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The King's Evil
- James Marwood & Cat Lovett, Book 3
- Narrated by: Leighton Pugh
- Series: The Ashes of London, Book 3
- Length: 12 hrs and 31 mins
- Categories: Mystery, Thriller & Suspense, Mystery
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A Good Listen
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Summary
Winner of The HWA Gold Crown 2020.
From the number one best-selling author of The Ashes of London and The Fire Court comes the next audiobook in the phenomenally successful series following James Marwood.
A royal scandal that could change the face of England forever.
London, 1667. In the court of Charles II, it's a dangerous time to be alive. A wrong move could lead to disgrace, exile or death. The discovery of a murder at Clarendon House, the palatial home of one of the highest courtiers in the land, could have catastrophic consequences.
James Marwood, a traitor's son, is ordered to cover up the murder. But the dead man is Edward Alderley, the cousin of one of Marwood's acquaintances. Cat Lovett had every reason to want her cousin dead. Since his murder, she has vanished, and all the evidence points to her as the killer.
Marwood is determined to clear Cat's name and discover who really killed Alderley. But time is running out for everyone. If he makes a mistake, it could threaten not only the government but the king himself.
Critic reviews
"This is historical crime fiction at its dazzling best." (Guardian)
"Another fine outing from one of the best historical novelists around." (Sunday Times)
"Taylor has a rare knack for conjuring up an authentic historical atmosphere, and his description of a teeming, uncertain London in a state of flux is vivid and compelling." (Observer)
More from the same
What listeners say about The King's Evil
Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Overall
- ceecee
- 29-11-19
The kings evil
It took a while to get into it but an interesting story. I'm looking forward to next book in series.
1 person found this helpful
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- Miss
- 21-04-19
More intrigue at court
Another wonderful book in this series by Andrew Taylor, I hope there will be more...
1 person found this helpful
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- bookylady
- 18-01-21
A marvellous whodunnit.
This book gave me many hours of very pleasurable listening and I learned some new things about Restoration period history along the way too, which was a nice bonus.
James Marwood and Cat Lovett are great characters, believable sleuths and have an intriguing personal relationship. There is enough backstory given in the narrative to ensure that you can read the book as a standalone novel; I had read book 1 but not book 2 and had no difficulty in understanding the ins and outs of book 3.
A very enjoyable novel, narrated with great style. It left me wanting more, which is always a good sign, I think.
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- Anne
- 17-01-21
Another excellent Marwood & Lovett story
Another excellent Marwood & Lovett story. Loved the intrigue & mystery of this historical novel, continuing the narrative from the previous book. It can work as a stand alone story though. James Marwood seems to be a pawn for everyone & Cat certainly lives up to her name. Looking forward to the next book to see what other dangers befall them.
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- Spiky Potplant
- 07-12-20
Decent historical crime fiction
Decent historical crime fiction but not as good as the other two books. The atmosphere and descriptions of London are very good but the story didn’t catch my attention in the same way as the others.
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- Kirstine
- 12-11-20
More entertaining mix of history and mystery
I've followed the exploits of civil servant Marwood and his feisty friend Cat Lovett through three books and enjoyed them all. This book is set in the year after of the fire of London and restored Charles II has been on the throne for over 6 years. Aristocratic intrigues abound and Marwood gets drawn into trying to solve a murder that has ramifications for the King and his brother the Duke of York. It's an engaging and imaginative story full of the atmosphere of London in the Restoration period as the capital recovers from the devastation of the great fire.
Excellent narrator
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- Justinn
- 05-11-20
Good story, great narration
A masterpiece of narration by Pugh, bouyed along by a decent story, evoking a good sense of the times.
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- Anonymous User
- 26-07-20
Gripping page turner
I thoroughly enjoyed book 3... more adventures with Cat and Marwood.
This book offers a rare snippet of a phase of history we know little about.. Charles 2, the intrigues, loyalties and scheming.. The plot is fast paced and I found that I couldn’t wait to llisten to it everyday. I am so delighted that there is book 4, which I’ve bought already. A superb historical thriller, which includes the attitudes, morals and values of it’s time in history. Fascinating..,,
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- CM
- 01-07-20
Another excellent book
Another excellent instalment in this series by Andrew Taylor.Full of intrigue and a murder mystery at the court of Charles II. The narration by Leighton Pugh is perfect. I found the historical
background and description of London so interesting. But it is mainly the story that is gripping. I listened to it practically non stop.
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- Anne Foulds
- 24-03-20
Great story
Really enjoyed this 3rd book of the series, can’t wait for the next book, read well.