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The Ashes of London
- Narrated by: Leighton Pugh
- Length: 12 hrs and 59 mins
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The Ashes of London
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Summary
‘This is terrific stuff’ Daily Telegraph
‘A breathtakingly ambitious picture of an era’ Financial Times
‘A masterclass in how to weave a well-researched history into a complex plot’ The Times
Over 1 Million Andrew Taylor Novels Sold!A CITY IN FLAMES
London, 1666. As the Great Fire consumes everything in its path, the body of a man is found in the ruins of St Paul’s Cathedral – stabbed in the neck, thumbs tied behind his back.
A WOMAN ON THE RUN
The son of a traitor, James Marwood is forced to hunt the killer through the city’s devastated streets. There he encounters a determined young woman, who will stop at nothing to secure her freedom.
A KILLER SEEKING REVENGE
When a second murder victim is discovered in the Fleet Ditch, Marwood is drawn into the political and religious intrigue of Westminster – and across the path of a killer with nothing to lose…
Critic reviews
"The Ashes of London is the book we all dream of writing and of reading: a crime thriller that pushes the pages over with effortless ease, while at the same time weaving an intricate, delicate, delight of a tapestry that draws us into a time and place that are so rich, so perfectly balanced that we walk alongside the characters, inhabit their shoes, feel their fear and taste their hope, all written in Andrew Taylor's beautiful hand-crafted prose. This is a book to revel in, a joy and a delight. Definitely one of the must-reads of the year." (Manda Scott, best-selling author of the Boudica Dreaming series)
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What listeners say about The Ashes of London
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Karin
- 22-08-17
Fire of London
Very enjoyable. Well researched. I learned quite a bit about this period. This is a neglected period of history. I liked the main character but was a little perturbed by the character of Catherine. I think she was as ruthless as her father in her own way. The reader was very good. The voice used is really important to me.
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15 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Jessie K Lynch
- 21-04-21
Great listen
very well written and excellently narrated. historically accurate, it's obviously very well researched. I like this narrator. he is easy to listen to even when he is using womens voices. it's a long listen but I wasn't bored nor did my concentration waver at any point as often happens with long books.
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Kirsty Mackay
- 01-05-21
Another Good Read
Found this book fascinating starting with the Great Fire of London entwining a Murder mystery
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Justinn
- 25-01-21
Evocative, absorbing, superbly narrated
Brings the city and and times to life, with a story that skips along at a brisk pace, all brought together with fantastically performed narration.
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Rogayah
- 08-06-16
The St Paul's of the Great Fire of London
The burning of the Cathedral of St Pauls and its subsequent re-buliding is an important part of this story. Characters with an agenda wrestle and plot to get their way doing harm and murder on their way.
This seemed a slight story with the destruction of cathedral as a back drop at the start of the story but it soon became a gripping tale of injustices done to the weak against the tyranny of the strong and powerful whose beliefs were sustained by the knowledge and certainty of having their God's blessing for their work.
It is a surprise that a seemingly dry topic can be so gripping and exciting.
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12 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Mandy
- 07-04-21
Really enjoyed
A good story of post civil war reckoning and Cromwell puratnism with duplicity, trachery, hardships. liked the descriptive elements to society then, City markings, messes, smells and noises. Akin to CJ Sansom?
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- R. Bates
- 16-04-17
Fast paced and compelling
What did you like most about The Ashes of London?
The story moved on apace and my interest never wained.
Who was your favorite character and why?
I found all the characters plausible and likeable.
What does Leighton Pugh bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you had only read the book?
I felt that the narrator believed in what he was reading
Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?
The part where a rape occurred
Any additional comments?
I gained an excellent sense of the period in this book and found myself listening much longer than I intended each time!
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Amazon Customer
- 22-08-18
Contemporary tale, historical context
Really well narrated, would be a great holiday audio-read accompaniment for anyone visiting St Paul’s. First book on Audible, it’s kept me company walking to and from work over the last few weeks. On to the sequel...
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- B. Gaskell-Denvil
- 17-10-20
engrossing
The research on the extent and details of the fire in London 1666 is remarkable and brings the situation very much alive. I confess that in a few places I found the descriptions repetitive and even unnecessary, but on the whole they are impressive. The characters are true to their time and none are above criticism, they come to life and are believable, even is sometimes irritating.
The extent of remaining purities is extremely well handled, and entirely consuming, once again bringing to life the problems and mental imbalance of the times.
Above all the storyline is engrossing, quite gripping at times, and impressively interweaving.
It is well written, thoroughly entertaining, and even illuminating regarding the historical facts.
I recommend this book.,
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- sarahking
- 27-11-20
Very clever writing.
I loved the story, and it being based in the aftermath of the Great Fire of London. I liked the characters and the way their stories intertwined. There was a bit of repetition, but as I am a fast reader I can understand the need for it sometimes for readers that take their time. This is the first book from this author I have read, and will probably read more of the same series. The narrator was very good.
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