal to stop nefarious so and sos from bringing down History and along the way we have Max suffering from travel sickness. And not just any travel sickness, but all consuming, lost in time and space, sickness.
As usual I found this utterly delightful. Max and Co, as I've mentioned previously, have a special place in my heart and I will devour any and all stories that Jodi has to tell about his wonderful found family. Max at this point in the series is starting to think about settling down, much to Leon's delight, and it was interesting to see her come to the realisation that she can't carry on jumping up and down the timeline forever. Even if she wants to. So what do you do when your whole life has revolved around your job? You get a new one working for a highly criminal organisation that may have links to your own chequered past, obviously. I was also nice to see more of Markham and Max's relationship. After recent Markham revelations he's much less the mystery man, and it's allowed Jodi to expand on his already overwhelming personality even more. I'm not alone in saying Markham is my favourite character.
The plot, as usual with St Mary's books is all over the place in the best way. And that ending was not what I was expecting at all, and really begins to bring together thr plots from books 8 onwards. Threads begin reaching their end point, schemes begin to come to fruition. If you're new to the series I absolutely would not recommend starting here because you'd understand it even less than me, who's 14 books and countless novellas in by this point. Start with Just One Damned Thing After Another. Please. It's amazing, and you'll get to see all these plots come together in a really satisfying way.
I love my yearly St Mary's read, and the joy I feel after finishing that last page is yet to be matched by any other book series. If you like time travel, chaos and a hearty dose of British humour and hijinks I really recommend.
July 11, 2023
Bloody bollocking hell!
Max is still not officially back with St. Mary's but in hiding, bald head and all. Relatively quickly, she returns to Lady Emilia and Pennyroyal, the bounty hunters, and her undercover job with Insight. Bridget (yes, that one) is her boss and .
She gains insight (excuse the terrible pun) and eventually finally uncovers not only the organization's origins but also their supposed final gamble. And what a gamble it is! I expected them wanting to tinker with history, just like their founder, but for them to as well as some other "tweaking" ... mad doesn't begin to describe it!
Of course, Max is doing her best to stop them but since there is timey-wimey stuff invloved, it's not all too easy and will even require Max to work with St. Mary's (or parts thereof) as well as the Time Police. Can I get another "blloody bollocking hell"?
Right at the start of the book there was our first jump and this time, we went to China during the Boxer Rebellion. And to save some books, too! Sadly, we didn't get to spend too much time there - something I have been lamenting for a while now as previous volumes also lacked in time looking at historical places.
The same therefore applied to the site of one of the next jumps: Egypt. The Valley of the Dead, to be precise. Sure, Ancient Egypt would have been even better and it was disappointing to discover that was actually instead of the historical figure, but I nevertheless would have enjoyed more time in the historical setting.
Nevertheless, the scrambling to save people and stop a bunch of lunatics was still highly entertaining even if there was too little Markham and DEFINITELY too little St. Mary's in general. At least we got Pennyroyal - man, that was a FIGHT - and he was quite funny despite everything (though we had too little time with him, too). I did quite hate the fact that this was the end for . Especially after the biggest "d'aw" moment came courtesy of .
Once we finally got going and all the elements came together, this felt like a proper St. Mary's adventure. Including Mrs. Partridge teaching the baddies that admin staff is what you should never underestimate and definitely fear. Now I wonder if we'll ever get back to the more history-heavy stories (we do get timey-wimey adventures with the other series after all). And then there was all that business at the very end ... the chocolate core at the center of the ice cream cone, I guess.
A very good entry in the series despite this not being my favorite.
Max is still not officially back with St. Mary's but in hiding, bald head and all. Relatively quickly, she returns to Lady Emilia and Pennyroyal, the bounty hunters, and her undercover job with Insight. Bridget (yes, that one) is her boss and .
She gains insight (excuse the terrible pun) and eventually finally uncovers not only the organization's origins but also their supposed final gamble. And what a gamble it is! I expected them wanting to tinker with history, just like their founder, but for them to as well as some other "tweaking" ... mad doesn't begin to describe it!
Of course, Max is doing her best to stop them but since there is timey-wimey stuff invloved, it's not all too easy and will even require Max to work with St. Mary's (or parts thereof) as well as the Time Police. Can I get another "blloody bollocking hell"?
Right at the start of the book there was our first jump and this time, we went to China during the Boxer Rebellion. And to save some books, too! Sadly, we didn't get to spend too much time there - something I have been lamenting for a while now as previous volumes also lacked in time looking at historical places.
The same therefore applied to the site of one of the next jumps: Egypt. The Valley of the Dead, to be precise. Sure, Ancient Egypt would have been even better and it was disappointing to discover that was actually instead of the historical figure, but I nevertheless would have enjoyed more time in the historical setting.
Nevertheless, the scrambling to save people and stop a bunch of lunatics was still highly entertaining even if there was too little Markham and DEFINITELY too little St. Mary's in general. At least we got Pennyroyal - man, that was a FIGHT - and he was quite funny despite everything (though we had too little time with him, too). I did quite hate the fact that this was the end for . Especially after the biggest "d'aw" moment came courtesy of .
Once we finally got going and all the elements came together, this felt like a proper St. Mary's adventure. Including Mrs. Partridge teaching the baddies that admin staff is what you should never underestimate and definitely fear. Now I wonder if we'll ever get back to the more history-heavy stories (we do get timey-wimey adventures with the other series after all). And then there was all that business at the very end ... the chocolate core at the center of the ice cream cone, I guess.
A very good entry in the series despite this not being my favorite.
March 29, 2023
Once again, the indomitable disaster magnet that is Dr Maxwell is careering up and down the timeline even though, as with so many things when you get older, it hurts more these days. Along with the faithfully protective and often surprising (not always in a good way) Markham, will she finally manage to avert the early onset of the Time Wars without getting herself shot by… well, just about anyone with whom she crosses paths?
This picks up immediately after the events of the last book and as ever, takes the reader on a breathless journey through historical events, twisty plotting, the mind-bending issue of things happening in the correct order for History but completely backwards in one’s personal timeline, and the perennial importance of a cup of tea (and the occasional margarita). Although the majority of the story takes place away from St Mary’s, most of the old familiar faces make an appearance and without spoilers, a lot of long-running questions are answered satisfactorily. There aren’t many authors who can make me snort with laughter, well up with tears, keep me on tenterhooks and also get completely immersed in historical detail that I’d never learn about otherwise… in fact, reading that back, Jodi Taylor is definitely the only author who can do all that. It’s another triumph, and from a few little things left unresolved, there’s surely more to come.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the advance review copy. All opinions are my own.
This picks up immediately after the events of the last book and as ever, takes the reader on a breathless journey through historical events, twisty plotting, the mind-bending issue of things happening in the correct order for History but completely backwards in one’s personal timeline, and the perennial importance of a cup of tea (and the occasional margarita). Although the majority of the story takes place away from St Mary’s, most of the old familiar faces make an appearance and without spoilers, a lot of long-running questions are answered satisfactorily. There aren’t many authors who can make me snort with laughter, well up with tears, keep me on tenterhooks and also get completely immersed in historical detail that I’d never learn about otherwise… in fact, reading that back, Jodi Taylor is definitely the only author who can do all that. It’s another triumph, and from a few little things left unresolved, there’s surely more to come.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the advance review copy. All opinions are my own.
July 22, 2023
*** 4.59 ***
I am not a fan of Time Travel fiction. Not even a little bit. However, The Chronicles of St. Mary's doesn't do Time Travel. They investigate historical events in their contemporary time, trying to observe only, while getting immersed in said historical events and running like chickens with their heads chopped off, trying to survive without changing History... Not always successfully, for everyone's concern and our pure entertainment!
I absolutely love everything this author writes! I recommend it wholeheartedly to everyone! However, if you want to experience these series and up your enjoyment to the max, you have to get it on Audiobook and enjoy not only the hectic genius of Jodi Taylor, but the brilliance of the narrator, Zara Ramm!!! Separately, each of these ladies are powerhouses, but put them together, you have MAGIC ✨✨✨! I am spoiled by them and I never want the magic to end!
If you ever feel like a fun, engaging, and full of historical bits and shenanigans book series, it doesn't get better than this! ❤️👍😀
I am not a fan of Time Travel fiction. Not even a little bit. However, The Chronicles of St. Mary's doesn't do Time Travel. They investigate historical events in their contemporary time, trying to observe only, while getting immersed in said historical events and running like chickens with their heads chopped off, trying to survive without changing History... Not always successfully, for everyone's concern and our pure entertainment!
I absolutely love everything this author writes! I recommend it wholeheartedly to everyone! However, if you want to experience these series and up your enjoyment to the max, you have to get it on Audiobook and enjoy not only the hectic genius of Jodi Taylor, but the brilliance of the narrator, Zara Ramm!!! Separately, each of these ladies are powerhouses, but put them together, you have MAGIC ✨✨✨! I am spoiled by them and I never want the magic to end!
If you ever feel like a fun, engaging, and full of historical bits and shenanigans book series, it doesn't get better than this! ❤️👍😀
December 5, 2025
And so continues the happy cycle of reading I’m in.
After revisiting the earlier books in the series, I was primed to luxuriate in the newest installment and it did not disappoint.
After plenty of adventure, suspense, surprise, dismay, and delight, this series catches up to the related Time Police series, while assuring us at the end that this is “not the end”.
Of course my next move is to slide into a reread of the Time Police series.
After revisiting the earlier books in the series, I was primed to luxuriate in the newest installment and it did not disappoint.
After plenty of adventure, suspense, surprise, dismay, and delight, this series catches up to the related Time Police series, while assuring us at the end that this is “not the end”.
Of course my next move is to slide into a reread of the Time Police series.
June 25, 2025
If there is a book series that makes me laugh, loose sleep as I can’t put it down and wish I could jump through the pages to join in more than St. Mary’s I have yet to find it! If there is a fictional duo who I want to be best friends with more than Max and Markham I’ve yet to find them either!
Once again Jodi Taylor writes a book that is the perfect mix of history, humour and fast paced plot. Markham and Max speed up and down the timeline trying to stay out of trouble and inevitably finding it, normally landing in it head first. From China to Egypt, past to future can they save the day or have they taken a risk too far this time?
At this point quite honestly if Jodi Taylor was to write a plant catalogue I would read it! She makes writing look effortless and peppers her books with Easter eggs, funny one liners and so many little details that I never get fed up of reading them.
The best book of 2023 so far!
Once again Jodi Taylor writes a book that is the perfect mix of history, humour and fast paced plot. Markham and Max speed up and down the timeline trying to stay out of trouble and inevitably finding it, normally landing in it head first. From China to Egypt, past to future can they save the day or have they taken a risk too far this time?
At this point quite honestly if Jodi Taylor was to write a plant catalogue I would read it! She makes writing look effortless and peppers her books with Easter eggs, funny one liners and so many little details that I never get fed up of reading them.
The best book of 2023 so far!
April 5, 2023
Wow. I never know where Jodi can possibly take her characters and books next but she always finds a way to spring a surprise or two on her readers. The 14th St. Mary's book is one of the best in the series as Max attempts to uncover the motives of a mysterious and sinister organisation. Despite picking up where the last book left off and initially placing Max in a similar situation, Jodi cleverly turns readers' expectations on their heads, dazzling you with twists, turns, revelations, and so much history. Max is literally all over the place in the book and we're with her every step of the way as she fights to save what she loves and brings down what threatens her very existence. There are lots of surprises in The Good, the Bad, and the History which you just don't see coming (new faces, old faces, and future faces!). The climactic scene of the book is genuinely one of the most exciting things I've ever read. Total page-turning, heart-in-your-mouth stuff. Just amazing!
June 25, 2023
I think this was probably my favourite of the lot, definitely top 3. It was everything I could have hoped for and more, I just loved it.
The end really seemed like the end this time. I desperately hope this isn't the last St Mary's book. I know we have the TP books, and they're great, but St Mary's holds a special place in my heart and it always will. I don't want it to end, ever.
The end really seemed like the end this time. I desperately hope this isn't the last St Mary's book. I know we have the TP books, and they're great, but St Mary's holds a special place in my heart and it always will. I don't want it to end, ever.
September 2, 2023
This whole time travel (“don’t call it time travel”) series is delightful. Plus the reader learns all kinds of fascinating details about history. I recommend the entire series highly. It’s best to read the main volumes in order , starting with Just One Damned Thing After Another (Chronicles of St. Mary’s #1).
This is Book 14, and Jodi Taylor has managed to keep this fun, fresh, interesting, hilarious, and unpredictable through 14 books.
That’s quite a feat, as many series become repetitive, formulaic, and stale after the first few books. But Taylor seems to really enjoy writing this stuff.
Dr. Madeline/Lucy (“Max”) Maxwell, our heroine, is a feisty, snarky, self-deprecating historian who was the former head of the History Department at St. Mary’s.
In this volume, she works as a recovery agent (a.k.a. bounty hunter) and in a hilarious partnership with Markham, is hot on the heels of a Insight, a shadowy time travel organization.
She’s up to her ears in difficulties. But Max is not one to give up.
There’s a dramatic climactic scene.
Zara Ramm is a generally good reader. But even in an error ridden field like audio narration, Ramm makes an unusually large number of mistakes.
The crappy piece of garbage that is the Goodreads app ate my review again, so this is a rewrite.
This is Book 14, and Jodi Taylor has managed to keep this fun, fresh, interesting, hilarious, and unpredictable through 14 books.
That’s quite a feat, as many series become repetitive, formulaic, and stale after the first few books. But Taylor seems to really enjoy writing this stuff.
Dr. Madeline/Lucy (“Max”) Maxwell, our heroine, is a feisty, snarky, self-deprecating historian who was the former head of the History Department at St. Mary’s.
In this volume, she works as a recovery agent (a.k.a. bounty hunter) and in a hilarious partnership with Markham, is hot on the heels of a Insight, a shadowy time travel organization.
She’s up to her ears in difficulties. But Max is not one to give up.
There’s a dramatic climactic scene.
Zara Ramm is a generally good reader. But even in an error ridden field like audio narration, Ramm makes an unusually large number of mistakes.
The crappy piece of garbage that is the Goodreads app ate my review again, so this is a rewrite.
October 29, 2023
Headline Publishing granted my wish and I got a NetGalley eARC of the 14th novel in The Chronicles of St Mary's series. That happened while I was somewhere between book 8 and 9 in my "great TCoSM re-read". I've meanwhile finished the re-read and re-read the ARC.
It's a different St Mary's novel, because most of it happens in the future - you know, the desk job Max took up in book 13. Max has to go back to the future to close the circle. Which is also what this novel does with the whole series, there are looks back at a lot of previous books with little remarks here and there, and quotes from previous books, former members of St Mary's being mentioned, etc. I had the feeling this was to be the last St Mary's story ever. And then there were three seemingly small words right before the Acknowledgements that made me sigh in relief.
Now I can't wait for the signed paperback to arrive so I can re-read the story again while listening to the audiobook.
Addendum: the audiobook is just as good as I expected! Thanks Zara Ramm for being Max's voice!
It's a different St Mary's novel, because most of it happens in the future - you know, the desk job Max took up in book 13. Max has to go back to the future to close the circle. Which is also what this novel does with the whole series, there are looks back at a lot of previous books with little remarks here and there, and quotes from previous books, former members of St Mary's being mentioned, etc. I had the feeling this was to be the last St Mary's story ever. And then there were three seemingly small words right before the Acknowledgements that made me sigh in relief.
Now I can't wait for the signed paperback to arrive so I can re-read the story again while listening to the audiobook.
Addendum: the audiobook is just as good as I expected! Thanks Zara Ramm for being Max's voice!
July 18, 2023
While supposedly not the final book of St. Mary's team it certainly felt like it. Apparently it ties in with the start of Taylor's Time Police series, but I've not tried that yet. If it is the end, well to be honest it would be a bit of a relief. The series has strayed well away from the fun stuff, the historical stuff, to grand conspiracies and moles and other stuff that isn't why I started this series. I know people will say that this book had some historical parts, but they were small, and brief, and didn't really add anything to the plot. Will I try the other series? Maybe, but if it's the same I won't continue it. Would I come back to this one if it is continued? Again maybe. I think the cast of characters has run its' course though and it's time for retirement.
June 29, 2023
I adore this series and had some serious moments with this book. I stayed up way too late last night because I thought I only had 30 or so pages left but 30 turned into over 50 and I had to sleep but I couldn't stop reading as I needed to know what was happening.
Some shocking twists that were well played, Ms Taylor, well played indeed! I didn't see it, even when it was happening and I almost lost my mind. Saying anything more might give something away so I won't. I will say that everyone should go pick this series up right now
Also, it's Lucy. I have proof. IYKYK. Also, close to a 5 star read for me and I'm very stingy with my stars.
Some shocking twists that were well played, Ms Taylor, well played indeed! I didn't see it, even when it was happening and I almost lost my mind. Saying anything more might give something away so I won't. I will say that everyone should go pick this series up right now
Also, it's Lucy. I have proof. IYKYK. Also, close to a 5 star read for me and I'm very stingy with my stars.
June 24, 2023
Four and a half stars.
First off, this is book 14 in a series. These books are not standalone. I barely can keep up and I've read all 14 books. Do not start here. There will be spoilers for earlier books.
At the end of the last book an unknown person had shot Commander Treadwell, the Time Police operative acting as Director of St Mary's whilst Dr Bairstow was being held by Martin Gaunt. As a consequence, St Mary's is in lockdown whilst various military regimes investigate. Max no longer works for St Mary's instead she is a time traveller bounty hunter with Markham (who is officially on paternity leave), Pennyroyal and Smallhope. Because Max is wanted by various organisations for various things she is masquerading as Nicola Hay, librarian, while she recovers from Insight's attempts to assassinate her. Are you keeping up?
Insight appears to be a benign historical research organisation, however Max and Markham discovered that it was trying to alter the course of history by interfering in moments such as the signing of the Magna Carta. Max has infiltrated Insight and they have foiled three attempts to alter the timeline, but the recent attack means that Insight will soon find out that Max is a spy.
Can Max bring down Insight before she is caught? How far is she willing to go to get in with the real power at Insight? Why are they altering history? And given the need to time travel to the future to work for Insight and back to the past on missions, how is Max going to cope with her time travel sickness?
With all Jodi Taylor's trademark humour, this was a great book in the series, even Clive Ronan makes a brief re-appearance. Could it be the end? Who knows.
I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley in return for an honest review.
Bumped for release.
First off, this is book 14 in a series. These books are not standalone. I barely can keep up and I've read all 14 books. Do not start here. There will be spoilers for earlier books.
At the end of the last book an unknown person had shot Commander Treadwell, the Time Police operative acting as Director of St Mary's whilst Dr Bairstow was being held by Martin Gaunt. As a consequence, St Mary's is in lockdown whilst various military regimes investigate. Max no longer works for St Mary's instead she is a time traveller bounty hunter with Markham (who is officially on paternity leave), Pennyroyal and Smallhope. Because Max is wanted by various organisations for various things she is masquerading as Nicola Hay, librarian, while she recovers from Insight's attempts to assassinate her. Are you keeping up?
Insight appears to be a benign historical research organisation, however Max and Markham discovered that it was trying to alter the course of history by interfering in moments such as the signing of the Magna Carta. Max has infiltrated Insight and they have foiled three attempts to alter the timeline, but the recent attack means that Insight will soon find out that Max is a spy.
Can Max bring down Insight before she is caught? How far is she willing to go to get in with the real power at Insight? Why are they altering history? And given the need to time travel to the future to work for Insight and back to the past on missions, how is Max going to cope with her time travel sickness?
With all Jodi Taylor's trademark humour, this was a great book in the series, even Clive Ronan makes a brief re-appearance. Could it be the end? Who knows.
I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley in return for an honest review.
Bumped for release.
June 26, 2023
Loved everything about it so far but I have to say… in Chapter 18 when describing the Many Worlds Theory, Max says she got an arrow through the chest at Agincourt. Did no editor or anyone remember that it was a sword :/ ???
This small detail bothers me, I hope it’s not a sign to come of plot dropping
(Caveat, I have not yet finished the book so on the off chance this was an intentional error, I’ll reserve some judgement)
This small detail bothers me, I hope it’s not a sign to come of plot dropping
(Caveat, I have not yet finished the book so on the off chance this was an intentional error, I’ll reserve some judgement)
January 13, 2025
Having read Smallhope and Pennyroyal recently and then coming into this instalment in the series and seeing how they feature and Max and Markham are once again the duo who are a force to reckoned with from St Mary’s, I loved it. Never a dull time with this series, and always a dash of history thrown in too. Once again the time police and the bounty hunters and the criminals jumping around the timeline are all interwoven together so well. It’s just fun and humour and a good time all around. 4*s :) will ofc continue if there’s more books to come!
November 29, 2025
Dites-moi que ce n'est pas vraiment terminé!
June 30, 2023
Ms. Taylor, please WRITE FASTER!
July 5, 2023
This is my all-time favourite series! Max and Markham are two of the best written characters in modern literature. The entire St. Mary’s family of characters are absolutely delightful and I never tire of reading their adventures. Jodi Taylor is an incredible storyteller and she imbues her characters with quick wit and intelligence while creating the most entertaining adventures for them to embark upon. Her books are perfectly narrated by Zara Ramm. I hope this series never ends.
June 1, 2023
I can't help but feel that my adventures with Madeline, "Max" Maxwell are slowly winding down. I've traveled up and down the Time Line with her for many years now. From the Cretaceous, (dinosaur), period to the distant future (where there is no tea, gasp). Max has explored a dizzying number of events throughout history.
This novel has Max time jumping at a furious rate. She is trying to bring down the big bad "Insight" whose organization only exists to destroy and sway events throughout history. They have no regard of the repercussions, only their own agenda.
This novel has Max and her trusty sidekick, Markham, teaming up with the highly effective and truly devious bounty hunters/recovery agents Pennyroyal and Lady Amelia Smallhope. In the future, Max has infiltrated the notorious "Insight" organization. She works in the bowels of their headquarters as a clerk under the direction of Bridget Lafferty, super villain and head of administration. Insight hides in plain sight as an historical research facility and essentially Max is an information gopher.
Max ping pongs around the timeline putting out fires, (and sometimes engulfed in them), trying to be one step ahead of them while appearing to be a respectful, (yes we are talking about Max), new trainee on her first timeline missions. She pulls these off with aplomb, or not!
This was a fast moving, highly descriptive, beautifully executed time bounce, and at times hazardous exploration in this the 14th novel of The Chronicles of St. Mary's series.
I hope that this will not be the last we see of Max's story.
Thank you NetGalley and Headline Publishing for the ARC. All opinions expressed are strictly my own.
This novel has Max time jumping at a furious rate. She is trying to bring down the big bad "Insight" whose organization only exists to destroy and sway events throughout history. They have no regard of the repercussions, only their own agenda.
This novel has Max and her trusty sidekick, Markham, teaming up with the highly effective and truly devious bounty hunters/recovery agents Pennyroyal and Lady Amelia Smallhope. In the future, Max has infiltrated the notorious "Insight" organization. She works in the bowels of their headquarters as a clerk under the direction of Bridget Lafferty, super villain and head of administration. Insight hides in plain sight as an historical research facility and essentially Max is an information gopher.
Max ping pongs around the timeline putting out fires, (and sometimes engulfed in them), trying to be one step ahead of them while appearing to be a respectful, (yes we are talking about Max), new trainee on her first timeline missions. She pulls these off with aplomb, or not!
This was a fast moving, highly descriptive, beautifully executed time bounce, and at times hazardous exploration in this the 14th novel of The Chronicles of St. Mary's series.
I hope that this will not be the last we see of Max's story.
Thank you NetGalley and Headline Publishing for the ARC. All opinions expressed are strictly my own.
October 8, 2025
I always rush to get the new Jodi Taylor as soon as there’s one on the horizon. I love the St Mary’s books about a bunch of disaster-prone historians who research historical events in contemporary time. (Please don’t call it time travel.) Following on from the previous book, Max is currently not on staff at St Mary’s, she’s taken up bounty hunti—err, being a recovery agent, with Markham, Smallhope and Pennyroyal, but there’s the matter of Insight, a group from the future using time travel for its own shady ends, and also St Mary’s director has been shot and Max might be the number one suspect. (She didn’t do it, honest!). Max is trying to take down Insight but she’ll be betrayed. She knows this because it’s already happened in the future. Max and Markham are my favourite characters, and this book gives me a great double-helping.
Revisited it via audio. Once again Zara Ramm nails the voice of the book and the voices of the characters, in particular Markham when he switches accents from Bristolian to Geordie and even the odd occasions when he drops the accents altogether.
Revisited it via audio. Once again Zara Ramm nails the voice of the book and the voices of the characters, in particular Markham when he switches accents from Bristolian to Geordie and even the odd occasions when he drops the accents altogether.
April 11, 2023
We learned a lot in this book about some of the characters we thought we already knew well. There were some amazing surprises! I really appreciated gaining some backstory on a certain recovery professional that was intense, well drawn, and absorbing. Then they were two places where the author pulled the rug out from under my feet! I definitely did not see either of those things coming! Jodi Taylor made my heart ache for a couple who longed for a child, and also for Max's connection with a young girl who took her back to her early trauma. But this installment still offered up the belly laughs and gripping action, along with Max's salty internal responses to her disasters (that sounds much like my own). I read this twice and loved it. I did find one passage where I felt rushed and that it was not clear that A. was deliberately left behind with Mrs. P. Max just dashed and I wondered, "what about A.?" for several pages.
December 3, 2024
4 stars
In the 14th book (!!!) of Chronicles of St.Mary’s series, Max goes back undercover at Insight to find out more about their devious plans. This book features several great fires, a stolen donkey, smuggling people across timelines, more history about Clive Ronan, and another shocking reveal that I never saw coming.
I really really really REALLY love this series. There’s nothing like it. This one could have been 5 stars, but some of the resolutions in this book felt too easy, painless and quick. In fact, so much got resolved that it me wonder if this is actually the end of the main series. It certainly felt like it (especially with that summary epilogue), and if it weren’t for the last page saying “NOT THE END”, I would definitely assume it was. Internet searches are inconclusive. I honestly thought it would be a good place to wrap it up and any loose ends could be further addressed in the Time Police series. I hope we continue to at least get short stories. Well, I actually wish it would never end, but as Max put it, “Dr Bairstow always says never be the last to leave the party and that’s exactly right. We should always recognise when it’s time to end something” If that’s not signaling the end, what will?????
Anyway, I’m kind of confused on where this leaves us, but I still had a great time!
5.0 —One of the best I've ever read. Will be burned into my brain. Couldn't care less about weaknesses (if any). Would recommend to everyone and their mother.
4.5 —Loved this read. Will remember it fondly. Few weaknesses. Would recommend to anyone.
▌4.0 —Enjoyed this read. Will remember it fondly. Minor weaknesses. Would recommend to fans of the genre.
3.5 —Somewhat enjoyed this read. Might be memorable. Notable weaknesses. Would recommend to fans of the genre.
3.0 —Somewhat enjoyed this read. Not very memorable. Notable weaknesses. Would recommend to people who like similar books.
2.5 —Neutral or Underwhelming read. Not very memorable. Significant weaknesses. Would recommend to people who like similar books.
2.0 —Underwhelming or unenjoyable read. Not very memorable or memorable for the wrong reasons. Significant weaknesses. Might recommend to people who like similar books.
1.5 —Unenjoyable read. Not very memorable or memorable for bad reasons. Major weaknesses. Probably wouldn't recommend.
1.0 —I wish I never wasted minutes of my life on this trash. I would go out of my way to convince others not to read it.
In the 14th book (!!!) of Chronicles of St.Mary’s series, Max goes back undercover at Insight to find out more about their devious plans. This book features several great fires, a stolen donkey, smuggling people across timelines, more history about Clive Ronan, and another shocking reveal that I never saw coming.
I really really really REALLY love this series. There’s nothing like it. This one could have been 5 stars, but some of the resolutions in this book felt too easy, painless and quick. In fact, so much got resolved that it me wonder if this is actually the end of the main series. It certainly felt like it (especially with that summary epilogue), and if it weren’t for the last page saying “NOT THE END”, I would definitely assume it was. Internet searches are inconclusive. I honestly thought it would be a good place to wrap it up and any loose ends could be further addressed in the Time Police series. I hope we continue to at least get short stories. Well, I actually wish it would never end, but as Max put it, “Dr Bairstow always says never be the last to leave the party and that’s exactly right. We should always recognise when it’s time to end something” If that’s not signaling the end, what will?????
Anyway, I’m kind of confused on where this leaves us, but I still had a great time!
5.0 —One of the best I've ever read. Will be burned into my brain. Couldn't care less about weaknesses (if any). Would recommend to everyone and their mother.
4.5 —Loved this read. Will remember it fondly. Few weaknesses. Would recommend to anyone.
▌4.0 —Enjoyed this read. Will remember it fondly. Minor weaknesses. Would recommend to fans of the genre.
3.5 —Somewhat enjoyed this read. Might be memorable. Notable weaknesses. Would recommend to fans of the genre.
3.0 —Somewhat enjoyed this read. Not very memorable. Notable weaknesses. Would recommend to people who like similar books.
2.5 —Neutral or Underwhelming read. Not very memorable. Significant weaknesses. Would recommend to people who like similar books.
2.0 —Underwhelming or unenjoyable read. Not very memorable or memorable for the wrong reasons. Significant weaknesses. Might recommend to people who like similar books.
1.5 —Unenjoyable read. Not very memorable or memorable for bad reasons. Major weaknesses. Probably wouldn't recommend.
1.0 —I wish I never wasted minutes of my life on this trash. I would go out of my way to convince others not to read it.
April 2, 2023
Max’s To do list:
1. Go collect some books
2. Go on holiday, see old friends
3. Go back to work
4. Get a promotion
5. Save history
Wow, just come back from an immersive experience into the latest Jodi Taylor book, ‘The Good, The Bad and The History’. Our friends from St Mary’s are at it again. Well, Maxwell is no longer working there but that does not stop her from getting everyone involved anyway.
This is book 14 in Jodi Taylor’s Chronicles of St Mary’s series so don’t think you can just pick up this one and start, it will confuse the heck out of you. Start at the beginning and get swept along for the ride of your life.
Thank you, Netgalley and Headline Publishing, for providing me with one of the advance reader copies to read, evaluate and give my honest opinion.
Continuing where the last book left off, the shooting of the Director, Max is trying to regain her strength while staying under the radar of the authorities looking for her. She continues to work as a bounty hunter, sorry, recovery agent with Markham, Pennyroyal and Smallhope.
On her first jump in a while, she experiences some side effects due to having jumped around the time line too much, however, all’s well that ends well and no damage seems to have been done.
After a deserved holiday visiting old friends, Max is ready to return to work for Insight where is she is promptly offered a promotion which she accepts.
Working undercover at Insight, a historical research organisation, Max is put on a rapid promotional path and soon learns about the darker side of the organisation, something she was sent to find out. Desperately trying to save some innocents and prevent the premature start of the Time Wars, Max must do all she can to stay alive, help bring down the baddies and ensure history is not corrupted.
As always, Jodi Taylor manages to fill the pages with excellently researched history, humour, sarcasm, heartbreak. Over the whole series of books, the characters are like close friends and you see the world through their eyes, laugh and cry with them, accompany them through highs and lows. This book is no different. There are time when you are on tenterhooks hoping the right decision is made.
Go ahead and enjoy a new adventure in the Chronicles of St. Mary's series.
1. Go collect some books
2. Go on holiday, see old friends
3. Go back to work
4. Get a promotion
5. Save history
Wow, just come back from an immersive experience into the latest Jodi Taylor book, ‘The Good, The Bad and The History’. Our friends from St Mary’s are at it again. Well, Maxwell is no longer working there but that does not stop her from getting everyone involved anyway.
This is book 14 in Jodi Taylor’s Chronicles of St Mary’s series so don’t think you can just pick up this one and start, it will confuse the heck out of you. Start at the beginning and get swept along for the ride of your life.
Thank you, Netgalley and Headline Publishing, for providing me with one of the advance reader copies to read, evaluate and give my honest opinion.
Continuing where the last book left off, the shooting of the Director, Max is trying to regain her strength while staying under the radar of the authorities looking for her. She continues to work as a bounty hunter, sorry, recovery agent with Markham, Pennyroyal and Smallhope.
On her first jump in a while, she experiences some side effects due to having jumped around the time line too much, however, all’s well that ends well and no damage seems to have been done.
After a deserved holiday visiting old friends, Max is ready to return to work for Insight where is she is promptly offered a promotion which she accepts.
Working undercover at Insight, a historical research organisation, Max is put on a rapid promotional path and soon learns about the darker side of the organisation, something she was sent to find out. Desperately trying to save some innocents and prevent the premature start of the Time Wars, Max must do all she can to stay alive, help bring down the baddies and ensure history is not corrupted.
As always, Jodi Taylor manages to fill the pages with excellently researched history, humour, sarcasm, heartbreak. Over the whole series of books, the characters are like close friends and you see the world through their eyes, laugh and cry with them, accompany them through highs and lows. This book is no different. There are time when you are on tenterhooks hoping the right decision is made.
Go ahead and enjoy a new adventure in the Chronicles of St. Mary's series.
April 13, 2023
Headline Publishing granted my wish and I got a NetGalley eARC of the 14th novel in The Chronicles of St Mary's series. That happened while I was somewhere between book 8 and 9 in my "great TCoSM re-read". I've meanwhile finished the re-read and re-read the ARC.
It's a different St Mary's novel, because most of it happens in the future - you know, the desk job Max took up in book 13. Max has to go back to the future to close the circle. Which is also what this novel does with the whole series, there are looks back at a lot of previous books with little remarks here and there, and quotes from previous books, former members of St Mary's being mentioned, etc. I had the feeling this was to be the last St Mary's story ever. And then there were three seemingly small words right before the Acknowledgements that made me sigh in relief.
Now I can't wait for the signed paperback to arrive so I can re-read the story again while listening to the audiobook.
Thank you, Headline Publishing for the eARC.
Thank you, Jodi Taylor for writing a series my family fell in love with.
It's a different St Mary's novel, because most of it happens in the future - you know, the desk job Max took up in book 13. Max has to go back to the future to close the circle. Which is also what this novel does with the whole series, there are looks back at a lot of previous books with little remarks here and there, and quotes from previous books, former members of St Mary's being mentioned, etc. I had the feeling this was to be the last St Mary's story ever. And then there were three seemingly small words right before the Acknowledgements that made me sigh in relief.
Now I can't wait for the signed paperback to arrive so I can re-read the story again while listening to the audiobook.
Thank you, Headline Publishing for the eARC.
Thank you, Jodi Taylor for writing a series my family fell in love with.
August 15, 2023
I always get excited when I see another St. Mary’s book come out and this one was not disappointing. I loved seeing (hearing?) just about all my old favourite characters along with Smallhope and Pennyroyal, with whom I’ve become quite attached.
I appreciate that Jodi Taylor is going easier on Christians this time around. She’s still hard on politicians, but that’s okay with me. 🙃
I love the characters in these books and the relationships they have with each other. The last few books have been all over the place and it’s so good to be back in St. Mary’s again! I can’t wait to see more R&D adventures in future books.
I think part of the reason this series is still working so well is because the characters age. They go through different life stages, have children who also age and take on trainees who grow into their roles.
The time jumping logic is pretty good. The only time I recall being aware of some missed logic is when the characters need to “hurry up” and get to the past or future before something terrible happens… But in all honesty, it probably keeps things a bit easier for the readers to pretend for a moment that nonlinear time is a bit linear, and aids the narrative and enables a visit to the Great Fire of Rome, so I forgive it.
Yay, my friends are back!
I appreciate that Jodi Taylor is going easier on Christians this time around. She’s still hard on politicians, but that’s okay with me. 🙃
I love the characters in these books and the relationships they have with each other. The last few books have been all over the place and it’s so good to be back in St. Mary’s again! I can’t wait to see more R&D adventures in future books.
I think part of the reason this series is still working so well is because the characters age. They go through different life stages, have children who also age and take on trainees who grow into their roles.
The time jumping logic is pretty good. The only time I recall being aware of some missed logic is when the characters need to “hurry up” and get to the past or future before something terrible happens… But in all honesty, it probably keeps things a bit easier for the readers to pretend for a moment that nonlinear time is a bit linear, and aids the narrative and enables a visit to the Great Fire of Rome, so I forgive it.
Yay, my friends are back!
February 15, 2024
This is book 14 of Jodi Taylor's St Mary's Chronicles and the very fact that I'm still reading after this many books has to say something in itself. In this book Max and Markham have to take a break from St Mary's so act as bounty hunters, sorry, "recovery agents", as well as investigating the sinister organisation Insight which has some nefarious plans for the timeline. There are also key roles for Smallhope and Pennyroyal, who are a lot of fun.
As always with the St Mary's books, this is a madcap combination of hilarity, action and emotion. How Taylor manages to be so prolific with this much historical background I don't know.
If you haven't read a St Mary's book before jump onto the wild ride that followers the disaster magnet historians who investigate events in contemporary time (Dr Bairstow gets upset when people call it time travel), but start from the beginning with Just One Damned Thing After Another.
As always with the St Mary's books, this is a madcap combination of hilarity, action and emotion. How Taylor manages to be so prolific with this much historical background I don't know.
If you haven't read a St Mary's book before jump onto the wild ride that followers the disaster magnet historians who investigate events in contemporary time (Dr Bairstow gets upset when people call it time travel), but start from the beginning with Just One Damned Thing After Another.
June 23, 2023
BEWARE SPOILERS FOR PREVIOUS BOOKS
I had been looking forward to this latest saga, and while it was as complex, funny and surprising as ever, this time it felt too complex and the ending (referring to the person who shot Treadwell in the previous book) was so unlikely that it almost felt contrived. ("It's fiction, of course it's contrived", said Max, rolling her eyes). I know, what I mean is this is perhaps an unplanned add-on...as there was never a foreshadowing at all.. Also, "Jack Daniels??" I am assuming he will have some/more important role to play in other upcoming books. (Am I the only one imagining a somewhat thinner Boris Johnson? ) Still I liked the book and will likely re-read.
Ps. there's an error on the reference to how Max had died in Agincourt in the alternate timeline. In A Second Chance it is clearly a sword, but this book refers to an arrow through the chest.. Also, who is the Eddie working with Helen and Lingoss in the turtle experiment? The only Eddie I saw in this book was on the villain team, and not fit to entertain kids anymore... Yes, I am nitpicking. But I am used to perfection :-))
I had been looking forward to this latest saga, and while it was as complex, funny and surprising as ever, this time it felt too complex and the ending (referring to the person who shot Treadwell in the previous book) was so unlikely that it almost felt contrived. ("It's fiction, of course it's contrived", said Max, rolling her eyes). I know, what I mean is this is perhaps an unplanned add-on...as there was never a foreshadowing at all.. Also, "Jack Daniels??" I am assuming he will have some/more important role to play in other upcoming books. (Am I the only one imagining a somewhat thinner Boris Johnson? ) Still I liked the book and will likely re-read.
Ps. there's an error on the reference to how Max had died in Agincourt in the alternate timeline. In A Second Chance it is clearly a sword, but this book refers to an arrow through the chest.. Also, who is the Eddie working with Helen and Lingoss in the turtle experiment? The only Eddie I saw in this book was on the villain team, and not fit to entertain kids anymore... Yes, I am nitpicking. But I am used to perfection :-))
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 4, 2023
Is this it for Max? Possibly. If it is then I think it wraps up all the dangling threads nicely (to be honest the whole series is so convoluted, timey wimey, and lengthy I’ve forgotten who was who and who did what).
The whole Insight storyline was pretty tense. There were funny moments and Max being more Max than any other Max in the world. We jumped forwards and backwards. Many time rules were broken. There was a call back to the fact that Jodi Taylor had basically reset the whole series by moving timelines. We finally get to see how the Time Police series links in.
If this is the last one then I’m pretty happy with how this all ends. Thank you Jodi Taylor.
The whole Insight storyline was pretty tense. There were funny moments and Max being more Max than any other Max in the world. We jumped forwards and backwards. Many time rules were broken. There was a call back to the fact that Jodi Taylor had basically reset the whole series by moving timelines. We finally get to see how the Time Police series links in.
If this is the last one then I’m pretty happy with how this all ends. Thank you Jodi Taylor.
December 14, 2024
Now this was a great St. Mary's book! None of the formulaic stuff that plagued some earlier novels ... this was a great romp through the past, present, and future.
Looks like the next book releases this year, I'll be keeping my eye out for it.
My only caution with this series is: Read them all together if possible ... you could sprinkle a random book or two in between, but don't go too long between books, or you'll forget what the heck has been happening.
Jodi does a good job *trying* to catch you back up .... but we're what? 14 books into the series, and that's just too much to summarize briefly.
Looks like the next book releases this year, I'll be keeping my eye out for it.
My only caution with this series is: Read them all together if possible ... you could sprinkle a random book or two in between, but don't go too long between books, or you'll forget what the heck has been happening.
Jodi does a good job *trying* to catch you back up .... but we're what? 14 books into the series, and that's just too much to summarize briefly.
January 16, 2024
This one had some seriously good surprises and a great twist at the end. I need to get caught up on the Time Police series--I'm now two books behind, I think. Am I the only one whose vision of Markham has "glowed up" since his backstory reveal? Like, my initial vision of him was somewhere between young Peter MacNicol and young Tom Hollander, and now, maybe Sam Heughan? Though it's still murky, since I've been trying NOT to glam him up too much. Maybe Matthew Lewis (speaking of glowing up) or Jack Whitehall? (Whitehall definitely could do the physical comedy of Markham).
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