The Wrecking Storm is the second book in Michael Ward’s Thomas Tallant Mystery series, set in 17th century England.
Title: The Wrecking Storm
Author: Michael Ward
Series: Thomas Tallant Mysteries #2
First Published: April 14, 2021
Genres: Mystery,
Acquired: from the author
*** Thank you to the author, Michael Ward, for providing me with an e-copy of this book in exchange for an unbiased review. ***
1641. London. The poisonous dispute pushing King Charles and Parliament towards Civil War is reaching the point of no return.
Law and order in the city are collapsing as Puritan radicals demand more concessions from the King. Bishops and lords are attacked in the streets as the Apprentice Boys run amok. Criminal gangs use the disorder to mask their activities while the people of London lock their doors and pray for deliverance.
No one is immune from the contagion. Two Jesuit priests are discovered in hiding and brutally executed – and soon the family of spice merchant Thomas Tallant is drawn into the spiral of violence. Tallant’s home is ransacked, his warehouse raided and his sister seized by kidnappers.
Thomas struggles to discover who is responsible, aided by the enigmatic Elizabeth Seymour, a devotee of science, maths and tobacco in equal measure. Together they enter a murky world of court politics, street violence, secret codes and poisoned letters, and confront a vicious gang leader who will stop at nothing to satisfy his greed.
Can Elizabeth use her skills to unpick the mass of contradictory evidence before the Tallants are ruined – both as a business and a family?
And as the fight for London between King and Parliament hurtles to its dramatic conclusion, can the Tallants survive the personal and political maelstrom?
A plot full of twists and turns
There are so many things happening in The Wrecking Storm (some based on actual historical events) that it sets quite a frenetic pace. There’s the murder of two Jesuit priests, the targeting of the Tallant family, the execution of the Earl of Strafford, King Charles I’s attempt to arrest five Members of Parliament, and the attempted kidnapping of Thomas’ sister. With so much action I was worried that it was a bit too much for one book but then realised that it was part of the overall tone of this story – things were tense, emotional and unstable.
Not surprisingly, this book races along at a breakneck pace, which made it hard to put down once I started reading it. Everything kicks off when two Jesuit priests are murdered, and Sir Barty Hopkins and Robert Petty of the Merchant Adventurers, ask for Thomas’ help in catching the murderer. Along with his friend Elizabeth Seymour, Thomas begins to investigate. However, before the pair can get very far, Thomas discovers that his own family has now become a target for the criminals.
With so much going on in the story it was difficult for me to figure out who was behind the crimes and I think I kind of gave up trying to figure things out and just sat back and enjoyed the ride. It’s a thrilling, twisty, fast-paced ride and I was not disappointed with the resolution.
A thrilling historical mystery
This is a period of time that I know almost nothing about as I generally don’t read a lot of fiction or non-fiction about the 1600s, preferring historical writings in the Tudor and Elizabethan eras. That being said, this is one historical fiction series that I really enjoy. You can tell that the author has done an immense amount of research and is very comfortable writing a story set in this time period. The intricate details and immersive atmosphere put you right into 1641 London.
As with Ward’s first book, Rags of Time, I was completely taken with his description of life in London during this time. It was definitely not a safe and happy place, and you can almost feel the tension leaping off the page as events unfold. There is a lot of violence and turmoil and a lot of the story is very unsettling, as it should be. I think one of Ward’s strengths as a writer is being able to make the setting of his stories come alive and become an integral part of the plot, rather than just the background.
I also really enjoyed spending more ‘time’ with Thomas and Elizabeth. They are a great match and it was fun to watch their interactions. Elizabeth is one of my favourite characters – she’s feisty, intelligent, quick-witted and can hold her own alongside Thomas.
While The Wrecking Story is the sequel to Rags of Time (you can read my review of that book here), you can absolutely read it as a standalone. However, if you enjoy mystery thrillers with a historical twist, then I highly recommend reading Rags of Time first – you’ll get a much better sense of the characters and their relationships by seeing them from the start, especially Thomas and Elizabeth.
Read The Wrecking Storm for yourself
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