The Drowned City
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- Create Date：2021-04-18 13:51:26
- Update Date：2025-09-06
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- Author：K.J. Maitland
- ISBN：1472235940
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Summary
1606。 A year to the day that men were executed for conspiring to blow up Parliament， a towering wave devastates the Bristol Channel。 Some proclaim God's vengeance。 Others seek to take advantage。
In London， Daniel Pursglove lies in prison waiting to die。 But Charles FitzAlan， close adviser to King James I， has a job in mind that will free a man of Daniel's skill from the horrors of Newgate。 If he succeeds。
For Bristol is a hotbed of Catholic spies， and where better for the lone conspirator who evaded arrest， one Spero Pettingar， to gather allies than in the chaos of a drowned city？ Daniel journeys there to investigate FitzAlan's lead， but soon finds himself at the heart of a dark Jesuit conspiracy - and in pursuit of a killer。
In London， Daniel Pursglove lies in prison waiting to die。 But Charles FitzAlan， close adviser to King James I， has a job in mind that will free a man of Daniel's skill from the horrors of Newgate。 If he succeeds。
For Bristol is a hotbed of Catholic spies， and where better for the lone conspirator who evaded arrest， one Spero Pettingar， to gather allies than in the chaos of a drowned city？ Daniel journeys there to investigate FitzAlan's lead， but soon finds himself at the heart of a dark Jesuit conspiracy - and in pursuit of a killer。
Reviews
Soozee
，
Set in the reign of King James I， a time of witchcraft and persecution of Catholics。 Daniel Pursglove， a man of many talents is in prison and awaiting execution， when he is summoned and given a task which， if successful， will spare his life。 He travels to Bristol， in the wake of a severe flood that devastated the town。 He is searching for a Catholic conspirator。However， death is stalking the streets， and Daniel is drawn into the murders， believing them linked to the man he is seeking。 Aided by R Set in the reign of King James I， a time of witchcraft and persecution of Catholics。 Daniel Pursglove， a man of many talents is in prison and awaiting execution， when he is summoned and given a task which， if successful， will spare his life。 He travels to Bristol， in the wake of a severe flood that devastated the town。 He is searching for a Catholic conspirator。However， death is stalking the streets， and Daniel is drawn into the murders， believing them linked to the man he is seeking。 Aided by Rachael， a serving girl in the inn where he is staying， and a young street urchin， he sets out to succeed in his task。 The King's spies are everywhere， so he dare not fail。An entertaining historical mystery， the first of a series to be enjoyed。 The pace does slow part way through， and I expected to enjoy it much more than I did， but overall its a good read。Thank you to NetGalley and Headline for allowing me access to the ARC in exchange for an honest review。 。。。more
Peter Evans
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Daniel Pursglove languishes in Newgate prison waiting to die， but a visit from Charles FitzAlan might just change his fortunes。 FitzAlan is a close adviser to King James the first。 He offers Daniel a job that could change his circumstances dramatically。A calamitous wave has devastated the Bristol Channel and all is not well， with people trying to take advantage of the situation。 Pursglove is sent to investigate， and to track down the conspirator，Sperro Pettingar， and soon finds himself in a hotb Daniel Pursglove languishes in Newgate prison waiting to die， but a visit from Charles FitzAlan might just change his fortunes。 FitzAlan is a close adviser to King James the first。 He offers Daniel a job that could change his circumstances dramatically。A calamitous wave has devastated the Bristol Channel and all is not well， with people trying to take advantage of the situation。 Pursglove is sent to investigate， and to track down the conspirator，Sperro Pettingar， and soon finds himself in a hotbed of trouble， with Catholic spies， a Jesuit conspiracy， and a killer on the loose。 He must use all his skills and prowess to resolve the situation before it turns into a disaster。A quite brilliant novel that immerses the reader in the Jacobean era， with a skilfully written plot and excellent main character。K J Maitland’s ability to weave a story of disaster， espionage， murder， and a deep seated conspiracy， it’s nothing short of genius。 A truly outstanding story which I highly recommend。 I can’t wait for more。 。。。more
Lynsey
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The Drowned City’ is a blistering introduction to the ‘Daniel Pursglove’ series。 Every pore of the page is seeped in historical richness that it's almost effortless to visualise this wrecked city of Bristol。 The writing reflects the intense world which our protagonist finds himself in， its haunting in it's ability to hold a readers attention as it encourages you to stay for ‘just one more chapter’。 The book opens with Daniel Pursglove， a conjurer， trickster in Newgate prison accused of sorcery， The Drowned City’ is a blistering introduction to the ‘Daniel Pursglove’ series。 Every pore of the page is seeped in historical richness that it's almost effortless to visualise this wrecked city of Bristol。 The writing reflects the intense world which our protagonist finds himself in， its haunting in it's ability to hold a readers attention as it encourages you to stay for ‘just one more chapter’。 The book opens with Daniel Pursglove， a conjurer， trickster in Newgate prison accused of sorcery， when he is pulled from his cell by one of King James I advisors - Charles FitzAlan。 Bristol has been engulfed by a massive wave which occurred on the anniversary of the when the Gunpowder Plotters were executed。 Many think this was conjured up by witches but FitzAlan believes it is a Jesuit plot and sends Pursglove to investigate。 There is also the mysterious plotter who was never found Spero Pettingar， is he present in Bristol as it is a hotbed of Jesuit activity？ This book was murky， dismal and doesn't hold back with it's description of Bristol during this tumultuous period。 It was so easy to picture the destruction and damage the tidal wave must have caused， both to the infrastructure and the inhabitants of this city。 This has been a meticulously researched book。 It is full of rich detail that allows you to feel part of the story， from the Masquerade to the creaky steps to the bedchambers。 But it is the character of Daniel who makes this book shine for me。 Faced with an impossible task he doesn't run away from it。 Although， it is clear he has done some things in the past， it is also evident that he has a clear sense of morals。 He is a character that you root for even if he does stumble around being an idiot at times。 This book has dragged me， quite willingly I will state， into the world of Daniel Pursglove and it’s a world I want to know far more about。 I can honestly say that any next instalments are going to be on an auto-buy list as I can't wait to read more！ 。。。more
Jaffareadstoo
，
The Jacobean court of James I was a shadowy place。 A place where plots， counter plots and political maneuverings flourished in dark corners， and for Robert Cecil， the king's spymaster， these plots continued to flourish in the aftermath of the Gunpowder Plot。A year on from the Gunpowder Plot， Daniel Pursglove is condemned to die， and is languishing in Newgate Gaol， waiting for his turn to step upon the scaffold。 However， an unexpected reprieve comes when he is summoned before Charles FitzAlan， an The Jacobean court of James I was a shadowy place。 A place where plots， counter plots and political maneuverings flourished in dark corners， and for Robert Cecil， the king's spymaster， these plots continued to flourish in the aftermath of the Gunpowder Plot。A year on from the Gunpowder Plot， Daniel Pursglove is condemned to die， and is languishing in Newgate Gaol， waiting for his turn to step upon the scaffold。 However， an unexpected reprieve comes when he is summoned before Charles FitzAlan， an advisor to the King， who has a special mission for Pursglove， to travel to Bristol in order to rout out， Spero Pettingar， a remaining conspirator of the Gunpowder Plot， who has escaped justice。When Pursglove arrives in Bristol， not only is the place whirling from the after effects of a tidal wave which has devastated the city but people are convinced that witches are responsible for this unearthly event。 It is into this superstitious melting pot that Pursglove arrives， but suspicious of strangers， the people of Bristol do not take kindly to people meddling in their business， and soon Pursglove attracts the attention of some very dangerous individuals。The Drowned City certainly gets this new series off to an atmospheric start， the opening chapter is particularly effective as it describes just how the tidal wave attacked Bristol clearing everything in its path。 However， once Daniel Pursglove arrives on the scene， the story really starts to take off。 Pursglove is an enigmatic protagonist， someone who keeps his secrets close， which places him in great danger， not just from those who believe witches are responsible for the mayhem inflected upon Bristol， but also his task to search out Spero Pettingar takes him into dangerous Jesuit territory。This is beautifully written historical fiction with a strong sense of history and filled with an abundance of religious and superstitious dread。 There is danger a plenty， and an immediate sense of time and place where everything feels so scarily realistic it's as if you are walking the troubled streets of Bristol in company with Daniel Pursglove as he goes about his dangerous， and clandestine， business。The Drowned City certainly gets this new series off to an atmospheric and exciting start。 。。。more
Julie Morris
，
I’ve just spent 24 hours of my life immersed in life in the flood-ravaged Bristol of 1606， caught up in the intrigues of the post-Gunpowder Plot Jacobean court and cutting through a web of spies， lies， superstition and religious rivalry to try and solve a murder mystery and I didn’t really want to come back to reality。The Drowned City is a fantastic mix of historical novel and murder mystery set against the backdrop of a startling but little known event of Jacobean times – the flooding of Bristo I’ve just spent 24 hours of my life immersed in life in the flood-ravaged Bristol of 1606， caught up in the intrigues of the post-Gunpowder Plot Jacobean court and cutting through a web of spies， lies， superstition and religious rivalry to try and solve a murder mystery and I didn’t really want to come back to reality。The Drowned City is a fantastic mix of historical novel and murder mystery set against the backdrop of a startling but little known event of Jacobean times – the flooding of Bristol by a freak tsunami or storm surge – that was believed by many to be a sign from God at a time when there was still friction between the Catholic church and the Protestant faith in the fairly-new reign of James I。 This is not a period of history that I am very familiar with， being more of a Wars of the Roses obsessive， but I was completely gripped by this fascinating blend of fact and fiction to the extent that I had to keep breaking off to find out which bits of the book were based on actual events and characters and which bits the author had invented; the story-telling is completely seamless。This is the story of Daniel Pursglove， a proponent of sleight of hand tricks， who has found himself in Newgate Prison awaiting trial on suspicion of witchcraft during the reign of a paranoid and superstitious monarch。 He is given the chance of earning a pardon by a man claiming to be a close advisor of the King; all he has to do is go to a flood-blighted Bristol to investigate rumours that a priest who had a hand in the Gunpowder Plot is in hiding there， planning sedition。 Faced with the prospect of losing his hands， if not his life， Daniel agrees and sets off， but finds himself investigating a string of murders in a city that is beset by suspicion against outsiders and religious superstition， making it a dangerous place for him and his mission。To say that the author brings the setting of the book to life would be a massive understatement。 I can’t remember the last time that I read a book which presents such a vivid portrayal of a different time and a different life。 I felt like Harry Potter when his nose touches the surface of the Pensieve and he is pulled in to Dumbledore’s memory。 I literally *fell* right in to the heart of Bristol， surrounded by the clamour and the squalor of the blighted metropolis。 The author’s writing is vivid and textured and absolutely perfect。 The descriptions she uses to evoke the pictures just filled my heart with delight （‘shave the beard from a herring’ was a particular favourite）， I could mentally roll around in her language and revel in the feel of it for hours。 To take such delight in not just a story but the very way in which it is told is a rare and particular joy to me。The murder mystery itself is fiendish and full of suspense and tension; enough by itself to carry the story if the book offered nothing else to the reader and it will appeal to lovers of that genre as well as fans of the historical novel。 But the setting of the mystery against the historical backdrop adds another layer of interest to anyone who enjoys that genre， and if you are a fan of both as I am， you will be in hogs’ heaven with this novel。 It gave me the same joy as I felt when I first discovered the Cadfael novels by Ellis Peters which has a similar style of murder mystery peppered with actual historical fact。On every level， The Drowned City worked perfectly for me。 The writing， the story， the characterisation were all faultless， and I enjoyed this book as much as any I have read in a long time。 This is one of the best books I have read so far this year， and I confident it will feature in my top ten books of 2021。 Definitely one for the ‘forever’ shelf and I have bought myself a copy in hardback （which has the most beautiful cover too！）。 I can’t wait for the next in the series， and have no hesitation in recommending this book to anyone and everyone。 Reading bliss， I want to do it all over again。 。。。more
Julie
，
In a time of social and religious upheaval， when a new royal house has come to rule England as well as Scotland， in the wake of a plot which threatened to destroy the government as well as the king， no one can be trusted。 Bristol suffers a terrible event one year exactly after men are executed for their alleged part in the Gunpowder Plot; a huge， tsunami- like wave washes into the city and drowns hundreds of people。 This novel is a tense historical thriller featuring a man who goes by the name o In a time of social and religious upheaval， when a new royal house has come to rule England as well as Scotland， in the wake of a plot which threatened to destroy the government as well as the king， no one can be trusted。 Bristol suffers a terrible event one year exactly after men are executed for their alleged part in the Gunpowder Plot; a huge， tsunami- like wave washes into the city and drowns hundreds of people。 This novel is a tense historical thriller featuring a man who goes by the name of Daniel Pursglove， a magician， a man with a past。 Acting under threats from the highest level， he feels obliged to investigate if another Catholic plot is brewing， and specifically if a certain Catholic leader is working in the ruined city of Bristol。 The atmosphere of a town which is beyond ruined， with little food， full of unclaimed bodies and destroyed lives is incredibly well described in this novel。 In a place almost unbelievable in its destruction， threat to the vulnerable and terror， Daniel finds himself with a nearly impossible task。 As facts emerge about his past life he has to react as danger seems to threaten from every side。 Incidents from the court of James I and the actions of Cecil， his chief adviser in some respects appear throughout the novel， not narrated by Daniel， but with a theme of the king’s unusual behaviour。 In a time of suspicion over religion and the beliefs of every person in the kingdom， Daniel and others must watch their every step， as guilty or innocent there is the threat of betrayal and a painful ending。 This is an intense novel of second guessing over situations of life threatening importance， where death and destruction are daily occurrences。 In setting， plot and characters， this is a mature and skillfully written book with immense impact。 I found it to be a compelling read with much to recommend it as a work of historical fiction and suspense。 I was very pleased to have the opportunity to read and review this novel。 A Prologue describes the lull that is observed in Bristol， as a busy day continues as normal。 Within seconds of a man remarking on the withdrawal of the water from the port， a towering wave thunders through the city and beyond， into the countryside， picking up and drowning or brutally injuring untold numbers in its wake。 Animals， workshops，homes， houses and supplies are all destroyed。 As the bodys of the dead and recently living are mutilated and torn away by the sea， no one knows who will be left。 Daniel is then described as being in a prison， arrested on vague charges， hoping to survive in a place of suffering。 Dramatically given the option of freedom if he will go to Bristol and try to discover the whereabouts of a potential Catholic leader， he soon finds himself in a still functioning inn on a mission with few clues and significant danger。 As a ruined city tries to survive in the face of loss， a desperate and lawless people are suspicious of shadows and strangers， especially when Daniel asks questions of those who are trying to snatch a living by any means。 Maitland is a writer so confident of her material that she handles several convoluted themes of religion， power and threat with a dark edge， including graphic descriptions of the torments of torture on slight suspicions。 The near total destruction of Bristol is also unsparingly described， as well as the after effects of food shortages and the growth of crime as people try to survive。 The character of Daniel emerges brilliantly from his own account of his progress and challenges， his theories about what may be going on as everything seems dark and uncertain。 I believe that this is the first novel in a series; I will be keen to discover what happens next for the resourceful Daniel。 。。。more
Livy
，
This was an incredibly atmospheric historical thriller that transported me to Bristol in 1606 and was just incredible。 The characters were very well written and detailed and I loved how they all had some substance to them。 Quite often in historical fiction， you can get quite drab side characters but this was certainly not the case here！ Daniel was a brilliant protagonist because he was resourceful and brave and smart and the absolute perfect detective to try and figure out what was going on in B This was an incredibly atmospheric historical thriller that transported me to Bristol in 1606 and was just incredible。 The characters were very well written and detailed and I loved how they all had some substance to them。 Quite often in historical fiction， you can get quite drab side characters but this was certainly not the case here！ Daniel was a brilliant protagonist because he was resourceful and brave and smart and the absolute perfect detective to try and figure out what was going on in Bristol。 The actual criminals （who I will not reveal as this is spoiler-free） were also amazing， they had a brilliant motive and were hidden from me as the reader until the very end with the right amount of clues littered throughout so that I wasn't completely confused by the reveal lol。 The plot itself was incredibly interesting as it followed the mystery unravelling in Bristol and the court intrigue in London too。 I love a good bit of court intrigue and it was really cool to see how it fitted in with the main storyline following Daniel at the same time。 The mystery itself was very well written and I loved how the mystery unfolded throughout the book， it was keeping me on the edge of my seat and I was desperate to find out what happened to Daniel， Myles and Rachel！The writing was incredibly atmospheric and just perfect for the book as I was able to imagine myself walking through the misty streets of Bristol and sneaking around after dark with Daniel。 It was just such an incredible read！！！I was kindly provided with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review as part of a blog tour。 。。。more
Kate
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Richly atmospheric and evocative tale of natural disaster， superstition， murder and tyranny in Bristol in the early years of the 17th century。 My favourite scenes were those featuring the paranoid， witch-hating King James I。 It is beautifully written， with the emphasis on Bristol and its people during this period of turmoil and persecution rather than on the plot， which meanders considerably。 I listened to the audiobook， which is well read。 3。5 stars rounded up。 Review to follow shortly on For W Richly atmospheric and evocative tale of natural disaster， superstition， murder and tyranny in Bristol in the early years of the 17th century。 My favourite scenes were those featuring the paranoid， witch-hating King James I。 It is beautifully written， with the emphasis on Bristol and its people during this period of turmoil and persecution rather than on the plot， which meanders considerably。 I listened to the audiobook， which is well read。 3。5 stars rounded up。 Review to follow shortly on For Winter Nights。 。。。more
Sue
，
1606: a year to the day that the men executed for conspiring together to bring about the death of James I with the Gunpowder Plot， a huge wave engulfs the city of Bristol - a disaster that many believe can only be sign of God's vengeance。England has been changed for ever by both the treason of the conspirators and their punishment， but the religious and political turmoil that caused them to act so boldly has not disappeared with their deaths。 If anything， current circumstances are worse than eve 1606: a year to the day that the men executed for conspiring together to bring about the death of James I with the Gunpowder Plot， a huge wave engulfs the city of Bristol - a disaster that many believe can only be sign of God's vengeance。England has been changed for ever by both the treason of the conspirators and their punishment， but the religious and political turmoil that caused them to act so boldly has not disappeared with their deaths。 If anything， current circumstances are worse than ever。James I is troubled by the unrest in his realm， but his close advisor Charles FitzAlan thinks he has a way to turn the matters to their advantage。 FitzAlan's solution is to send a spy into the hotbed of Catholic insurrection in Bristol to discover the truth about a possible Jesuit conspiracy - and the man he has chosen， one Daniel Pursglove， has been dragged from the horrors of Newgate Prison to take on the mission。When Pursglove arrives in Bristol， he is unsure quite how he will complete his mission - or even if there is a conspiracy here to uncover。 However， it soon becomes clear that a murderer is at work among the ruins of this once thriving city， although their motives are unclear。 Torn between his past and the present task， Pursglove， aided by a rag-tag band of willing and not so willing compatriots， must get to the bottom of the murders before more lives are lost - especially if he is to save himself from being thrown back into the bowels of Newgate Prison for the rest of his earthly days。It's no secret that I like a bit of historical fiction， and this is just the kind of book of that genre that ticks every box for me。 It is rich in historical detail， with wonderful characters who keep their real intentions a closely guarded secret， and is set against an intriguing backdrop of a time of political and religious troubles that offer endless possibilities to work in some beautiful storylines around betrayal and revenge。Although we often hear much about what led up to the Gunpowder Plot and the punishment meted out to those identified as the culprits， I loved that K。J。 Maitland has chosen the period following this event as the setting for her story。 We all know about Guy Fawkes， but how much does burning his effigy every year on a bonfire really tell us about that lie of the land in England in the aftermath？ Not a lot actually。。。 but here we are treated to well-researched detail about the religious and political unrest and machinations that were still rife after the event， and how this discord fed the belief among the populace that God was not at all happy about what what happening across the country， not to mention fuelled the belief that witchcraft was to blame for many of their ills。But this is not simply an exercise in historical recreation， because Maitland has also crafted a first class murder mystery， set in a city which is refreshingly not London for a change。 And also one which carries a kind of mystique about the strange tidal wave that struck the city in 1606， that she uses to great advantage in ramping up the menacing feeling that there could possibly be something dark and sinister going on behind the scenes。 The pacing was pitch perfect， the suspense a delight and the truth， when it came， had me looking at everything that had gone before in a completely different light - with an added little jaw dropper before the tale was done too！As the start of a brand new series， this is a complete winner， and I really enjoyed the way Maitland holds back so much about the background of our complex protagonist Daniel Pursglove， dropping little hints here and there， but leaving a lot still to tell about the man we have only just begun to know - and I cannot wait to find out more。 。。。more
Lynn Williams
，
4 of 5 starshttps://lynns-books。com/2021/04/05/th。。。My Five Word TL:DR Review : Great start to historical seriesWell， I say this is a great start， because I’m hopeful there will be more books with Daniel Pursglove seeking answers， so fingers crossed that this book receives the praise it deserves and more books are forthcoming。 I’ve long wanted to read Maitland and in fact I’m not quite sure why I’ve not delved into her work sooner。 I enjoy a good historical novel and the period for The Drowned C 4 of 5 starshttps://lynns-books。com/2021/04/05/th。。。My Five Word TL:DR Review : Great start to historical seriesWell， I say this is a great start， because I’m hopeful there will be more books with Daniel Pursglove seeking answers， so fingers crossed that this book receives the praise it deserves and more books are forthcoming。 I’ve long wanted to read Maitland and in fact I’m not quite sure why I’ve not delved into her work sooner。 I enjoy a good historical novel and the period for The Drowned City was a particularly fascinating time。The story takes place a little time after the Gunpowder Plot has been discovered， King James first sits on the throne and times are turbulent when it comes to religion with those of the Catholic persuasion being forced into secrecy。 The plot here takes place after disaster strikes the Bristol channel causing rumours of witchcraft， or the hand of God taking revenge， to run rife。 James， already of a nervous disposition following the threat to his life， is eager for an investigation to be held to quell such rumours before they take on a life of their own。 It’s believed that one of the conspirators of the Gunpowder Plot， Spero Pettingar， escaped detection and fled to Bristol which， in the throes of chaos is not only the perfect hiding place but is also a hotbed for spies and conspiracy。Now， enter the scene Daniel Pursglove。 When I say enter the scene I mean let’s take a look inside Newgate Prison because that’s where Daniel is currently residing – and I don’t mean in a voluntary manner。 By all accounts Newgate was a pretty hideous place and Maitland paints it here in quite hideous but appropriate terms。 Pursglove is the perfect candidate to send into Bristol。 His background lends itself well， and you will discover this as the plot is uncovered， and so， he’s given a chance at freedom， go to Bristol， report back， and， if favourable， be released。 The stakes are high。So， what did I like about this。 Well， it’s a fantastic period of history， rife with intrigue。 Everyone was backstabbing everyone else and this comes across clearly here。 The writing is just gorgeous。 You can practically sink into the place。 I love the attention to detail。 The place depicted is a hot mess which you would expect after such a catastrophic event – and even to this day it appears there are arguments about whether or not this was an immense storm surge or a tsunami。 Basically， whatever it was that took place， it caused massive devastation and that becomes clear on every page。 Bristol isn’t just dangerous in terms of the criminal element or the undercover conspiracies， the physical landscape is dangerous by virtue of the disaster。On top of this Daniel is a great character to follow。 I found myself enjoying his story very much。 He’s basically a good guy， he’s not above taking action， he knows what’s what， and he isn’t naive by a long stroke of the imagination， but he’s basically a likable person and I could quite happily follow more of his adventures。In terms of criticisms。 Not much from me to be honest。 I think this isn’t a book that you’re going to race through。 This is a period of time that was messy and convoluted and sometimes it’s difficult to grasp all the subtle nuances。 Also， Daniel sometimes seems to follow a strange path in his search for answers and not necessarily a path that’s easy to follow or understand。 Basically he seems to spend his time in any number of drinking establishments listening to gossip or seeking out shady characters。 There definitely is a slowing down of pace at certain points not to mention a slightly first in series feel but I have to say that none of these things were a problem for me。On the whole， I had a really good time with this and I would love for the series to continue。 I think this could become a wonderfully dark and mysterious series。I received a copy through Netgalley， courtesy of the publisher， for which my thanks。 The above is my own opinion。 。。。more
Clare
，
The Drowned City is the first book in a new series by Karen Maitland， and it bodes really well for the next book！ Jacobean England， where a year to the day after the failed Gunpowder Plot， a huge wave destroys much of Bristol， killing hundreds of people and destroying homes and businesses。 This is a superstitious time， where the blame is put on witches and demons。 And Catholics。 Daniel Pursglove is freed from Newgate jail where he has been imprisoned， suspected of witchcraft， by one of King Jame The Drowned City is the first book in a new series by Karen Maitland， and it bodes really well for the next book！ Jacobean England， where a year to the day after the failed Gunpowder Plot， a huge wave destroys much of Bristol， killing hundreds of people and destroying homes and businesses。 This is a superstitious time， where the blame is put on witches and demons。 And Catholics。 Daniel Pursglove is freed from Newgate jail where he has been imprisoned， suspected of witchcraft， by one of King James’ closest advisors， Charles FitzAlan。 He is given the task of tracking down Spero Pettingar - the man who got away during the arrests of the Gunpowder Plot。 He is suspected of going to Bristol to recruit supporters - namely Jesuits。 The descriptions of Newgate Prison are horrific - as are those of a destroyed Bristol。 This is a really atmospheric book with some great descriptions。 Not that you’d really want to be， but you can imagine yourself there， amidst the mud， filth and decay。 I really liked how the chapters flashed between Daniel and London， where we would see the King or Robert Cecil （a man who fascinates me！）。Daniel doesn’t seem to me to be the most accomplished investigator。 Most of what he discovers he does by accident， but he does get results。 Just not the ones he was necessarily asked to get。 I’m really looking forward to reading the next in this series， it really has piqued my interest！ 。。。more
Hayley
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Today is my stop on the blog tour for 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐃𝐫𝐨𝐰𝐧𝐞𝐝 𝐂𝐢𝐭𝐲 by K J Maitland。 Thank you to Anne Cater at Random Things Tours for sending me a proof copy of the book and having me along on the tour。-𝟏𝟔𝟎𝟔。 𝐀 𝐲𝐞𝐚𝐫 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐝𝐚𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐦𝐞𝐧 𝐰𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐞𝐱𝐞𝐜𝐮𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐩𝐢𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐥𝐨𝐰 𝐮𝐩 𝐏𝐚𝐫𝐥𝐢𝐚𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭， 𝐚 𝐭𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐰𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐝𝐞𝐯𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐁𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐥 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐥。 𝐒𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐜𝐥𝐚𝐢𝐦 𝐆𝐨𝐝'𝐬 𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞。 𝐎𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐬𝐞𝐞𝐤 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐚𝐝𝐯𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐠𝐞。-The opening to The Drowned City is very cinematic， depicting the scene of the flood， and overall it is a very atm Today is my stop on the blog tour for 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐃𝐫𝐨𝐰𝐧𝐞𝐝 𝐂𝐢𝐭𝐲 by K J Maitland。 Thank you to Anne Cater at Random Things Tours for sending me a proof copy of the book and having me along on the tour。-𝟏𝟔𝟎𝟔。 𝐀 𝐲𝐞𝐚𝐫 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐝𝐚𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐦𝐞𝐧 𝐰𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐞𝐱𝐞𝐜𝐮𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐩𝐢𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐥𝐨𝐰 𝐮𝐩 𝐏𝐚𝐫𝐥𝐢𝐚𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭， 𝐚 𝐭𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐰𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐝𝐞𝐯𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐁𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐥 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐥。 𝐒𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐜𝐥𝐚𝐢𝐦 𝐆𝐨𝐝'𝐬 𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞。 𝐎𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐬𝐞𝐞𝐤 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐚𝐝𝐯𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐠𝐞。-The opening to The Drowned City is very cinematic， depicting the scene of the flood， and overall it is a very atmospheric novel。 I loved the scene setting， and the descriptions that Maitland utilises， all themed to the watery environment。-𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐢𝐧𝐝 𝐡𝐚𝐝 𝐝𝐢𝐞𝐝 𝐚𝐰𝐚𝐲 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐨𝐟 𝐝𝐚𝐫𝐤𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐚 𝐠𝐫𝐞𝐲， 𝐰𝐞𝐭 𝐦𝐢𝐬𝐭 𝐡𝐚𝐝 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐩𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐢𝐧 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐞𝐚， 𝐬𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐲-𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐜𝐥𝐞𝐝 𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞， 𝐰𝐫𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐢𝐭𝐬𝐞𝐥𝐟 𝐚𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝 𝐛𝐮𝐢𝐥𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐦𝐮𝐟𝐟𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐬。-I especially enjoyed the focus on themes of religion， class structures， and corruption throughout the story。 This added to the historical setting and made the story feel more engrossing， as it encouraged me to root for certain characters over others， and especially for the main protagonist， Pursglove。-𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐞𝐚 𝐰𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐛𝐞 𝐛𝐫𝐢𝐛𝐞𝐝。 𝐈𝐭 𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐧𝐨 𝐦𝐞𝐫𝐜𝐲 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐡 𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐨𝐨𝐫。 𝐍𝐞𝐢𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐦𝐞𝐚𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐡𝐮𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐚 𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐝 𝐛𝐞𝐠𝐠𝐚𝐫 𝐧𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐬𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐚 𝐰𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐭𝐡𝐲 𝐦𝐞𝐫𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐬𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐝。 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐬𝐮𝐫𝐠𝐞𝐝 𝐨𝐧 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐚 𝐟𝐚𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥 𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐝𝐞𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐜𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐧𝐬𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐥𝐝 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐜𝐨𝐫𝐫𝐮𝐩𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧， 𝐝𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐞 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐡𝐢𝐝𝐝𝐞𝐧。-One aspect of religious zealousness that I always find interesting in historical fiction is the persecution of witches， and subsequent witch trails。The fear and superstition surrounding the flood were well depicted， and felt really believable for the period setting。-𝐈𝐟 𝐚 𝐦𝐚𝐧 𝐰𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐣𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐚 𝐟𝐥𝐨𝐨𝐝 𝐛𝐲 𝐦𝐞𝐚𝐧𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐜𝐡𝐜𝐫𝐚𝐟𝐭， 𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐃𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐥'𝐬 𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐡𝐞 𝐧𝐞𝐞𝐝𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐝𝐨 𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐛𝐢𝐝𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠。 𝐉𝐞𝐬𝐮𝐢𝐭𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐬 𝐛𝐨𝐭𝐡 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐝𝐫𝐚𝐰𝐧 𝐭𝐨 𝐁𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐥 𝐚𝐬 𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐟𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐝𝐫𝐚𝐰𝐧 𝐭𝐨 𝐚 𝐬𝐞𝐰𝐞𝐫。-Daniel Pursglove himself is an interesting character。 At the start of the novel he is incarcerated in Newgate Prison， expecting to be executed at any moment。He is saved， however， when he agrees to take the job of visiting Bristol in the aftermath of the flood， and to investigate whether there is any underground activity and ongoing plotting， given the coincidental anniversary of the gunpowder plot。-𝐇𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐬 𝐚𝐥𝐰𝐚𝐲𝐬 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐢𝐫 𝐦𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬， 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐥𝐨𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐫𝐬， 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐦𝐢𝐬𝐭 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐬𝐡𝐚𝐝𝐨𝐰， 𝐰𝐡𝐨 𝐪𝐮𝐢𝐞𝐭𝐥𝐲 𝐰𝐡𝐢𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐨𝐫𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐨 𝐤𝐢𝐥𝐥， 𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐧𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐤 𝐛𝐫𝐮𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐢𝐫 𝐟𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐬 𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐢𝐫 𝐯𝐢𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐬' 𝐬𝐤𝐮𝐥𝐥𝐬。-Pursglove faces a number of challenges along the way， including being subjected to intimidation tactics， attacks， and finding himself in positions where he feels helpless。Without giving away any of the plot points， he does meet some interesting characters along the way， including some he thought he had left in his distant past。-𝐀 𝐩𝐮𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐨𝐝𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐨𝐟 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐥𝐞 𝐬𝐰𝐞𝐚𝐭 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐦𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐜𝐥𝐮𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐝𝐚𝐫𝐤 𝐫𝐨𝐛𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐡𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐬𝐤𝐢𝐧。 𝐀𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐟𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐭 𝐛𝐢𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫-𝐬𝐰𝐞𝐞𝐭 𝐧𝐨𝐭𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐞𝐥𝐬𝐞， 𝐚 𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐟𝐮𝐦𝐞 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐬𝐨 𝐥𝐨𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐠𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐢𝐭 𝐨𝐧𝐥𝐲 𝐟𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐥𝐲 𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐫𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐚 𝐦𝐞𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐲， 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐚 𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐲 𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐟𝐥𝐢𝐩𝐬 𝐛𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐡 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐮𝐫𝐟𝐚𝐜𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐨𝐧𝐝 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐯𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐬 𝐛𝐞𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐠𝐧𝐢𝐬𝐞 𝐢𝐭。-The Drowned City is the first in a new series from K J Maitland， and so I suspect there is a lot more to come in terms of plot， mystery and intrigue。It is perfect for fans of historical fiction， and traditional mysteries， and I'd definitely consider reading more from Maitland in the future。 。。。more
Stephanie
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I enjoy reading historical fiction and always feel I’m in for a treat when the book I’m reading sends me to look for further information on the internet。 In this novel that occurred after reading the prologue。 I’d had no idea that Bristol was flooded in the 17th century。Apart from the witch trials I don’t know that much about the reign of James I but I was aware of Robert Cecil。 The author has brilliantly described both and neither come across as very nice people。 But they both only appear brief I enjoy reading historical fiction and always feel I’m in for a treat when the book I’m reading sends me to look for further information on the internet。 In this novel that occurred after reading the prologue。 I’d had no idea that Bristol was flooded in the 17th century。Apart from the witch trials I don’t know that much about the reign of James I but I was aware of Robert Cecil。 The author has brilliantly described both and neither come across as very nice people。 But they both only appear briefly and most of this novel concerns the people of Bristol。 A city that is struggling to cope with the aftermath of the floods， the superstitions and the horrifying religious attitudes at the time。 This was one of the more convincing accounts that I have read and I fully believe that events such as the ones described occurred。There were so many characters I was fascinated by。 Daniel， Rachael， Myles and Mistress Crugge were just a few of the them。 All different， all passionate and all determined to survive。 And at times it seemed that Bristol also had its own character。 It isn’t somewhere I know， but time and time again I was looking for buildings， streets and local history on the internet。It was also a book that made me slightly nauseous。 The accounts of what the flood left behind， the food the survivors were forced to eat， the relish in which the many executions were described all made this novel very life like。 I can’t wait to read more， this book had me glued to the sofa 。。。more
Mel Pretorius
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It's nice to read a book that is not set in London。 The streets of Bristol are the stage for this dramatic book by K。J。 Maitland， "The Drowned City"。 It was also the first time I had heard of the tsunami that hit Bristol and the South West in 1606/7。Maitland paints some wonderful pictures of inns and the dark streets of Bristol。 It has obviously been very well researched and many historical words are dropped into the text that I had to keep looking up。This is the first in the series of the Danie It's nice to read a book that is not set in London。 The streets of Bristol are the stage for this dramatic book by K。J。 Maitland， "The Drowned City"。 It was also the first time I had heard of the tsunami that hit Bristol and the South West in 1606/7。Maitland paints some wonderful pictures of inns and the dark streets of Bristol。 It has obviously been very well researched and many historical words are dropped into the text that I had to keep looking up。This is the first in the series of the Daniel Pursglove books， and as a result， you don't get to know his character fully。 This isn't a criticism as it will make fans of this book want to read the rest。 。。。more
Susan
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I have long been a fan of Karen Maitland and was keen to read the first in a new， historical series， by her。 It is 1606 and a huge wave has destroyed much of Bristol。 This disaster happens on the 13th January， an inauspicious date， as it is a year since the Gunpowder Treason Plotters received justice。 King James - who has more than a passing interest in witchcraft - wants the event investigated。 With many Catholics seeing the flood as revenge， he is asking himself whether the author of the flood I have long been a fan of Karen Maitland and was keen to read the first in a new， historical series， by her。 It is 1606 and a huge wave has destroyed much of Bristol。 This disaster happens on the 13th January， an inauspicious date， as it is a year since the Gunpowder Treason Plotters received justice。 King James - who has more than a passing interest in witchcraft - wants the event investigated。 With many Catholics seeing the flood as revenge， he is asking himself whether the author of the flood was nature。。。 or the devil？Enter our hero， Daniel Pursglove， who has ended up in Newgate， chained to a wall and without many options。 When it is suggested to him that he travel to Bristol to investigate a Jesuit conspirator known as Spero Pettingar， aided by a Catholic network of conspirators， he jumps at the chance to exit the prison walls。 In Bristol he also finds that the papists are being blamed by the local population and wonders how， in the decimated town， he will be able to investigate anything。。。Maitland is an excellent writer and she creates an excellent sense of time and place。 Obviously， this is the first in a series and so much of this is an introduction to the characters， but I did feel that Pursglove needed to be fleshed out more。 However， there are scenes， such as one where the King visits the Tower of London， or the beginning， in Newgate， where you can really imagine you are there。 Hopefully， as the series continues， we will get to know the characters better。 。。。more
Cathy
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The author has created an interesting character in Daniel Pursglove and I liked the way little details about his past were dropped in now and again， laying the groundwork for future books。 I also liked that the book was set in Bristol - the "drowned city" of the title - not only because it made a change from the oft-used setting of London but also because it made sense from the point of view of the plot。The writing was of the quality I've come to expect from other books I've read by the author。 The author has created an interesting character in Daniel Pursglove and I liked the way little details about his past were dropped in now and again， laying the groundwork for future books。 I also liked that the book was set in Bristol - the "drowned city" of the title - not only because it made a change from the oft-used setting of London but also because it made sense from the point of view of the plot。The writing was of the quality I've come to expect from other books I've read by the author。 Some episodes that especially stood out included the dramatic prologue， a scene in which a Protestant mob attacks the house of a cordwainer and his family， and the New Year's Eve masque。 Like any good hero， Daniel has some narrow escapes from those out to stop him achieving his mission （including an adversary from his younger days） but always miraculously manages to turn up safely in his bed at his lodgings in the Salt Cat tavern。 He also acquires a useful helper along the way whose knowledge of the city and ability to pass unnoticed aids Daniel's intelligence gathering。It seems no historical novel set in the period is complete without an appearance by one of the Cecil family; in this case it's Robert Cecil。 I felt some sympathy for him having to deal with the petulant and easily influenced James I the author presents in the book。 Although， with the discovery of the Gunpowder Plot still within recent memory， perhaps the King can be forgiven for imagining assassins at every turn and being concerned that one of the conspirators may still be at large。 （I confess that until I read the historical notes at the end of the book I hadn't realised Spero Pottingar was a real historical figure。 For much of the book， I was convinced his name was an anagram！）And there are still adherents of Catholicism to be dealt with as well as the Jacobean equivalent of fake news， spread via illicitly printed pamphlets or 'broadsides'。 As Cecil warns the King， "Sire， even a superstition， if it takes hold of the imagination of the people， can be as powerful a weapon as any truth。" Indeed。The Drowned City has all the ingredients to make an absorbing historical thriller although I found it slow in parts。 To be fair， it did pick up pace towards the end。 As Daniel confides， 'The art of legerdemain is to make the audience look in the wrong place'。 In my case， the author didn't quite manage that when it came to the identity of the culprit but I found enough to enjoy in The Drowned City to make me look out for future books in the series。 。。。more
Dawn
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I enjoyed "The Drowned City" a lot。 The opening is brilliant and hooked me right into the story。 The writing is near faultless and flows （sorry！） really well。 The story is a solid one， and it was refreshing to get a perspective from somewhere other than London for this time period。 I thought the characters were crafted well， and I'm looking forward to catching up with some of them in the next book。My thanks to the author， publisher， and NetGalley。 This review was written voluntarily and is entir I enjoyed "The Drowned City" a lot。 The opening is brilliant and hooked me right into the story。 The writing is near faultless and flows （sorry！） really well。 The story is a solid one， and it was refreshing to get a perspective from somewhere other than London for this time period。 I thought the characters were crafted well， and I'm looking forward to catching up with some of them in the next book。My thanks to the author， publisher， and NetGalley。 This review was written voluntarily and is entirely my own， unbiased， opinion。 。。。more
Mairead Hearne （swirlandthread。com）
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My Rating ~ 4。5*The Drowned City by K。J。 Maitland is published April 1st with Headline Fiction。 The first book in a new series it is described as a ‘compelling historical thriller for fans of C。J。 Sansom， Andrew Taylor’s Ashes of London， Kate Mosse and Blood & Sugar。'On reading The Drowned City I was immediately struck by the stench off the pages with descriptions that were just so vivid。 Set in 1606， Bristol city was decimated by a great flood that took the lives of over 2000 people。 When K。 J。 My Rating ~ 4。5*The Drowned City by K。J。 Maitland is published April 1st with Headline Fiction。 The first book in a new series it is described as a ‘compelling historical thriller for fans of C。J。 Sansom， Andrew Taylor’s Ashes of London， Kate Mosse and Blood & Sugar。'On reading The Drowned City I was immediately struck by the stench off the pages with descriptions that were just so vivid。 Set in 1606， Bristol city was decimated by a great flood that took the lives of over 2000 people。 When K。 J。 Maitland came upon an old broadside news item describing the event it was to become her inspiration for a new series featuring Daniel Pursglove。The cause of the flood was never fully established with witness statements featuring a giant wave。‘In the open sea near the coast of North Devon， the wave was just under 13ft high， but as it entered the Bristol Channel and the Severn Estuary， the wave increased to 16 feet and was over 25 feet high by the time it reached the Monmouthshire coast with a speed of 38mph’For the residents of Bristol many thought witchcraft was behind this and after the terror and fear following the Gunpowder plot many Catholics were the target of the towns anger and rage。King James I is unsettled when he hears rumours of a possible resurgence of the Jesuits and， following a meeting with his advisor， Charles FitzAlan， Daniel Pursglove is sent to Bristol to uncover any possible threat that may be bubbling up there。 Daniel Pursglove is a character with rather a veiled past。 In Newgate prison he was awaiting an impending death among the chewing rats and the slime dripping walls of The Hole where ‘the air was clotted with the sweat of unwashed flesh， the fetid breath and farts from sour stomachs and the noxious clouds of tarry smoke’ But Daniel has skills that FitzAlan is in need of so he is removed from the horrors of Newgate and sent to Bristol on a mission to find Spero Pettingar， a man believed to be a conspirator against the Crown。Daniel Pursglove arrives into Bristol with a cover story and a purse and sets about tracking down any valuable information and possible leads。 He stays in a local hostelry， one of the few left standing but the poverty， the death， the destruction has decimated this once thriving port city。 He is a blow-in， a man well-dressed with a few bob in his pocket and his presence soon raises suspicions。 Bristol is a city in turmoil。 Its people are crazed， starved by the devastation surrounding them。 Many now homeless resort to begging as they trail along on legs seeping pores and bodies fit for nothing。 The search for Pettingar becomes a struggle to survive as Pursglove soon finds himself immersed in a hotbed of thievery and mistrust。 This is a community ravaged， one intent on laying the blame on someone。 There are very visual depictions throughout The Drowned City that evoke a sense of sorrow and pain。 Neighbours turned on neighbours， children were left starved and the criminal drove every opportunity to increase their foothold in this hell on earth。K。J。 Maitland has written a very absorbing book that is steeped in menace and political paranoia。 Daniel Pursglove is a new protagonist full of mystery and intrigue， with enough revealed to demand more in a series that will be perfect for all fans of C。J。 Sansom’s Shardlake series。 Dark， disturbing， dank and atmospheric， The Drowned City will capture the imagination of every reader with its portrayal of a city on its knees。 The historical background is fascinating with the depiction of this period brought so dramatically alive。Deceit， murder and revenge abound making The Drowned City a very appealing launch for a new series with a very mysterious protagonist that needs to be explored further。 With very violent and brutal descriptions that are exceptionally painted and remarkably conveyed to the reader， I would suggest that this is not a book to be read while eating！！！ 。。。more
Amy Louise
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Fans of historical fiction may recognise the name Karen Maitland from her standalone titles such as Company of Liars and The Owl Killers。 The Drowned City， written under the name K。 J。 Maitland， is the first of a promised series to feature secretary-turned-conjurer-turned-agent Daniel Pursglove and sees a slight shift in both era and tone from Maitland’s previous work。Set in 1606， with England and Scotland both still reeling from the uncovering of the Gunpowder Plot and James I’s promises of rel Fans of historical fiction may recognise the name Karen Maitland from her standalone titles such as Company of Liars and The Owl Killers。 The Drowned City， written under the name K。 J。 Maitland， is the first of a promised series to feature secretary-turned-conjurer-turned-agent Daniel Pursglove and sees a slight shift in both era and tone from Maitland’s previous work。Set in 1606， with England and Scotland both still reeling from the uncovering of the Gunpowder Plot and James I’s promises of religious toleration looking increasingly untenable in the wake of renewed Catholic conspiracies， The Drowned City opens with Daniel languishing in the rat-infested depths of Newgate on trumped-up charges of witchcraft。 As a man with powerful and well-connected enemies， it will take the favour of the King himself to grant Daniel his freedom – which is precisely what he is offered when the mysterious Charles FitzAlan tasks him with uncovering a network of Jesuit spies – and of investigating allegations that they may have recruited witches to their cause。On his arrival in Bristol， Daniel finds a city in ruins。 A devastating wave has left the city shattered – and its remaining people suspicious of both outsiders and those who survived unscathed。 Restless mobs roam the streets and gangs of vicious looters operate under the shadowy protection of the castle。 Finding refuge at the Salt Cat Inn， it isn’t long before Daniel realises his task may be impossible。 Bristol is a hotbed of conspiracy – and then amidst the whispers， bodies start to be unearthed。As you can hopefully tell from that brief description， The Drowned City is a fast-paced and thrilling adventure that quickly sees Daniel become embroiled in a series of local murders that may have much wider implications for both court and country。Whilst more action-orientated that Maitland’s previous novels， The Drowned City is no less impressive in its historical research or realism – one of the things that I enjoyed most about the novel was how vividly Maitland depicts the world in which Daniel lives。 From the crowded and horrific squalor of Newgate’s dark depths to the mud-encrusted remnants of wave-damaged Bristol’s streets， I felt as if I was walking alongside Daniel every step of the way。 I also enjoyed the occasional snapshots that are given of court life， and the way in which Daniel’s investigations are shown to relate to national concerns that have implications for the court – and for the life of King James himself。Daniel himself is an interesting protagonist – although I suspect there are secrets hidden in his background that have been left for readers to discover in later books！ Having been raised alongside – and worked for – gentlemen， he is well placed to understand the intricacies and dangers of the court – and to appreciate the dangers that lie in continuing to follow the old faith。 However his more recent career as a conjurer – as well as his mysterious past – gives Daniel a street-sense and a roguishness that serves him well in his adventure – and allows the reader to ponder where his loyalties and morals may truly lie。It is difficult to say much more about The Drowned City without spoiling the enjoyment of reading it。 Packed full of intrigue and set within a dark and dangerous world， it is an enthralling novel that is sure to appeal to fans of C。 J。 Sansom and Andrew Taylor， as well as to anyone who has previously enjoyed Maitland’s work。 Jacobean England is brought vividly to life and the plot whips along with the crackle and spark of the magic that Pursglove is sent to investigate。 A thoroughly enjoyable and diverting read – I am already looking forward to seeing where Daniel Pursglove ends up next！NB: This review first appeared on my blog at https://theshelfofunreadbooks。wordpre。。。 as part of the blog tour for the book。 My thanks go to the publisher for providing a copy in return for an honest and unbiased review。 。。。more
Kate Vane
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The Drowned City is the first in a new series， and under a new name， by historical mystery writer Karen Maitland。 A year to the day after the Gunpowder Plot， a towering wave in the Bristol Channel wreaked havoc across Bristol， Somerset and Devon， destroying homes and taking lives。 The aftermath of the tragedy， however， presents an opportunity for some。Daniel Pursglove， conjurer， itinerant， suspected Catholic， is suddenly freed from prison by one of King James I’s agents。 Bristol is believed to b The Drowned City is the first in a new series， and under a new name， by historical mystery writer Karen Maitland。 A year to the day after the Gunpowder Plot， a towering wave in the Bristol Channel wreaked havoc across Bristol， Somerset and Devon， destroying homes and taking lives。 The aftermath of the tragedy， however， presents an opportunity for some。Daniel Pursglove， conjurer， itinerant， suspected Catholic， is suddenly freed from prison by one of King James I’s agents。 Bristol is believed to be a hotbed of Catholics and his background and skills make him ideally placed to go undercover among them。Pursglove’s task is to seek out the conspirator who is still at large， known by the pseudonym of Spero Pettingar。 He travels to Bristol， where he encounters accusations of witchcraft， mob violence， the reappearance of figures from his past， and murder。The Drowned City an atmospheric book， steeped in the period and the strange， otherworldly landscape of Bristol after the flood。 Bodies are still being washed up， people are unable to know whether to grieve， unsure if their loved ones are drowned or have somehow escaped。 Then there is the religious tension leading to conflict and cruelty between people who were once neighbours， and an over-reliance on the interpretation of symbols and omens。Pursglove is a pleasingly enigmatic character， with his unusual background （which unfolds as the story develops）， his ability to use his conjuring skills to further his investigation and an outsider status which allows him to look at all with a dispassionate but knowledgeable eye。Pursglove’s point of view is alternated with scenes at court and with spymaster Cecil （now Salisbury） and his agents。 This gives the wider context to the investigation on the ground: the tension between James I’s Scottish courtiers and the English nobles， the king’s own fascination with the supernatural， and the religious divisions which counterpoint the political and social divisions in the country。There were a few elements that gave me pause。 Pursglove’s investigation unfolds very slowly， so much so that I had to return to the blurb to remind me why he was in Bristol。 This is in part because Maitland has a very wordy style， with substantial paragraphs of description。 Although it’s well done， personally I prefer a few telling images to a near-photographic rendering of every scene， and I did skim a bit。I also wondered why， after Pursglove’s backstory was slowly revealed by hints and inferences， there was suddenly a big chunk of exposition a quarter of the way into the book。 It would have made more sense to either do that early on or trust the reader to piece it together。These are quibbles， though。 The Drowned City is a very rich and engaging read， and the strange landscape and atmosphere of Bristol in the wake of disaster is vividly evoked。 The parallels with the pandemic are obvious， and Maitland has perfectly created that sense of a world that is both completely upended and yet oddly the same。While the murder plot is resolved， Pursglove’s larger quest continues， and the political forces that will control his destiny continue to conspire and change。 The Drowned City is an intriguing start to a promising new series。*I received a copy of The Drowned City from the publisher via Netgalley。 。。。more
travelsalongmybookshelf
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🌟B O O K R E V I E W🌟The Drowned City - KJ MaitlandThis story opens with a towering wave that devastates the south west around the Bristol Channel。 Precisely where I now live， it is based in fact， as a tidal wave did in fact hit the area at this time。 I previously had watched a Timewatch documentary on it， so was both thrilled and intrigued when I was sent this to read。‘𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙘𝙖𝙧𝙘𝙖𝙨𝙨𝙚𝙨 𝙤𝙛 𝙝𝙤𝙧𝙨𝙚𝙨， 𝙘𝙖𝙩𝙩𝙡𝙚， 𝙙𝙤𝙜𝙨 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙥𝙚𝙤𝙥𝙡𝙚 𝙡𝙖𝙮 𝙨𝙩𝙧𝙚𝙬𝙣 𝙖𝙢𝙤𝙣𝙜 𝙬𝙧𝙚𝙘𝙠𝙚𝙙 𝙗𝙪𝙞𝙡𝙙𝙞𝙣𝙜𝙨， 𝙛𝙡𝙤𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙞𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙨𝙬𝙤𝙡𝙡𝙚𝙣 𝙧𝙞𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙨 𝙤𝙧 𝙨𝙞𝙢𝙥𝙡𝙮 𝙡 🌟B O O K R E V I E W🌟The Drowned City - KJ MaitlandThis story opens with a towering wave that devastates the south west around the Bristol Channel。 Precisely where I now live， it is based in fact， as a tidal wave did in fact hit the area at this time。 I previously had watched a Timewatch documentary on it， so was both thrilled and intrigued when I was sent this to read。‘𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙘𝙖𝙧𝙘𝙖𝙨𝙨𝙚𝙨 𝙤𝙛 𝙝𝙤𝙧𝙨𝙚𝙨， 𝙘𝙖𝙩𝙩𝙡𝙚， 𝙙𝙤𝙜𝙨 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙥𝙚𝙤𝙥𝙡𝙚 𝙡𝙖𝙮 𝙨𝙩𝙧𝙚𝙬𝙣 𝙖𝙢𝙤𝙣𝙜 𝙬𝙧𝙚𝙘𝙠𝙚𝙙 𝙗𝙪𝙞𝙡𝙙𝙞𝙣𝙜𝙨， 𝙛𝙡𝙤𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙞𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙨𝙬𝙤𝙡𝙡𝙚𝙣 𝙧𝙞𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙨 𝙤𝙧 𝙨𝙞𝙢𝙥𝙡𝙮 𝙡𝙖𝙮 𝙬𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙨𝙚𝙖 𝙝𝙖𝙙 𝙛𝙞𝙣𝙖𝙡𝙡𝙮 𝙙𝙧𝙤𝙥𝙥𝙚𝙙 𝙞𝙩𝙨 𝙥𝙡𝙖𝙮𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜𝙨 𝙞𝙣 𝙨𝙤𝙙𝙙𝙚𝙣 𝙢𝙚𝙖𝙙𝙤𝙬𝙨 𝙤𝙛 𝙗𝙡𝙖𝙘𝙠𝙚𝙣𝙚𝙙 𝙜𝙧𝙖𝙨𝙨。’Daniel ‘Gallows’ Pursglove is languishing in Newgate prison but he is given the opportunity of potential freedom by King James I man， Charles Fitzalan， to travel to the drowned city of Bristol and unearth the catholic spy Spero Pettingar。 Was the flood called up by witches？ King James is obsessed with them and Daniel unwittingly becomes a witch hunter， pursuivant and intelligencer。However if he chooses not to complete his mission he will be executed as a traitor， his head to decorate London Bridge。‘ 𝙏𝙝𝙚𝙮 𝙬𝙚𝙧𝙚 𝙬𝙞𝙩𝙘𝙝𝙚𝙨 𝙄 𝙩𝙚𝙡𝙡 𝙮𝙤𝙪。 𝙏𝙪𝙧𝙣𝙚𝙙 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙢𝙨𝙚𝙡𝙫𝙚𝙨 𝙞𝙣𝙩𝙤 𝙧𝙖𝙩𝙨 𝙨𝙤 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙮 𝙘𝙤𝙪𝙡𝙙 𝙨𝙪𝙧𝙫𝙞𝙫𝙚 ‘𝙘𝙖𝙪𝙨𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙮 𝙠𝙣𝙚𝙬 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙬𝙖𝙫𝙚 𝙬𝙖𝙨 𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙞𝙣𝙜。’This is a brilliantly plotted， twisting piece of historical fiction， it took me ages as I kept going off down rabbit holes to read around， which is always a sign that the book I’m reading is fantastic！The creeping， dark and grimey nature of Jacobean England， the awfulness of the puritanical nature of behaviour， obsession with property， witchcraft and the horrifying nature of torture is brought vividly to life。 ‘𝙂𝙪𝙞𝙙𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙖𝙣𝙜𝙚𝙡𝙨 𝙢𝙖𝙮 𝙩𝙖𝙠𝙚 𝙢𝙖𝙣𝙮 𝙛𝙤𝙧𝙢𝙨， 𝙢𝙖𝙮𝙗𝙚 𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙣 𝙨𝙝𝙖𝙧𝙥 𝙘𝙡𝙖𝙬𝙚𝙙 𝙘𝙖𝙩𝙨。’This book is seething with spies and murder。 Daniel is caught up in something far darker than he realises with threats at every corner。 And by unravelling the murders puts himself at risk。 There are plots within plots which I loved， the involvement of witchcraft was excellent。 I mean some of the stuff they accused so called witches of was laughable but must have been horrendously frightening to experience at the time。Here has been conjured a brilliant， twisting， murderous piece of historical fiction。 I am looking forward to more from Daniel Pursglove and stepping back into Jacobean England✩✩✩✩[AD-PR PRODUCT]Thanks to @caitlinraynor @headlinebooks and #KJMaitland for my copy of this book。 。。。more
Jules
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A great historical whodunnit， set in Bristol after it is engulfed by a huge wave。 If you enjoyed The Devil & The Dark Water， you’ll love this too。 Brilliantly paced & plotted， I’m looking forward to the next instalment already！
Wendy Robey
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This is a wonderful， fast-paced read， full of intrigue。 The descriptions of Bristol in 1606 are brilliant; dark， oppressive and threatening and you can almost smell death on every page。 The historical details are fascinating- the wave that destroyed so much and the gunpowder plot - all wonderful excerpts of life in the 17th Century Bristol and London。 Daniel is a great main character - mysterious and dangerous- his story is a riveting tale and I’m really looking forward to seeing more of him in This is a wonderful， fast-paced read， full of intrigue。 The descriptions of Bristol in 1606 are brilliant; dark， oppressive and threatening and you can almost smell death on every page。 The historical details are fascinating- the wave that destroyed so much and the gunpowder plot - all wonderful excerpts of life in the 17th Century Bristol and London。 Daniel is a great main character - mysterious and dangerous- his story is a riveting tale and I’m really looking forward to seeing more of him in the series。 。。。more
Fabienne Schwizer
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I love me a book that starts in a hopeless situation， it reminds me of one of my favourite D&D campaigns that I got to play。 When the story sets out， Daniel Pursglove thinks he’s about to be executed。 But instead he is sent on a mission。 Bristol has just been overrun by a tsunami-like flood （which actually happened！） and there are suspicions of Catholics。 When Daniel gets to Bristol， he comes across a series of murders where the victims were branded as Jesuits。 And damn， not many books manage to I love me a book that starts in a hopeless situation， it reminds me of one of my favourite D&D campaigns that I got to play。 When the story sets out， Daniel Pursglove thinks he’s about to be executed。 But instead he is sent on a mission。 Bristol has just been overrun by a tsunami-like flood （which actually happened！） and there are suspicions of Catholics。 When Daniel gets to Bristol， he comes across a series of murders where the victims were branded as Jesuits。 And damn， not many books manage to have the resolution of the mystery come out of left field like The Drowning City did。 I had NO IDEA what was going on until the reveal， and I loved it。At its heart， The Drowning City is a character book。 That is one of Maitland’s great strengths。 While some of her earlier books struggled a bit with slow pacing， at least as far as I remember them， but that is not an issue with this one。 It is consistently keeping up tension and manages to toe the line between character work and pacing。 Daniel is a wonderful lead character， and Rachael， the love interest and tavern maid is just as compelling a character。 She is sassy， smart and driven， and doesn’t let Daniel live down his behaviour。 I really enjoyed seeing their relationship develop alongside the main plot。 。。。more
Karen
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What an amazing opening chapter to a story， a giant tidal wave is about to wreak devastation to the south-west of England。 The suspense and tension the author creates in this opening scene is brilliantly accomplished and I was glued to the pages。 The tidal wave destroys homes， businesses and the lives of animals， livestock and countless humans in its path。 It is suspected witchcraft is at play or possibly God’s own hand？Plucked out of the bowels of Newgate Prison where he is awaiting a death sen What an amazing opening chapter to a story， a giant tidal wave is about to wreak devastation to the south-west of England。 The suspense and tension the author creates in this opening scene is brilliantly accomplished and I was glued to the pages。 The tidal wave destroys homes， businesses and the lives of animals， livestock and countless humans in its path。 It is suspected witchcraft is at play or possibly God’s own hand？Plucked out of the bowels of Newgate Prison where he is awaiting a death sentence， Daniel Pursglove is sent on a mission for King James。 He has been assigned to try to track down the remaining traitor in the failed Gunpowder Plot of 1606 and investigate what is happening in the drowned city of Bristol。 He is to report back to the King and in exchange he will get his freedom。 In Bristol， Pursglove unintentionally stumbles across several suspicious murders and becomes involved in investigating and unravelling the mystery of these deaths。 Compelling， full of danger and intrigue and I loved how a fictional story is woven around real-life events。The author brilliantly sets the scene of the era， it is so rich in historical detail and absolutely fascinating。 The narrative is powerful and portrays in detail the grim realities of early Jacobean life。 I really felt as if I was living within the pages of this novel。 It travels at quite a slow pace but the plot is well structured and intriguing with enough twists and turns to keep the reader captivated。 The characters are all well drawn and the author had an incredible way of bringing these characters to life。 I really liked Daniel Pursglove’s characterisation and particularly enjoyed following along with his murder investigation。 I’m looking forward to seeing his character development in the continuation of this series。The Drowning City is an informative and interesting read。 The ‘Behind the Scenes of this Novel’ at the back of the book documents that a huge wave did in fact flood the coasts of the Bristol Chanel and some of the surrounding regions。 The glossary， also at the back of the novel， provides a useful insight into the terminology of the era。 A wonderful combination of history， mystery and adventure and I look forward to the next instalment。Thank you to the publisher for the beautiful advanced copy to review。 。。。more
Helen
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I had already been drawn to The Drowned City， the first in a new series of historical mysteries set in the 17th century， before it dawned on me that KJ Maitland was Karen Maitland， an author whose books I’ve enjoyed in the past。 All the more reason to want to read it， then！In January 1606， exactly a year after the execution of the conspirators who tried to blow up Parliament in the failed Gunpowder plot， a towering wave sweeps up the Bristol Channel， leaving a scene of devastation。 Whole familie I had already been drawn to The Drowned City， the first in a new series of historical mysteries set in the 17th century， before it dawned on me that KJ Maitland was Karen Maitland， an author whose books I’ve enjoyed in the past。 All the more reason to want to read it， then！In January 1606， exactly a year after the execution of the conspirators who tried to blow up Parliament in the failed Gunpowder plot， a towering wave sweeps up the Bristol Channel， leaving a scene of devastation。 Whole families are drowned， buildings are swept away and farmland is destroyed。 As the survivors try to come to terms with what has happened， rumours begin to arise。 Some say the wave was summoned by witches， others that it was God’s way of taking revenge for the executions。 The King’s most trusted adviser， Charles FitzAlan， fears that it’s all part of another Catholic conspiracy and decides to send someone to Bristol to investigate。 Luckily， he knows just the man for the job…That man is Daniel Pursglove， currently languishing in Newgate Prison awaiting what seems to be certain death。 Daniel’s particular background and skills have brought him to FitzAlan’s attention and when he is offered his freedom in return for carrying out some investigations in Bristol， he jumps at the chance。 Arriving in the city， Daniel begins his search for the missing Catholic conspirator known as Spero Pettingar， but almost immediately finds himself caught up in another mystery – a series of murders。 Are they all part of the same plot or is something else going on in the flooded city？Like Maitland’s earlier novels， this is a dark and atmospheric story with an interesting historical setting。 I’ve never read anything about the Bristol Channel Floods of 1607 （or 1606; Maitland uses the old Julian calendar rather than the Gregorian）， so that was something completely new for me。 The descriptions of the devastated city in the aftermath of the wave are vivid and even quite eerie and almost otherworldly。 It’s always refreshing to read historical novels with a setting other than London， and the flooded Bristol， in a superstitious age when natural disasters were often attributed to witchcraft or messages from heaven， was the perfect choice for this particular story。Although there a few real historical characters in the book， notably Robert Cecil， most are fictional。 Daniel Pursglove， the central character in this and presumably the rest of the series， intrigued me as we know so little about him at first。 What is his background？ How did he come to be a prisoner？ What are the special talents that make him so suitable for this task？ As the story unfolds， so does our understanding of Daniel and gradually some of our questions are answered。 I’m sure we’ll be learning more about him in future books。Where this book was less successful， in my opinion， was with the mystery element; once Daniel arrives in Bristol the plot takes off in so many different directions I kept forgetting what his original purpose was in going there。 Had it been shorter and more tightly focused， I think I would have enjoyed it much more; instead， I found myself struggling to keep track of what was happening at times。 Still， this is a promising start to a new series and I’m definitely interested in reading the second book。 。。。more
Karen Kingston
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4。5 starsAs regular readers of my blog know， I do read a mixture of genres including historical fiction， although the majority of the books I read tend to be modern history， i。e from 1900。 This novel took me much further back in time， to the England ruled by King James I， after many years of Elizabethan rule。Having studied the Tudors many years ago， I was aware of how Catholicism had been banned and the new Church of England established by King Henry VIII。 This book looks at how the fear of Cath 4。5 starsAs regular readers of my blog know， I do read a mixture of genres including historical fiction， although the majority of the books I read tend to be modern history， i。e from 1900。 This novel took me much further back in time， to the England ruled by King James I， after many years of Elizabethan rule。Having studied the Tudors many years ago， I was aware of how Catholicism had been banned and the new Church of England established by King Henry VIII。 This book looks at how the fear of Catholic spies corrupting the people results in Daniel Pursglove being sent on a secret mission to Bristol， a city recently devastated by a huge tidal wave。KJ Maitland’s writing is stunning， and brings the era to life well （or slightly too well if you don’t enjoy reading about gruesome deaths）。 I found myself caught up in the story within the first few pages and I was pleased to have the time to continue reading uninterrupted whilst other members of my family watched an international football match on the TV。Life in 1606 sounded dark and unpleasant， with danger lurking on every corner。 Fear and superstition， disease and malnutrition， and now a deadly tidal wave， had devastated the port of Bristol。 Would this be the perfect place for Catholic spies to hide？Daniel has been given a mission but quickly finds himself trying to solve a murder mystery which may be linked to his mission。 We start to find out more about why Daniel had found himself in prison at the start of the book and what skills have kept him alive。There are some heartbreaking scenes in this book， including the mob attacking the family who had the only house left standing in one street。 We hear about fake news now， but this story shows how this isn’t a new problem。I enjoyed the historical details and the mysteries involved， and I hope that we get to meet Daniel Pursglove in future books by KJ Maitland。 。。。more
AtomicBooks
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This is a really good historical novel rich in beautiful language and descriptions of the time period and place。 I really enjoyed the combination of history entwined with an action adventure element。 It was really good to read about a different time period， the start of the Stuart period， and also a different setting。 A lot of historical novels often follow the ruler at that time and are based in London but this one comes out of London and focuses on a major event in Bristol and the West Country This is a really good historical novel rich in beautiful language and descriptions of the time period and place。 I really enjoyed the combination of history entwined with an action adventure element。 It was really good to read about a different time period， the start of the Stuart period， and also a different setting。 A lot of historical novels often follow the ruler at that time and are based in London but this one comes out of London and focuses on a major event in Bristol and the West Country。 At times I felt that the book got a bit repetitive and perhaps could have been a bit shorter but now realising it is the start of a new series I think it was probably trying to set the scene for future books too， Overall though it is a good read。 。。。more
Sarah Lee
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I have never read anything by K J Maitland and as I do like historical fiction I thought that The Drowned City would be an interesting read。 The novel is set in 1606， and begins a year to the day that those attempting to blow up Parliament were executed。 A wave devastates the Bristol Channel， some proclaim God's vengeance and others seek to take advantage of this event。 We met the main protagonist Daniel Pursglove in jail waiting to die。 He is offered the chance of freedom from one of King James I have never read anything by K J Maitland and as I do like historical fiction I thought that The Drowned City would be an interesting read。 The novel is set in 1606， and begins a year to the day that those attempting to blow up Parliament were executed。 A wave devastates the Bristol Channel， some proclaim God's vengeance and others seek to take advantage of this event。 We met the main protagonist Daniel Pursglove in jail waiting to die。 He is offered the chance of freedom from one of King James 1st advisors。 Daniel has to go to Bristol and determine what is happening there。 It is believed that Bristol is full of Catholic spies and Daniel must uncover what is happening in this deeply troubled city。I quite enjoyed this book， the author creates a good sense of atmosphere and suspense。 It did drag a little towards the middle of the book and I found myself losing a little bit of interest。 Well written， good plot line， interesting subject matter and good characters。 。。。more
Liz Barnsley
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Review to follow。
Reference
google book https://www.google.com/search?tbm=bks&q=The Drowned City
hathitrust digital library https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/ls?q1=The Drowned City&field1=ocr&a=srchls&ft=ft&lmt=ft
The British Library https://bll01.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/discovery/search?query=any,contains,The Drowned City&tab=LibraryCatalog&search_scope=Not_BL_Suppress&vid=44BL_INST:BLL01&lang=en&offset=0