The Ashes of London by Andrew Taylor
I bought The Ashes of London by Andrew Taylor when Waterstones first reopened after lockdown, because I liked the title and the cover. Ironically, I wouldn’t have bought it a couple of years ago, because I used to be wary of historical fiction. But both the cover and the blurb reminded me of the Shardlake books by C J Sansom, which I absolutely love.
In 1666, clerk James Marwood, tries to stop a young person from running into St Paul’s Cathedral as it burns. Later, the body of a man is found inside the ruins of the cathedral, but he hasn’t burnt to death. The victim has been stabbed and his thumbs tied behind his back.
Marwood, who is desperately trying to protect his frail father, is tasked with tracking down the killer amongst the ash and ruins of London. When a second victim is found, Marwood finds himself tangled up in politics and religion, not knowing who he can trust.
While Wren works on plans for the future of London and St Paul’s, young heiress Catherine Lovett flees from her home and goes into hiding. Can she keep her freedom at any cost?
Set during the rule of Charles II, London is divided between supporters of the King, supporters of Oliver Cromwell and those who believe only in Jesus. Anyone who expresses the wrong opinion at the wrong time and in the wrong place will find themselves in danger. Can Marwood and Cat stay out of danger and will the identity of the murder be revealed?
The Ashes of London is told in the first person by Marwood and in the third person when describing Cat’s story. It is the first in a series and I can definitely see the series going from strength to strength, just as the Shardlake series has. I would definitely go back to read more.
If you’re looking for a different sort of crime book or you enjoy a historical novel, I would definitely recommend The Ashes of London.
I read this one during one of the lockdowns and did enjoy it. In fact I read two books set during the fire so I feel I have a better knowledge of that history period now. It’s not quite as good as Shardlake for me, but I’m planning to read the next book in the series.
It’s the first book I’ve read about the Great Fire and I definitely found that aspect interesting. I agree with you – not quite as good as Shardlake, but definitely worth reading more of the series. To be honest, I didn’t love the first Shardlake that much – they definitely got better!