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Marwood and Lovett #3
The King’s Evil
From the No.1 bestselling author of The Ashes of London and The Fire Court comes the next book in the phenomenally successful series following James Marwood at the time of King Charles II.
A royal scandal…
In the Court of Charles II, it’s a dangerous time to be alive – a wrong move may lead to disgrace, exile or death. The discovery of a body at the home of one of the highest courtiers in the land could therefore have catastrophic consequences.
A royal scandal…
In the Court of Charles II, it’s a dangerous time to be alive – a wrong move may lead to disgrace, exile or death. The discovery of a body at the home of one of the highest courtiers in the land could therefore have catastrophic consequences.
400 pages, Paperback
First published April 4, 2019
413 people are currently reading
1493 people want to read
About the author
Andrew Taylor
61 books724 followersAndrew Taylor (b. 1951) is a British author of mysteries. Born in East Anglia, he attended university at Cambridge before getting an MA in library sciences from University College London. His first novel, Caroline Miniscule (1982), a modern-day treasure hunt starring history student William Dougal, began an eight-book series and won Taylor wide critical acclaim. He has written several other thriller series, most notably the eight Lydmouthbooks, which begin with An Air That Kills (1994).
His other novels include The Office of the Dead (2000) and The American Boy (2003), both of which won the Crime Writers’ Association of Britain’s Ellis Peters Historical Dagger award, making Taylor the only author to receive the prize twice. His Roth trilogy, which has been published in omnibus form as Requiem for an Angel (2002), was adapted by the UK’s ITV for its television show Fallen Angel. Taylor’s most recent novel is the historical thriller The Scent of Death (2013).
His other novels include The Office of the Dead (2000) and The American Boy (2003), both of which won the Crime Writers’ Association of Britain’s Ellis Peters Historical Dagger award, making Taylor the only author to receive the prize twice. His Roth trilogy, which has been published in omnibus form as Requiem for an Angel (2002), was adapted by the UK’s ITV for its television show Fallen Angel. Taylor’s most recent novel is the historical thriller The Scent of Death (2013).
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 242 reviews
April 2, 2019
This is the 3rd in the excellent historical fiction series by Andrew Taylor featuring the traitor's son, James Marwood and Cat Lovett, set in the reign of Charles II in 1667 in London. Marwood has been left with the scars of the fire on one side of his face after events that occurred in the last book. He is still serving two masters, he is clerk for William Chiffinch, a powerful man close to the King, and Joseph Williamson, Under Secretary for the Secretary of State for the South. Lord Clarendon has fallen out of favour in the Royal Court, his opulent home, Clarendon House, is the source of much resentment, but he still has influence, his daughter married the King's brother, James, the Duke of York. Marwood has been sent to Clarendon House where a dead body has been found in the well. The murdered man is Edward Alderley, Cat's cousin, and a man she despises for good reason.
It is Marwood's dangerous task is to investigate this highly politically sensitive murder, that is to threaten the King himself, and places unwelcome pressure on a Marwood caught between the machinations, scandal and intrigue amongst the most powerful and ruthless people in London. Lady Quincy, a woman Marwood yearns for, advises Marwood to warn Cat that Alderley knows of her whereabouts, and to tell her to go into hiding. Cat is deemed to have killed Alderley, although Marwood is not so convinced. The King's Evil is the restitution of a ceremony to heal those afflicted with scrofula (tuberculosis) by the touch of Charles II which reinforces the divine right of the king. Lady Quincy has an black African child as her servant who has the disease, wanting him to be admitted to the ceremony. With Cat nowhere to be found, Marwood seeks to look out for her, knowing that to do so places him in danger. Marwood accompanies the manipulative Lady Quinn on a secretive expedition to Cambridge and the remote Fens, where he begins to get an inkling of what is going on behind the scenes in his most challenging of cases.
This is an excellent addition to this series, the historical period is wonderfully depicted with its rich descriptions of London, Cambridge and the Fens. The characterisation is stellar in its development as we see Marwood infatuation with Lady Quincy play out and the complicated position it puts him in, whilst his compassion and loyalty to his friends and acquaintances marks him out as a man of substance. Cat's role is smaller here, but no less significant in the action that takes place, plus she is marrying her elderly employer, Simon Hakesby, architect and builder, in an effort to counter the precariousness of her position. This is a hugely compelling piece of historical fiction, which shows a politically adept monarch utilising the adage of keeping his enemies close, and a Marwood subject to the whims and orders of those with substantially more power than him, requiring all his skills to negotiate his way through the political quagmire he is faced with. Highly recommended. Many thanks to HarperCollins for an ARC.
It is Marwood's dangerous task is to investigate this highly politically sensitive murder, that is to threaten the King himself, and places unwelcome pressure on a Marwood caught between the machinations, scandal and intrigue amongst the most powerful and ruthless people in London. Lady Quincy, a woman Marwood yearns for, advises Marwood to warn Cat that Alderley knows of her whereabouts, and to tell her to go into hiding. Cat is deemed to have killed Alderley, although Marwood is not so convinced. The King's Evil is the restitution of a ceremony to heal those afflicted with scrofula (tuberculosis) by the touch of Charles II which reinforces the divine right of the king. Lady Quincy has an black African child as her servant who has the disease, wanting him to be admitted to the ceremony. With Cat nowhere to be found, Marwood seeks to look out for her, knowing that to do so places him in danger. Marwood accompanies the manipulative Lady Quinn on a secretive expedition to Cambridge and the remote Fens, where he begins to get an inkling of what is going on behind the scenes in his most challenging of cases.
This is an excellent addition to this series, the historical period is wonderfully depicted with its rich descriptions of London, Cambridge and the Fens. The characterisation is stellar in its development as we see Marwood infatuation with Lady Quincy play out and the complicated position it puts him in, whilst his compassion and loyalty to his friends and acquaintances marks him out as a man of substance. Cat's role is smaller here, but no less significant in the action that takes place, plus she is marrying her elderly employer, Simon Hakesby, architect and builder, in an effort to counter the precariousness of her position. This is a hugely compelling piece of historical fiction, which shows a politically adept monarch utilising the adage of keeping his enemies close, and a Marwood subject to the whims and orders of those with substantially more power than him, requiring all his skills to negotiate his way through the political quagmire he is faced with. Highly recommended. Many thanks to HarperCollins for an ARC.
March 24, 2021
This one was the best of the series so far. I thoroughly enjoyed it and didn't get bored for a second.
October 29, 2019
The third of Andrew Taylor’s novels in this seres takes the reader on yet another adventure into the streets of London and around the English countryside. James Marwood is still serving his two masters and making a decent name for himself in 1667. However, when summoned to see King Charles II, Marwood is sent on an unenviable task to investigate a murder. When he arrives, Marwood learns the victim is Edward Alderley, an evil man in his own right and one known to Marwood, at least tangentially. His acquaintance, Cat Lovett, had spoken of her cousin and despises him for reasons revealed in the text. While Marwood begins working through the case, he must face the rumours that Cat may be responsible, though his gut tells him otherwise. King Charles II has been undertaking ceremonial laying on of hands for some of the locals afflicted with scrofula (tuberculosis), which is all the talk around London, though Marwood tries not to get caught up in the fervour while seeking to find a killer. It would seem one is not enough, as a second man is found dead, drowned in a mill pond. With the pressure on and Cat Lovett still in hiding, Marwood has to clear her name while keeping her location under wraps. This will again put many in peril and stir up an ever-boiling pot once again. Well paced and a strong continuation of the series by Andrew Taylor, who shows he has a handle on the series. Recommended to those who enjoy English period pieces, particularly the reader who finds historical mysteries of interest.
Andrew Taylor dazzles as he continues to delve into the world of 17th Century London. Mixing a strong story with historical goings-on, Taylor weaves together a narrative that will keep the reader enticed throughout. Taylor brings back the dual protagonists, but the focus certainly focuses on James Marwood. In a story that involves many subplots, there are hints at character development for Marwood. The reader discovers some of his personal feelings for others in the tale, including a love interest that has him wrapped around her finger. Marwood remains determined to take his job seriously and forges ahead, seeking out a murderer with a motive, while trying to protect his acquaintance in hiding, Cat Lovett. Looking at Lovett, the other protagonist, the reader discovers some troubling events in her past that explain much of the animosity towards Edward Alderley. This, and the ongoing hunt for her as daughter of a key plotter during the Civil War gives a better picture of who she is and how her life has been shaped by distrust. Taylor peppers the narrative with many other characters, all who provide the reader with historical education about life in these times, as well as some lighter banter. These wonderful storylines involve a number of the characters and permit ongoing complementing of the larger story. The story remained sound and the history seems realistic enough to leave me wondering how close it parallels fact. I am eager to see where Taylor seeks to go with the series, whose fourth book is due out in Spring 2020.
Kudos, Mr. Taylor, for keeping me in a growing state of education while entertaining me at each turn.
Love/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/
A Book for All Seasons, a different sort of Book Challenge: https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/...
Andrew Taylor dazzles as he continues to delve into the world of 17th Century London. Mixing a strong story with historical goings-on, Taylor weaves together a narrative that will keep the reader enticed throughout. Taylor brings back the dual protagonists, but the focus certainly focuses on James Marwood. In a story that involves many subplots, there are hints at character development for Marwood. The reader discovers some of his personal feelings for others in the tale, including a love interest that has him wrapped around her finger. Marwood remains determined to take his job seriously and forges ahead, seeking out a murderer with a motive, while trying to protect his acquaintance in hiding, Cat Lovett. Looking at Lovett, the other protagonist, the reader discovers some troubling events in her past that explain much of the animosity towards Edward Alderley. This, and the ongoing hunt for her as daughter of a key plotter during the Civil War gives a better picture of who she is and how her life has been shaped by distrust. Taylor peppers the narrative with many other characters, all who provide the reader with historical education about life in these times, as well as some lighter banter. These wonderful storylines involve a number of the characters and permit ongoing complementing of the larger story. The story remained sound and the history seems realistic enough to leave me wondering how close it parallels fact. I am eager to see where Taylor seeks to go with the series, whose fourth book is due out in Spring 2020.
Kudos, Mr. Taylor, for keeping me in a growing state of education while entertaining me at each turn.
Love/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/
A Book for All Seasons, a different sort of Book Challenge: https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/...
October 13, 2025
Number three in the Marwood and Lovett series. A Restoration crime romp that stirs up history, political machinations, and royals who just can't keep their private parts within the aristocracy. The depiction of 17th-century London as a city recovering from the disaster of the great fire – ruined homes and businesses everywhere and people still dazed but having to make things work - is really well done, while Charles II is portrayed as a mixture of a jolly sort of chap (the Merry Monarch after all) – a good egg all round with a firm handshake and a chummy personality – and as a vengeful monarch with a chip on his shoulder the size of his father's head.
The story involves scrofula, a normally fatal disease that people believed could be cured by the King's Touch: the anointed King, as an emissary between God and the masses, could pass on his blessing when it came to illness. It is surprising that no one said to Charles, “Hang on. This holy anointing didn't really help your dad, did it?” But that is beside the point. Faith and belief direct individuals in mysterious ways.
Back to the story, which is told with great skill and races along through a murder mystery cleverly interwoven with the chase for the succession of the Stuart throne. It throws in the Duke of York (the future James II), the Duke of Clarendon, and the Duke of Buckingham with their various rivalries and their dependency on progeny produced within or outside wedlock. Everything boils up for Marwood and Lovett, becoming ever more intriguing – until the ending. Oh dear, it's all so ordinary. Well, of course that happened, and of course that person did what he or she did. We didn't need James Marwood, or Poirot, or Holmes to work it out. It could have been sorted by Hastings, Japp, Watson or Lestrade. It felt disappointingly like a fine novel firing as a Roman Candle which then fizzled out as a rain-soaked sparkler. I'll still read more in the series, though.
The story involves scrofula, a normally fatal disease that people believed could be cured by the King's Touch: the anointed King, as an emissary between God and the masses, could pass on his blessing when it came to illness. It is surprising that no one said to Charles, “Hang on. This holy anointing didn't really help your dad, did it?” But that is beside the point. Faith and belief direct individuals in mysterious ways.
Back to the story, which is told with great skill and races along through a murder mystery cleverly interwoven with the chase for the succession of the Stuart throne. It throws in the Duke of York (the future James II), the Duke of Clarendon, and the Duke of Buckingham with their various rivalries and their dependency on progeny produced within or outside wedlock. Everything boils up for Marwood and Lovett, becoming ever more intriguing – until the ending. Oh dear, it's all so ordinary. Well, of course that happened, and of course that person did what he or she did. We didn't need James Marwood, or Poirot, or Holmes to work it out. It could have been sorted by Hastings, Japp, Watson or Lestrade. It felt disappointingly like a fine novel firing as a Roman Candle which then fizzled out as a rain-soaked sparkler. I'll still read more in the series, though.
March 29, 2019
This excellent series just gets better and better. I would recommend that you read them in order because The King's Evil, in particular, expects you to know what Marwood and Cat have been going through as they circle each other in this decadent and glamorous, curiously ugly and corrupt period of Charles II's reign. I really loved the descriptions of London at the time, especially Piccadilly. Review to follow shortly on For Winter Nights.
December 11, 2023
The third in this series set in London in the mid 1660s. Scrofula (tuberculous cervical lymphadenitis) caused large lumps to appear on the sufferer’s neck. It was believed that the touch of the monarch could effect instant remission and that is why it was known as The King’s Evil. Sometimes the monarch would give private audiences but usually there was a large public ceremony attended by often hundreds of sufferers, all of whom had to provide documented proof of their diagnosis by a surgeon. This is just one of the many interesting historical lessons learned through reading this book which is, at heart, a murder mystery. I’m really enjoying the series and looking forward to reading the fourth, The Last Protector. Highly recommended both for historical fiction and for murder mystery fans.
July 28, 2019
The latest in the series doesnt disappoint based in late 17th century in charles II's court. The book itself is an easy read and you feel as you are in the aftermath of great fire london.
April 8, 2019
4.5 stars/B+
The King’s Evil is the third book in Andrew Taylor’s series of historical mysteries set in and around Restoration London in the year or so following the Great Fire of 1666. As was the case with the previous two books – The Ashes of London and The Fire Court - this latest release in the Marwood and Lovett series is a detailed and intricately plotted historical mystery in which the author vividly evokes the sights, sounds and smells (!) of post-Fire London, putting the reader firmly amid the filthy, crowded streets occupied by the ordinary folk trying to eke out an existence and clearly setting out the political posturing and jostling for position rife throughout Charles II’s court. I was pulled into the story right away and was fully engrossed, eagerly turning the pages right until the end.
It’s been over a year since London burned, and James Marwood has come a long way from the humble clerk he was when we first met him. He’s prospering in the employ of two masters, one of whom, Mr. Chiffinch, is Keeper of the King’s Private Closet and Page of the Backstairs, one of the most powerful men at court because he controls private access to the king. Chiffinch directs Marwood to investigate a murder which occurred at the London home of the former Lord Chancellor, Lord Clarendon, who has recently fallen from favour, but who nonetheless retains some influence at court owing to the fact that one of his daughters is married to the king’s brother, James, Duke of York.
When the book opens, Marwood is attending a ceremony at Whitehall wherein the king lays hands on those suffering from the King’s Evil, or scrofula, (a disease we now call tuberculosis); it was believed that the monarch’s touch could heal the disease. Marwood has been directed there in order to meet with Lady Quincy (formerly Mistress Alderley and Cat Lovett’s aunt) and to do as she directs; during their conversation she tells him that her stepson, Edward Alderley, has discovered Cat’s whereabouts and is intent on taking his revenge upon her for the wound she inflicted on him when she attacked him before fleeing the family home. Marwood and Cat met on the night of the fire and have formed an odd friendship (of sorts); they’ve saved each other’s lives and have worked together on a couple of investigations, but she has never revealed the reason she left her home. When Marwood tells her about Alderley and urges her to leave London for a while, she finally tells him the truth – her cousin raped her and she went for him with a knife (and he lost an eye as a result) – and Marwood is sickened by her tale. Cat, who is a talented draughtsman but is precluded from following that profession because of her sex, is pursuing it in secret while also hiding behind the identity of Jane Hakesby, cousin and maidservant to the architect Simon Hakesby, a much older and feeble man whose offer of marriage Cat has accepted, seeing it as a way of achieving safety and financial security.
She’s a prickly young woman – intelligent, fiercely independent and unwilling to show weakness - and at first she is at first adamant that she won’t leave London. And by the time, a few days later, Marwood discovers she has left after all, the situation has become a lot worse, because Alderley’s is the body found at Clarendon House – drowned in a well – and Hakesby was one of the architects supervising the building work currently underway in the grounds. It doesn’t take long for suspicion to fall upon Cat – but Marwood can’t believe she’s guilty of murder, and chooses to keep his connection with her to himself while he tries to find out who killed her cousin, even though he knows that trying to keep Cat safe and proving her innocence may well prove dangerous for him.
Cat’s involvement in this novel is somewhat smaller than in the earlier books, but her presence is strongly felt throughout as Marwood struggles with divided loyalties and to see clearly through the web of lies and manipulation that are being woven around him. He faces some of his toughest challenges yet as he is subjected to the manipulations and orders of those in positions of power and has to use all his wit and skill to carefully pick his way through the political minefield facing him, while somehow retaining the compassion and personal integrity that marks him out as different from so many of those around him. Part of that minefield is the complication added by his infatuation with the calculating but lovely Lady Quincy, especially when Marwood pieces all the clues together - which point towards the existence of a treasonous conspiracy.
Although the third in a series, the novel can be read as a standalone; I’d suggest, however, that readers will better understand the complicated relationship between Marwood and Cat by reading the first two books as well (and they’re both excellent, so that’s definitely recommended).
The King’s Evil is a fast paced, densely plotted and full of fascinating historical detail that brings Restoration London vividly to life in all its splendid, ugly glory. It’s a terrific read, and one I found hard to put down; fans of historical mysteries won’t want to miss it, and I’m eagerly awaiting Marwood and Lovett ’s next investigation!
The King’s Evil is the third book in Andrew Taylor’s series of historical mysteries set in and around Restoration London in the year or so following the Great Fire of 1666. As was the case with the previous two books – The Ashes of London and The Fire Court - this latest release in the Marwood and Lovett series is a detailed and intricately plotted historical mystery in which the author vividly evokes the sights, sounds and smells (!) of post-Fire London, putting the reader firmly amid the filthy, crowded streets occupied by the ordinary folk trying to eke out an existence and clearly setting out the political posturing and jostling for position rife throughout Charles II’s court. I was pulled into the story right away and was fully engrossed, eagerly turning the pages right until the end.
It’s been over a year since London burned, and James Marwood has come a long way from the humble clerk he was when we first met him. He’s prospering in the employ of two masters, one of whom, Mr. Chiffinch, is Keeper of the King’s Private Closet and Page of the Backstairs, one of the most powerful men at court because he controls private access to the king. Chiffinch directs Marwood to investigate a murder which occurred at the London home of the former Lord Chancellor, Lord Clarendon, who has recently fallen from favour, but who nonetheless retains some influence at court owing to the fact that one of his daughters is married to the king’s brother, James, Duke of York.
When the book opens, Marwood is attending a ceremony at Whitehall wherein the king lays hands on those suffering from the King’s Evil, or scrofula, (a disease we now call tuberculosis); it was believed that the monarch’s touch could heal the disease. Marwood has been directed there in order to meet with Lady Quincy (formerly Mistress Alderley and Cat Lovett’s aunt) and to do as she directs; during their conversation she tells him that her stepson, Edward Alderley, has discovered Cat’s whereabouts and is intent on taking his revenge upon her for the wound she inflicted on him when she attacked him before fleeing the family home. Marwood and Cat met on the night of the fire and have formed an odd friendship (of sorts); they’ve saved each other’s lives and have worked together on a couple of investigations, but she has never revealed the reason she left her home. When Marwood tells her about Alderley and urges her to leave London for a while, she finally tells him the truth – her cousin raped her and she went for him with a knife (and he lost an eye as a result) – and Marwood is sickened by her tale. Cat, who is a talented draughtsman but is precluded from following that profession because of her sex, is pursuing it in secret while also hiding behind the identity of Jane Hakesby, cousin and maidservant to the architect Simon Hakesby, a much older and feeble man whose offer of marriage Cat has accepted, seeing it as a way of achieving safety and financial security.
She’s a prickly young woman – intelligent, fiercely independent and unwilling to show weakness - and at first she is at first adamant that she won’t leave London. And by the time, a few days later, Marwood discovers she has left after all, the situation has become a lot worse, because Alderley’s is the body found at Clarendon House – drowned in a well – and Hakesby was one of the architects supervising the building work currently underway in the grounds. It doesn’t take long for suspicion to fall upon Cat – but Marwood can’t believe she’s guilty of murder, and chooses to keep his connection with her to himself while he tries to find out who killed her cousin, even though he knows that trying to keep Cat safe and proving her innocence may well prove dangerous for him.
Cat’s involvement in this novel is somewhat smaller than in the earlier books, but her presence is strongly felt throughout as Marwood struggles with divided loyalties and to see clearly through the web of lies and manipulation that are being woven around him. He faces some of his toughest challenges yet as he is subjected to the manipulations and orders of those in positions of power and has to use all his wit and skill to carefully pick his way through the political minefield facing him, while somehow retaining the compassion and personal integrity that marks him out as different from so many of those around him. Part of that minefield is the complication added by his infatuation with the calculating but lovely Lady Quincy, especially when Marwood pieces all the clues together - which point towards the existence of a treasonous conspiracy.
Although the third in a series, the novel can be read as a standalone; I’d suggest, however, that readers will better understand the complicated relationship between Marwood and Cat by reading the first two books as well (and they’re both excellent, so that’s definitely recommended).
The King’s Evil is a fast paced, densely plotted and full of fascinating historical detail that brings Restoration London vividly to life in all its splendid, ugly glory. It’s a terrific read, and one I found hard to put down; fans of historical mysteries won’t want to miss it, and I’m eagerly awaiting Marwood and Lovett ’s next investigation!
December 18, 2019
It took rather a long time for me to get around to reading the third book of this fine historical fiction trilogy - but even after 7 months since I read the last book I was able to easily pick up the threads. Finally...not too long ago I saw that this one was just $2.99 on Amazon for the kindle so I got my copy the easy way rather than having to carry the big book home.
Memorable characters, interesting challenges they all face and London of the 1600's brought to life in great detail are all winning features of each book.
Note: The King's Evil refers to the disease of scrofula that the king supposedly could heal by laying on of hands. There are two children featured in this book who suffer from this.
http://broughttolife.sciencemuseum.or...
Memorable characters, interesting challenges they all face and London of the 1600's brought to life in great detail are all winning features of each book.
Note: The King's Evil refers to the disease of scrofula that the king supposedly could heal by laying on of hands. There are two children featured in this book who suffer from this.
http://broughttolife.sciencemuseum.or...
April 17, 2021
James Marwood - again brought in to investigate a murder - but this time, it's Edward Alderley, Cat's nasty cousin. A fair amount of political maneouvering sends Marwood all over the place; but once he's assured Cat is innocent () he does get to the bottom of things.
Lots of good descriptions about a London re-building itself after the Great Fire, and the difficulties still existing between open religions/beliefs.
Lots of good descriptions about a London re-building itself after the Great Fire, and the difficulties still existing between open religions/beliefs.
November 13, 2022
Unfortunately I didn’t realize that this was the third book in a series when I started reading it. As a result, I didn’t feel any connection with the two main characters until about two thirds of the way through the story, and didn’t particularly like the main character Marwood. The mystery didn’t really start coalescing into anything coherent until that point. Marwood began to grow on me little by little. Eventually I did end up enjoying it, and will probably go back and read this series from the beginning.
January 24, 2021
This book took me months to read because I found it difficult to stay interested enough to keep the pace up, but it wasn’t so bad that I wanted to abandon reading it either. Although this was the weakest of the series so far, I can see that both Cat and Marwood are in quite a pickle, and how Marwood will continue to manage his increasingly complicated web of allegiances is certainly enticement enough to make me want to read the next one. I give this an even 3 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️
January 6, 2020
3rd in the Marwood and Lovett series and another terrific read. Kat Lovett's cousin is found dead at the home of lord Clarendon the father in law of the duke of York. When Marwood investigates he tangles with the powerful duke of Buckingham. Loving this series.
May 12, 2020
Andrew Taylor has long been one of the finest authors of historical thrillers, and THE KING'S EVIL --- the third installment in his James Marwood & Cat Lovett series --- is no exception. The year is 1667, and the action takes place primarily in the Court of Charles II and the territory under his rule. James Marwood works under the King, and is a trusted and loyal subject.
The book’s title is an interesting one, as it could be viewed both literally and symbolically. The King's Evil is the nickname for scrofula, an infection of the lymph nodes that oftentimes leads to bulbous growths around the face and neck area. Several individuals get this disease throughout the story.
It is ironic that Marwood has a different affliction. His is more man-made as half of his face was badly burned during the London fires of the prior novel, THE FIRE COURT. Marwood is now an unforgettable character due to his appearance, and I believe that this is part of the reason why the King uses him for an important mission.
At the start of the book, we witness a drowning; both the victim and his killer are anonymous. It is later announced that the body of Edward Alderley has been found at the bottom of a well. Interestingly, the well is on the property of Lord Clarendon, and it is obvious that he had been killed elsewhere and dumped there.
Edward’s father was a true villain whose crimes were mostly known to just the King. Edward himself was no angel. Marwood's friend, Cat Lovett, is Edward's cousin, and she confesses to Marwood that Edward raped her. She also reveals that she wanted to kill him. Unfortunately for Cat, her feelings about him are no big secret. So now that he actually has turned up dead, her name is on a very short list of suspects.
William Chiffinch, Keeper of the King's Private Closet, first approaches Marwood about a mission under orders of the King. Marwood is to very quietly investigate Edward’s murder, but there’s a problem. Even though Cat is betrothed to another, he still has feelings for her and considers her a close friend. Beyond that, he feels somewhat responsible because he made her aware that Edward was in town. Knowing what she thought of him might make Marwood an accessory to the crime if indeed Cat is guilty.
Not only must Marwood conduct a lowkey investigation, he needs to prove that Cat is innocent of the crime. Cat does not make it easy as she has disappeared, and he later finds her hiding out under an assumed identity. Meanwhile, Chiffinch hands over a letter addressed to the King's Court that names Cat as the killer. Marwood's initial inquiries fail to uncover any more clues --- just a herd of new characters who know nothing and seemingly have no reason for wanting Edward killed.
At one point, the King gets Marwood alone and asks him to openly share everything he has uncovered to date. The King brings up Cat in the conversation and is aware of Marwood's relationship with her. He then asks that Marwood go on an entirely different quest, this one with Lady Quincy, who he is to accompany to Cambridge. It is evident to Marwood that the King is after specific information and that there is much more behind the murder.
As others go missing and additional bodies turn up, the need for a quick resolution to this matter is extremely necessary. Marwood's trip with Lady Quincy is eye-opening in many ways, and he soon sees that what started as a single murder could be just the tip of the iceberg in a scandal that threatens the King and his entire government.
I just love Andrew Taylor's work because he allows us to easily slip back into time without overburdening us with dull history. The characters are all living, breathing people, and James Marwood is a protagonist who represents us, the common man or average reader. His mission becomes our own as the novel twists and turns to a surprising finale.
Reviewed by Ray Palen
The book’s title is an interesting one, as it could be viewed both literally and symbolically. The King's Evil is the nickname for scrofula, an infection of the lymph nodes that oftentimes leads to bulbous growths around the face and neck area. Several individuals get this disease throughout the story.
It is ironic that Marwood has a different affliction. His is more man-made as half of his face was badly burned during the London fires of the prior novel, THE FIRE COURT. Marwood is now an unforgettable character due to his appearance, and I believe that this is part of the reason why the King uses him for an important mission.
At the start of the book, we witness a drowning; both the victim and his killer are anonymous. It is later announced that the body of Edward Alderley has been found at the bottom of a well. Interestingly, the well is on the property of Lord Clarendon, and it is obvious that he had been killed elsewhere and dumped there.
Edward’s father was a true villain whose crimes were mostly known to just the King. Edward himself was no angel. Marwood's friend, Cat Lovett, is Edward's cousin, and she confesses to Marwood that Edward raped her. She also reveals that she wanted to kill him. Unfortunately for Cat, her feelings about him are no big secret. So now that he actually has turned up dead, her name is on a very short list of suspects.
William Chiffinch, Keeper of the King's Private Closet, first approaches Marwood about a mission under orders of the King. Marwood is to very quietly investigate Edward’s murder, but there’s a problem. Even though Cat is betrothed to another, he still has feelings for her and considers her a close friend. Beyond that, he feels somewhat responsible because he made her aware that Edward was in town. Knowing what she thought of him might make Marwood an accessory to the crime if indeed Cat is guilty.
Not only must Marwood conduct a lowkey investigation, he needs to prove that Cat is innocent of the crime. Cat does not make it easy as she has disappeared, and he later finds her hiding out under an assumed identity. Meanwhile, Chiffinch hands over a letter addressed to the King's Court that names Cat as the killer. Marwood's initial inquiries fail to uncover any more clues --- just a herd of new characters who know nothing and seemingly have no reason for wanting Edward killed.
At one point, the King gets Marwood alone and asks him to openly share everything he has uncovered to date. The King brings up Cat in the conversation and is aware of Marwood's relationship with her. He then asks that Marwood go on an entirely different quest, this one with Lady Quincy, who he is to accompany to Cambridge. It is evident to Marwood that the King is after specific information and that there is much more behind the murder.
As others go missing and additional bodies turn up, the need for a quick resolution to this matter is extremely necessary. Marwood's trip with Lady Quincy is eye-opening in many ways, and he soon sees that what started as a single murder could be just the tip of the iceberg in a scandal that threatens the King and his entire government.
I just love Andrew Taylor's work because he allows us to easily slip back into time without overburdening us with dull history. The characters are all living, breathing people, and James Marwood is a protagonist who represents us, the common man or average reader. His mission becomes our own as the novel twists and turns to a surprising finale.
Reviewed by Ray Palen
March 30, 2019
This is the third book in Andrew Taylor’s series following James Marwood and Cat (Catherine) Lovett. I loved the first two – The Ashes of London (set in 1666) and The Fire Court (set in 1667, eight months after the Great Fire of London), so I was delighted when Felicity Denham at HarperCollins asked me if I’d like a proof copy of The King’s Evil to review. It is not necessary to read the earlier books as I think they all work well as standalones, but I think it helps if you do.
The King’s Evil carries on from where The Fire Court ended. Seven years after the restoration of the monarchy it’s still a time of political and social change. Whilst Charles II still had immense power as the King a new middle class, both professional and administrative, was evolving. James Marwood is a government agent in Whitehall, working as a clerk for William Chiffinch, one of the commissioners of the Board of Red Cloth. Chiffinch was also Keeper of the King’s Private Closet and Page of the Backstairs, an important position as he controlled private access to the King. In addition Marwood also works under Joseph Williamson, the Undersecretary to the Secretary of State for the South, one of Charles’s most powerful ministers.
Charles had reinstated the ceremony of ‘touching for the King’s Evil’ as a demonstration of his divine right to rule – a ceremony in which the monarch touched those people suffering from scrofula, a disease, now known as tuberculosis, that caused the swelling of the bones and lymphatic glands in the neck (the book cover illustrates the ceremony). It was believed that the King’s touch cured the disease.
The novel begins as Marwood is in the Banqueting Hall at Whitehall watching the ceremony. Chiffinch had told him to attend on the orders of the King to meet Lady Quincy and do whatever she commanded. Lady Quincy, accompanied by a small African child, her footboy suffering from scrofula, tells Marwood to meet her outside the church near the Tower of London. She also warns him that Edward Alderley, her step-son, is out for revenge on Cat Lovett because of what she had done to him. (This refers to events in The Fire Court).
In order to keep her identity secret Cat, whose father had been one of the Regicides, is going by the name of Jane Hakesby. She had been working for Simon Hakesby, a surveyor and architect, on a garden pavilion project in the grounds of Clarendon House. Then Alderley is found dead in the well in the garden pavilion.
Marwood is asked to look into the circumstances of Alderley’s death, under the King’s authority. He decides to keep his connection with Cat to himself, whilst he tries to find out where she has gone and who was responsible for Adderley’s death. Was it an accident, was it suicide, or was it murder? After Chiffinch received an anonymous letter naming Cat as the murderer, he sent officers to arrest her, but she had disappeared. So this was taken as a confession of her guilt. Marwood was afraid that this could implicate him too if it became known that he had told her that Alderley knew her whereabouts.
In addition, Lord Clarendon is convinced that Alderley was involved in a conspiracy against him and also suspects that someone in his household is involved in the plot. He is out of favour with Charles, and had recently been removed from the office of Lord Chancellor. But he’s still potentially politically powerful as his daughter is married to Charles’s brother, James, the Duke of York. His grandchildren, the Princesses Mary and Anne, are the next heirs in the line of succession if Charles remained childless.
Marwood tries to find Cat, and also escorts Lady Quincy to Cambridge on a secret mission. Eventually his investigation into Alderley’s death leads him to discover who is behind the plot against Clarendon, and also to uncover a potential royal scandal in which Lady Quincy and the Duke of Buckingham, one of Charles’s favourites who had supplanted Clarendon, play important roles.
I loved the characterisation and all the details of the setting, bringing to life scenes at the royal court as well as in the refugee camps that housed the homeless as the work of rebuilding London continued. Andrew Taylor is a supreme storyteller, combining fact and fiction – his novels are full of historical details that slot seamlessly into his stories. The King’s Evil is historical fiction at its best, full of suspense and tension, an intricate and tightly plotted murder mystery, enhanced by the intrigue of a royal scandal.
I loved it.
The King’s Evil carries on from where The Fire Court ended. Seven years after the restoration of the monarchy it’s still a time of political and social change. Whilst Charles II still had immense power as the King a new middle class, both professional and administrative, was evolving. James Marwood is a government agent in Whitehall, working as a clerk for William Chiffinch, one of the commissioners of the Board of Red Cloth. Chiffinch was also Keeper of the King’s Private Closet and Page of the Backstairs, an important position as he controlled private access to the King. In addition Marwood also works under Joseph Williamson, the Undersecretary to the Secretary of State for the South, one of Charles’s most powerful ministers.
Charles had reinstated the ceremony of ‘touching for the King’s Evil’ as a demonstration of his divine right to rule – a ceremony in which the monarch touched those people suffering from scrofula, a disease, now known as tuberculosis, that caused the swelling of the bones and lymphatic glands in the neck (the book cover illustrates the ceremony). It was believed that the King’s touch cured the disease.
The novel begins as Marwood is in the Banqueting Hall at Whitehall watching the ceremony. Chiffinch had told him to attend on the orders of the King to meet Lady Quincy and do whatever she commanded. Lady Quincy, accompanied by a small African child, her footboy suffering from scrofula, tells Marwood to meet her outside the church near the Tower of London. She also warns him that Edward Alderley, her step-son, is out for revenge on Cat Lovett because of what she had done to him. (This refers to events in The Fire Court).
In order to keep her identity secret Cat, whose father had been one of the Regicides, is going by the name of Jane Hakesby. She had been working for Simon Hakesby, a surveyor and architect, on a garden pavilion project in the grounds of Clarendon House. Then Alderley is found dead in the well in the garden pavilion.
Marwood is asked to look into the circumstances of Alderley’s death, under the King’s authority. He decides to keep his connection with Cat to himself, whilst he tries to find out where she has gone and who was responsible for Adderley’s death. Was it an accident, was it suicide, or was it murder? After Chiffinch received an anonymous letter naming Cat as the murderer, he sent officers to arrest her, but she had disappeared. So this was taken as a confession of her guilt. Marwood was afraid that this could implicate him too if it became known that he had told her that Alderley knew her whereabouts.
In addition, Lord Clarendon is convinced that Alderley was involved in a conspiracy against him and also suspects that someone in his household is involved in the plot. He is out of favour with Charles, and had recently been removed from the office of Lord Chancellor. But he’s still potentially politically powerful as his daughter is married to Charles’s brother, James, the Duke of York. His grandchildren, the Princesses Mary and Anne, are the next heirs in the line of succession if Charles remained childless.
Marwood tries to find Cat, and also escorts Lady Quincy to Cambridge on a secret mission. Eventually his investigation into Alderley’s death leads him to discover who is behind the plot against Clarendon, and also to uncover a potential royal scandal in which Lady Quincy and the Duke of Buckingham, one of Charles’s favourites who had supplanted Clarendon, play important roles.
I loved the characterisation and all the details of the setting, bringing to life scenes at the royal court as well as in the refugee camps that housed the homeless as the work of rebuilding London continued. Andrew Taylor is a supreme storyteller, combining fact and fiction – his novels are full of historical details that slot seamlessly into his stories. The King’s Evil is historical fiction at its best, full of suspense and tension, an intricate and tightly plotted murder mystery, enhanced by the intrigue of a royal scandal.
I loved it.
June 27, 2021
In Clarendon house, the home of one of the most important courtiers of king Charles II, the body of Edward Alderley is discovered drowned in a well. Suspicion soon falls onto Cat Lovett, the daughter of a regicide, now hiding as Jane Hakesby. James Marwood is charged with the investigation of the murder by the king himself. He is determined to prove Cat’s innocence, but is she truly innocent? Since the murder, Cat has fled her home at Henrietta street.
This is the third book of Andrew Taylor’s excellent Marwood and Lovett series. I recommend to start with the first one ‘Ashes of London‘ if you want to fully comprehend everything that is happening. For example the book opens with a conversation between James Marwood and Olivia, lady Quincy whom we met in the first book. They are watching a ceremony of king Charles II where he’s healing people suffering from the king’s evil with his touch. Marwood has always been attracted to Lady Quincy so when she asks him to warn her cousin Cat Lovett that Edward Alderley wants to kill her, he does her bidding.
A few days later Edward Alderley is found murdered in a well and Cat has disappeared. Marwood is charged to go to Clarendon house to inspect the body. Lord Clarendon is the father in law of James, Duke of York, the king’s brother and one of the mightiest courtiers at the moment. Alas, Clarendon house hasn’t survived the wheel of time, otherwise I would have jumped on a train to London to visit it. It’s a great setting for this book.
It’s the first time that James Marwood really becomes entangled in the court intriges and the king’s own affairs. The effects of the Great Fire are still part of the story, but aren’t the focus of the plot this time. His relationship with Cat doesn’t become any easier. She’s still a big part of the story, but we read more chapters from Marwood in this novel.
I had never before heard about ‘the king’s evil’. This is a disease called scrofula, which is a form of tuberculosis that causes swellings in the neck, especially with children. At the time, it was thought only the touch of a sovereign could cure you (which gave it the name ‘the king’s evil’) and public touching ceremonies were organised.
Taylor intertwines real historical events with a gripping murder mystery. In this book there are a lot of different plotlines coming together. I’m always curious to see how everything will fit in at the end. That’s why these books feel slow at times, but you’re also really flying through them in some way 😅. I’m looking forward to see what the future has in store for James and Cat in ‘The last protector’.
Tijdens een handopleggingsceremonie waarin koning Charles II mensen met de ziekte scrofula, of the King's evil, probeert te genezen, waarschuwt lady Quincy Marwood dat Edward Alderley op zoek is naar zijn nicht Cat Lovett om haar te vermoorden. Maar die kans krijgt hij niet, want niet veel later wordt Edward zelf teruggevonden in de waterput van lord Clarendon. Vermoord. En Marwood krijgt de opdracht van de koning himself om de moord te onderzoeken en Cat Lovett binnen te brengen als nummer 1 verdachte.
Dutch review:
Dit is boek 3 en ondertussen weet je dat Cat en Marwood zich danig in de nesten kunnen werken. Maar het zorgt er ook voor dat de plotlijnen soms al eens wat dieper kunnen en er minder introductie nodig is. Daarom wordt deze serie met het boek beter vind ik.
The king's evil zit goed in elkaar en naast de bekende cast zijn er ook weer enkele fijne nieuwe karakters (Lord Clarendon, James Duke of York, me Milcote, Stephen..). Voornamelijk aan het hof, want in tegenstelling tot de vorige boeken gaat het deze keer niet om the great fire, maar om hofintriges. Clarendon house is de hoofdlocatie van het boek en nu wil ik echt heel graag dat gebouw eens gaan bezoeken in Londen, maar het staat er dus blijkbaar niet meer 😢. Ook heb ik veel bijgeleerd over the King's Evil, een echte ziekte met gezwellen in de nek.
Taylor weet reëele gebeurtenissen opnieuw goed te verweven met een moordmysterie, dat heel ingenieus in elkaar zit. Ik vond het uitstapje naar Cambridge ook wel heel fijn.
Cat is nog steeds niet mijn favoriete personage, maar ze krijgt wel steeds meer body. Al is ze niet altijd even aanwezig in dit verhaal. De relatie tussen Marwoord en Cat blijft ook interessant en is gelukkig nog lang niet een cliché romance.
Deze boeken zijn zowat vals traag. Ik heb het gevoel dat ik ze niet snel kan lezen en mijn hoofd er moet bijhouden, maar tegelijk vlieg ik er toch door.
Benieuwd naar the last protector.
This is the third book of Andrew Taylor’s excellent Marwood and Lovett series. I recommend to start with the first one ‘Ashes of London‘ if you want to fully comprehend everything that is happening. For example the book opens with a conversation between James Marwood and Olivia, lady Quincy whom we met in the first book. They are watching a ceremony of king Charles II where he’s healing people suffering from the king’s evil with his touch. Marwood has always been attracted to Lady Quincy so when she asks him to warn her cousin Cat Lovett that Edward Alderley wants to kill her, he does her bidding.
A few days later Edward Alderley is found murdered in a well and Cat has disappeared. Marwood is charged to go to Clarendon house to inspect the body. Lord Clarendon is the father in law of James, Duke of York, the king’s brother and one of the mightiest courtiers at the moment. Alas, Clarendon house hasn’t survived the wheel of time, otherwise I would have jumped on a train to London to visit it. It’s a great setting for this book.
It’s the first time that James Marwood really becomes entangled in the court intriges and the king’s own affairs. The effects of the Great Fire are still part of the story, but aren’t the focus of the plot this time. His relationship with Cat doesn’t become any easier. She’s still a big part of the story, but we read more chapters from Marwood in this novel.
I had never before heard about ‘the king’s evil’. This is a disease called scrofula, which is a form of tuberculosis that causes swellings in the neck, especially with children. At the time, it was thought only the touch of a sovereign could cure you (which gave it the name ‘the king’s evil’) and public touching ceremonies were organised.
Taylor intertwines real historical events with a gripping murder mystery. In this book there are a lot of different plotlines coming together. I’m always curious to see how everything will fit in at the end. That’s why these books feel slow at times, but you’re also really flying through them in some way 😅. I’m looking forward to see what the future has in store for James and Cat in ‘The last protector’.
Tijdens een handopleggingsceremonie waarin koning Charles II mensen met de ziekte scrofula, of the King's evil, probeert te genezen, waarschuwt lady Quincy Marwood dat Edward Alderley op zoek is naar zijn nicht Cat Lovett om haar te vermoorden. Maar die kans krijgt hij niet, want niet veel later wordt Edward zelf teruggevonden in de waterput van lord Clarendon. Vermoord. En Marwood krijgt de opdracht van de koning himself om de moord te onderzoeken en Cat Lovett binnen te brengen als nummer 1 verdachte.
Dutch review:
Dit is boek 3 en ondertussen weet je dat Cat en Marwood zich danig in de nesten kunnen werken. Maar het zorgt er ook voor dat de plotlijnen soms al eens wat dieper kunnen en er minder introductie nodig is. Daarom wordt deze serie met het boek beter vind ik.
The king's evil zit goed in elkaar en naast de bekende cast zijn er ook weer enkele fijne nieuwe karakters (Lord Clarendon, James Duke of York, me Milcote, Stephen..). Voornamelijk aan het hof, want in tegenstelling tot de vorige boeken gaat het deze keer niet om the great fire, maar om hofintriges. Clarendon house is de hoofdlocatie van het boek en nu wil ik echt heel graag dat gebouw eens gaan bezoeken in Londen, maar het staat er dus blijkbaar niet meer 😢. Ook heb ik veel bijgeleerd over the King's Evil, een echte ziekte met gezwellen in de nek.
Taylor weet reëele gebeurtenissen opnieuw goed te verweven met een moordmysterie, dat heel ingenieus in elkaar zit. Ik vond het uitstapje naar Cambridge ook wel heel fijn.
Cat is nog steeds niet mijn favoriete personage, maar ze krijgt wel steeds meer body. Al is ze niet altijd even aanwezig in dit verhaal. De relatie tussen Marwoord en Cat blijft ook interessant en is gelukkig nog lang niet een cliché romance.
Deze boeken zijn zowat vals traag. Ik heb het gevoel dat ik ze niet snel kan lezen en mijn hoofd er moet bijhouden, maar tegelijk vlieg ik er toch door.
Benieuwd naar the last protector.
March 31, 2019
3rd in the spectacular Ashes of London series. It's now 1667 and James Marwood is called upon by his royal master to investigate a possible murder. A man's body has been found at Clarendon House, Lord Clarendon has a close connection to the KIng, his daughter is married to the King's brother the Duke of York (the future James II). Marwood recognises the body of that of Edward Alderley, the cousin of Cat Lovett, she is disappeared and Marwood finds himself caught up in court intrigue whilst trying to protect Cat as it has been suggested that she maybe guilty of murder.
As with the previous 2 Marwood/Lovett books, the plot moves along with pace and grace, the history is fascinating and the characters leap off the page, taking you along with them as if you are part of the action. I must say this series just keeps getting better and better, I now have a long wait for the fourth in the series (I hope there will be further adventures to be had!).
As with the previous 2 Marwood/Lovett books, the plot moves along with pace and grace, the history is fascinating and the characters leap off the page, taking you along with them as if you are part of the action. I must say this series just keeps getting better and better, I now have a long wait for the fourth in the series (I hope there will be further adventures to be had!).
April 20, 2019
Marwood returns for his third outing, this time investigating the death of a young gentleman found drowned in a well. He must entangle the knots that lead back to various lords and ladies and even to the king himself. Taylor consistently writes intelligent novels that are a pleasure to read.
July 4, 2024
Taylor and his sneaky twists at the end eh! Consuming this series at a rate of knots, it’s wonderful.
August 11, 2021
I read this book in such a flurry of excitement, and absolutely loved it up until the last 100 pages. The final “reveals” are either boringly obvious or just boring. There’s a sodomite (??) reveal, and this man is promptly hanged, after which our narrator reasons that this man’s inclinations were against law and god (!!!). The attitudes in this book are certainly representative of those of the 1600s, which while commendable (I guess) for commitment to historical accuracy, it doesn’t mean I want to read pages and pages of misogyny, racism, and the final twist oppression - homophobia. I gave it 2 stars rather than 1 because I really enjoyed the majority of this book, and it was very well-written. It just overall didn’t sit right with me. (Where is my Buckingham redemption novel, I’m sick of boring buckingham is naughty narratives)
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 11, 2019
Book 3 in the Marwood and Lovett series.
James Marwood has been tasked by his masters to cover up a murder. The victim is Edward Alderly - the cousin of Catherine Lovett (Cat).
When Cat vanishes the evidence suggests that she is the killer. Can Marwood find the killer and save Cat from the noose?
This has been a superb series, full of conspiracy, plots and court intrigue.
Keep your friends close and your enemies closer.
James Marwood has been tasked by his masters to cover up a murder. The victim is Edward Alderly - the cousin of Catherine Lovett (Cat).
When Cat vanishes the evidence suggests that she is the killer. Can Marwood find the killer and save Cat from the noose?
This has been a superb series, full of conspiracy, plots and court intrigue.
Keep your friends close and your enemies closer.
July 18, 2020
Yet another top Taylor effort in the Marwood & Lovett series. I do love this series.
June 29, 2021
Third in Taylor's superb historical mystery series set in the wake of the Great Fire of London. Marwood is gradully being drawn deeper into the more dangerous affairs of the Court, sent to investigate the discovery of a body in the grounds the grand house of a Lord in disgrace with the King and unpopular with the citizenry and the target of a rival's polotting. But the body has more personal relevance to Marwood, being that of the hated cousin of Cat Lovett, who has disappeared, and who has been implicated as the killer by an anonymous letter. What follows os farught and tense as Marwood tries to deal with the machinatons of the greta and powerful while protecting Cat and hopefully clearing her name, while Cat, determined to protect herself, hides in a filthy refugee camp just outside London.
January 13, 2025
A good train book. Really enjoyed reading about Stuart London and trying to imagine what my version of London must have looked like then. Found the plot a little confusing, but might be because I didn’t sit and read big chunks of the book…
June 10, 2020
Another excellent, twisty, atmospheric mystery for James Marwood and Cat Lovett. I’ve never been so interested in the Restoration period before...
August 11, 2022
Good whodunnit set in medieval London intertwined with royal court intrigues following the restoration.
May 20, 2019
Skeletons in the cupboard
Andrew Taylor’s latest thriller set in Restoration London and the Cambridgeshire Fens in the years following the Great Fire does not disappoint. The nicely ambiguous title refers to the reputed power of the English monarch to heal sufferers of Scrofula with the touch of his hand.
This the third of the Marwood and Lovett stories and is a huge success, just like the others. The death of Cat Lovett’s cousin in suspicious circumstances leads to the accusation of his murder laid against her. James Marwood is asked to investigate and is determined to solve the crime to prove her innocence. But this is also a tale of past indiscretions in the royal House of Stuart, indiscretions which have the power to bring down a dynasty. Who is the mysterious girl kept in seclusion in a Fenland estate? Why is she important to so many important men? And what will Marston do with the dangerous knowledge when he finds out?
What I like most about this series of novels is how the author takes such care to set them in a convincing context. Women, however spirited and talented, have limited outlets for their abilities, and an investigator such as Marwood, even if commissioned by the government authorities, is despised and exploited, his position precarious and is life often endangered.
Andrew Taylor’s latest thriller set in Restoration London and the Cambridgeshire Fens in the years following the Great Fire does not disappoint. The nicely ambiguous title refers to the reputed power of the English monarch to heal sufferers of Scrofula with the touch of his hand.
This the third of the Marwood and Lovett stories and is a huge success, just like the others. The death of Cat Lovett’s cousin in suspicious circumstances leads to the accusation of his murder laid against her. James Marwood is asked to investigate and is determined to solve the crime to prove her innocence. But this is also a tale of past indiscretions in the royal House of Stuart, indiscretions which have the power to bring down a dynasty. Who is the mysterious girl kept in seclusion in a Fenland estate? Why is she important to so many important men? And what will Marston do with the dangerous knowledge when he finds out?
What I like most about this series of novels is how the author takes such care to set them in a convincing context. Women, however spirited and talented, have limited outlets for their abilities, and an investigator such as Marwood, even if commissioned by the government authorities, is despised and exploited, his position precarious and is life often endangered.
March 18, 2024
Šešėlis iš Cat Lovett praeities vėl pasirodo. Marwoodas perspėja merginą, kad jos ieško pusbrolis, kamuojamas keršto troškimo. „Aš jį kada nors nužudysiu“, - atrėžia Cat. Kitą dieną pusbrolio kūnas aptinkamas šuliny įtakingo dvariškio rūmuose, o mergina pradingsta. Oficialiai – ji pagrindinė įtariamoji ir jau praktiškai už akių nuteista. Tik Marwoodas netiki jos kalte. Bet būtent jam pavedama atrasti besislapstančią merginą ir išsiaiškinti jos pusbrolio žūties aplinkybes.
Su kiekvienu serijos romanu autorius po truputį tobulėja. Detektyvinė intriga čia labai neblogai susukiota, pakanka ir „čia tai bent“ tipo siužeto posūkių. Pagrindinė bėda – personažai. Ir ne antraplaniai – tie visai neblogi. Bet va, Marwoodas ir Lovett... Marwoodas kaip aklas kačiukas baksnoja į viską aplinkui šlapia nosimi, o paskui, kai tiesa išaiškėja, pirštu beldžia į nesutapimus, kurie turėjo nukreiti į teisingą kelią. „Va, tada tu sakei taip, o paskui susipainiojai ir kitą kartą jau sakei ne taip“... Aha, bet pats Marwoodas tada nė neatkreipė dėmesio į nesutapimus, o dabar laužia iš savęs visažinį. O Lovett... Mergina, kuri susidūrusi su problema žino vieną vienintelį sprendimą – bakstelti Problemai peiliu į koją ir nešt mėsas, tikintis, kad Problema nepasivys? O ir jos deklaruojamos feminizmo bei tolerancijos idėjos labai derėtų XXI amžiui, bet griauna pasitikėjimą autoriaus vaizduojamu XVII-uoju.
Skysti keturi iš penkių.
Su kiekvienu serijos romanu autorius po truputį tobulėja. Detektyvinė intriga čia labai neblogai susukiota, pakanka ir „čia tai bent“ tipo siužeto posūkių. Pagrindinė bėda – personažai. Ir ne antraplaniai – tie visai neblogi. Bet va, Marwoodas ir Lovett... Marwoodas kaip aklas kačiukas baksnoja į viską aplinkui šlapia nosimi, o paskui, kai tiesa išaiškėja, pirštu beldžia į nesutapimus, kurie turėjo nukreiti į teisingą kelią. „Va, tada tu sakei taip, o paskui susipainiojai ir kitą kartą jau sakei ne taip“... Aha, bet pats Marwoodas tada nė neatkreipė dėmesio į nesutapimus, o dabar laužia iš savęs visažinį. O Lovett... Mergina, kuri susidūrusi su problema žino vieną vienintelį sprendimą – bakstelti Problemai peiliu į koją ir nešt mėsas, tikintis, kad Problema nepasivys? O ir jos deklaruojamos feminizmo bei tolerancijos idėjos labai derėtų XXI amžiui, bet griauna pasitikėjimą autoriaus vaizduojamu XVII-uoju.
Skysti keturi iš penkių.
February 12, 2020
The end of the trilogy but is it the end of the series? James Marwood's star is rising as he becomes more useful to Williamson,Chiffinch and the King. Cat Lovett is due to marry Mr Hakesby at the drawing office but then Edward Alderley is found murdered. James journeys to the Fens with Lady Quincy but is she quite who she makes out and where are her allegiances? Lots of intrigue between the King, Lord Clarendon and the Duke of Buckingham.
A long book but one that has the attention throughout and is difficult to put down, just as well I stay up late. Even when you think that you're onto the plot there is another twist. Great characters and you can almost smell the Thames ugh!
A thoroughly recommended trilogy for those that enjoy historical fiction.
A long book but one that has the attention throughout and is difficult to put down, just as well I stay up late. Even when you think that you're onto the plot there is another twist. Great characters and you can almost smell the Thames ugh!
A thoroughly recommended trilogy for those that enjoy historical fiction.
August 10, 2024
This was rather good! I always pride myself on figuring out plot-twists before they are revealed and I really thought I had Taylor figured out until the very end, when the whole script is flipped and we learn that it was Cat all along! Such a good way to twist things around.
I liked Marwood's daliance with Lady Quincy and the fact that his obsession with her fades as soon as the desire is satisfied. I may have to rescind some of my praise from the earlier novels, when I said I was so happy to have male and female protagonists that are not romantically involved because I am about ninety per cent certain that this third installment confirms that they will eventually end up together. That is a bit of a shame but at least it is not an immediate and forced connection so I will suspend my judgement for now and look forward to the next one in the series!
I liked Marwood's daliance with Lady Quincy and the fact that his obsession with her fades as soon as the desire is satisfied. I may have to rescind some of my praise from the earlier novels, when I said I was so happy to have male and female protagonists that are not romantically involved because I am about ninety per cent certain that this third installment confirms that they will eventually end up together. That is a bit of a shame but at least it is not an immediate and forced connection so I will suspend my judgement for now and look forward to the next one in the series!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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