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Harry Lytle Chronicles #1
The Sweet Smell of Decay
London 1664.Harry Lytle has just discovered he has a young cousin, Anne Giles. But he s had the pleasure of meeting her for the first time as a corpse. Harry sets out to track down Anne s killer; he must follow a trail of blood, conspiracy and corruption that takes him to the dark and murky corners of Restoration London, featuring a great cast of cheeky wenches, harmless witches, likeable villains, and not a few unsavory fellows keen on sending Lytle to an early grave.Lawrence s hero Harry heads a mix of gruesome murder, ghastly villains and gallows humor that has found a following among fans of Susanna Gregory, Karen Maitland and CJ Sansom s historical mysteries.
320 pages, Paperback
First published March 12, 2009
17 people are currently reading
385 people want to read
About the author
Paul Lawrence
10 books71 followersI'm 50 years old - ish, born in the UK. After doing a psychology degree at Durham, and a PhD at London in 1989, I joined BP. My main motivation was travel, and so with BP I worked and lived in Australia, Spain, Portugal and Japan. By 2002 we had 4 children, and decided to settle - emigrating to Australia in 2004. I started writing 'The Sweet Smell of Decay' in 1994 - during our first visit to Australia - and finished it in 2008. Between 1994 and 2008 I learned to write, and completely immersed myself in the history of the period. The sequel to 'Sweet Smell', 'A Plague of Sinners' was published in May 2010, and the third in the series 'Hearts of Darkness' is now out in paperback. Currently working on a new project ...
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 60 reviews
July 18, 2010
Truthfully, I quit this book with about 150 pages to go because it was just...boring. The narrator, Harry Lytle, is a pale, undeveloped, and uninteresting copy of Rose Tremain's marvelous Robert Merivel (if you want to read a novel of Restoration England I cannot recommend her beautiful novel Restoration highly enough) and he is mysteriously commanded to solve a murder with the help of a butcher--why?? Maybe that's all explained in the last few pages but eh, who cares. Things happened in the course of this nearly 500 page novel, but it felt like nothing really happened--and it seemed to not really happen over and over; there was a lot of repetition. The plot was somewhat confusing but not in an intriguing way and I just stopped caring who did what and why they did it. Usually when I've already read 3/4 of a book that I'm not liking I can force myself to finish it but you know what? Not this time. Tempus fugit, summer is already halfway over!
October 16, 2009
Restoration London, 1664, brought vividly to life, with all the sights, sounds and smells of a teeming city. Loaded with intrigue and crawling with treachery, this introduction into the world of Harry Lytle opens with a gruesome discovery of a murdered corpse in a church. Harry and his sidekick, David the butcher, investigate the alleged attack with all the gusto of a modern day CSI. From the bowels of Newgate gaol, to spectatorship at the gibbet, this story just hurtles along. Accurately researched and vibrant with detail, I was quickly engrossed in the twists and turns of the plot. If I have any criticism, it is that there seems to be an abundance of characters, and, making sense of where they fit into the story is quite a challenge. However, I found it to be an enjoyable challenge and will certainly look forward to more of Harry’s lively adventures in the promised sequels.
A good personal read and one that would make for lively discussion as part of a book group recommendation.
A good personal read and one that would make for lively discussion as part of a book group recommendation.
July 17, 2011
While I didn't dislike this book I can't say it was a pleasant read. The main character, Harry Lytle, never gelled for me. He seemed muddled, indecisive and just plain vague- I never got a picture of him in my mind. The setting and language of the book felt like the author decided to include his period research by the shovel-full using every description of filth, squalor and bodily function that he could cram into the text and also making sure to throw in just about every bit of latter 17thc jargon and terminology that he could fit. I felt beaten down by the smells and sights and language of the thing - it left me with a nasty taste - not too many books make you want to go wash up after reading.
While perhaps true to the period, the abundance of political shenanigans, power plays and evil in government tends to turn me off- maybe it smacks too much of current events for comfort. I applaud the author's effort to use this period as a setting but doubt I will want to follow Harry into any future adventures in these mean (and smelly) streets.
While perhaps true to the period, the abundance of political shenanigans, power plays and evil in government tends to turn me off- maybe it smacks too much of current events for comfort. I applaud the author's effort to use this period as a setting but doubt I will want to follow Harry into any future adventures in these mean (and smelly) streets.
May 4, 2010
That is exactly the kind of historical thrillers I like so much.
The Sweet Smell of Decay is an intoxicating, gorgeous, alluring, interspersed with action and violence, thrilling, twisting, witty and hefty, luckily non smelling, porcupined with historical information, absolutely entertaining, historical thriller.
Read my full review of The Sweet Smell of Decay over at Edi's Book Lighthouse
The Sweet Smell of Decay is an intoxicating, gorgeous, alluring, interspersed with action and violence, thrilling, twisting, witty and hefty, luckily non smelling, porcupined with historical information, absolutely entertaining, historical thriller.
Read my full review of The Sweet Smell of Decay over at Edi's Book Lighthouse
March 6, 2014
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 8, 2023
First read this about 13 years ago and have held onto it so must have liked it. Couldn't remember the story from before but enjoyed the mystery of solving a crime in a more historic setting.
October 17, 2011
The Sweet Smell of Decay, Paul Lawrence’s first installment of the Harry Lytle Chronicles, opens in the year 1664, with Oliver Cromwell dead and Charles Stuart occupying the throne of England where feuds abound, religious temper seethes, and witch-hunting is heinous sport.
Accompanied by the pious butcher, Davy Dowling, Harry Lytle finds himself standing reluctantly in the vestry of St. Brides Church. Is this woman lying before him a cousin - or no? Harry hasn’t a clue. Other than the cryptic letter from his father tucked safely in his pocket. Nor does the relationship in question even matter as he stands over Anne Giles’ ravaged corpse. What had she done to deserve such a dastardly end to her young life? Her slight body bound to the pulpit, red hair splayed about her shoulders and breasts, eyes gouged from their sockets and a cord tied around her mouth with such force the killer broke her teeth.
An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth? Clues Harry will seek, and clues he will find, for he and Dowling have been charged with solving this gruesome murder by a trusted advisor to the King himself!
Not that Harry Lytle goes about the countryside seeking to solve crimes of such vileness. He much rather fancies himself in one of London’s fine taverns like the Crowne where he partakes to his heart’s content of pipes and ale.
But he is Anne Giles relative, is he not?
Now, where shall he and Dowling begin their search? Perhaps with St. Brides’ rector who speaks of witchery and missing keys? The old woman, Mary Bedford, selling meats in the village and perceived to practice the black arts? Or maybe young Anne’s husband, the very cause of her estrangement from her family?
The trail of “What ifs” steer Harry and Dowling hastily to the dungeon-like cells of Newgate prison where a man named Richard Joyce is already held for Anne’s murder, and within days, will be tried, hung, drawn and quartered if found guilty - and he will be found guilty. But Harry’s gut says Joyce killed no woman. Alas, Harry’s confounded gut screams Joyce’s innocence!
From Westminster Hall to The Mermaid Tavern on Cheapside, a dank cellar in Alsatia and concluding in a shocking courtroom trial with a most surprising outcome, Paul Lawrence invites readers to accompany Harry Lytle on a dangerous tromp through city and countryside where no one and nothing is as it seems. Time and again, while reading Lawrence’s novel, I mused at how his historical mystery could be transported to modern times and easily hold its own.
The Sweet Smell of Decay (ISBN 9781905636426, Beautiful Books LTD) is followed by the sequel, A Plague of Sinners (ISBN 9781905636914, Beautiful Books LTD) . I’m pleased to report I’ve read both, and Paul Lawrence has me thoroughly hooked. If you like well-crafted, witty tales with endearing characters, revolting villains, clever twists and unpredicted turns, this series does not disappoint. I eagerly await the third installment.
A native of the UK, Paul Lawrence earned a psychology degree at Durham and a PhD at University College London. He has lived and worked in Australia, Spain, Portugal and Japan. In 2004, he settled with his family on Sydney's North Shore where he continues working on his Harry Lytle Chronicles. To find out more about this author and his work, visit http://www.harrylytle.com/.
Accompanied by the pious butcher, Davy Dowling, Harry Lytle finds himself standing reluctantly in the vestry of St. Brides Church. Is this woman lying before him a cousin - or no? Harry hasn’t a clue. Other than the cryptic letter from his father tucked safely in his pocket. Nor does the relationship in question even matter as he stands over Anne Giles’ ravaged corpse. What had she done to deserve such a dastardly end to her young life? Her slight body bound to the pulpit, red hair splayed about her shoulders and breasts, eyes gouged from their sockets and a cord tied around her mouth with such force the killer broke her teeth.
An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth? Clues Harry will seek, and clues he will find, for he and Dowling have been charged with solving this gruesome murder by a trusted advisor to the King himself!
Not that Harry Lytle goes about the countryside seeking to solve crimes of such vileness. He much rather fancies himself in one of London’s fine taverns like the Crowne where he partakes to his heart’s content of pipes and ale.
But he is Anne Giles relative, is he not?
Now, where shall he and Dowling begin their search? Perhaps with St. Brides’ rector who speaks of witchery and missing keys? The old woman, Mary Bedford, selling meats in the village and perceived to practice the black arts? Or maybe young Anne’s husband, the very cause of her estrangement from her family?
The trail of “What ifs” steer Harry and Dowling hastily to the dungeon-like cells of Newgate prison where a man named Richard Joyce is already held for Anne’s murder, and within days, will be tried, hung, drawn and quartered if found guilty - and he will be found guilty. But Harry’s gut says Joyce killed no woman. Alas, Harry’s confounded gut screams Joyce’s innocence!
From Westminster Hall to The Mermaid Tavern on Cheapside, a dank cellar in Alsatia and concluding in a shocking courtroom trial with a most surprising outcome, Paul Lawrence invites readers to accompany Harry Lytle on a dangerous tromp through city and countryside where no one and nothing is as it seems. Time and again, while reading Lawrence’s novel, I mused at how his historical mystery could be transported to modern times and easily hold its own.
The Sweet Smell of Decay (ISBN 9781905636426, Beautiful Books LTD) is followed by the sequel, A Plague of Sinners (ISBN 9781905636914, Beautiful Books LTD) . I’m pleased to report I’ve read both, and Paul Lawrence has me thoroughly hooked. If you like well-crafted, witty tales with endearing characters, revolting villains, clever twists and unpredicted turns, this series does not disappoint. I eagerly await the third installment.
A native of the UK, Paul Lawrence earned a psychology degree at Durham and a PhD at University College London. He has lived and worked in Australia, Spain, Portugal and Japan. In 2004, he settled with his family on Sydney's North Shore where he continues working on his Harry Lytle Chronicles. To find out more about this author and his work, visit http://www.harrylytle.com/.
March 6, 2012
Harry Lytle is charged with investigating the brutal murder of his cousin Anne Giles. Assisted by his friend, a butcher named David Dowling, the two embark on a journey that takes them across the English countryside, through the dirty and smelly streets of the capital, and into the dreaded Tower of London in an attempt to seek justice. Dirty politics, seedy characters and miscommunication plague them at every step of the investigation and Lytle finds himself on the wrong side of the law and in a terrible, no-win situation.
Mixed feelings regarding this one. I really wanted to like the book and I did enjoy it overall but there were so many parts where the story just dragged on (albeit it REALLY picked up at the end). Set in 1664 London, Lawrence does a fantastic job describing the period details and setting--so much so that the reader can almost smell the “decay” and see the sights of England through Harry’s eyes. I'm going to give the second book in this series a try before adding this author to my "love it" or "leave it" category.
Mixed feelings regarding this one. I really wanted to like the book and I did enjoy it overall but there were so many parts where the story just dragged on (albeit it REALLY picked up at the end). Set in 1664 London, Lawrence does a fantastic job describing the period details and setting--so much so that the reader can almost smell the “decay” and see the sights of England through Harry’s eyes. I'm going to give the second book in this series a try before adding this author to my "love it" or "leave it" category.
May 2, 2016
I loved this novel from start to finish. There were a few grammatical errors but nothing so major to detract from the story which moved along at a fast pace. I found the book very descriptive, it was as if I was actually transported back to 1664. My only slight criticism would be that as a reader I struggled to get a mental image of the main character Harry as there was no description of him, only a few mannerisms to go on. I am hopeful that after I read the next two books in the series that I will gain a better understanding of Harry Lytle.
June 12, 2010
Wow. Just finished reading Sweet Smell of Decay a few minutes ago. It's been a while since a novel drew me in so thoroughly, kept me turning pages with such anticipation. And mind you, historical mysteries are not my usual fare. It'll take me several days to write a fitting review for Mr. Lawrence's novel. Meanwhile, I'd urge anyone looking for a well-written, entertaining, edge-of-your-seat tale to pick up a copy
June 26, 2014
When I picked this up at the free bookshop there were another five copies of it, which got me to thinking that either it was very good or rather crap.
I am pleased to say that it was in the former rather than the latter. Quick paced and well executed narrative with a good mystery and characters, worthy of a read.
I am pleased to say that it was in the former rather than the latter. Quick paced and well executed narrative with a good mystery and characters, worthy of a read.
November 15, 2019
Different but amusing and interesting
I wasn't sure when I began this that I would like it but I was quickly caught up in the story. It's different from a lot of things I've read but it's well-written and I found the characters interesting and in fact amusing in many places . I will read the second one to see if it's as good .
I wasn't sure when I began this that I would like it but I was quickly caught up in the story. It's different from a lot of things I've read but it's well-written and I found the characters interesting and in fact amusing in many places . I will read the second one to see if it's as good .
April 30, 2013
This is an amazing book it just makes you want to keep reading .I highly recommend it and the other book too, a plague of sinners I cannot wait for the next book to come out that's how addictive the book is.10/10 for me. It is a MUST HAVE
September 23, 2011
I enjoyed this book, I read it second, and was surprised by the different tone. I recommend it.
wishlist
October 18, 2012Omg, I need this book.!!!!!!!
July 9, 2017
Regular flashes of dry wit don't quite compensate for uneven pacing, a protagonist and sidekick whose motivations never clearly come together, and - while not the author's fault - some of the worst copy editing I've seen in a printed book.
The book is also disgusting, but more importantly, it's disgusting in the wrong way. It revels in squalor, describing the surroundings in more detail and with more revulsion than a contemporary character would have reason to. True, it was a dirtier time, but how much page time would a modern person devote to describing hygiene and sewage handling processes? That's how unremarkable such issues should be to Harry Lytle. On the other side of the coin, after a fantastically grisly opening chapter digging around in eye sockets and picking up fragments of teeth, Lytle suddenly decides to spare us the details for all subsequent scenes of murder and dismemberment. Hey, listen, if you're digging up and cutting open a ten-year-old corpse, at least have the decency to tell us what it's like. If you get to bang on about people living in their own shit for three pages per chapter, I think you owe us some more interesting grossouts.
Paul Lawrence is not without talent, but this is a real mixed bag.
The book is also disgusting, but more importantly, it's disgusting in the wrong way. It revels in squalor, describing the surroundings in more detail and with more revulsion than a contemporary character would have reason to. True, it was a dirtier time, but how much page time would a modern person devote to describing hygiene and sewage handling processes? That's how unremarkable such issues should be to Harry Lytle. On the other side of the coin, after a fantastically grisly opening chapter digging around in eye sockets and picking up fragments of teeth, Lytle suddenly decides to spare us the details for all subsequent scenes of murder and dismemberment. Hey, listen, if you're digging up and cutting open a ten-year-old corpse, at least have the decency to tell us what it's like. If you get to bang on about people living in their own shit for three pages per chapter, I think you owe us some more interesting grossouts.
Paul Lawrence is not without talent, but this is a real mixed bag.
January 4, 2022
A good romp through post-Civil war London. Some descriptions may have been a little gratuitous but it did feel immersive, and the author had clearly done his research which I always appreciate in historical novels.
A good plot underneath it as well, except that the individual characters just didn’t get enough time given to them for their motives to feel genuine, including the two main characters.
Lytle and Dowler were classic subversions of the ‘hero’ and ‘sidekick’ - but I would be much more inclined to read a follow up about Dowler than Lytle.
Also, a minor gripe, but when it showcases all over the cover that it’s the first in a series, it does take a bit of suspense out of the ending.
A good plot underneath it as well, except that the individual characters just didn’t get enough time given to them for their motives to feel genuine, including the two main characters.
Lytle and Dowler were classic subversions of the ‘hero’ and ‘sidekick’ - but I would be much more inclined to read a follow up about Dowler than Lytle.
Also, a minor gripe, but when it showcases all over the cover that it’s the first in a series, it does take a bit of suspense out of the ending.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 9, 2021
Harry Lytle is called on by powerful political figures in 1664 London to find the murderer of a female cousin he never knew. With the aid of a butcher, appointed by the Mayor, they attempt to establish the truth behind the gruesome killing particularly when an innocent is charged and executed. A nice twist at the end saves an overlong story, better at 300 pages rather than 440, even though the atmosphere, the casual violence and the ever-present illnesses and afflictions provide impressive historical credibility
March 19, 2019
I almost stopped reading so many times! I did finish the book; and after pages and pages of rambling on and on, the denouement came in just a few paragraphs, was so confusing it had to be read twice, and left my head spinning. I have a sample of the second book in the series. I'll read the sample to see if it is an improvement on the first book. Certainly not to be compared with C. J. Sansom's Matthew Shardlake novels!
June 1, 2018
Why oh why did I finish this book ??
April 16, 2019
My paperback version had a number of typos. The plot seemed slightly unrealistic jumping around and with such a sudden ending.
January 22, 2023
Great read. Looking forward to the next one.
May 19, 2024
I quit at page 100. Did not follow the story. Could not distinguish characters. Because of the used language. I am Dutch so English is not my native language and this old English is hard to follow.
June 30, 2025
I enjoy historical novels. The descriptive writing is very good. There were too many characters, this made the story complicated.
October 28, 2012
I will definitely not pick that book to read it again, that's a certainty.
First of all, the publishing house (which for all I know has gone bust by now) should have employed a better editor. I found a whole paragraph repeated twice. But that's barely anything compared to the unending blabbering of the author while describing the scenes, making it impossible to enjoy a story that MAY have been more than OK if it got more or less straight to the point. It felt as if someone told the author that in order for him to have his novel published he would have to have something around the 100k word count, so he stretched a novella story (if not a novelette) into a long winded, unnecessary blabber.
Secondly, and for me quite important, was the use of words that aren't just old-fashioned, but haven't been used for more than fifty years. I would never ask of an author to write a book in current "slang" terms, but I am expecting to be able to read a book and enjoy it without having to revise a dictionary every ten minutes. I can also understand the author trying to set the mood of London back in 1664 through the dialogues, but by using all those long forgotten words even during the narration was just tiring and again stopped me from enjoying the plot.
Lastly, I have to say that it was hard to connect to the main character and the plot in general. The book was quite indifferent for the first 150 pages, there was a small improvement there but nothing big and after that it remained simply OK, with the main character portrayed as a buffoon, out of place, time and understanding of his whereabouts. Some would say that he was courageous and honest, but to them I can only reply "Ignorance is bliss". Yes, he did have a couple of epiphanies, and yes, the book has a few good moments, but all in all, it's one of those books I wouldn't recommend to anyone and would be more than glad to give them the short version of it rather than have them waste their time over it and away from other books that do deserve the attention and appreciation.
First of all, the publishing house (which for all I know has gone bust by now) should have employed a better editor. I found a whole paragraph repeated twice. But that's barely anything compared to the unending blabbering of the author while describing the scenes, making it impossible to enjoy a story that MAY have been more than OK if it got more or less straight to the point. It felt as if someone told the author that in order for him to have his novel published he would have to have something around the 100k word count, so he stretched a novella story (if not a novelette) into a long winded, unnecessary blabber.
Secondly, and for me quite important, was the use of words that aren't just old-fashioned, but haven't been used for more than fifty years. I would never ask of an author to write a book in current "slang" terms, but I am expecting to be able to read a book and enjoy it without having to revise a dictionary every ten minutes. I can also understand the author trying to set the mood of London back in 1664 through the dialogues, but by using all those long forgotten words even during the narration was just tiring and again stopped me from enjoying the plot.
Lastly, I have to say that it was hard to connect to the main character and the plot in general. The book was quite indifferent for the first 150 pages, there was a small improvement there but nothing big and after that it remained simply OK, with the main character portrayed as a buffoon, out of place, time and understanding of his whereabouts. Some would say that he was courageous and honest, but to them I can only reply "Ignorance is bliss". Yes, he did have a couple of epiphanies, and yes, the book has a few good moments, but all in all, it's one of those books I wouldn't recommend to anyone and would be more than glad to give them the short version of it rather than have them waste their time over it and away from other books that do deserve the attention and appreciation.
February 19, 2013
The Sweet Smell of Decay is a fun little book that has a challenging mystery, good characters, and a fast paced setting.
Set in London in the 1660s, the book's actions focus on Harry Lytle, who has been charged with discovering the identity of his cousin's murderer. This quest will take him from the slums of London to the very halls of power and change his life forever.
The strengths of the book lie in the writing and characters. At times the main character may seem out of place for 17th Century England, but for the most part, the author strives to make him 'true to life.' The plot is challenging enough to keep you keep guessing, even if the ending seems a little forced.
The challenge of writing historical fiction is to try to keep within the historical framework. It is here that the novel suffers from its greatest problems. At times, it appears that we are reading about 21st century people transplanted back in time. There is a ring of inauthenticity about it, but the book is so pleasant that we are willing to overlook it.
Overall, this book is for anybody who likes mysteries, historical fiction, or just looking for a good story.
Grade: B+
Set in London in the 1660s, the book's actions focus on Harry Lytle, who has been charged with discovering the identity of his cousin's murderer. This quest will take him from the slums of London to the very halls of power and change his life forever.
The strengths of the book lie in the writing and characters. At times the main character may seem out of place for 17th Century England, but for the most part, the author strives to make him 'true to life.' The plot is challenging enough to keep you keep guessing, even if the ending seems a little forced.
The challenge of writing historical fiction is to try to keep within the historical framework. It is here that the novel suffers from its greatest problems. At times, it appears that we are reading about 21st century people transplanted back in time. There is a ring of inauthenticity about it, but the book is so pleasant that we are willing to overlook it.
Overall, this book is for anybody who likes mysteries, historical fiction, or just looking for a good story.
Grade: B+
July 23, 2011
c2009. An enjoyable read although I was mostly confused most of the time. I suppose that it was a plot device so that you could follow the protagonists's own confusion. While I was typing that I am not sure whether to bother with the second one in the series, I reminded myself of the humour and the London historical background which was actually very good indeed - so I am going to take a chance on the next one. "Where are you goin'?" a low voice growled into my left ear. A small scream escaped my lips and my bowels came to within a sneeze of emptying themselves into my drawers. Gritting my teeth I growled, hating the poacher for frightening me so badly."
July 15, 2016
I really enjoyed the atmosphere and setting of this book, it was a refreshing change from the modern crime/mystery novels I've been reading this year. The narrator was also a big plus: foppish, snobby and lecherous, but doggedly pursuant of his task and duty.
However, I have to admit I struggled mightily with the plot. The layers of political machinations and deceit were about three layers too deep for my feeble brain. At several points in the novel I was bored and confused, a bad combination.
Because the setting and protagonist were so enjoyable, I'll be giving the second book in the series a go. 3.5 stars.
However, I have to admit I struggled mightily with the plot. The layers of political machinations and deceit were about three layers too deep for my feeble brain. At several points in the novel I was bored and confused, a bad combination.
Because the setting and protagonist were so enjoyable, I'll be giving the second book in the series a go. 3.5 stars.
June 11, 2013
I'm so very sad. I desperately wanted to love this book and this series. I just couldn't get into it; forcing myself to continue reading, wanting to give it a chance to pick up. Then I realized that there are thousands of books I want to devour and so many more to come, that I can't possibly come close to reading everything on my list, especially if I don't become more ruthless with my decisions to stop reading a book that I'm not thoroughly enjoying. Just disappointed...I was expecting this to be a favorite. Oh well, the search continues...
Displaying 1 - 30 of 60 reviews