Rating: 5/5
Review:
An excellent book
I thought this was an outstandingly good book. Rather to my shame I hadn't come across Andrew Taylor before and picked this up because it was recommended on Radio 4 as one of the best crime novels of 2010. They were right, and I will certainly be reading more of Andrew Taylor's books.
The plot has been well summarised in other reviews here so I won't go into it again, but it is involving, exciting and very well paced. I found that for at least the last couple of hundred pages I was completely gripped and very grumpy about anything which interrupted my reading. The characters are well drawn and I found the whole premise of the book interesting and psychologically perceptive. Taylor's writing is really good - unaffected, literate and a pleasure to read. He conjures the late 18th Century period excellently with the use of very authentic dialogue and modern narration with the occasional period phrase - "the carriage slowed to a footpace," for example - which is very effective. The writing reminded me a little of Patrick O'Brian, which is very high praise indeed.
In short, this is a beautifully written, convincingly set and gripping crime novel which is far more than just a thriller. It's a real find for me and I recommend it wholeheartedly.
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