Books
by Andrew Taylor
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The American Boy |
I have a particular fondness for the "Victorian" novel that is so fashionable. I enjoy the rich, often dense mixture of romance and thriller. This is an excellent example full of labyrinthine twists. Even the title is misleading; the American boy is Poe - but he is the "hinge" factor; his presence allows Thomas Shield to become involved with the Frants and Carswells, a subtle influence. A strong setting, a suitably authentic style: a good read.
(Ferelith Hordon - bwl 50 March 2009) |
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The Anatomy of Ghosts |
I have always enjoyed Andrew Taylor’s books about James Marwood and Cat Lovett. This is set a little later and we find ourselves in the dingy, murky world of a Cambridge college in the eighteenth century. There is a suspicious death, the suggestion of a ghost, a disturbed undergraduate (or is he) the slippery politics of academia and a main protagonist to catch your attention – John Holdsworth. Gripping and immersive.
(Ferelith Hordon - bwl 112 Spring 2024) |
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The Fire Court |
This is the second book (see bwl 93 The King) to feature James Marwood and Cat Lovett - and it is as enjoyable. We are in London as it recovers from the Great Fire. A court has been established to sort out the inevitable disputes arising from property ownership, leaseholds - and development. But - are the judges incorruptible? Taylor brings the past to life. The reader walks the devastated streets with Marwood - and keeps turning the pages
(Ferelith Hordon - bwl 98 Autumn 2020) |
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The King |
If you have run out of Shardlakes, Andrew Taylor's Marwood story is a good alternative. Strong on period detail, this time of Restoration London, it centres on murder and Court intrigue with Charles II, the Dukes of York, Clarendon and Buckingham heavily involved. There is plenty of action and menace leavened with love and lust - an entertaining mixture which keeps you reading.
(Tony Pratt - bwl 93 Summer 2019) |
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The Last Protector |
I am not usually a great fan of series, but Andrew Taylor’s novels featuring James Marwood and Cat Lovett have me hooked. This one, the fourth in the sequence, had me as gripped as its predecessors. Full of twists and turns, jeopardy and the violence that goes with the period, one cannot help but be completely immersed in the story following James and Cat in their uneasy relationship , willing them to succeed.
(Ferelith Hordon - bwl 105 Summer 2022) |
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