Another in the Marwood and Lovett series based in the period after the civil war. Families were divided and friends turned into enemies. Oliver Cromwells son slips back into England Marwood and Cat end up in danger, they could even end up on the block. A well researched book with great characters

Number 4 in this series already, alas it is not the best of this series. It feels uninspired with a weak plot... Nevertheless it is well written just not as engaging.

This book is the fourth in the series.
The book is atmospheric.
An informative and entertaining read.
Perfect for anyone who is a fan of 17th century England.

A fantastic piece of historical fiction. Really enjoyed it and found it very gripping. I hadn't realised it was part of a series but I didn't feel it mattered.

As usual this pairing provide you with a historically accurate and intelligent mystery.
I like the setting f this series and the political complications f life after the civil war.
As usual the other characters add to the story.

I love this series and I think this was the most dramatic and gripping so far. The descriptions are so evocative of Restoration London that its easy to get lost in the grimy, bustling streets and the feeling of menace is never far away as Marwood and Cat unravel the plots and conniving of those at court and those who serve them. As usual I read this one far too quickly and missed out on several hours of sleep, but I regret nothing, it was so worth it. Highly recommended.

Part four of the Marwood and Lovett series finds an England already disenchanted with the return of the monarchy. The Duke of Buckingham is scheming once again (us it any wonder they let title die out) and Richard (son of Oliver) Cromwell has secretly returned from exile to England. Cat Lovett and James Marwood are both drawn into a conspiracy....Lovett trying to avoid involvement, Marwood doing his best to thwart it and protect Cat.

I do love Andrew Taylors books but I must admit I found my attention wandering sometimes. Perhaps it was time of the year, distracted by the real world but I found it a bit hard to follow the intrigues at times. But even so I still really liked it. There are few writers who evoke historical times like Taylor does, be that Stuart England or 19th century London or the 1930s....his skill at description and excellent research take you there. Wonderful writing as always.

Andrew Taylor’s historical novels are absolutely amazing. So rich in period detail, stories woven around fact and with a strong sense of time and place.

This outing further develops the relationship of the two central characters. It works very well as a stand alone, but the nuances of their interaction is fully appreciated if the reader is familiar with their backstory. This book involves court intrigue; Oliver Cromwell and the Duke of Buckingham feature and although there’s no murder mystery to solve, the plotting is complex and there are unexpected twists and turns. To be honest, the story is so rich in period detail and it’s so well written, I was totally immersed in all the sub plots and characters. Taylor is right at the top of the list of outstanding writers of historical fiction and, in my view, way better than Mantel. Can’t wait for the next book.

My thanks to the publishers for a review copy via Netgalley.

I very much enjoyed this book. It has a good story and excellent main characters. I would definately recommend this book.

This was my first Andrew Taylor read and I really enjoyed it.

Even though I hadn't read the other books before about this character I didn't feel like I was missing any information.

It is a good historical fiction novel with the twists and turns of any good mystery but packed with facts.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC.

I really wish I had come across this author & series before as I don't think I got as much as I could from this if I had read the previous three books. However, I did enjoy this well crafted novel, so I am off to get the other books and then will reread this one!

I don’t usually read historical fiction but I’m so glad I was sent this book. Thoroughly enjoyed it and enjoyed reading about Cromwell’s dependents. This is the first book I have read by this author but I will definitely read other ones. Thank you

The Last Protector is the latest addition to Andrew Taylor’s wonderful Marwood and Lovett series set in England during the Restoration. It’s now 1668, and Charles II, restored to his throne eight years earlier, is beginning to lose the support of the people due to the extravagance of his lifestyle and the immoral behaviour of his courtiers. Many are starting to long for the days of the Lord Protector Oliver Cromwell and his son, Richard – and when Richard returns (in disguise) from exile, he becomes the centre of a conspiracy into which James Marwood and Cat Lovett are drawn.

At the beginning of the novel, government agent Marwood, still working for Joseph Williamson, Under-Secretary of State to Lord Arlington, is sent to spy on a duel between Lord Shrewsbury and the Duke of Buckingham, who is believed to be plotting against the king. Unfortunately, Marwood is seen by Buckingham’s men, making him a target of the Duke. Meanwhile, Cat, now married to the elderly architect Simon Hakesby (and not really enjoying the experience) has a chance encounter with a young woman she hasn’t seen for years. The woman’s name is Elizabeth Cromwell, the daughter of Richard, the last Protector. Richard has become caught up in Buckingham’s plans to gain power and he wants Cat and Simon to help him. In this way, Cat and Marwood are both pulled, via different routes, into the same circle of events and their two separate storylines become entwined.

This is the fourth book in the series and I would recommend reading them all in order if you can (the previous books are The Ashes of London, The Fire Court and The King’s Evil). It’s not really essential as the novels do all stand alone to a certain extent, but Marwood and Cat have a complex relationship and I think it’s best to follow their stories from the beginning. They don’t seem to have as many opportunities to interact in this book as they do in the earlier ones, but the occasions when their paths do cross are always worth looking forward to.

As usual, there’s also an interesting collection of secondary characters to get to know. One of the many things I enjoy about this series is the way the books incorporate both the lives of the nobility and the lower classes and there are two characters in particular who stand out this time: Ferrus, the ‘mazer-scourer’, a tall, skinny man whose job it is to squeeze himself down sewers to clear blockages underground, and Chloris, a kind-hearted prostitute who does her best to help Marwood despite her humble position in life.

Compared with the previous three novels, this book is more of a thriller than a mystery, still with plenty of twists and turns to the plot. And of course, the atmosphere and attention to detail are excellent, bringing to life the London of the period as the city continues to rebuild following the Great Fire of 1666. I hope there’s going to be a fifth book, especially as there’s a certain development towards the end of this one that has left me wondering what the future might hold for Cat and Marwood.

Another cracking historical fiction work from Andrew Taylor. Fans of the series will not be disappointed.

This time James Marwood and Cat Lovett are put in danger by the arrival back in England of Richard Cromwell, the son and heir to Oliver Cromwell. Those who supported Oliver Cromwell wish to see a Cromwell back in charge and King Charles II dethroned. Cat is drawn into the plot against her will, while Marwood is caught up in the intrigues of the Duke of Buckingham, a powerful man close to the King.

As usual Andrew Taylor delivers up a galloping adventure with an eye for historical detail which bring the streets of Restoration London to life in all its filthy glory.

The fourth book following the lives of James Marwood and Cat Lovett (Hakesby) and is set in 1668 at a time where people are starting to object to the ways of the king. It weaves in facts of Charles II, the Cromwells, Dukes and Lords and mixes it with the mystery of the dissenters and plots to return to the godly days of times gone by.

The story itself is more sedate than previous books, taking more time for you to be drawn into what is happening and doesn't seem to flow as smoothly as previously but still a great read. You would find it better to read the previous books first so you understand the relationship between Marwood and Cat.

The Last Protector is the fourth book in Andrew Taylor’s series of historical mysteries featuring James Marwood and Cat Lovett. The majority of the historical mysteries I read (and that are published) are set in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, so I really like the fact that this series is set in a period that is not so familiar. The mystery part of the story works as a standalone, although I’d recommend reading at least one or two of the other books in the series in order to get a better sense of the Marwood/Lovett dynamic.

As in the previous three books, the story comprises a clever mystery that evolves slowly as the author gradually pulls together his different story threads and combines it with a wealth of interesting historical detail skilfully woven into the background. This story begins around four months after the events of book three The King’s Evil, and we find Cat Lovett now married to the elderly architect Simon Hakesby (and finding her marriage is not bringing her the security and stability she had expected), while James Marwood continues to prosper in his post as secretary to (and sometimes spy for) Joseph Williamson, Under Secretary of State to Lord Arlington.

It’s 1668, and Charles II’s extravagance and licentious behaviour have made him deeply unpopular, with many starting to hanker after the ‘more Godly’ days of the Protectorate. Nobody wants to return to the bloody days of civil war, but there are those close to the throne who would seek even greater power than they already have and threaten the already unstable position of the King and the monarchy in general.

When The Last Protector opens, Marwood is sent to observe a duel between the Duke of Buckingham – a favourite of the King – and Lord Shrewsbury, which ends with one man killed and Shrewsbury badly injured. Williamson needs a first-hand account of the proceedings; Buckingham is becoming increasingly powerful, which makes him a potential danger to the throne and the country – and Williamson and his master need a way to keep him in line.

Cat Hakesby is walking home through the streets of the Citywhen she is hailed by a woman she doesn’t immediately recognise. The woman is close to her own age and well dressed – and then Cat recalls her identity; she is Elizabeth Cromwell, granddaughter of Oliver, and she treats Cat like a long-lost bosom friend, talking eagerly and wistfully about the days they played together as children. Cat, however, has a completely different recollection and can’t help but be rather suspicious – and her suspicions are borne out when Elizabeth invites Cat and Hakesby to dinner, and then starts asking about the plans for the old Cockpit building in the grounds of the palace of Whitehall. Cat immediately realises that this is the real reason for Elizabeth’s chumminess – and also that the elderly gentleman she introduces as a family friend is in fact, her father Richard the titular Last Protector (he became Lord Protector of England after the death of his father, Oliver Cromwell, but his ‘rule’ lasted for only nine months) who has been living abroad in exile. If recognised he could be arrested, but he has come to England after receiving a letter written by his mother on her deathbed, which indicates that she left something – he hopes something valuable – within the old Cockpit building, and he wants to find it and use it to pay off his debts.

Cat wants to distance herself from the Cromwells immediately – merely associating with them could bring accusations of treason – but Hakesby, never a supporter of the King, is overjoyed at the thought of being of help to such a ‘great man’. Cat is nervous about the whole thing, and even though they haven’t seen each other for months, wants to talk to Marwood about it and ask for his advice. But her husband scrutinises all her movements and she cannot seek him out.

From these two disparate events – a duel and a not-so-chance meeting – Andrew Taylor weaves together a well-paced story of intrigue and escalating danger. When Buckingham learns of Richard’s presence in England and of Elizabeth’s friendship with Cat – whose father was one of those who signed Charles I’s death warrant – Cat finds herself at the centre of a dangerous conspiracy while Marwood has also run into problems which lead directly back to Buckingham and a plot to destabilise the monarchy.

As has happened in the previous books, Cat and Marwood find themselves embroiled in the same situation albeit in different ways and from different angles, but in this book, they interact rarely, unable to communicate openly because they are being watched by Buckingham’s men – and I confess I did miss their conversations and discussions. Theirs is an odd relationship; they’re not exactly friends but the things they’ve been through together have engendered a deep trust between them, and they seem able to understand and intuit certain things about each other that others do not. They’re very different personalities – Cat is sharp and prickly where Marwood is quieter and sometimes rather hapless, although he’s definitely growing as a character, becoming more courageous and confident in his own abilities and accomplishing some very skilful political manouevring at the end.

As always, the author makes excellent use of his historical backdrop and does a wonderful job of bringing Restoration London to life. The Last Protector is a well-crafted, well-researched novel that weaves together fact and fiction to form an intriguing and engrossing story, and I have no hesitation in recommending it to historical mystery aficionados – especially those looking for something set outside the Georgian/Victorian eras.

As usual in my reviews, I will not rehash the plot (plenty of other reviews like that out there).

This is the fourth in Andrew Taylor's "Marwood and Lovett" series. I've read two previous novels in this series (unfortunately missed one but I'll remedy that!) - this is by far my favourite to date.

We already know many of the characters involved, and are introduced to plenty of new ones - some on the side of the King, and others definitely not so! The novel (like its predecessors) blends fact and fiction - here, it's interesting to hear about Oliver Cromwell's descendants and what became of them..

The novel gives a sense of what life was like for various layers of society at that time. Some of it is quite shockingly brutal; clearly human life doesn't have the same value placed on it as we are used to, and those at the bottom of the heap are at the mercy of everything life - and other people - throw at them. There are some truly sad characters - (Ferrus, Chloris and Mary for instance) but at least they experience some degree of kindness.

I wonder if there will be further books in this series? I'll definitely be reading them if so.

My thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for an ARC. All opinions my own.

Andrew Taylor strikes again- this book is one in a series following James Marwood and Cat Lovett. Here we have the added threat of a retrun to the horror of civil war as Oliver Cromwells son returns to England. Cat knew the family as a child and so a personal connection increases the danger. James and Cat come from different worlds but have the connection that makes them a double act in the best tropes in crime fiction. Here we have history written as backdrop to mystery solving, what more could a reader want. Get yourself into this series, fans of C J Sansom will love it -Taylor is such a diverse, prolific author, everything he writes appears to be so easily done and if this gets you into his entire output then even better. He has the talent of someone like Daphne du Maurier to create worlds that are completely different from his other books but so easy to read and enjoy -without being at all dumbed down.

oh dear it was all a bit underwhelming for me. I've enjoyed the other books in the series but this sort of bumbled along and I found myself skipping pages. The background and history that was covered was excellent but the 2 main characters never really got going and I found the plot quite patchy in places.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy in exchange for a fair review.

Across London there is anti-Royal talk, James II is extravagant and worse still, he is probably a Catholic. Much of the trouble is being stirred up by the Duke of Buckingham and when he discovers that Richard Cromwell, former Protector and son of the Regicide Oliver, is back from the continent he decides to take advantage. Cromwell is back to recover a treasure hidden by his mother and he recruits the architect Hakesby to help him, Hakesby's wife being an old playmate of his daughter, the former Cat Lovell. Meanwhile James Marwood is trying very hard not to be killed by the Duke of Buckingham's men.
This is the fourth in Taylor's stories about Marwood and Lovell set in the 1660s. Taylor is an accomplished writer of historical fiction and class oozes from the page of this book. The plots are clever and never too far-fetched, shedding light on the politics around the Restoration and the influence of the Civil War is always an undercurrent. This is a great story from a master of his craft.