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William Falkland #2
The Protector
Autumn,1646. The First Civil War is over, and England licks its wounds. But the killing is not yet done.
William Falkland, former favourite of King Charles turned reluctant investigator for Oliver Cromwell, seeks his missing family. Time and again his hopes are destroyed. Then a figure from his past catches up with him - Cromwell is not finished with his intelligencer. Summoned to London, Falkland is introduced to a young man of letters - a polemicist and pamphleteer by the name of John Milton. His cherished sister Anne has vanished, apparently abducted by supporters of the king.
Falkland's task - to identify the culprit and return Anne unharmed - will lead him to a brutal murder buried in the maelstrom of the War, to a ruined Lincolnshire manor house, and to a secret that must be snuffed out at all costs.
William Falkland, former favourite of King Charles turned reluctant investigator for Oliver Cromwell, seeks his missing family. Time and again his hopes are destroyed. Then a figure from his past catches up with him - Cromwell is not finished with his intelligencer. Summoned to London, Falkland is introduced to a young man of letters - a polemicist and pamphleteer by the name of John Milton. His cherished sister Anne has vanished, apparently abducted by supporters of the king.
Falkland's task - to identify the culprit and return Anne unharmed - will lead him to a brutal murder buried in the maelstrom of the War, to a ruined Lincolnshire manor house, and to a secret that must be snuffed out at all costs.
328 pages, Hardcover
First published July 30, 2015
3 people are currently reading
30 people want to read
About the author
S.J. Deas
2 books8 followersAka Stephen Deas and Nathan Hawke
S.J. Deas was born in 1968. He once set fire to Wales. Well one bit of Wales. Twice. When not burning principalities he managed to study theoretical physics at Cambridge, get a job at BAE, marry and have two children. He now lives in Essex.
S.J. Deas was born in 1968. He once set fire to Wales. Well one bit of Wales. Twice. When not burning principalities he managed to study theoretical physics at Cambridge, get a job at BAE, marry and have two children. He now lives in Essex.
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
July 27, 2015
I loved the first historical mystery featuring William Falkland, “The Royalist,” so I was very happy to be given the chance to review the second in the series. It is 1646 and Falkland has spent six months struggling through a war weary country looking for his beloved wife, Caro, and two children, to no avail. For Falkland left home six years before under the king’s banner and now his family home is empty and he has no idea where his family are, or why they left.
In the first novel, Falkland was approached by Oliver Cromwell, to help investigate a spate of suicides in his New Model Army. Now, Falkland is again approached by Henry Warbeck, Cromwell’s man, to investigate the whereabouts of a missing person. The Civil War is nearly over; Prince Rupert still holds Oxford, which is a city under siege, but there is hope that soon the long conflict that has divided the country will be over.
John Milton, pamphleteer, wordsmith for Parliament and poet, is in London and his words are important to the cause. As such, Cromwell is keen to keep this difficult, volatile man happy. Milton’s sister, Anne Agar, was abducted some weeks ago and it is assumed that she has been taken by supporters of the king. The irony of searching for a missing woman, while unable to locate his own family, is not lost on Falkland, but he agrees to help.
Anne Agar’s husband, long missing in the war, was a royalist; while Milton supports Parliament. They are another divided family in the conflict and, from the first, Falkland is unsure that the story is being told is the whole truth. However, if Anne was not taken by the royalists, then who snatched her and why? What are the significance of letters, stolen from Anne’s room and what part have ‘The Levellers’ – extreme anti-royalists – played in events? Falkland’s investigation will lead him through a country that needs to heal violent wounds and where, with the war coming to an end, many worry about both what lies ahead and what crimes they may need to answer for during the conflict…
I really enjoyed this second mystery featuring William Falkland. A royalist no longer, like so many in this book, he just wishes the war to be over. As well as the return of Henry Warbeck, Kate Cain, from “The Royalist,” also features in this novel. I enjoyed the setting of the novel; much of it in London and showing the importance of the booksellers and printers of the time. There is also good use of real life characters, including Oliver Cromwell and John Milton – of course, best known for “Paradise Lost, “ which would have been written long after events in this book. I sincerely hope there will be more mysteries featuring William Falkland, as I look forward to reading more in this series. Lastly, I received a copy of this book from the publisher, via NetGalley, for review.
In the first novel, Falkland was approached by Oliver Cromwell, to help investigate a spate of suicides in his New Model Army. Now, Falkland is again approached by Henry Warbeck, Cromwell’s man, to investigate the whereabouts of a missing person. The Civil War is nearly over; Prince Rupert still holds Oxford, which is a city under siege, but there is hope that soon the long conflict that has divided the country will be over.
John Milton, pamphleteer, wordsmith for Parliament and poet, is in London and his words are important to the cause. As such, Cromwell is keen to keep this difficult, volatile man happy. Milton’s sister, Anne Agar, was abducted some weeks ago and it is assumed that she has been taken by supporters of the king. The irony of searching for a missing woman, while unable to locate his own family, is not lost on Falkland, but he agrees to help.
Anne Agar’s husband, long missing in the war, was a royalist; while Milton supports Parliament. They are another divided family in the conflict and, from the first, Falkland is unsure that the story is being told is the whole truth. However, if Anne was not taken by the royalists, then who snatched her and why? What are the significance of letters, stolen from Anne’s room and what part have ‘The Levellers’ – extreme anti-royalists – played in events? Falkland’s investigation will lead him through a country that needs to heal violent wounds and where, with the war coming to an end, many worry about both what lies ahead and what crimes they may need to answer for during the conflict…
I really enjoyed this second mystery featuring William Falkland. A royalist no longer, like so many in this book, he just wishes the war to be over. As well as the return of Henry Warbeck, Kate Cain, from “The Royalist,” also features in this novel. I enjoyed the setting of the novel; much of it in London and showing the importance of the booksellers and printers of the time. There is also good use of real life characters, including Oliver Cromwell and John Milton – of course, best known for “Paradise Lost, “ which would have been written long after events in this book. I sincerely hope there will be more mysteries featuring William Falkland, as I look forward to reading more in this series. Lastly, I received a copy of this book from the publisher, via NetGalley, for review.
December 23, 2018
Having quite enjoyed book 1 in this series I decided to read book 2. However, it doesn't quite hold up to the level of the first which had a few niggles in any case.
In this, the 'hero' has been unable to find his family as they had left their home before he could return and he has sunken into drunken depression. He is rescued by Cromwell's spy who takes him to Cromwell - they have another mission for him. This time it is to find the abducted sister of John Milton, better known in his own time for his pro-Parliamentarian firebrand writings than for the epic poems for which we remember him. The suspicion is that Royalists are behind the abduction but instead it turns out to be connected with events a few years previously when the sister's husband was supposedly lost in a battle.
Kate, the character I liked in book one, makes a reappearance now working as an archivist for Cromwell, trying to put together information on the whereabouts and fate of soldiers in the Parliamentarian armies. Therefore she is of help to the hero both in his quest for Milton's sister and his own personal search for his family. There is a hint of a thwarted romance on both sides with the awareness of his bond to his wife, as there was in book 1.
Somehow I found the situation less involving possibly because the action moves from place to place and there are a lot of different villains to dissipate the tension. It was an OK read, so 2 stars, but I'm not now drawn to looking for a third book if one exists.
In this, the 'hero' has been unable to find his family as they had left their home before he could return and he has sunken into drunken depression. He is rescued by Cromwell's spy who takes him to Cromwell - they have another mission for him. This time it is to find the abducted sister of John Milton, better known in his own time for his pro-Parliamentarian firebrand writings than for the epic poems for which we remember him. The suspicion is that Royalists are behind the abduction but instead it turns out to be connected with events a few years previously when the sister's husband was supposedly lost in a battle.
Kate, the character I liked in book one, makes a reappearance now working as an archivist for Cromwell, trying to put together information on the whereabouts and fate of soldiers in the Parliamentarian armies. Therefore she is of help to the hero both in his quest for Milton's sister and his own personal search for his family. There is a hint of a thwarted romance on both sides with the awareness of his bond to his wife, as there was in book 1.
Somehow I found the situation less involving possibly because the action moves from place to place and there are a lot of different villains to dissipate the tension. It was an OK read, so 2 stars, but I'm not now drawn to looking for a third book if one exists.
December 29, 2018
After having read the 1st part of this series I have to admit that this 2nd volume is certainly what I hoped it would be, meaning just as exciting and as it's predecessor.
Once more the storytelling is of an absolute high quality, the characters are real and life-like, and historically the tale is very sound, so much so that it makes the reader longing for more to come about William Falkland from this author.
Time has turned into the autumn of the year AD 1646 and for our main character, William Falkland, more adventures and heartaches are in store.
As a Royalist he's more or less caught like a fly in a spider's web, while at the same time still searching for his missing wife Caroline and his children, he has to find his own way to survive this ordeal and do the things that Oliver Cromwell's Parliament orders him to do.
This time William Falkland is summoned by Cromwell to investigate the abduction of Anne, who's the sister of the polemicist and pamphleteer John Milton, and to do all he can to bring her safely back.
Finding and catching the culprits of the abduction of Anne, it will lead Falkland into Lincolnshire towards a brutal murder which was buried in the maelstrom of the War, and also to a secret that must be snuffed out at all costs.
This is another terrific read about the exploits of William Falkland, and I hope that many more will follow, that's why I would like to call this book "An Astounding Thrilling Sequel"!
Once more the storytelling is of an absolute high quality, the characters are real and life-like, and historically the tale is very sound, so much so that it makes the reader longing for more to come about William Falkland from this author.
Time has turned into the autumn of the year AD 1646 and for our main character, William Falkland, more adventures and heartaches are in store.
As a Royalist he's more or less caught like a fly in a spider's web, while at the same time still searching for his missing wife Caroline and his children, he has to find his own way to survive this ordeal and do the things that Oliver Cromwell's Parliament orders him to do.
This time William Falkland is summoned by Cromwell to investigate the abduction of Anne, who's the sister of the polemicist and pamphleteer John Milton, and to do all he can to bring her safely back.
Finding and catching the culprits of the abduction of Anne, it will lead Falkland into Lincolnshire towards a brutal murder which was buried in the maelstrom of the War, and also to a secret that must be snuffed out at all costs.
This is another terrific read about the exploits of William Falkland, and I hope that many more will follow, that's why I would like to call this book "An Astounding Thrilling Sequel"!
January 3, 2018
So good to spend more time with William Falkland, Royalist soldier turned Cromwell agent. An excellent mystery which draws on a great tragedy of the English Civil War - the missing soldiers and families that continue to be hunted by those who miss them most.
July 3, 2022
This is the second - and, to date, last - of S.J. Deas's William Falkland series (after The Royalist, at the end of which, and having discharged his investigative duties to Cromwell, William Falkland returned home in search of his wife and family.
As this starts, he has yet to find them.
It's into far into the novel before Cromwell again pulls Falkland into his orbit, offering his (and, by extension, Parliament's) help in discovering just what happened to Falkland's family and where they may be (perhaps in Oxford, the King's new capital?) as the First Civil War draws to a close - help that is, of course, contingent upon Falkland again carrying out an investigation for Cromwell: this time into just what happened to the sister of a prominent supporter of Parliament who has disappeared (abducted?): one Anne Agar, this sister of John Milton.
Yes, that John Milton. The author of Paradise Lost. Although that is never once mentioned here - I think (am nearly sure that) the setting here may be before he wrote that poem.
Once again, the narrative is told in the first-person view, with - once again - a warts-and-all picture given of life at the time, and with Falkland being both incredibly astute and incredibly blind at the same time! In other words, coming across as a 'real' person rather than as a literary construct.
I'm now going to go on record as saying: more, please!
As this starts, he has yet to find them.
It's into far into the novel before Cromwell again pulls Falkland into his orbit, offering his (and, by extension, Parliament's) help in discovering just what happened to Falkland's family and where they may be (perhaps in Oxford, the King's new capital?) as the First Civil War draws to a close - help that is, of course, contingent upon Falkland again carrying out an investigation for Cromwell: this time into just what happened to the sister of a prominent supporter of Parliament who has disappeared (abducted?): one Anne Agar, this sister of John Milton.
Yes, that John Milton. The author of Paradise Lost. Although that is never once mentioned here - I think (am nearly sure that) the setting here may be before he wrote that poem.
Once again, the narrative is told in the first-person view, with - once again - a warts-and-all picture given of life at the time, and with Falkland being both incredibly astute and incredibly blind at the same time! In other words, coming across as a 'real' person rather than as a literary construct.
I'm now going to go on record as saying: more, please!
July 16, 2020
The first novel in this series was an addictive read, but this one fell a bit short of the heights attained by The Royalist. That is not to say this one was bad, far from it! I was interested in the ongoing story of William Falkland and his search for his family while reluctantly serving Cromwell. All the characters are well drawn and have a relevance to the mystery, it was the ending that didn't quite hit the spot for me. Not the outcome, but, for me, the protracted explanation seemed to suck the energy out of the finish.
August 13, 2019
I quite liked this book and thought that it was very well plotted. The mystery was difficult to unravel and the conclusion was a satisfying one. I also liked the main character and how he was presented. I thought his story was one that seemed realistic. I also found the way the author portrayed the different characters and how they interacted with each other to be very realistic and true to what it would have been like at the time. Avery nice book and a good read.
March 21, 2020
William Falkland
I have really enjoyed these two books and would love to see another book resolving his family and /or Kate .
I am sure Cromwell will need him again .
I have really enjoyed these two books and would love to see another book resolving his family and /or Kate .
I am sure Cromwell will need him again .
December 14, 2015
‘The Protector’ continues the story of William Falkland which began in ‘The Royalist’. Still searching for his family, Falkland is once more called upon by Cromwell, this time to investigate the disappearance of a woman, the sister of the renowned John Milton. Deas masterfully weaves a detective story with a picture of life during the English Civil War.
Once again the author creates a compelling mystery. Why would someone kidnap Milton’s sister? Is it to silence the writer, or for some other reason? What happened to Ann’s husband? What secrets are hidden in a ruined manor house in Lincolnshire? Rather than a straight history, details of the war are revealed through conversations amongst the characters, as part of the plot rather than a telling of facts. Deas also conjures the feelings of insecurity, threat, suspense and suspicion which were rife in England at the time as friends, neighbours and families chose sides and fought for what they believed was right.
This is a thoroughly enjoyable historical mystery. The characters are well-rounded and totally believable. Falkland is a sympathetic hero, Milton is a complex character who draws out conflicting emotions in Falkland (and the reader!), Miss Cain is a resourceful woman who ably assists in the investigations, and the initially simple Warbeck turns out to be a more complex character than first imagined.
I thoroughly enjoyed the history and mystery in this book, and hope that there will be more novels about William Falkland in the future.
Once again the author creates a compelling mystery. Why would someone kidnap Milton’s sister? Is it to silence the writer, or for some other reason? What happened to Ann’s husband? What secrets are hidden in a ruined manor house in Lincolnshire? Rather than a straight history, details of the war are revealed through conversations amongst the characters, as part of the plot rather than a telling of facts. Deas also conjures the feelings of insecurity, threat, suspense and suspicion which were rife in England at the time as friends, neighbours and families chose sides and fought for what they believed was right.
This is a thoroughly enjoyable historical mystery. The characters are well-rounded and totally believable. Falkland is a sympathetic hero, Milton is a complex character who draws out conflicting emotions in Falkland (and the reader!), Miss Cain is a resourceful woman who ably assists in the investigations, and the initially simple Warbeck turns out to be a more complex character than first imagined.
I thoroughly enjoyed the history and mystery in this book, and hope that there will be more novels about William Falkland in the future.
February 21, 2016
William Falkland is in a bad place. Having lost the trail of his missing wife and daughter he gets into a fight at an inn in Uxbridge and is thrown into jail. Yet again though Cromwell has need of Falkland and sends his man Warbeck to rescue Falkland from his fate. John Milton, the famous polemist, is concerned that his sister has gone missing and Falkland is taken with finding her. However some parties don't want her found and Falkland finds himself at the centre of warring factions at a time when an end to the Civil War is in sight.
Having enjoyed the first book about William Falkland, The Royalist, I looked forward to reading this one and I wasn't disappointed. The unpleasantness of life for the poor is described with real sympathy but brutal realism. The plot is a little complicated and not really resolved as clearly as it could be, the book feels a little porridgy towards the middle but the last hundred pages skip by with a lot of action. In setting his novels during the Civil War, Deas is creating a furrow of his own in terms of 'historical detective' novels and both parts of the genre - background and plot - are both solid and interesting.
Having enjoyed the first book about William Falkland, The Royalist, I looked forward to reading this one and I wasn't disappointed. The unpleasantness of life for the poor is described with real sympathy but brutal realism. The plot is a little complicated and not really resolved as clearly as it could be, the book feels a little porridgy towards the middle but the last hundred pages skip by with a lot of action. In setting his novels during the Civil War, Deas is creating a furrow of his own in terms of 'historical detective' novels and both parts of the genre - background and plot - are both solid and interesting.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews