so... this book brings together some interesting threads of history, with the great fire of 1666 as the backdrop. set during the reign of charles II, after the death of cromwell (who was exhumed and posthumously executed in 1661 (!!)), with the plague still a worry, and the religious waters still muddy and dangerous. taylor's novel has some bright moments, but it wasn't a consistent story. this isn't so much a murder mystery, as a a tale of intrigue and royal/royal-adjacent shenanigans (which can be fun). sure, there's a body count but more of the time was spent in the jockeying for position, and trying to stay a step ahead. i liked the characters taylor's created, though some of the secondary players fizzle out or aren't used as strongly as they may have been. i found the flow a bit clunky - taylor alternates POVs (which wasn't an issue), but the pacing was up and down, and i couldn't help wondering how things would have gone had marwood's and lovett's storylines come together more purposefully, sooner. my grumblings aside, this was a quick read, and did entertain - i am curious how marwood and lovett develop in book two. ( )

Just didn’t click with the characters who seemed a bit cliched and 21st century. Gave up at about 12% in. But the historical research was excellent and learnt a few things. Wouldn’t steer others away from it. Just wasn’t right for me or my mood at the time. ( )

This novel proved to be one of those precious finds that offer, besides an intriguing story to follow, a peek into a historical period I know next to nothing about, so that I feel compelled to search online more details and learn something new in the process. The background for The Ashes of London is that of the Restoration, the time in which King Charles II ascended to the throne of England after the execution of his father, Charles I, and Oliver Cromwell’s rule: in September 1666 the city of London was devastated by fire, and it’s during the final days of this disastrous occurrence - and its aftermath - that the book’s events take place.

James Marwood is a civil servant trying to keep a low profile in the hope that his masters forget he’s the son of one of the revolutionaries whose movement brought about the demise of the previous king: saddled with the difficult task of caring for his ailing father, whose time in prison after the conspiracy’s failure left him weakened in both body and mind, Marwood is torn between his filial duties and the need to further his career so that he can tend to what’s left of his family in reasonable comfort. Catherine Lovett is the daughter of one of the conspirators as well, her father being a wanted fugitive: she’s been left in the care of an uncle who is keen on marrying her off to a very unsavory character, while all she dreams about is architectural design, an unheard-of pastime for a woman in those days. The paths of these two characters are destined to cross, in part due to various circumstances and in part because of both their fathers’ affiliations, while the city of London tries to recover from the still-smoldering fires and a series of bizarre murders reveals the dangerous undercurrents running through the political and social fabric of the realm.

I very much appreciated the intriguing mix at the roots of this book, where historical fiction blends with a crime investigation and a good dose of political plotting and conspiracies, but most of all I enjoyed the “time travel” opportunities offered by the story, thanks to the descriptions of the day-to-day life of 17th Century England and the great social turmoil lurking under the surface. What I found particularly fascinating were the details of the city of London, which the author was able to depict with a cinematic, quite evocative quality that brought to life the sounds, sights - and unfortunately smells - of a bustling city which was grievously wounded by the Great Fire. There is an intriguing parallel here between the precarious political situation, in which the new King knows he still has to deal with the remnants of the conspiracy which prompted his father’s downfall, and the daily struggles of the citizenry, whose houses have been destroyed by the fire and have to live in ramshackle hovels or in the ruins of their burned-out homes, with no certainty about the immediate future. This is the background on which the main themes of civil unrest and inequality stand, together with a look at the social mores of the times and their consequences on people, particularly the two main characters.

James Marwood was soon able to inspire my sympathy, not least because his POV is written in the first person, allowing us to be instantly privy to his thoughts and troubles: as he deals with his professional duties, which are carried on through the double difficulty of being effective while keeping a low profile, we understand he’s a decent human being gifted with a good heart, and if sometimes he struggles with the frustration of having to care for a father who tethers between dementia and the dreams of a “new order”, he does so with such a deeply ingrained affection and respect for the old man, that it’s impossible not to feel for him.

Catherine, on the other hand, is more feisty and combative (often, and with reason, very fiercely so), and she’s also very “modern”, character-wise, because of her keen interest for architecture, which leads her to dream of a more unfettered life - practically an impossibility in those times. She is no frivolous dreamer, though, and when circumstances require her to adapt to change, sometimes through harrowing events, she shows a resiliency and an inner strength that are nothing if not admirable. Both Cat and Marwood suffer for the sins of their respective fathers, offering the opportunity for a commentary on a society that visits those sins on the innocent offspring of past conspirators.

Alongside these two main characters move a number of intriguing figures which help depict quite clearly the atmosphere of the times through their greed and depravity, cunning and coarseness, without forgetting the proverbial movers and shakers - some of them real-life persons - who complete this fascinating picture of an era of turmoil and change. Among them I want to mention Mistress Alderley, Cat’s aunt, who under her unprepossessing exterior shows great skills in being the proverbial power behind the throne in more ways than one; or the ruling monarch Charles II, who in a very human moment shows his desire to know more about the father he barely knew before he was killed; and again Edward, Cat’s despicable cousin who represents the entitled attitude of the lesser nobility who believes nothing and no one can stand in their way.

The Ashes of London is a very immersive portrayal of a time and a place I know I will enjoy visiting again through the next books, and it represents one of the best bookish finds of this year so far. ( )

A few more coincidences for my liking.
But I enjoyed the language and the characters. ( )

Charles I of England was beheaded in 1649. But his heir did not take the throne; rather, England entered the period known as "the Republican Commonwealth," during which the radical Puritan Oliver Cromwell, using the title of "Lord Protector" ran the country as a dictatorship. Cromwell’s death (from natural causes) in 1658 resulted in the eventual restoration of the monarchy in 1660, and Charles II was called back from exile to serve as king.

Charles II had perhaps more than his share of challenges. One task was to eliminate the Fifth Monarchists from Britain. This was an extremist Puritan sect, numbering up to around 10,000 adherents, which took its name from a prophecy in the Book of Daniel about four ancient monarchies (Babylonian, Persian, Macedonian, and Roman) that would precede the kingdom of Christ. They saw Charles I as the last of the Roman monarchy, since they were convinced the prophecy would happen soon - in 1666 - given its similarity to the cryptic biblical Number of the Beast from the Book of Revelation, chapter 13, verse 18). The Fifth Monarchists played a role in the killing of Charles I to ease the way for the kingdom of Jesus. (It appears their Bible reading was selective, and they missed the parts about not killing, and beating your swords into plowshares.)

Many of the group’s leaders were arrested and executed after two aborted uprisings, one in 1657 and one in 1661. Adherents remained, however, and continued their agitation while avoiding capture.

There was more.

The Great Plague of London, the last major epidemic of the bubonic plague to occur in England, ravaged the population from 1665 to 1666. Anyone getting ill for any reason could inspire a panic. Then the Great Fire of London started on September 2, 1666, fanned by strong winds and fed by wood that had been stockpiled for the coming colder months. The fire eventually consumed about 13,200 houses and 87 churches, including St. Paul’s Cathedral.

All of these occurrences form the backdrop for this work of historical fiction. The story begins on September 4, 1666, while London was still burning and onlookers were gathered before St. Paul’s Cathedral, which stood at the highest point of the city and was believed to have been impregnable. But on this day, it was consumed by fire. As St. Paul’s history website explains, a wooden scaffolding erected to add a dome contributed to the spread of the flames around the cathedral. The high vaults fell, smashing into the crypt. There, thousands of books stored in vaults leased to printers and booksellers fueled the flames and put the structure beyond hope of rescue.

Two of those observing the destruction of the cathedral are the main characters of the story, and they alternate narration. Although Catherine “Cat” Lovett and James Marwood don’t know each other (yet), both are the offspring of fathers who were Fifth Monarchists. Cat’s father had been on the run for six years and she had not seen him in all that time. Marwood’s father was released from prison six months before the story began. The father's brain is now addled, and Marwood has to care for him. Additionally, in exchange for his father’s release, Marwood had to agree to go to work for an influential member of the government, ostensibly as a clerk but also doing whatever "errands" he was assigned. One of these errands was to help investigate the murder of a man found during the clean-up of the cathedral fire. Marwood observed that the murdered man had his thumbs tied behind his back, and worse yet, other similarly trussed bodies turned up before long. Marwood thought he could pick up clues as to what was going on from the grounds of the cathedral ruins.

Cat gravitated to the ruins as well. She aspired to be an architect, although that was not really an option for women. But she was drawn to St. Paul's, since it was being rebuilt by the renowned Christopher Wren. He and his team of designers had responsibility for rebuilding 52 churches in the City of London after the Great Fire, including what later came to be regarded as his masterpiece, St Paul's Cathedral.

As Marwood struggled to figure out what happened, he was also tasked with locating Cat’s father, who was on top of the King’s “most wanted” list. If he could find Cat, he thought perhaps he could find her father as well and fulfill at least part of his assignments. But Cat suddenly went missing. Cat's aunt and uncle, with whom she lived, were trying to push her into an arranged marriage with an execrable man, and her lecherous cousin had become a danger to her. She felt her only recourse was to go into hiding.

The tension rises as the two inexorably make their ways toward one another, with each of their lives at serious risk during this time. The lack of restraints on violence - especially with respect to women - and the overarching authority of the king who had the power of life over death, made the survival of Cat and Marwood respectively a continuous gamble.

Evaluation: This is the first in a series of thrillers set in this time period. I always enjoy murder mysteries that teach me something in addition to providing a page-turning diversion. ( )

First in a series of historical mysteries set in Restoration London, this one begins as the city burns. James Marwood is both helping with the water brigade and overseeing the damage when he sees a young boy break through the barriers and head towards St. Paul's cathedral. He catches the hysterical boy and brings him to his rooms to calm him down. He soon notices that the boy is really a girl, and she runs off, stealing the cloak he had covered her with. Cat Lovett is the niece and ward of her uncle by marriage, Sir Henry Alderley, a wealthy goldsmith on good terms with the king. Cat is facing a marriage to a man she neither loves nor respects; what she really wants to do is draw buildings and plan cities. The situation, and the unwanted attentions of her cousin Edward, lead to Cat running away. She lands a servant position in a boarding house. One of the residents, Master Wakely, is working with Christopher Wren on plans to rebuild the city, and he allows Cat (now known as Jane) to assist with minor tasks. But her mind is on finding her father, a member of a religious sect that supported the execution of Charles I and now believes that his son, Charles II, must be taken down in order for King Jesus to rule the world.

Meanwhile, Marwood's employer brings him into the investigation of two murders: bodies have been found with their thumbs tied together behind their backs. In the course of his discovery, Alderley's second wife, Olivia, asks Marwood to find her niece Cat--and the king, be it known through Mrs. Alderley and the King's confident Chiffinch, want to find Cat's father. The situation is complicated by the fact that Marwood's father was a member of the King Jesus group and spent years in prison upon the restoration of the monarchy. Now, feeble and becoming senile, he is dependent on his son, and James is aware that their loyalty is being closely watched.

I am not a big fan of mysteries of any sort, so other readers might enjoy this one a lot more than I did. It was a plus that I know a good deal about this period of English history, and Taylor does a good job of recreating the customs and appearance of Restoration London and of the unpredictable nature of the king. I needed a fairly light read, and this was a farily good one, but I probably won't be pursuing the rest of the series. ( )

Reasonably good but light historical mystery yarn, plotting and characterisation are fine and the historical setting interesting, if not quite convincing in certain aspects - in particular, around the religious convictions and conflicts. All in all, a bit too much of a 21st century weltanschau appeared. April 2020. ( )

Really enjoyed the audiobook narration. You could almost smell the smoke and ash of the fire. ( )

Quite pedestrian plotwise, but a good yarn, evocatively recounted. ( )

A good, fast-paced tale of post-fire London. Lots of interesting bits about the Restoration and rebuilding, plus about the printing and publishing trades (though I'd be happy to have had even more of that). Best of all, there are two more books out in the series to look forward to. ( )

The Ashes of London. Interesting book that tends to wander a bit and is therefore a bit too long. The boring walks through the burned out streets are repeated again and again. I felt if the author described the coat of arms on the coach door in detail one more time I would throw the book at the wall. I would not rush to buy another of his books. ( )

I´m deducting points from this as a) it was evident who the murder was pretty much from the beginning of the novel, and b) there were huge swathes of text that rambled on incessantly. Having said that, I found this an interesting read if only for the historical context of the story - both the political stuation and the aftermath of the great fire. ( )

1666 and a fire starts in London, soon to devastate the medieval City of London. Watching the flames, a young man notices a boy in a ragged shirt who is standing so close as to risk to his life. When he pulls the boy to safety, he finds it is not a boy but a young woman. She bites him and escapes, though he intends only to help. And so are introduced the two key characters in ‘The Ashes of London’ by Andrew Taylor. But this is not a novel about the Fire of London, rather a political mystery involving murder in the turbulent years following the execution of King Charles I, the English Civil War, the Commonwealth and subsequent Restoration of King Charles II.
In the ruins of St Paul’s a body is found, differing from other mortalities for its thumbs tied together behind the man’s back. This is the sign of those who committed Regicide by signing the death warrant of Charles I. Though in hiding, these traitors are still active, lurking in the shadows.
The account of London burning is written vividly, so vivid I could imagine myself there, smell the charred timber and smoke. We see it through the eyes of two people. James Marwood, clerk, son of a traitor, is required by his superiors to investigate on their behalf. Catherine Lovett, a wealthy young woman lodges with the family of her mother but secretly searches for her father, a Regicide. Her position becomes precarious when her uncle seeks to marry her to a suitable man, one she detests. She flees and, at risk of discovery, Cat hides her identity with a false name. She is a bright woman who adapts to her changing circumstances, has a great presence of mind and is not afraid to defend herself when threatened. I particularly enjoyed her interest in architecture, something which brings her into the wider circle of Master Hakesby and Dr (Christopher) Wren as the new design for St Paul’s takes shape. She has a skill of fine draughtsmanship, and helps Master Hakesby who suffers from the ague.
We learn the story as seen by Marwood and Cat; the author controls what we know and don’t know. As they are aware of other things happening outside their circle, but not of the detail – of surviving traitors helping each other, of powerful men borrowing and lending money, of the scientifically-minded Charles II and his circle of influencers – so the reader realizes more is going on behind the scenes than is written on the page. Which adds to the mystery. This was a complex political time. We watch Marwood tread a delicate path as he tries to protect his elderly weak-witted Regicide father from persecution whilst also obeying his employer, Master Williamson, editor of The London Gazette. It is a time of whispers, gossip in the coffee houses, of secret meetings and spies standing behind screens the better to eavesdrop.
The paths of Marwood and Cat almost cross a number of times and as neither knows the true identity or intentions of the other, the reader is in a privileged position. When they do meet, the outcome is unexpected.
This is not a page-turning thriller or a crime novel, more a historical mystery. Taylor takes time to develop his characters and to show his location, the Restoration context is fascinating. Though a slow-burn I read this book quickly, finishing it and wanting to read its sequel, ‘The Fire Court’. That is always a good sign.
Read more of my book reviews at http://www.sandradanby.com/book-reviews-a-z/ ( )

This book revealed the killer early on and never explained the reasons for the murders that occurred. This kind of breaks the basis rule of writing a crime novel. ( )

James Marwood, a Whitehall clerk, watches the deadly fire of 1666 ravish St. Paul's. Catherine Lovett ("Cat") bites his hand, stealing his cloak. Not all the bodies found in the aftermath died due to the fire. A couple bear the marks of a murder. It's a time of political turmoil. Cat soon flees the city after attempting to gouge out the eye of a cousin. The main characters, while fairly well-developed, failed to make me care whether they came out alive or not -- in fact, I probably wished ill on some of the ones who did. The reader probably knew a bit too much about what was going on whereas a little suspense would have improved the book. While I'm not sorry I read it, I was surprised by the direction the book took. The mystery element was not as strong as the theme of politics during the time of Cromwell. I would prefer more mystery and less politics. ( )

A mixed bag of characters caught in the political minefield that was Restoration London - as London burns James Marwood, a young clerk in Whitehall prevents a boy from running into St. Paul's only to discover he's rescued an ungrateful young woman who bites him and flees with his second best cloak. He's the son of a man recently released from the Tower and she, Catherine Lovett, the daughter of an uncaught regicide, and both of those parents belong to a sect preaching the coming of King Jesus in 1666. If things aren't already bad enough bodies start turning up.
A well told story that moves smoothly through murky politics and takes us all over what's left of London. I never quite buy into either James or Catherine - they just seem puppets moving the plot along, but the peripheral characters have some flavor.

The map on the Kindle is rubbish, and a good map would have been great to follow the action though burnt and unburnt London - I found a few online that together provided most of the locations, though I guess none of them bother labeling Ludgate - I guess if you don't know where it is you shouldn't bother to read a book set in London. ( )

so... this book brings together some interesting threads of history, with the great fire of 1666 as the backdrop. set during the reign of charles II, after the death of cromwell (who was exhumed and posthumously executed in 1661 (!!)), with the plague still a worry, and the religious waters still muddy and dangerous. taylor's novel has some bright moments, but it wasn't a consistent story. this isn't so much a murder mystery, as a a tale of intrigue and royal/royal-adjacent shenanigans (which can be fun). sure, there's a body count but more of the time was spent in the jockeying for position, and trying to stay a step ahead. i liked the characters taylor's created, though some of the secondary players fizzle out or aren't used as strongly as they may have been. i found the flow a bit clunky - taylor alternates POVs (which wasn't an issue), but the pacing was up and down, and i couldn't help wondering how things would have gone had marwood's and lovett's storylines come together more purposefully, sooner. my grumblings aside, this was a quick read, and did entertain - i am curious how marwood and lovett develop in book two. ( )

I am a great fan of Andrew Taylor, having read most of his books. This one is set during and after the 1666 great fire of London that destroyed much of the city. It is also a murder mystery and a missing person mystery. Much of it is told in the first person from the point of view of the son of an ex supporter of Cromwell who had led the rebellion against King Charles the 1st. Now that Charles the 2nd is in power, enemies of his beheaded father are in hiding. Anyway, the narrator is working as an assistant to a sort of spymaster working for the king so he has a legitimate interest in solving mysteries. There are also 3rd person parts that follow the story of the other main character - a young woman who is at the heart of much of the mystery. Excellent book, up there with Taylor's best. Unmissable for anyone who has enjoyed other historical fiction books by Taylor. ( )

In the aftermath of the Great Fire of London the body of a man is found in the ruins of St Paul's with his thumbs tied behind his back and a stab wound to the back of the neck. Then another man is found in the Fleet ditch in exactly the same circumstances. The son of Fifth Monarchist, James Marwood is trying to make his way in life, supporting his father in his dotage and working for the Government. He is tasked with finding the murderer and he finds links to a wealthy family of merchants and also their relative, Lovett, one of the named regicides still not accounted for. Meanwhile Lovett's daughter Catherine is finding betrayal and danger at every turn and she deals with that the only way she can.

Taylor is a hugely accomplished writer of historical mysteries and I have loved so many of his books, this is no different. Set in 1666, London is a foment of worry and paranoia. There has been the Great Fire which has destroyed huge swathes of the capital and the rebuilding is just in the planning stage. I love the way that Taylor manages to include known figures (Sir Christopher Wren and Charles II) without making them major characters, but just as adjuncts to his fictional characters. Everything is done with a light but sure hand and the knowledge that the research is impeccable. ( )

The son of a rebel investigates a couple of murders that take place around the Great Fire of London. Enjoyed the historical detail, and the difficulties faced by sections of society when Cromwell's Commonwealth reverted to a kingdom. Felt Taylor was more comfortable with the chapters from Marwood' POV, a character trying to do his best whilst coping with a senile father, than the young woman's POV, a woman who yearns to be an architect who swiftly punishes any man who takes liberties with her, dragging the story into melodrama. Didn't feel particularly curious about the who-dunnit & would have preferred more detail on the Fire & how people coped. ( )

Ashes of London
This story takes place in 1666 after a major fire in London that destroys much of the inner core of the city, including St. Paul’s cathedral. Charles II has been reinstated as the monarch after the disastrous government of Cromwell.
The main character is James Marwood who is the son of one of the regicides, responsible for the beheading of Charles I. He works as a clerk for the editor of the Gazette and becomes involved in the investigation of two murders which happened during the fire.
The secondary character is Catherine Lovett whose father Thomas was also involved in the beheading.
Their stories are intertwined as James slowly unravels the perpetrator.
I slogged my way through this and found it to be tedious and the ending unsatisfactory. ( )

I have a love/hate relationship with Andrew Taylor's books, they're a bit like Marmite! This is one I couldn't get on with, the historical detail was superb but just couldn't get interested in the characters. ( )

The setting for this book is London in the immediate aftermath of the Great Fire of 1666. The story concerns the search for a serial killer, but is muddied by the politics surrounding King Charles II who is trying to track down the Regicides - the men actively involved in the execution of his father, Charles I. The investigator, James Marwood, is himself the son of a Regicide and struggles to keep himself and his enfeebled father out of harm's way. Marwood's work entwines with the life of a young woman who may or may not be directly involved in the crimes.

Taylor, an experienced and much decorated novelist, has produced an intelligent and complex story with plenty of twists and turns to keep the reader on their toes. All of his characters are conflicted and we see the good and bad in all of them. This reflects the disturbing and unbalanced politics of the time. His descriptions of the Fire and London life afterwards are excellent. This is historical fiction not a very high order indeed. ( )

This was the first book of Andrew Taylor I have read a very much enjoyed it. I thought the characters were well developed and the plot moved along at a nice pace. ( )

I was given an ARC copy of this book awhile ago, and I didn't get to it until now. I am glad that I finally read it. This is a wonderful historical suspense and thriller book. The time is 17 century London during the time of the Restoration, and the Great Fire of London. It opens in September 1666, and the whole of London is burning. Nothing is safe from the ravenous flames, not even the great cathedral of St. Paul's. The two protaganists of this story meet outside the burning cathedral. James Marwood, a young clerk who works as a very junior member in Whitehall, is watching the cathedral burn when a young lad bumps into him. The lad is terrified and cold and Marwood gives him his cloak. Little does he know that the young lad is not a lad at all, but a young woman on the run from her abusive family, and that he will be tasked with trying to hunt this woman down throughout all of London the day after he bumed into her. A partially burnt body turns up in the ashes of St. Paul's. It is apparent that the body is a recent one, as opposed to many long-buried ones that got tossed out of their crypts and graves during the fire. The book moves swiftly through the streets and byways of London while Marwood pursues his prey. London is a very dangerous at this time. King Charles II has a tenuous hold as monarch, and he is set on seeking and destroying the remaining members of Cromwell's followers and, more importantly to him, anyone who had anything at all to do with the beheading of his father. Lies, secrets, blind alleys, red herrings, extreme danger - all are in this book and very well portrayed by Andrew Taylor. He has a very good knowledge of this time in England's history and his writing skills are excellent. I'd like to thank Harper Collins for giving me the opportunity to read this book. I highly recommend it to anyone who is a fan of 17 century spy craft. ( )