The Royal Secret
- Downloads：3033
- Type：Epub+TxT+PDF+Mobi
- Create Date：2021-04-27 08:51:01
- Update Date：2025-09-06
- Status：finish
- Author：Andrew Taylor
- ISBN：000832557X
- Environment：PC/Android/iPhone/iPad/Kindle
- Download
Summary
From the No。1 bestselling author of The Last Protector and The Ashes of London comes the next book in the phenomenally successful series following James Marwood and Cat Lovett during the time of King Charles II。
Two young girls plot a murder by witchcraft。 Soon afterwards a government clerk dies painfully in mysterious circumstances。 His colleague James Marwood is asked to investigate – but the task brings unexpected dangers。
Meanwhile， architect Cat Hakesby is working for a merchant who lives on Slaughter Street， where the air smells of blood and a captive Barbary lion prowls the stables。 Then a prestigious new commission arrives。 Cat must design a Poultry House for the woman that the King loves most in all the world。
Unbeknownst to all， at the heart of this lies a royal secret so explosive that it could not only rip apart England but change the entire face of Europe…
Two young girls plot a murder by witchcraft。 Soon afterwards a government clerk dies painfully in mysterious circumstances。 His colleague James Marwood is asked to investigate – but the task brings unexpected dangers。
Meanwhile， architect Cat Hakesby is working for a merchant who lives on Slaughter Street， where the air smells of blood and a captive Barbary lion prowls the stables。 Then a prestigious new commission arrives。 Cat must design a Poultry House for the woman that the King loves most in all the world。
Unbeknownst to all， at the heart of this lies a royal secret so explosive that it could not only rip apart England but change the entire face of Europe…
Reviews
Kerry Henderson
，
Many thanks to Netgalley and Harper Collins Publishers for the opportunity to read this book。 James Marwood is tasked with investigating the death of a clerk who shows the signs of possibly being poisoned。 The case takes a strange turn with the possibility of a foreign man being involved and soon there are more deaths。 One which hits very close to home for Marwood。 Cat Hakesby meanwhile is called to design a poultry house for someone very close to the King， A commision like this leads to a trip Many thanks to Netgalley and Harper Collins Publishers for the opportunity to read this book。 James Marwood is tasked with investigating the death of a clerk who shows the signs of possibly being poisoned。 The case takes a strange turn with the possibility of a foreign man being involved and soon there are more deaths。 One which hits very close to home for Marwood。 Cat Hakesby meanwhile is called to design a poultry house for someone very close to the King， A commision like this leads to a trip to France but is there any connection between the two？ Another brilliant story in the series。 This is book 5 and a welcome addition。 I love this series and of course Marwood and Cat。 The stories are never just about romance and more on the actual mysteries which is refreshing though a part of me does long for them to get together， Marwood is not your typical leading hero and yet he's refreshing and interesting。 Cat is also a strong character and not a typical damsel， she's strong and independant。 The plot is interesting and kept me reading， plus the ending was reall well written。 I'm hoping for more。 A brilliant read。 。。。more
Amy McElroy
，
This time we find Cat and Marwood at odds， although their friendship has blossomed recent events put a strain on their relationship which may see it ruined completely。 Marwood finds himself working directly for Lord Arlington and whilst he follows orders he cannot help but think there's more to the plans than meets the eye。 Cat meanwhile has been commissioned to work on a building for the King's sister and meets a man named Van Riebeck， she is automatically drawn to him， but what is he hiding an This time we find Cat and Marwood at odds， although their friendship has blossomed recent events put a strain on their relationship which may see it ruined completely。 Marwood finds himself working directly for Lord Arlington and whilst he follows orders he cannot help but think there's more to the plans than meets the eye。 Cat meanwhile has been commissioned to work on a building for the King's sister and meets a man named Van Riebeck， she is automatically drawn to him， but what is he hiding and why does Cat also not trust him？ As events escalate and murders increase Marwood knows Van Riebeck is the key to everything but what's Cat's involvement and can he solve it all before their friendship it completely ruined？ I enjoy this series more and more with each book。 This one is fast paced， full of apprehension with a couple of twists thrown in to make it a perfect mystery。 Taylor incorporates details about everyday life in London making you feel like you are right there with the characters。 Throughout this series the characters have grown on me and not just Marwood and Cat， Stephen， Pheebs， Sam and Margaret are all great characters。 There are also some very dislikeable characters， I won't say much about them to avoid spoilers but I will say I think Maria needs new friends。 As I was coming to the end I had to slow down my reading to savour it more but eventually I came to the end and now eagerly await the next instalment。 If you enjoy a good mystery I'd certainly recommend this and you don't need to have read the previous books but I would also read them as they're all great！ 。。。more
Annette
，
London， 1670。 Two young girls， Maria and Hannah， plot a murder by witchcraft。 Once， “allies of a sort， united in their hatred of Abbott and his tyrannies。” Later， as Abbott is only a memory， one blackmails another。Cat Hakesby carries on her late husband’s business as an architect and surveyor。 She is commissioned to build a new poultry house for the king’s sister， which requires her to travel to France where the king’s sister resides。James Marwood works at Scotland Yard when Richard Abbott， one London， 1670。 Two young girls， Maria and Hannah， plot a murder by witchcraft。 Once， “allies of a sort， united in their hatred of Abbott and his tyrannies。” Later， as Abbott is only a memory， one blackmails another。Cat Hakesby carries on her late husband’s business as an architect and surveyor。 She is commissioned to build a new poultry house for the king’s sister， which requires her to travel to France where the king’s sister resides。James Marwood works at Scotland Yard when Richard Abbott， one of Lord Arlington’s clerks， dies。 Marwood is set on an investigation of the circumstances surrounding Abbott’s death， and relates his findings to Lord Arlington， Undersecretary of State。Meanwhile， Marwood and Cat meet once or twice a month to listen to music or go to a play or go for a walk in finer weather。 It is an alliance of mutual assistance rather than affection as she prefers to keep her independence。 After the end of last outing， they don’t make plans for the next time， as they usual would。 That unsettles Marwood a bit。 “She could forgive his unfortunate liking for low comedy， but not the way he had ogled the orange girl in front of her very eyes。 （…） His boorish behaviour towards Mr Fanshawe and his guest had been almost equally bad。” Later， he extends his olive branch by writing her a letter with a plan to see a new play。 She curtly expresses her refusal without any explanation。 And now， it gnaws at him when he sees Cat with someone he is after。There is one particular person at the heart of this mystery， but there is a lot of deception and some misjudgment， as well as complications。 Besides one being dead， another vanishes， and yet another has a powerful friend。 It presents some challenges for Marwood。The characters come from different directions and as story develops they interestingly start coming together， as they happen to be related in some way。 The plot is intriguing， culminating with a lot of intrigue and a royal secret unbeknownst to all。 Written with marvelous prose sprinkled with humor， the characters come alive with their settings， vividly presented and giving a good sense of time and place。 Beautifully crafted story and atmospheric in its depiction。This fifth installment in the series reads as a stand-alone。 With skillful writing， you can easily follow the characters， which drive this story to the culminating end。 Source: ARC was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review。Review originally posted at mysteryandsuspense。com 。。。more
Becky C
，
Right from the first page of this book you are transported back to the sights， smells and sounds of 17th Century London: a period of history that I love。 The political intrigue begins immediately。 Who is Abbott and was he murdered？ What secrets was he covering up？ Is there a conspiracy behind the murders？ Marwood， assistant clerk to Lord Arlington together with Cat Hakesby， a young female architect begin to slowly unravel the mystery。I absolutely loved this book。 Although I have read Andrew Tayl Right from the first page of this book you are transported back to the sights， smells and sounds of 17th Century London: a period of history that I love。 The political intrigue begins immediately。 Who is Abbott and was he murdered？ What secrets was he covering up？ Is there a conspiracy behind the murders？ Marwood， assistant clerk to Lord Arlington together with Cat Hakesby， a young female architect begin to slowly unravel the mystery。I absolutely loved this book。 Although I have read Andrew Taylor books before （The American Boy being one of my favourite ever books） this is the first I have read in this series。 These books can be read as stand alone books。 I am now desperate to continue my journey with Marwood and Hakesby （the two main characters in each book） and start at the beginning of this fantastic series with the Ashes of London。 If you love historical fiction with a slowly unfolding mystery then these are the books for you！ Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Collins for this ARC。 。。。more
Michael Cayley
，
This is the fifth in a series of historical novels set in the period of Restoration England but knowledge of its predecessors is not necessary。 It is set in a context of high diplomacy and power politics。As always， Andrew Taylor has done his research well， but as a novel， the book did not really work for me。 The plot was a bit meandering， and took quite a time to get going， and the characterisation could have been more rounded。 There was just enough to hold my interest and keep me reading， but o This is the fifth in a series of historical novels set in the period of Restoration England but knowledge of its predecessors is not necessary。 It is set in a context of high diplomacy and power politics。As always， Andrew Taylor has done his research well， but as a novel， the book did not really work for me。 The plot was a bit meandering， and took quite a time to get going， and the characterisation could have been more rounded。 There was just enough to hold my interest and keep me reading， but only just。With thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for letting me have an ARC in exchange for an honest review。 。。。more
Thebooktrail
，
Discover the locations in the novel The Royal Secret。A real treat for historical fiction fans。 The plot is juicy and detailed， the characters very real and authentic and the attention to detail with regards to the history and scene setting is second to none。 I never feel I can do these books justice with a review so this is a short one filled with admiration and a thank you to the author for such a wonderful reading experience。 Discover the locations in the novel The Royal Secret。A real treat for historical fiction fans。 The plot is juicy and detailed， the characters very real and authentic and the attention to detail with regards to the history and scene setting is second to none。 I never feel I can do these books justice with a review so this is a short one filled with admiration and a thank you to the author for such a wonderful reading experience。 。。。more
Sharyn
，
Another excellent book in the Cat and Marwood series。 Great characters that keep on developing， interesting plot-line with plenty of intrigue。 And a 'oh no！' moment when I had to stop reading for a bit。 This series is well researched and just gets better and better。 With thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for the invitation to read and review an e-ARC of this title。 Another excellent book in the Cat and Marwood series。 Great characters that keep on developing， interesting plot-line with plenty of intrigue。 And a 'oh no！' moment when I had to stop reading for a bit。 This series is well researched and just gets better and better。 With thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for the invitation to read and review an e-ARC of this title。 。。。more
Roger
，
The excellent Marwood and Lovett series continues。 Fascinating historical detail and strong characters with good story-telling。
Paromjit
，
Once again Andrew Taylor immerses us into his atmospheric， beautifully crafted and well researched historical fiction set in the 17th century Restoration period in England under the reign of Charles II with all its political intrigue and treachery。 It features James Marwood， clerk to Joseph Williamson and Lord Arlington， the Secretary of State， and the now widowed architect Cat Hakesby， running the firm after the death of her cantankerous husband。 Cat's traumatic personal history has left her va Once again Andrew Taylor immerses us into his atmospheric， beautifully crafted and well researched historical fiction set in the 17th century Restoration period in England under the reign of Charles II with all its political intrigue and treachery。 It features James Marwood， clerk to Joseph Williamson and Lord Arlington， the Secretary of State， and the now widowed architect Cat Hakesby， running the firm after the death of her cantankerous husband。 Cat's traumatic personal history has left her valuing her independence and vows to never marry again， although the unacknowledged feelings that Cat and Marwood have for each other results in a spiky and volatile relationship。 Two girls， a maid and stepdaughter， engage in witchcraft with the intent of seeking a death。Marwood is sent to retrieve confidential papers from the home of the now dead Richard Abbot， but the scene at the home with dead rats， leads to suspicions of poisoning and murder and a visit to the home of a merchant of luxury goods， Mr Fanshawe， the owner of a recently acquired Barbary lion， and where Abbot's widow is now residing。 Fanshawe is a client of Cat's， and it is through him that she meets the Dutch Henryk Van Riebeeck， the brother of Abbot's widow， a man she feels drawn to romantically， a man inordinately interested in her commission for a exclusive poultry house planned for the beloved sister of the King。 Marwood and Cat find themselves mingling within the same circle of characters but from different angles， and which includes the King， facing grave dangers， secrets， murders， and conspiracy。Taylor's rich descriptions evoke the extreme class divisions of the time， both in London， Kent and in France， the stench and the squalor that even the French Royal Court cannot avoid， and the precarious position of women， even women of high status， such as Charles II's sister。 Marwood and Cat are subject to the whims and vagaries of their rich and powerful employers and the King himself， they are in no position to own their own futures， and as Cat discovers， it is the rich who so often feel they do not need to pay for her services。 In turn， Cat and Marwood are often just as careless when it comes to those who hold a lower status than themselves， although when a devastating tragedy occurs， Marwood and his servants， Sam and Margaret， are galvanised into seeking retribution for their unbearable loss。 Highly recommended for those interested in this particular period of history。 Many thanks to HarperCollins for an ARC。 。。。more
Teresa Cornelius
，
The Royal Secret by Andrew TaylorI have read and thoroughly enjoyed all of the books featuring James Marwood and Cat Hakesby but this could also be read as a stand-alone novel。 Andrew Taylor is a gifted writer who enables the reader to feel immersed in the sights， sounds and smells of the time。 It is set in 1670 and centres around political conspiracy， undercover activities and skulduggery。 The main characters， Cat and Marwood， maintain a friendship which always seems on the edge of developing i The Royal Secret by Andrew TaylorI have read and thoroughly enjoyed all of the books featuring James Marwood and Cat Hakesby but this could also be read as a stand-alone novel。 Andrew Taylor is a gifted writer who enables the reader to feel immersed in the sights， sounds and smells of the time。 It is set in 1670 and centres around political conspiracy， undercover activities and skulduggery。 The main characters， Cat and Marwood， maintain a friendship which always seems on the edge of developing into something deeper。 At the beginning of this novel however Cat is troubled by jealousy as she fears James is too interested in another woman; despite maintaining her desire to remain a free and independent woman。The characters are extremely well developed and Cat has carved herself out a role as an architect designing elaborate chicken houses for the rich and powerful and even attracting the attention of King Charles II。 There are royal secrets but also elements of witchcraft and a fascinating description of the obsession of the rich with collections; even living things such as the Barbary Lion delivered in such an interesting manner to the docks。 All of the characters are well drawn and the servants too are described in vivid detail。 I look forward to reading any book by Andrew Taylor and this is a delight and one which I shall be wholeheartedly recommending to others。 I would like to thank the author， the publishers and Net Galley for the opportunity to read this book in return for an honest review。 。。。more
Lesley
，
I was sent a copy of The Royal Secret by Andrew Taylor to read and review by NetGalley。 Another great Historical novel following James Marwood and Cat Lovett during the reign of King Charles II。 I always find it so nice to get back to these familiar characters which seem now like my old friends！ Well written and evocative， as we have come to expect， with a great storyline full of intrigue and tension。 What more can I say？ I can’t wait for the next instalment！
Barbara Scott-Emmett
，
Another great adventure for Cat Hakesby and James Marwood， featuring all the usual cast of characters， including the king。 Cat and Marwood are still denying their feelings for each other but the tension is rising in that department。As good as ever， very readable， didn't want it to end。 Can't wait for the next one。 Another great adventure for Cat Hakesby and James Marwood， featuring all the usual cast of characters， including the king。 Cat and Marwood are still denying their feelings for each other but the tension is rising in that department。As good as ever， very readable， didn't want it to end。 Can't wait for the next one。 。。。more
Janet
，
The fifth book in this exceptional series featuring Marwood and Cat Lovett。 Once again， our heroes find themselves embroiled in political intrigue， this time involving both the kings of England and France。 Set in 1670， the historical setting is wonderfully and atmospherically brought to life。 The writing is as always effortless to read。 The plot is exciting and twisted。 But as with all the books in this series， it is the characters that drive the story along and the wonderful tension of the rela The fifth book in this exceptional series featuring Marwood and Cat Lovett。 Once again， our heroes find themselves embroiled in political intrigue， this time involving both the kings of England and France。 Set in 1670， the historical setting is wonderfully and atmospherically brought to life。 The writing is as always effortless to read。 The plot is exciting and twisted。 But as with all the books in this series， it is the characters that drive the story along and the wonderful tension of the relationship between Marwood and Cat is so entertaining。 What more can I say that I haven't already said， I love this series and Andrew Taylor is a wonderful writer。I received a free review copy of the book from the publisher in exchange for my honest and unedited review。 。。。more
Beata
，
I am a reader who is not afraid to start a new series in the middle of it or， as is the case this time。 with the latest offering by the author。 Mr Taylor's book have been around me for some time， even bought two of them， however， they are still on the to-read shelf。 Not for long， I am certain of that now。 Actually， this book can be read as a standalone as although there are some references to previous books， they do not spoil the fun of reading。The Royal Secret is based on a historic event， nego I am a reader who is not afraid to start a new series in the middle of it or， as is the case this time。 with the latest offering by the author。 Mr Taylor's book have been around me for some time， even bought two of them， however， they are still on the to-read shelf。 Not for long， I am certain of that now。 Actually， this book can be read as a standalone as although there are some references to previous books， they do not spoil the fun of reading。The Royal Secret is based on a historic event， negotiations between the kings of England and France。 James Markwood and Cat Hakesby， well-acquainted and with yet too independent and too proud to admit their true feelings， get involved in mysterious events and political intrigue。This book offers well-presented historical background with an engaging plot， and although not a masterpiece in the genre， it is an entertaining read for the fans of historical fiction。*A big thank-you to Andrew Taylor， HarperCollins UK， and NetGalley for arc in exchange for my honest review* 。。。more
Matt Merritt
，
With thanks to the publisher and to NetGalley for providing an ARC in exhcangr for an honest review。The latest in Andrew Taylor's Post-Great Fire series is another addictive mystery as Marwood and Cat are drawn into intrigue between their own nation and those of France and Holland。The will-they， won't-they relationship of the two protagonists could have become grating by now but Taylor has a deft hand for slowly and organically building their bond through their common issues and the surrounding With thanks to the publisher and to NetGalley for providing an ARC in exhcangr for an honest review。The latest in Andrew Taylor's Post-Great Fire series is another addictive mystery as Marwood and Cat are drawn into intrigue between their own nation and those of France and Holland。The will-they， won't-they relationship of the two protagonists could have become grating by now but Taylor has a deft hand for slowly and organically building their bond through their common issues and the surrounding characters， whether real figures from history or Taylor's own créations， are all engaging。This is the fifth in the series and it feels as if we are still early in Marwood and Cat's journey。。。 At least， I hope there are plenty more stops to come。 。。。more
Shannon
，
The Royal Secret is the fifth Marwood and Lovett book and everyone’s growing up。 I could tell because Marwood got through the entire book with his wig intact and because of this he managed to buy himself a sexy new suit at the end。 More importantly （not really） an unloved man who works in Marwood’s vicinity dies and Marwood is sent to collect some confidential papers the dead dullard shouldn’t have taken out of the office。 After that it’s a slippery slope to murder， gambling debts， malnourished The Royal Secret is the fifth Marwood and Lovett book and everyone’s growing up。 I could tell because Marwood got through the entire book with his wig intact and because of this he managed to buy himself a sexy new suit at the end。 More importantly （not really） an unloved man who works in Marwood’s vicinity dies and Marwood is sent to collect some confidential papers the dead dullard shouldn’t have taken out of the office。 After that it’s a slippery slope to murder， gambling debts， malnourished lions， men with mulberry hankies， Dutch spies and lying little girls who have far too much easily accessible arsenic。 While Marwood tries to untangle that web Cat is building the poultry house of dreams that ends up taking her all the way to France and learning about the shit show that is the King’s sisters marriage。 Its all absolutely thrilling。 It really is。 Marwood and Cat are always best together， I love their pettiness and squabbling as they try to sort out their feelin’s。 Feelin’s are hard。 I did not love Cat being attracted to “the donkey in a wig” was she blinded by his height？ I just don’t know？ I don’t think she even did so I was quite relieved when she returned to form and got stab happy。 And oh！ Stephen！ Oh！Taylor really knows how to pack an emotional punch without any flab。 And honourable mention for the reworked classic “there’s only one bed” trope。 That maid has a lot to answer for and Cat is a saint to put up with her。 This has been my favourite so far I absolutely loved it。 。。。more
Justin Sarginson
，
For me， this author is very adept with two things。 Historical accuracy， as all his books feel right and in the correct historical context， which makes an incredible difference with historic fiction。 I also feel that Andrew manages to write romance really well also， as his books ebb and flow with the back and forth of man and woman's romantic tussles。This book is the fifth in the series and it's as fun as ever。 No dilution， no running out of ideas and the central characters remain present and enj For me， this author is very adept with two things。 Historical accuracy， as all his books feel right and in the correct historical context， which makes an incredible difference with historic fiction。 I also feel that Andrew manages to write romance really well also， as his books ebb and flow with the back and forth of man and woman's romantic tussles。This book is the fifth in the series and it's as fun as ever。 No dilution， no running out of ideas and the central characters remain present and enjoyable as ever。 I was lucky enough to read this early thanks to NetGalley and it was my absolute pleasure to do so as Andrew Taylor remains one of my favourite authors。 Historical fiction has become rather busy recently and Andrew holds his head high amongst his peers。 。。。more
Keith Currie
，
Going DutchThe latest episode in the Marwood and Lovett series does not disappoint。 Taylor， like the best writers of historical fiction， conjures an England during the reign of Charles II， which thoroughly convinces。 It is a dangerous place where the privileges of class and position dominate and the talents of those lower in society are exploited and despised。 Both James Marwood and Catherine Hakesby， formerly Lovett， fall foul of their social betters， in their different situations and professio Going DutchThe latest episode in the Marwood and Lovett series does not disappoint。 Taylor， like the best writers of historical fiction， conjures an England during the reign of Charles II， which thoroughly convinces。 It is a dangerous place where the privileges of class and position dominate and the talents of those lower in society are exploited and despised。 Both James Marwood and Catherine Hakesby， formerly Lovett， fall foul of their social betters， in their different situations and professions。 Neither are Marwood and Lovett guiltless of the same insensitivity towards their own class inferiors。For a time， it is unclear what the mystery is here。 We are introduced to a number of characters， all to some extent behaving suspiciously。 There are hints of witchcraft， murder by poisoning， Anglo-Dutch relationships， Anglo-French relationships， a pet lion。 The author builds up his plot with great care – it is not until the final chapters that the secret of the title is revealed。 And is it even true？I love how the author presents the testy relationship of Marwood and Cat; in this novel， one step forward， two steps back。 I love how the reader is left with a feeling of ambiguity regarding the role and motivation of the mysterious Dutch spy， Henryk Van Riebeeck。 I respect how the author does not step back from the shock of the unexpected death of a sympathetic character。 Superbly crafted and imaginative at all times。 。。。more
Connie
，
The Royal Secret is book five in the Marwood and Lovett series。In this book， Marwood is tasked with retrieving some confidential documents whilst investigating the suspicious death of a colleague， which leads him deeper into political intrigue。Set in Restoration England in the court of King James II， the story is rich in period detail and suspense。I love this series， and hoping that there may be more to come。Thank you Netgalley and Publisher for the ARC。
4cats
，
The Royal Secret is the fifth book in the James Marwood and Cat Lovett historical crime series。 Although you could read this as a standalone， it is worth starting at the beginning of the series and seeing how the characters develop and watch the rebuilding of London after the Great Fire。 The series as a whole is packed with historical detail and political intrigue and The Royal Secret delivers this in bucketfuls。James Marwood continues to work at Scotland Yard for Joseph Williamson the Undersecr The Royal Secret is the fifth book in the James Marwood and Cat Lovett historical crime series。 Although you could read this as a standalone， it is worth starting at the beginning of the series and seeing how the characters develop and watch the rebuilding of London after the Great Fire。 The series as a whole is packed with historical detail and political intrigue and The Royal Secret delivers this in bucketfuls。James Marwood continues to work at Scotland Yard for Joseph Williamson the Undersecretary of State to Lord Arlington， however when one of Arlington's men dies Marwood is called upon by Arlington to investigate his suspicious death。 Cat manages to secure a commission to the Duchess of Orleans （King Charles II's sister）， she finds herself unknowingly drawn into the plot which Marwood is involved with。A must read for fans of historical fiction and crime。 Thanks to Netgalley for offering me the chance to read and review The Royal Secret。 。。。more
Martin Paul
，
As a self-confessed fan of Andrew Taylor's historical fiction， I was delighted to receive a NetGalley ARC of his latest book in the Marwood / Hakesby series， "The Royal Secret"。This is book five in the series， and some two years have passed since the events of "The Last Protector"。 Marwood's star continues to rise within Whitehall， and although Cat's position is less enviable， nevertheless she is surviving and making herself known as an architect of some skill。 Their sometimes volatile relations As a self-confessed fan of Andrew Taylor's historical fiction， I was delighted to receive a NetGalley ARC of his latest book in the Marwood / Hakesby series， "The Royal Secret"。This is book five in the series， and some two years have passed since the events of "The Last Protector"。 Marwood's star continues to rise within Whitehall， and although Cat's position is less enviable， nevertheless she is surviving and making herself known as an architect of some skill。 Their sometimes volatile relationship has continued on the same lines， and the heat rises further as Marwood's （obvious to everyone but him） attraction to Cat causes friction between the pair and her （obvious to everyone but her） attraction to him causes her to seek out the attentions of a suspicious Dutch merchant。 When one of Marwood's former colleagues at Whitehall is found dead in suspicious circumstances， Lord Arlington instructs Marwood to investigate。 What he uncovers is a maze of familial， business， and royal subterfuge and deceit。 Meantime， Cat has secured a commission from the 'Madam' of France， King Charles II of England's sister， on the proviso she travels to France to discuss the plans。 All of this takes place against the backdrop of the secret Treaty of Dover negotiations between England and Holland， and a monarchy rife with plot and intrigue， and concerns about Charles' religious beliefs。 In fairness， "The Last Protector" I found to be less entertaining than the previous books - it was sometimes plodding， and predictable， but nevertheless a fine romp through post-Great-Fire London。 But "The Royal Secret" picks up and carries us along at a fair pace， with the usual detailed portrayal of 17th Century London。 We learn about the rich and famous' fascination with exotic animals， and more about the deep divisions and schemes within Whitehall and the royal court， and even a little dabbling in witchcraft。 Fans of CJ Sansom， Antonia Hodgson and SG Maclean will enjoy this series， and I thoroughly recommend it。 。。。more
GeorgeMonck
，
Another superb addition to Taylor's 17th Century series （this is number 5 and the other 4 are excellent too） with Cat and Marwood。 It can be read as a standalone but I thoroughly recommend reading the other 4 first as this only adds to the depth of the story。The book involves （amongst other things） murder， espionage， a hunt for unicorn horn powder， a trip to France for Cat， a royal summit at Dover and a lion in a garden。 It rattles along with Taylor's mastery at an impressive rate。 Expect to exp Another superb addition to Taylor's 17th Century series （this is number 5 and the other 4 are excellent too） with Cat and Marwood。 It can be read as a standalone but I thoroughly recommend reading the other 4 first as this only adds to the depth of the story。The book involves （amongst other things） murder， espionage， a hunt for unicorn horn powder， a trip to France for Cat， a royal summit at Dover and a lion in a garden。 It rattles along with Taylor's mastery at an impressive rate。 Expect to experience the urge to read this quickly as I became invested in the story from the off。 The authentic way the 17th Century era is brought to life and the intricate way the storylines converge is wonderful。 I found myself learning the meaning of some new words as Taylor's way with the same makes sure your grey matter will thank you。 I also appreciated the Historical Note at the end which made me cogitate on many things。Things do not go smoothly for Cat and Marwood but they are there for each other when push comes to shove。I am a paid up member of the Taylor fan club。 I hope that this series continues for many more episodes 5/5Thank you NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an impartial review。 。。。more
Kaye Fraser
，
A great pleasure to be back in the company of James Marwood and Cat Hakesby （Lovett） in 17century England。 King Charles II is on the throne and is keen to agree a treaty with France and Holland to avoid any more devastating wars。 As always there is a cast of ne’r do wells and devious characters wanting to disrupt the agreement in order to line their own pockets。 The book immerses the reader in the sights and smells （oh the smells！） of the time and the descriptions of characters and settings are A great pleasure to be back in the company of James Marwood and Cat Hakesby （Lovett） in 17century England。 King Charles II is on the throne and is keen to agree a treaty with France and Holland to avoid any more devastating wars。 As always there is a cast of ne’r do wells and devious characters wanting to disrupt the agreement in order to line their own pockets。 The book immerses the reader in the sights and smells （oh the smells！） of the time and the descriptions of characters and settings are excellent - one is transported to places of extreme poverty and extreme wealth and opulence， with the cast of characters believable and superbly drawn。 There is love interest and a clutch of murders too - in fact the book has everything to entertain the reader， particularly lovers of historical fiction。 Although it will stand perfectly well on its own， having encountered the main characters before adds even more interest to the story。 。。。more
Andrea Hicks
，
My thanks to Andrew Taylor， Harper Collins and net Galley for the ARC of THE ROYAL SECRET。Yet another book I've read recently that I didn't want to end， THE ROYAL SECRET is the continuation of this brilliant series by Andrew Taylor。 Cat and Marwood are embroiled in more political intrigue when one of Marwood's former colleagues dies suspiciously and is discovered to have been poisoned。 He was a patron of The Blue Bush Club， a gambling den from where Marwood thinks Abbots troubles began， and he b My thanks to Andrew Taylor， Harper Collins and net Galley for the ARC of THE ROYAL SECRET。Yet another book I've read recently that I didn't want to end， THE ROYAL SECRET is the continuation of this brilliant series by Andrew Taylor。 Cat and Marwood are embroiled in more political intrigue when one of Marwood's former colleagues dies suspiciously and is discovered to have been poisoned。 He was a patron of The Blue Bush Club， a gambling den from where Marwood thinks Abbots troubles began， and he begins an investigation that takes him all over England。 Meanwhile Cat has won an architectural。。 commission from the 'Madam' of France， King Charles of England's sister， to built a poultry house fi for a princess。 She is dispatched to France where she comes into contact with and becomes entranced by， the man at the route of a plot that will overturn the fortunes of England。 5 super stars 。。。more
Patricia Moren
，
Another great historical fiction by Andrew Taylor。 It fascinating mixing history with fiction， it brings the historical period to life。 This was an absorbing story with an interesting variety of characters and a compelling storyline。 the conclusion was good and hopefully， seems to leave a suggestion of a sequel。
Jill Westerman
，
This can be read as a standalone novel but better suits those who， like me， have followed the adventures of Marwood and Cat in Restoration England from the beginning。 This opens with Marwood and Cat having a small falling out， which means that they are at odds throughout the book， with the added spice of Cat being the object of another man's attention。 She is much more a key focus in this novel as she is engaged to design a hen house for the sister of King Charles II， who is married to the unple This can be read as a standalone novel but better suits those who， like me， have followed the adventures of Marwood and Cat in Restoration England from the beginning。 This opens with Marwood and Cat having a small falling out， which means that they are at odds throughout the book， with the added spice of Cat being the object of another man's attention。 She is much more a key focus in this novel as she is engaged to design a hen house for the sister of King Charles II， who is married to the unpleasant Monsieur， King Louis XIV's brother。 This means Cat travels to France， along the way becoming embroiled in Marwood's latest mystery。 The tale romps along at a good pace， with an engaging plot and satisfying villain of the piece。 I very much enjoyed reading this latest addition to the series。 Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for a review copy。 。。。more
Debra Davidson-Smith
，
The Royal Secret is the 5th book in the hugely successful James Marvell and Cat Lovett historical thriller series set in the reign of Charles ll。 It follows， The Ashes of London （2016）; The Fire Court （2018）; The King's Evil （2019）; and The Last Protector （2020）。 Five books into the series and author Andrew Taylor’s standards remain impressively high。 Combining rich period detail with a gripping story and believable characters。 Each book tells a stand-alone tale centred around politics， espionag The Royal Secret is the 5th book in the hugely successful James Marvell and Cat Lovett historical thriller series set in the reign of Charles ll。 It follows， The Ashes of London （2016）; The Fire Court （2018）; The King's Evil （2019）; and The Last Protector （2020）。 Five books into the series and author Andrew Taylor’s standards remain impressively high。 Combining rich period detail with a gripping story and believable characters。 Each book tells a stand-alone tale centred around politics， espionage and skulduggery， but because of the character’s backstories and character development， they’re best read in sequence。 The main characters， Cat and Marvell， continue to dance around a relationship that veers from dislike， through distrust， to reluctant loyalty and affection。 They are both complex， multi-faceted creations， easy to believe in as they struggle to understand their own fears and contradictions in a tough and cruel world。 I particularly love Cat as a woman determined to be independent and successful in a dangerous man’s world。 The minor characters are also remarkably three-dimensional， there are no simple caricatures in Taylor’s novels， where even the ‘baddies’ have credible motives and where servants are as well written as their lords and masters。 The book oozes period atmosphere and menace。 There are – as always in this series – royal secrets to be protected， dangerous spies and unexplained violent deaths， but this time we also have a dose of witchcraft and a captive Barbary lion。I am madly jealous of Taylor’s vivid imagination and also of anyone who hasn’t yet dipped into these entertaining novels and still has five books to enjoy。 。。。more
Silverboggle
，
Another engaging read from Andrew Taylor following James Marwood as he attempts to investigate the death of an erstwhile colleague in mysterious circumstances; and Cat Lovell as she dips her toe into her new life as an independent widow （though not without suitors）， and takes up the mantle in continuing her late husband’s architect business。Travelling across Charles II post fire London， into Kent and as far afield as France， the story is convincing in historical detail and well researched。 It is Another engaging read from Andrew Taylor following James Marwood as he attempts to investigate the death of an erstwhile colleague in mysterious circumstances; and Cat Lovell as she dips her toe into her new life as an independent widow （though not without suitors）， and takes up the mantle in continuing her late husband’s architect business。Travelling across Charles II post fire London， into Kent and as far afield as France， the story is convincing in historical detail and well researched。 It is scattered with real events， locations and characters， and follows a real timeline whilst providing the reader with an action and intrigue packed narrative。I opened my first Marwood book three years ago and now await each new instalment eagerly so I was delighted to receive an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley。 I wasn’t disappointed， and read well into the night to finish this in one sitting！ If you haven’t yet tried Andrew Taylor books， then I strongly recommend this series to you 。。。more
Alison
，
We return to late 1600s London， Charles II is on the throne and our detective hero Marwood is called in to investigate missing papers after a clerk to Lord Arlington dies in mysterious circumstances。Following the death of Cat's husband in the last book， Marwood and Cat have developed something more than a friendship but less than a romance， until Cat's latest commission brings her into conflict with Marwood。If you like C。J。 Sansom then I think you'll like this series。 Marwood is a man of his tim We return to late 1600s London， Charles II is on the throne and our detective hero Marwood is called in to investigate missing papers after a clerk to Lord Arlington dies in mysterious circumstances。Following the death of Cat's husband in the last book， Marwood and Cat have developed something more than a friendship but less than a romance， until Cat's latest commission brings her into conflict with Marwood。If you like C。J。 Sansom then I think you'll like this series。 Marwood is a man of his time， which can make for uncomfortable reading for the 21st century reader， the uneasy balance that people had to maintain in order to retain their jobs seems so alien to this reader， to be employed at the whim of a capricious nobleman seems so harsh and yet I suppose many live in similar circumstances today。These books are not for the faint-hearted， I'm not sure if they all share the in-depth interest in the toilets and sewers of this book and the last， but it feels authentic in all its brutality and squalor。 I also found some scenes， especially those involving Marwood's slave Stephen， very difficult to read from a 21st century perspective。As we roam from the court of Charles II to Paris and the Kent coast there are plots and intrigues in abundance。I have to say that I have some questions about certain things that characters say towards the end。 maybe I didn't truly understand their meaning but otherwise the plot hung together well and I could clearly see the trail of death and motives from start to finish。I was invited to read a free copy of this book by the publisher via NetGalley in return for an honest review。 。。。more
Reference
google book https://www.google.com/search?tbm=bks&q=The Royal Secret
hathitrust digital library https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/ls?q1=The Royal Secret&field1=ocr&a=srchls&ft=ft&lmt=ft
The British Library https://bll01.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/discovery/search?query=any,contains,The Royal Secret&tab=LibraryCatalog&search_scope=Not_BL_Suppress&vid=44BL_INST:BLL01&lang=en&offset=0