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Damian Seeker #1
The Seeker: Damian Seeker 1 by S.G. MacLean
London, 1657, the Protectorate of Oliver Cromwell. No one knows where Damian Seeker originated from, who his family is, or even his real name. Mothers frighten their children by telling them tales of The Seeker. All that is known of him for certain is that he is utterly loyal to Cromwell, and that nothing can be long hidden from him. In the new, fashionable coffee houses of London, a murder takes place. All London is ringing with the news that John Winter is dead, the lawyer Elias Ellingworth, found holding a knife over the bleeding body of the dying man, held in the Tower. Despite the damning evidence, Seeker is not convinced of Ellingworth's guilt. He will stop at nothing to bring the right man to justice...
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First published May 1, 2015
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 315 reviews
July 6, 2018
*Thank you to Netgalley and Quercus books for my free copy in exchange for a fair and honest review*
If you fancy immersing yourself in 1650's England, then this historical crime fiction can certainly do that. It's a living, breathing portrait of life during that troubled period in history.
Set during the reign of Cromwell, it brings to the fore, the man responsible for Cromwell's safety - Damian Seeker, known simply as 'The Seeker'. He might live very much in the shadows but nothing escapes his attention.
Coffee houses featured most prominently at this time. They were places to exchange and debate all the latest news, a place where trades and deals took place, but also somewhere that those with royalist sympathies would pass on coded messages in an attempt to further their cause and bring Charles Stuart to the throne. But walls have ears in the guise of informants, and one has to be extremely careful who to trust - for fear of inviting the wrath of 'The Seeker' upon them.
The story centres around the murder of John Winter, one of Cromwell's most trusted soldiers, and it is Seeker's job to discover the identity of the murderer lest he should target Cromwell himself next time. Whoever committed this crime, did it in the heart of Whitehall, where John Winter and his wife had their private apartments. Lawyer Elias Ellingworth was discovered standing over John Winter's body, but 'Seeker' doesn't believe that he carried out the murder. It makes for a really gripping read the way Seeker sets about questioning and eliminating suspects.
I have to say that this was extremely well written, with some serious research, and was SO atmospheric. The characters were brilliant, none more so than'The Seeker'. Here we have a very interesting character, a man who put the fear of God into everyone he came into contact with, but yet there was clearly another side to him, a more human side, that we were allowed just a glimpse of. The storyline gets right to the heart of things, and brings this brutal time in history right into your front room. Though slightly slow at times, it nevertheless managed to engage me right the way through, and I can definitely recommend it.
If you fancy immersing yourself in 1650's England, then this historical crime fiction can certainly do that. It's a living, breathing portrait of life during that troubled period in history.
Set during the reign of Cromwell, it brings to the fore, the man responsible for Cromwell's safety - Damian Seeker, known simply as 'The Seeker'. He might live very much in the shadows but nothing escapes his attention.
Coffee houses featured most prominently at this time. They were places to exchange and debate all the latest news, a place where trades and deals took place, but also somewhere that those with royalist sympathies would pass on coded messages in an attempt to further their cause and bring Charles Stuart to the throne. But walls have ears in the guise of informants, and one has to be extremely careful who to trust - for fear of inviting the wrath of 'The Seeker' upon them.
The story centres around the murder of John Winter, one of Cromwell's most trusted soldiers, and it is Seeker's job to discover the identity of the murderer lest he should target Cromwell himself next time. Whoever committed this crime, did it in the heart of Whitehall, where John Winter and his wife had their private apartments. Lawyer Elias Ellingworth was discovered standing over John Winter's body, but 'Seeker' doesn't believe that he carried out the murder. It makes for a really gripping read the way Seeker sets about questioning and eliminating suspects.
I have to say that this was extremely well written, with some serious research, and was SO atmospheric. The characters were brilliant, none more so than'The Seeker'. Here we have a very interesting character, a man who put the fear of God into everyone he came into contact with, but yet there was clearly another side to him, a more human side, that we were allowed just a glimpse of. The storyline gets right to the heart of things, and brings this brutal time in history right into your front room. Though slightly slow at times, it nevertheless managed to engage me right the way through, and I can definitely recommend it.
January 9, 2022
The country is coming out of bloody Civil War that resulted in the execution of King Charles I, a country that is suffering from instability, no agreed rule of law, economic misery, and an abundance of people who would rather see the last remaining Stuart, Charles II, restored to power rather than Oliver Cromwell as Lord Protector of the Commonwealth – A king in everything but name.
So, when Cromwell’s dear friend John Winter is found murdered, he demands swift justice and a punishment to send out a lesson to dissenters. The case should be an easy one for Damian Seeker, responsible for bringing the perpetrator to justice because the murderer was found standing over the body with the bloody knife in his hands, by Seeker himself. However, Seeker thinks Elias Ellingworth is innocent of murder but as he delves into the activities of Ellingworth he discovers his suspect is not innocent of all illegal activities either.
The twists in 'The Seeker' are excellent and the plot amazing as Seeker, recalls “…he would cut through the tangle of obfuscation and deception set out before him and eventually find the culprit at its heart, but a woman whose mind was not under even her own control changed the rules of the hunt to the extent that they were unknowable”. A taster of what to enjoy and savour with this book.
The dialogue was straight, crisp and without excessive prose that will appeal to a lot of readers. However, whilst I also enjoy straight dialogue, I found it missing the scene setting and the vivid descriptions of the things like the environment, the atmosphere, and the mood. The reader was required to play their part in creating the ambiance. Whilst I don’t need 5 pages to describe the night sky, a few lines creating the atmosphere is always a welcome adage to a story.
One flaw with this book is what is written on the cover where 'The Times' claims that MacLean could challenge C.J Sansom for the dominion of Historical Crime. There is an inevitability about including such a claim on the front cover because it then draws the reader to make that comparison. In my case C.J Samson’s books have more depth, are multi layered, the scene setting is typically superb, and the writing is a level above. Sorry, but at this point in time , in my view, Samson does have the edge.
Nevertheless, this was an excellent book, a worthy read, and the author did an excellent job at weaving the historical elements into the story.
So, when Cromwell’s dear friend John Winter is found murdered, he demands swift justice and a punishment to send out a lesson to dissenters. The case should be an easy one for Damian Seeker, responsible for bringing the perpetrator to justice because the murderer was found standing over the body with the bloody knife in his hands, by Seeker himself. However, Seeker thinks Elias Ellingworth is innocent of murder but as he delves into the activities of Ellingworth he discovers his suspect is not innocent of all illegal activities either.
The twists in 'The Seeker' are excellent and the plot amazing as Seeker, recalls “…he would cut through the tangle of obfuscation and deception set out before him and eventually find the culprit at its heart, but a woman whose mind was not under even her own control changed the rules of the hunt to the extent that they were unknowable”. A taster of what to enjoy and savour with this book.
The dialogue was straight, crisp and without excessive prose that will appeal to a lot of readers. However, whilst I also enjoy straight dialogue, I found it missing the scene setting and the vivid descriptions of the things like the environment, the atmosphere, and the mood. The reader was required to play their part in creating the ambiance. Whilst I don’t need 5 pages to describe the night sky, a few lines creating the atmosphere is always a welcome adage to a story.
One flaw with this book is what is written on the cover where 'The Times' claims that MacLean could challenge C.J Sansom for the dominion of Historical Crime. There is an inevitability about including such a claim on the front cover because it then draws the reader to make that comparison. In my case C.J Samson’s books have more depth, are multi layered, the scene setting is typically superb, and the writing is a level above. Sorry, but at this point in time , in my view, Samson does have the edge.
Nevertheless, this was an excellent book, a worthy read, and the author did an excellent job at weaving the historical elements into the story.
May 25, 2016
This is an atmospheric historical thriller that brilliantly captures the repercussions of the English Civil War in the 1650s. It is set in Oliver Cromwell's reign where Coffee Houses are one of the major places where news is acquired and political discussions take place. MacLean is a gifted storyteller who has the ability to construct a portal through which we can enter Cromwell's London and the royalist hotbed that is Oxford. The historical period is meticulously researched and the descriptions vibrantly bring alive the sights, sounds and smells of London. The river is the source of all wealth and the city is the centre of trade in sugar, tobacco and the unsavoury slave trade. Defeated royalists, the irish, street children and others have been offloaded as slaves for the plantations. There are those who illegally grab people and children and sell them as slaves.
John Milton has made a complete volte face from being a person who sought freedom of expression to now being a censor for the regime. The Generals who once preached freedom and overturning the old order are now men of property acquired as the spoils of war, change no longer suits them. Cromwell has all the trappings and status of a King. Those who continue to advocate freedom and change, like Elias, are now viewed as enemies of the state. The paranoia of the regime extends to seeing royalist plots and sedition everywhere. This is countered with spies and intelligence networks lurking everywhere. The head of security is the enigmatic Damien Seeker, a loyal, austere, and talented truth seeker with a fearsome reputation. Crowds part and people scuttle away upon sighting him. Very little escapes his notice and his information networks stretch across the city and the country.
Vociferous leveller and lawyer Elias is discovered at the scene of the murder of the highly esteemed soldier, John Winter. Elias is taken to the Tower of London to await trial prior to being hanged. Seeker ascertains that Elias could not be the killer thanks to Anne Winter's testimony, but her word carries little weight with the regime, it is widely known that she did not love her husband and she consumes opium to bear the strain that her marriage has imposed on her. Ordered to desist from investigating, Seeker is determined to secure the truth despite the impossible odds of preventing the death of Elias. The trail takes in royalist plots, troubled preachers, slavery markets, trade merchants, assassination attempts on Cromwell, and the machinations of Anne Winter. Seeker discovers who killed John Winter, which is the last person you would expect.
This is a superbly plotted and well written story that I could not let go of until I finished. The narrative is full of suspense and tension. The writing is assured with a cast of characters that you come to care about. Seeker is a man that you want to know more about, with much more to him than you might expect. Brilliant and stunning read which I highly recommend. Thanks to Quercus for an ARC via netgalley.
John Milton has made a complete volte face from being a person who sought freedom of expression to now being a censor for the regime. The Generals who once preached freedom and overturning the old order are now men of property acquired as the spoils of war, change no longer suits them. Cromwell has all the trappings and status of a King. Those who continue to advocate freedom and change, like Elias, are now viewed as enemies of the state. The paranoia of the regime extends to seeing royalist plots and sedition everywhere. This is countered with spies and intelligence networks lurking everywhere. The head of security is the enigmatic Damien Seeker, a loyal, austere, and talented truth seeker with a fearsome reputation. Crowds part and people scuttle away upon sighting him. Very little escapes his notice and his information networks stretch across the city and the country.
Vociferous leveller and lawyer Elias is discovered at the scene of the murder of the highly esteemed soldier, John Winter. Elias is taken to the Tower of London to await trial prior to being hanged. Seeker ascertains that Elias could not be the killer thanks to Anne Winter's testimony, but her word carries little weight with the regime, it is widely known that she did not love her husband and she consumes opium to bear the strain that her marriage has imposed on her. Ordered to desist from investigating, Seeker is determined to secure the truth despite the impossible odds of preventing the death of Elias. The trail takes in royalist plots, troubled preachers, slavery markets, trade merchants, assassination attempts on Cromwell, and the machinations of Anne Winter. Seeker discovers who killed John Winter, which is the last person you would expect.
This is a superbly plotted and well written story that I could not let go of until I finished. The narrative is full of suspense and tension. The writing is assured with a cast of characters that you come to care about. Seeker is a man that you want to know more about, with much more to him than you might expect. Brilliant and stunning read which I highly recommend. Thanks to Quercus for an ARC via netgalley.
July 5, 2018
I tried this book a couple of times and couldn’t get into it. This was my final attempt and this time I went straight through! Gradually I am filling the gaps in my knowledge of British history. The civil war, Oliver Cromwell, Roundheads and Cavaliers, the Protectorate and the New Model Army were pretty much hazy concepts for me. The only book I remember reading of this specific period is ‘As meat loves salt’, and that was quite some time ago.
We come to know Damian Seeker, an enigmatic truth seeker, devoted to Cromwell. The mystery to solve is complex and stimulating; the everyday life of Londoners in particular at the time vividly described and the city comes to life. As a Londoner myself, I adore well researched and written historical fiction set in London; I could almost see the echos of the characters and players on the hidden backstreets of London and the City. I have been on many guided walks of the City and much of its history is preserved very well.
I am so looking forward to reading more of this series and inspired to find more novels set in this time. Any recommendations gratefully received!
We come to know Damian Seeker, an enigmatic truth seeker, devoted to Cromwell. The mystery to solve is complex and stimulating; the everyday life of Londoners in particular at the time vividly described and the city comes to life. As a Londoner myself, I adore well researched and written historical fiction set in London; I could almost see the echos of the characters and players on the hidden backstreets of London and the City. I have been on many guided walks of the City and much of its history is preserved very well.
I am so looking forward to reading more of this series and inspired to find more novels set in this time. Any recommendations gratefully received!
March 17, 2017
"But today, his long black cloak flowing behind him as he spurred his horse towards the city, there could be no doubt that there was business of great import somewhere, and those few who saw Seeker pass gave silent thanks that whatever it was was no concern of theirs."
I loved this book. The second I finished it I was tempted to start right back at the beginning again but instead I settled for going online and pre-ordering the second book from The Book Depository. Set in November 1654, it is an excellently written book that evokes the tensions of the time when Oliver Cromwell was the Lord Protectorate and Royalists remained devoted in their efforts to see the exiled Stuarts restored to the halls of Kings. Damian Seeker is the Captain of Cromwell's guard and works tirelessly towards uncovering the vast network of intelligencers that conspire to bring Cromwell down. When a favored officer in Cromwell's New Model Army is found dead at his doorstep, and a young lawyer on the government's watch list is holding the bloody knife over the body, Seeker finds himself on the trail of something much bigger.
The story is told in third person and the first chapter introduces most of the main characters. In just a few paragraphs, the author manages to set up each character as an intriguing presence in his/her own right, ensuring that the reader will be curious to learn more. What follows is a deeply atmospheric tale involving conspiracies, assassins, friendships, political intrigue, and connections where they are least expected. I'm not sure that the mystery of the initial murder was set up in a manner that allows for the reader to figure out the identity of the murderer on their own, but I was so drawn into the lives of these different people and into seeing how and where the various points converged that it hardly mattered to me. It was a gripping read for me and Seeker makes for a fascinating character existing underneath layers of old pains wrapped tightly in an almost obsessive need for order and truth. I can't wait to read more.
**Reread in March 2017: Loved it just as much. Also, it was nice to catch some of the little mentions and hints that I missed the first time around. Now on to book two!**
I loved this book. The second I finished it I was tempted to start right back at the beginning again but instead I settled for going online and pre-ordering the second book from The Book Depository. Set in November 1654, it is an excellently written book that evokes the tensions of the time when Oliver Cromwell was the Lord Protectorate and Royalists remained devoted in their efforts to see the exiled Stuarts restored to the halls of Kings. Damian Seeker is the Captain of Cromwell's guard and works tirelessly towards uncovering the vast network of intelligencers that conspire to bring Cromwell down. When a favored officer in Cromwell's New Model Army is found dead at his doorstep, and a young lawyer on the government's watch list is holding the bloody knife over the body, Seeker finds himself on the trail of something much bigger.
The story is told in third person and the first chapter introduces most of the main characters. In just a few paragraphs, the author manages to set up each character as an intriguing presence in his/her own right, ensuring that the reader will be curious to learn more. What follows is a deeply atmospheric tale involving conspiracies, assassins, friendships, political intrigue, and connections where they are least expected. I'm not sure that the mystery of the initial murder was set up in a manner that allows for the reader to figure out the identity of the murderer on their own, but I was so drawn into the lives of these different people and into seeing how and where the various points converged that it hardly mattered to me. It was a gripping read for me and Seeker makes for a fascinating character existing underneath layers of old pains wrapped tightly in an almost obsessive need for order and truth. I can't wait to read more.
**Reread in March 2017: Loved it just as much. Also, it was nice to catch some of the little mentions and hints that I missed the first time around. Now on to book two!**
July 21, 2019
First of all thank you Paromjit for your recent review (4th in series) that led me to these books. Secondly, I rarely read historical fiction as having studied history and taught it for some years it annoys me if the research is flawed and the interpretation fanciful. That is most definitely not the case here. I LOVED it! The style of writing was so appropriate to the 17th century and fact and fiction were woven together seamlessly.
I liked how Puritan England of Cromwell’s protectorate was portrayed and it showed clearly how men of property in Parliament blocked any changes that might have led to the people being more politically free, which was what many fought for. Self interest served. Sound familiar???? I’ll say no more 🤐🥴. The authors represented OC very fairly too - how this yeoman farmer became King in all but name, lived a much more luxurious life than his subjects, the harshness with which opponents were dealt with and his crushing of the Irish, the Scots after the battle of Dunbar and religious sects too. Churches were stripped of any ornament - indeed our local church became a Parliamentarian stable. To keep order, spies were everywhere headed by John Thurloe.
I really liked the main character of Damian Seeker, an intelligence officer in Cromwell’s government. He was somewhat mysterious, enigmatic but most certainly an honest seeker of the truth. He has a past some of which emerged at the end of the book. He had been a member of the sect The Seekers, many of these later became Quakers. I really liked the way he doggedly pursued the murderer of John Winter and royalist plotters who were trying to assassinate Cromwell and other leaders. There were some shocking (and true) revelations about opponents sent as slaves to places like Barbados.
I also liked the role that coffee houses played in the story. These were becoming increasingly important meeting places to discuss news, politics, gossip and read the broadsheets that were becoming more common. I would say they were the early equivalent of social media- though perhaps not as toxic. Oh hang on a minute - maybe not!!!
There were some twists and turns that made the book such a good read. Overall, this is really worthwhile historical novel. Well written, well researched and most importantly very entertaining. I will definitely read more.
I liked how Puritan England of Cromwell’s protectorate was portrayed and it showed clearly how men of property in Parliament blocked any changes that might have led to the people being more politically free, which was what many fought for. Self interest served. Sound familiar???? I’ll say no more 🤐🥴. The authors represented OC very fairly too - how this yeoman farmer became King in all but name, lived a much more luxurious life than his subjects, the harshness with which opponents were dealt with and his crushing of the Irish, the Scots after the battle of Dunbar and religious sects too. Churches were stripped of any ornament - indeed our local church became a Parliamentarian stable. To keep order, spies were everywhere headed by John Thurloe.
I really liked the main character of Damian Seeker, an intelligence officer in Cromwell’s government. He was somewhat mysterious, enigmatic but most certainly an honest seeker of the truth. He has a past some of which emerged at the end of the book. He had been a member of the sect The Seekers, many of these later became Quakers. I really liked the way he doggedly pursued the murderer of John Winter and royalist plotters who were trying to assassinate Cromwell and other leaders. There were some shocking (and true) revelations about opponents sent as slaves to places like Barbados.
I also liked the role that coffee houses played in the story. These were becoming increasingly important meeting places to discuss news, politics, gossip and read the broadsheets that were becoming more common. I would say they were the early equivalent of social media- though perhaps not as toxic. Oh hang on a minute - maybe not!!!
There were some twists and turns that made the book such a good read. Overall, this is really worthwhile historical novel. Well written, well researched and most importantly very entertaining. I will definitely read more.
November 22, 2018
This fantastic book, by this fine Scottish lady author, has been my very first reading experience, and I have to admit that it has been a delightful occasion.
At the beginning of the book you'll notice a real informative Historical Note of England in AD 1654, followed with a great list of Dramatis Personae, before it starts off with an intriguing prologue.
Story-telling is of a top-notch quality, the characters, whether they are real historical or fictional figures, come all vividly to life within this great mystery.
The main story starts off on the 1 November, AD 1654, the first year in the reign of Oliver Cromwell, Lord Protector of the English Commonwealth.
Main character of this series is a man who goes by the name of Damian Seeker, a man no one knows what's his real name is and where he comes from, but all know him for sure as the Agent of the Lord Protector.
The story starts when news is spreading about the murder of John Winter, Lieutenant in the New Model Army, who's been found in the corridors of Whitehall by Elias Ellingworth, a lawyer from profession, and who's standing over John Winter's bleeding body with the knife in his hand, and thus the accusing finger of guilt will be pointed at Elias.
What will follow is a very intriguing and compelling mystery, with a great plot, and in which Seeker will do anything to find the "true" killer of this murder and bring him to justice.
Very much recommended, for this is a rich and engaging historical story, and one that's in my opinion: "A Tremendous Thrilling Mystery"!
At the beginning of the book you'll notice a real informative Historical Note of England in AD 1654, followed with a great list of Dramatis Personae, before it starts off with an intriguing prologue.
Story-telling is of a top-notch quality, the characters, whether they are real historical or fictional figures, come all vividly to life within this great mystery.
The main story starts off on the 1 November, AD 1654, the first year in the reign of Oliver Cromwell, Lord Protector of the English Commonwealth.
Main character of this series is a man who goes by the name of Damian Seeker, a man no one knows what's his real name is and where he comes from, but all know him for sure as the Agent of the Lord Protector.
The story starts when news is spreading about the murder of John Winter, Lieutenant in the New Model Army, who's been found in the corridors of Whitehall by Elias Ellingworth, a lawyer from profession, and who's standing over John Winter's bleeding body with the knife in his hand, and thus the accusing finger of guilt will be pointed at Elias.
What will follow is a very intriguing and compelling mystery, with a great plot, and in which Seeker will do anything to find the "true" killer of this murder and bring him to justice.
Very much recommended, for this is a rich and engaging historical story, and one that's in my opinion: "A Tremendous Thrilling Mystery"!
Read
August 27, 2018My notes say "I'm not sure if I'm enjoying this" and then I read intently to the end of the book before concluding that actually, no I wasn't, which kind of sums it up. Set in the Cromwellian interregnum, with Damian Seeker as enforcer, torturer and secret policeman but also quester for justice and protector of the poor. Very Jack Reacher, physically huge and violent but with a moral streak, and also set up in the Reacheresque male-Mary-Sue thriller-hero way (everyone is scared of him, mothers frighten their children with his name, can lift a horse one handed, god we're all so very impressed). The mystery is intriguing and the characterisation good, the setting extremely well done, but ultimately the hero is a brutal torturer working for a vile regime. Which the book acknowledges head on, so you just have to decide if you want to spend the time in his company. Good but not likeable.
(Also, the author kills off a previous series lead in this book, and as a romance reader I found that *incredibly* disturbing even though I haven't read any of those books and this is in no way a romance. How we are shaped by our genres.)
(Also, the author kills off a previous series lead in this book, and as a romance reader I found that *incredibly* disturbing even though I haven't read any of those books and this is in no way a romance. How we are shaped by our genres.)
June 11, 2017
Wonderful historical mystery set in the 17th century during the Protectorate of Oliver Cromwell. On reflection I've increased the rating to 5 stars as the book still has me thinking about it after I had finished reading.
Damien Seeker is on the hunt for who murdered John Winter and as the twists and turns of the story unfold, the truth comes to the surface. Often with surprising results. I found the story engrossing and enjoyed that the book never felt to me like it was written with a 21st century vein. Characters had 17th century attitudes to events that occurred throughout the book. Torture of prisoners wasn't frowned upon by our hero. Political intrigue abounds and all in all a very satisfying read.
Recommended for historical and historical mystery readers.
Damien Seeker is on the hunt for who murdered John Winter and as the twists and turns of the story unfold, the truth comes to the surface. Often with surprising results. I found the story engrossing and enjoyed that the book never felt to me like it was written with a 21st century vein. Characters had 17th century attitudes to events that occurred throughout the book. Torture of prisoners wasn't frowned upon by our hero. Political intrigue abounds and all in all a very satisfying read.
Recommended for historical and historical mystery readers.
October 7, 2023
What an interesting and intricate story! Firstly, Oliver Cromwell’s London isn’t a place I’ve visited often but this story brings its turbulent political times to life. Secondly, this mystery is approached not in the slow uncovering of a mystery but rather in the revealing of seemingly unrelated facts and events and characters. I will definitely revisit this author’s work !
January 7, 2021
Actual rating: 5.00
July 22, 2024
4.5 stars for this first in a new-to-me series. I loved the author's The Bookseller of Inverness, so I decided to give this one a try. I do not regret that decision at all!
Very good historical mystery with an unusual time setting--London during Oliver Cromwell's reign as Protector. This story takes place in early November, 1654.
Damian Seeker works for John Thurloe (Cromwell's Secretary of the Council of State and spy master) as an intelligence agent/spy catcher, whose main mission is thwarting plots against Cromwell. Any event that could lead to the disruption of Cromwell's governance is fair game for his investigations.
The murder of former soldier John Winter, one of Cromwell's favorites is such an event.
I loved the main setting for this book, Kent's Coffee House. We meet such a marvelous group of people there. Seeker is originally there to investigate a lead to a Royalist conspiracy, his reputation as an implacable foe of the Royalists preceding him. There are several important characters visiting Kent's; fiery, radical lawyer Elias Ellingworth, peddler Will Fiddler, merchant George Tavener are regulars; first time visitors include Jakob Hendricks, a Dutch Scholar, and two Scots, Presbyterian minister Archibald Campbell, and Zander Seaton, a soldier; and Lady Anne Winter, seeking a calm spot to sit after her carriage is involved in a crash outside the coffee house. As events unfold we learn that one or more of these people is a Royalist spy; and one or more of them is suspected of the murder of John Winter--but which ones are they? A twisty investigation by Seeker ensues.
I loved the owner of the coffee shop, Samuel Kent, his niece Grace, and Elias's sister Maria. I even came to love Seeker. I felt that I knew them, and I worried about all of them as the tension ratcheted up and up.
The author certainly knows the time period well. She managed to impart a lot of historical detail without resorting to the dreaded infodump. I was sucked into the story from the beginning and had a hard time putting the book down when I had to deal with Real Life.
I have only one quibble-there is no US publisher for this series. I lucked into a copy of this first book in my state library system. Alas, I am having to go to ILL for book 2-- (The Black Friar).
I highly recommend this to fans of Alys Clare's Gabriel Taverner series. Also, fans of Gillian Bradshaw's London in Chains: An English Civil War Novel may find this one interesting.
Very good historical mystery with an unusual time setting--London during Oliver Cromwell's reign as Protector. This story takes place in early November, 1654.
Damian Seeker works for John Thurloe (Cromwell's Secretary of the Council of State and spy master) as an intelligence agent/spy catcher, whose main mission is thwarting plots against Cromwell. Any event that could lead to the disruption of Cromwell's governance is fair game for his investigations.
The murder of former soldier John Winter, one of Cromwell's favorites is such an event.
I loved the main setting for this book, Kent's Coffee House. We meet such a marvelous group of people there. Seeker is originally there to investigate a lead to a Royalist conspiracy, his reputation as an implacable foe of the Royalists preceding him. There are several important characters visiting Kent's; fiery, radical lawyer Elias Ellingworth, peddler Will Fiddler, merchant George Tavener are regulars; first time visitors include Jakob Hendricks, a Dutch Scholar, and two Scots, Presbyterian minister Archibald Campbell, and Zander Seaton, a soldier; and Lady Anne Winter, seeking a calm spot to sit after her carriage is involved in a crash outside the coffee house. As events unfold we learn that one or more of these people is a Royalist spy; and one or more of them is suspected of the murder of John Winter--but which ones are they? A twisty investigation by Seeker ensues.
I loved the owner of the coffee shop, Samuel Kent, his niece Grace, and Elias's sister Maria. I even came to love Seeker. I felt that I knew them, and I worried about all of them as the tension ratcheted up and up.
The author certainly knows the time period well. She managed to impart a lot of historical detail without resorting to the dreaded infodump. I was sucked into the story from the beginning and had a hard time putting the book down when I had to deal with Real Life.
I have only one quibble-there is no US publisher for this series. I lucked into a copy of this first book in my state library system. Alas, I am having to go to ILL for book 2-- (The Black Friar).
I highly recommend this to fans of Alys Clare's Gabriel Taverner series. Also, fans of Gillian Bradshaw's London in Chains: An English Civil War Novel may find this one interesting.
March 29, 2022
I was happy to try this first book of a series at the bargain price of 99 cents from Amazon. There are enough reviews on this site that supply detailed descriptions of the plot so I won't go there. Damian Seeker is a formidable operator in the service of Cromwell and for the majority of the book an unpleasant entity to follow. There seems no relief for the reader until things change late in the book. Most of the characters are extremes so the reading experience is tense with never a drop of humour until the very last paragraph of this long book.
Effort and historical detail should have been enough to gladden my heart but it was work to read it.
Effort and historical detail should have been enough to gladden my heart but it was work to read it.
June 29, 2017
I don't write many reviews, but I wanted to write one for this book because I thought it was great and doesn't have a lot of them on Goodreads. Maybe because it's only published by a UK publisher, and isn't even available on Amazon (US version anyway)?
I loved this book and didn't want to put it down, which doesn't happen that often for me, and not usually with historical mysteries either. The historical detail is fantastic, but it's never dry, just interspersed with the narrative, and you really get an idea of what it would have been like to live in Britain under Cromwell. I didn't know anything about this period of history before so it was fascinating to me.
The book is very well-written and the plotting is superb. The mystery definitely kept my attention, with so many layers of connections and secrets, I didn't figure it out until the author revealed things at the end. It's unusual for me to be so invested in the secondary characters early on as well, but I was drawn in and wanted to know their secrets and what was going to happen with them.
Highly recommended for anyone who enjoys historical fiction or a good mystery, a great combination of the two.
I loved this book and didn't want to put it down, which doesn't happen that often for me, and not usually with historical mysteries either. The historical detail is fantastic, but it's never dry, just interspersed with the narrative, and you really get an idea of what it would have been like to live in Britain under Cromwell. I didn't know anything about this period of history before so it was fascinating to me.
The book is very well-written and the plotting is superb. The mystery definitely kept my attention, with so many layers of connections and secrets, I didn't figure it out until the author revealed things at the end. It's unusual for me to be so invested in the secondary characters early on as well, but I was drawn in and wanted to know their secrets and what was going to happen with them.
Highly recommended for anyone who enjoys historical fiction or a good mystery, a great combination of the two.
June 1, 2015
enjoyed this new series based during the commonwealth and the mysterious mr seeker who works for Cromwell and works in the shadows. the plot centres around the murder of one of cromwell's soldiers in Whitehall and royalist plots as the action takes place in London and oxford and as the book goes on we learn more about seeker the man. think that fans of cj sansom would enjoy this as well.
February 12, 2018
Thoroughly enjoyed this crime drama set in the period of the Commonwealth following the triumph of the Parliamentary faction in the English Civil War. It captures well the paranoia that must have been endemic especially in the big cities like Bath and the capital, London, with anyone who voiced the slightest criticism of the regime hauled off to a nasty fate.
The main plotline follows the attempt of Damian Seeker, high up in the Commonwealth's security/spy services to discover who murdered a key player in the regime. Along the way he also has to foil a Royalist plot or two and deal with the dissatisfactions of those who originally backed Parliament's cause but who now are disappointed with the result - only the bosses have changed, instead of the whole of society being made egalitarian.
The interweaving of the storylines of several characters is done very well. The only thing that held this back from being a 5-star read is that we don't fully get into the head of Seeker, a man who has a troubled past but who sometimes comes over as a rather colourless superhero, given his ability to best a professional soldier in a duel with little effort, for example. But a very interesting period of history to use for a crime fiction setting, and I will definitely follow up the sequels.
The main plotline follows the attempt of Damian Seeker, high up in the Commonwealth's security/spy services to discover who murdered a key player in the regime. Along the way he also has to foil a Royalist plot or two and deal with the dissatisfactions of those who originally backed Parliament's cause but who now are disappointed with the result - only the bosses have changed, instead of the whole of society being made egalitarian.
The interweaving of the storylines of several characters is done very well. The only thing that held this back from being a 5-star read is that we don't fully get into the head of Seeker, a man who has a troubled past but who sometimes comes over as a rather colourless superhero, given his ability to best a professional soldier in a duel with little effort, for example. But a very interesting period of history to use for a crime fiction setting, and I will definitely follow up the sequels.
August 26, 2016
They seek him here...
Oliver Cromwell has set himself up as de facto monarch of England, living in Charles Stuart's palace surrounded by luxury. Surrounded also by plots and plotters, he has a spy network to look after his safety and that of the Commonwealth. Amongst them is Seeker, aka The Seeker. When a man apparently loyal to Cromwell is killed, it falls to Seeker aka The Seeker to find out whodunit and why.
I'm going to be perfectly honest here and say that I didn't have a clue what was going on for most of this book. Maybe if I knew the history of Cromwell's England in depth, it might have worked for me, but all the factions left me baffled. As did passing mentions of various religious sects – Ranters, Levellers, Seekers (of whom, amazingly, Seeker aka The Seeker appeared to have once been one). The book is well written and MacLean's research is clearly extremely thorough, but I never got to grips with it and never felt any connection to the myriad of characters who flittered mysteriously across the pages, some of them going by more than one name. One minute we're in London investigating a murder, next we're in Oxford foiling some Royalist plot or other, but not the Royalist plot presumably that we're still trying to foil in London, assuming that is a Royalist plot and not something to do with the slave trade, or maybe opium!
I stuck it out to 80% and then threw in the towel, realising that I couldn't care less who did what to whom or why, and positively couldn't spend any more of my ever-shrinking remaining life-span reading the rest. Part of my problem was that Seeker aka The Seeker (who, if you remember, used to be a Seeker) actually seemed to be the equivalent of the head of the Gestapo, quite happy to take anyone who threatened Cromwell to the Tower for a quick bit of torturing and then a disembowelment or perhaps a dismemberment. I found it hard to see him as a hero – not sure why!
Meantime, there are Dutchmen and invisible Welshmen, and Scotsmen, including one called Zander Seaton, though whether or how he was connected to Alexander Seaton, the hero of MacLean's other series (the one I understood and liked), I have frankly no idea. Or was he just there as a kind of self-referential in-joke? I don't know.
So I gave up and flicked ahead, and discovered that even when I knew whodunit, I still didn't care.
Having said all that, it paints a good picture of plots, secrecy and the murky goings-on in Cromwell's London. And I'm quite sure it would work much better for someone familiar with that period of history, or perhaps someone with more ability/willingness than I to follow nineteen different strands simultaneously while admiring Seeker aka The Seeker. But sadly, not for me.
NB This book was provided for review by the publisher, Quercus.
www.fictionfanblog.wordpress.com
Oliver Cromwell has set himself up as de facto monarch of England, living in Charles Stuart's palace surrounded by luxury. Surrounded also by plots and plotters, he has a spy network to look after his safety and that of the Commonwealth. Amongst them is Seeker, aka The Seeker. When a man apparently loyal to Cromwell is killed, it falls to Seeker aka The Seeker to find out whodunit and why.
I'm going to be perfectly honest here and say that I didn't have a clue what was going on for most of this book. Maybe if I knew the history of Cromwell's England in depth, it might have worked for me, but all the factions left me baffled. As did passing mentions of various religious sects – Ranters, Levellers, Seekers (of whom, amazingly, Seeker aka The Seeker appeared to have once been one). The book is well written and MacLean's research is clearly extremely thorough, but I never got to grips with it and never felt any connection to the myriad of characters who flittered mysteriously across the pages, some of them going by more than one name. One minute we're in London investigating a murder, next we're in Oxford foiling some Royalist plot or other, but not the Royalist plot presumably that we're still trying to foil in London, assuming that is a Royalist plot and not something to do with the slave trade, or maybe opium!
I stuck it out to 80% and then threw in the towel, realising that I couldn't care less who did what to whom or why, and positively couldn't spend any more of my ever-shrinking remaining life-span reading the rest. Part of my problem was that Seeker aka The Seeker (who, if you remember, used to be a Seeker) actually seemed to be the equivalent of the head of the Gestapo, quite happy to take anyone who threatened Cromwell to the Tower for a quick bit of torturing and then a disembowelment or perhaps a dismemberment. I found it hard to see him as a hero – not sure why!
Meantime, there are Dutchmen and invisible Welshmen, and Scotsmen, including one called Zander Seaton, though whether or how he was connected to Alexander Seaton, the hero of MacLean's other series (the one I understood and liked), I have frankly no idea. Or was he just there as a kind of self-referential in-joke? I don't know.
So I gave up and flicked ahead, and discovered that even when I knew whodunit, I still didn't care.
Having said all that, it paints a good picture of plots, secrecy and the murky goings-on in Cromwell's London. And I'm quite sure it would work much better for someone familiar with that period of history, or perhaps someone with more ability/willingness than I to follow nineteen different strands simultaneously while admiring Seeker aka The Seeker. But sadly, not for me.
NB This book was provided for review by the publisher, Quercus.
www.fictionfanblog.wordpress.com
July 31, 2020
Beautifully written and cleverly plotted. This was a mystery, but it was almost more of a spy thriller that kept me guessing and in the dark for most of the book. I would love to back and read this book from the beginning now that I know what was going on with each character. I loved the complexity and the writing.
January 2, 2026
3.5 stars
The Seeker is set in 17th century London with a interesting historical murder mystery. We follow Captain Damien Seeker, Lord Cromwell's agent, where he tries to find the real culprit in a suspicious killing. Ladden with political plots and lot of twists, the story does a great job showcasing the life under Cromwell's rule.
But honestly, the overall tone weighed pretty heavy, a lot of despair, suspicion, internal plots against the King and Cromwell and grim mood throughout the book. The world building is cool and Seeker himself a fascinating lead, with his loyalty and sharpness, it is an interesting though not an uplifting read.
Happy Reading!!
The Seeker is set in 17th century London with a interesting historical murder mystery. We follow Captain Damien Seeker, Lord Cromwell's agent, where he tries to find the real culprit in a suspicious killing. Ladden with political plots and lot of twists, the story does a great job showcasing the life under Cromwell's rule.
But honestly, the overall tone weighed pretty heavy, a lot of despair, suspicion, internal plots against the King and Cromwell and grim mood throughout the book. The world building is cool and Seeker himself a fascinating lead, with his loyalty and sharpness, it is an interesting though not an uplifting read.
Happy Reading!!
September 29, 2019
Loved the setting of London and the twist was unexpected
October 4, 2022
1650’s England at the time of Cromwell. Damien Seeker is known to be incorruptible. He protects Cromwell. That protection runs deep. When one of Cromwell’s favorite generals is murdered, Damien is presented with an obvious murderer, and yet?
Some surprising twists. Does this hard man have a soft kernel hiding deep inside? Justice and the rightness of it is very important to the Seeker.
I loved the avenues this story opened up.
Some surprising twists. Does this hard man have a soft kernel hiding deep inside? Justice and the rightness of it is very important to the Seeker.
I loved the avenues this story opened up.
January 3, 2018
Thoroughly enjoyed this. Some very clever elements to it as the ground constantly shifts beneath our expectations. Loved Damian Seeker.
November 29, 2024
This is the first book in the Damian Seeker series, set in London in 1654, during the time of Oliver Cromwell. King Charles the second is living in exile, but Royalists still continue to hope for Cromwell to be overthrown and the king to return. Those loyal to the king still inhabit the towns and country, and have infiltrated to high ranks in Cromwell's forces. It is the job of Damian Seeker to find those who pose a threat to Cromwell and rid the country of them.
Seeker is an interesting character who grew on me. I did not particularly like him for much of the book, but eventually his humanity and a kind streak start to be revealed. These is a great deal of history embedded in this novel, but it is delivered in the form of a story about an innocent man who has been thrown into the tower for the death of a man who was a friend and supporter of Cromwell. Seeker arrests this man, but almost immediately begins to question his guilt, and to seek to find the truth. The author shows great skill in weaving a story that makes this time in history come alive, with all it's intrigue and horrors. I am looking forward to the second book in the series. This was a 4.5 read for me.
Seeker is an interesting character who grew on me. I did not particularly like him for much of the book, but eventually his humanity and a kind streak start to be revealed. These is a great deal of history embedded in this novel, but it is delivered in the form of a story about an innocent man who has been thrown into the tower for the death of a man who was a friend and supporter of Cromwell. Seeker arrests this man, but almost immediately begins to question his guilt, and to seek to find the truth. The author shows great skill in weaving a story that makes this time in history come alive, with all it's intrigue and horrors. I am looking forward to the second book in the series. This was a 4.5 read for me.
June 21, 2016
The English Civil War is over, Royalists defeated, King Charles executed, England under the rule of Oliver Cromwell, a People’s Commonwealth reminiscent of Stalin’s Russia. But Cromwell’s rule is new and fearful of royal restoration. The much feared and mysterious Damian Seeker is an instrument of the regime, employed to seek out plots, dissidence and revolution and to crush them.
What a fascinating novel this is! It could so easily have fallen into any number of traps, but the author deftly confounds expectation throughout. What the reader gets is a supremely intelligent historical thriller combined with a period who-dunnit. One of Cromwell’s most loyal officers is murdered outside his wife’s door. She, an inveterate Royalist, comes under suspicion on a number of scores. Plots against Cromwell are revealed. The seeker, although feared by the populace, is actually more interested in truth and justice than slavish subservience to the state. In the remarkable cast of suspects the author reveals depth and humanity.
This novel appealed to me greatly. S.G. MacLean has clear empathy with her period and her characters. She plots with originality and holds the reader entranced throughout. Perhaps the best thriller I have read this year, I look forward to the next in the series.
What a fascinating novel this is! It could so easily have fallen into any number of traps, but the author deftly confounds expectation throughout. What the reader gets is a supremely intelligent historical thriller combined with a period who-dunnit. One of Cromwell’s most loyal officers is murdered outside his wife’s door. She, an inveterate Royalist, comes under suspicion on a number of scores. Plots against Cromwell are revealed. The seeker, although feared by the populace, is actually more interested in truth and justice than slavish subservience to the state. In the remarkable cast of suspects the author reveals depth and humanity.
This novel appealed to me greatly. S.G. MacLean has clear empathy with her period and her characters. She plots with originality and holds the reader entranced throughout. Perhaps the best thriller I have read this year, I look forward to the next in the series.
January 17, 2020
Just wonderful. Clearly this was very well researched. In addition to Cromwell, there are a few other real people and it was a delight to look them up and find out more about them (William Davenant, Lucy Hutchinson, John Winter). Well plotted with excellent characterisation. Damian Seeker in particular is fascinating. The mystery kept me guessing and was resolved well. Looking forward to the rest of the series.
January 27, 2020
Loved this. New author for me and great murder mystery in the time of Oliver Cromwell. When one of his close allies is killed Damien Seeker is tasked with sorting it all out. Seeker is a sombre and unfriendly type but ruthless in the chase. Good story in a period of English history that was politicallly a powder keg. Really pleased to have picked this up.
October 20, 2015
Seeker is an agent for Oliver Cromwell who is tasked with finding the murderer of an army officer. This was a fantastic thriller set during the Commonwealth, a period in England's history that is reminiscent of Stalin's Russia with the spies and lack of free speech, etc.
January 2, 2021
A very well researched historical novel and at the same time full of mystery and intrigue. MacLean plunges us into a world brimming with supporters of the Commonwealth as well as royalists, merchants, lawyers and pamphleteers, spies. The reader is carried forward by the story and enthralled by the turns and twists of the plot of this historical murder-mystery, spy novel.
At the centre there is a mystery that is set up by the first pages of the book. MacLean manages to recreate an authentic feel of Oliver Cromwells London and at the same time to play out a murder-mystery akin to the novels of Agatha Christie. The several threads of the plot are masterfully (though not artificially) woven together. And they all seem to run together in a London coffee house.
Damian Seeker, captain of Oliver Cromwell's guard is on the hunt for a killer who seems to threaten the very centre of the commonwealth - the life of the Lord Protector himself.
I could not put down this book and look forward to the others in the series. highly recommended
At the centre there is a mystery that is set up by the first pages of the book. MacLean manages to recreate an authentic feel of Oliver Cromwells London and at the same time to play out a murder-mystery akin to the novels of Agatha Christie. The several threads of the plot are masterfully (though not artificially) woven together. And they all seem to run together in a London coffee house.
Damian Seeker, captain of Oliver Cromwell's guard is on the hunt for a killer who seems to threaten the very centre of the commonwealth - the life of the Lord Protector himself.
I could not put down this book and look forward to the others in the series. highly recommended
did-not-finish
June 25, 2017Despite loving historical fiction, Oliver Cromwell's England and the two King Charles' either side of it has never been an era of interest to me; I've tried many but finished few.
With the added bonus of a good juicy murder mystery, this book might have been the one to break the cycle but it also went the way of a DNF. It's well written and researched, and with a different time would probably have worked for me, but I just can't muster up any enthusiasm for either cause.
Time to accept once and for all that me n' the ol' civil war just ain't meant to be.
With the added bonus of a good juicy murder mystery, this book might have been the one to break the cycle but it also went the way of a DNF. It's well written and researched, and with a different time would probably have worked for me, but I just can't muster up any enthusiasm for either cause.
Time to accept once and for all that me n' the ol' civil war just ain't meant to be.
February 11, 2024
At first, I thought I’d made a mistake in choosing this novel. The text was hard to grasp and hold my attention, I had to keep re-reading sentences to make them work and there is a lot of moments when a scene changes without explanation.But I am so glad I stuck with it and after a 100 pages, got used to the writing style of Maclean. Amazing ending how the various plots and sub-plots all come together and make sense and made me understand the purpose of the scene changes and things unsaid. Great, loved it, gonna read the next in the series
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