*NEW RELEASE SPECIAL* Review of NETGALLEY arc The Last Protector – Book 4 of the Lovett and Marwood series by Andrew Taylor #Brainfluffbookreview #TheLastProtectorbookreview

I realised that I’d read the first book of this gripping historical series, The Ashes of London – see my review – so was delighted when I got hold of the arc of this one…

BLURB: Brother against brother. Father against son. Friends turned into enemies. No one in England wants a return to the bloody days of the Civil War. But Oliver Cromwell’s son, Richard, has abandoned his exile and slipped back into England. The consequences could be catastrophic. James Marwood, a traitor’s son turned government agent, is tasked with uncovering Cromwell’s motives. But his assignment is complicated by his friend – the regicide’s daughter, Cat Lovett – who knew the Cromwells as a child, and who now seems to be hiding a secret of her own about the family…

You don’t need to have read any of the previous books, but I would recommend getting hold of at least one of them – I can personally recommend The Ashes of London. Andrew Marwood works on behalf of the King through the system of patronage that was popular back then. So while he enjoys the protection of Joseph Williamson, Undersecretary of State and Lord Arlington, Secretary of State, he has incurred the enmity of the Duke of Buckingham, who is a powerful courtier and favourite of Charles II. When a duel is fought and Marwood is sent along to provide an eye-witness account of the outcome, he becomes the target for Buckingham’s henchmen.

While Cat Lovett, now married to the elderly and increasingly frail Simon Hakesby, is worried when a girl she knew only vaguely as a child, accosts her on the street, claiming a warm friendship and wanting to renew it. But Cat is having enough problems without Elizabeth Cromwell, granddaughter to the Protector and traitor, crashing into her life. I love the dynamic. This is the aftermath of the Civil War, during which families were torn apart as loyalties were divided and though time has passed, there are those with long memories who look back on the Protectorate with wistfulness, on seeing the King’s extravagant and ungodly lifestyle.

Taylor has depicted the time really well. Both main protagonists are sympathetic and behave appropriately within the constraints of their time. And as we also get a ringside seat into the wretched life of poor Ferrus, born with some congenital defect, the tension slowly winds up as the stakes continue to increase. The climax is brutal and explosive – I couldn’t put this one down until I’d finished it. And I’ve now got hold of the second book in the series, needing more of Cat and Andrew in my life. The quality of the writing and immersive, vivid feel of 17th century London reminds me of C.J. Sansom’s Matthew Shardlake series. Highly recommended for fans of good quality historical murder mysteries. The ebook arc copy of The Last Protector was provided by the publisher through NetGalley in return for an honest opinion of the book.
9/10