Tag: historical crime

Rags of Time by Michael Ward #BookReview @RandomTTours

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Rags of Time BT PosterWelcome to today’s stop on the blog tour for Rags of Time by Michael Ward, the first in a series of historical mysteries set in 17th century London. My thanks to Anne at Random Things Tours for inviting me to take part in the tour and to the author for my digital review copy.

Rags of Time Final CoverAbout the Book

London, 1639. Spice merchant Thomas Tallant returns from India to find his city in turmoil – overcrowded, ravaged by crime and seething with sedition. A bitter struggle is brewing between King Charles I and Parliament as England slides into civil war.

A wealthy merchant is savagely killed; then his partner plunges to his death in the Tallant household. Suspicion falls on Tom, who soon finds himself being sucked into London’s turbulence. As he struggles to clear his name, he becomes entranced by the enigmatic Elizabeth Seymour, whose passion for astronomy and mathematics is matched only by her addiction to the gaming tables. Can her brilliance untangle the web of deceit that threatens to drag Tom under?

Format: ebook (318 pages)             Publisher: Sharpe Books
Publication date: 23rd June 2020 Genre: Historical fiction, crime, mystery

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My Review

Rags of Time is a historical murder mystery set during the latter part of the reign of Charles I. Spice merchant Thomas Tallant is forced to turn investigator when he is implicated in the mysterious deaths of two wealthy businessmen who just happen to be prominent figures in the rival wool trade.

The author does a great job of conjuring up the sights, sounds and smells of 17th century London: its bustling, crowded streets full of traders selling their wares; the pungent aromas of brewing, tanning and other industries; the narrow, tenement-lined alleyways where trade of an entirely different nature takes place.

Thomas’s investigations take place against the backdrop of a time of unrest as relations between King and Parliament deteriorate and rumours of Papist plots abound. London is a city driven by fear.  Apprentices are rioting on the streets, seditious pamphlets are circulating and war with the Scots is looming. “King or Parliament? King or Parliament? It’s time to choose” is the oft-heard cry.

Sir Ralph, Thomas’s father, performs the role of keeping the reader informed of wider events both at home and abroad. Meanwhile, Thomas finds himself drawn into the murky world of spies and informers, forced to make risky bargains to gain the information he needs to clear his name and restore his family’s reputation. However, he’s not the only one interested in getting to the bottom of the two deaths.

The spirited, pipe-smoking Elizabeth Seymour makes a great addition to the cast of characters. She’s a woman out of her time in many respects with an interest in astronomy, mathematics and the latest scientific theories. (Fast forward to the 1940s and she might well have been employed at Bletchley Park.)  As well as knowing her poetry and loving the theatre, she,  like Thomas, has experienced the thrill – and the consequences – of financial speculation. Cue the flowering of an instant mutual attraction between the pair.

The trade rivalry between the different merchant fraternities adds a sprinkling of spice to the mix, meaning there is no shortage of possible suspects and motives. But just what caused the two men’s deaths – was it the work of demons or of human hand? I’m pleased to say it’s Elizabeth’s logical mind that helps to provide the first key to unlocking the mystery.

Rags of Time is a well-crafted historical mystery with a satisfyingly intricate plot and plenty of period detail. I, for one, look forward to reading more of the adventures of Thomas Tallant.

In three words: Lively, intriguing, mystery

Try something similar: A Murderous Affair by Jonathan Digby

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Mike Ward Author picAbout the Author

Writing has been central to Mike Ward’s professional life. On graduating from university he became a journalist, working in newspapers and for the BBC. He then went into journalism education, teaching and researching journalism practice before becoming head of the UK’s prestigious Journalism School at UCLan. For the last eight years he has run his own content creation company.

Rags of Time is Mike’s debut novel. Its sequel is due to be published late in 2020.

Connect with Michael
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#TopTenTuesday Reasons I Love…Historical Crime Mysteries

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Top Ten Tuesday newTop Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme created by The Broke and the Bookish and now hosted by Jana at That Artsy Reader Girl.

The rules are simple:

Each Tuesday, Jana assigns a new topic. Create your own Top Ten list that fits that topic – putting your unique spin on it if you want. Everyone is welcome to join but please link back to That Artsy Reader Girl in your own Top Ten Tuesday post. Add your name to the Linky widget on that day’s post so that everyone can check out other bloggers’ lists. Or if you don’t have a blog, just post your answers as a comment.

This week’s topic is Reasons Why I Love [insert your favorite book title, genre, author, etc. here]. As regular followers of my blog will know, I love historical fiction and have a particular fondness for historical crime mysteries. Below you can find some of the reasons.

  1. Obvious really, but you get all the elements of crime fiction – a crime (or crimes), an investigation, suspects, clues, a final reveal and maybe a few twists along the way – but with the addition of a historical setting.
  2. The story is usually set against the background of actual historical events even if it departs on occasions from what really happened (or the order in which it happened) for the sake of the plot.
  3. You can learn the same fascinating facts about how people lived that you would from reading a history book but with a gripping plot.
  4. You are transported to a different period in time – the sights, sounds and usually smells!
  5. It will commonly have a mix of real and fictional characters.  For example, no historical mystery set in Elizabethan times seems to be complete without an appearance by either a member of the Cecil family or Sir Francis Walsingham!
  6. You are likely to come across some great, often unconventional (for the times), crime busting partnerships.  For example, Nicholas Shelby and Bianca Merton in S. W. Perry’s Jackdaw Mysteries series.
  7. The author is forced to use their imagination to depict crime investigation and detection without the benefit of modern scientific techniques. No CSI-style DNA testing!
  8. A different time period also brings other limitations that can enhance the plot: slower communication, more primitive means of transport, social constraints.
  9. Although it’s great to experience the streets of Medieval or Elizabethan London, a historical crime mystery can also transport you to other geographical locations. Barcelona, Marrakech, New York anyone?
  10. Finally, it’s surprising how much contemporary resonance there can be in a historical mystery.  For example, pestilence in a capital city with entertainment places closed down.  No, not now – Elizabethan London. Fake news used to spread misinformation? No, not now – pre-WW2 Germany.

I’m going to finish by sharing some of my favourite historical crime series. I’ve included only those where I’ve read more than one book in the series and listed only those titles I’ve read and reviewed. There may be (almost certainly are) other books in the series not shown that are still in my TBR pile or wishlist. Links from the titles will take you to my review.

20200517_103155The Tom Wilde series by Rory Clements (published by Zaffre)
Corpus Nucleus Nemesis  Hitler’s Secret

none-so-blindThe Teifi Valley Coroner series by Alis Hawkins (published by The Dome Press)
None So Blind

The Justice Flanagan series by Paddy Hirsch (published by Corvus)
The Devil’s Half Mile Hudson’s Kill

20200517_103215The Gower Street Detective and Betty Church series by M. R. C. Kasasian (published by Head of Zeus)
Dark Dawn Over Steep House Betty Church & The Suffolk Vampire

The Nighthawk series by Jim Kelly (published by Allison & Busby)
The Great Darkness The Mathematical Bridge

The Gregor Reinhardt series by Luke McCallin (published by No Exit Press)
The Pale House The Ashes of Berlin

20200229_141812-1The Jackdaw Mysteries series by S W Perry (published by Corvus)
The Angel’s Mark The Serpent’s Mark The Saracen’s Mark

20200517_103350The Cornish Mysteries series by Katherine Stansfield (published by Allison & Busby)
The Magpie Tree The Mermaid’s Call

The Ingo Finch series by Jeff Dawson (published by Canelo)
No Ordinary Killing The Cold North Sea

Of course, there are plenty of other historical crime series I could recommend including those by C J Sansom, S J Parris, Philip Kerr and David Ashton. OK, I’ll stop now before I have you spending all your money…