Do You like book The Painted Lady (2008)?
A murder mystery set in restored London after the London Fire, about 1670 called the Parliament House by Edward Marston. This was a quick reead (my favorite) with little bits of historical information spattered here and there, without forcing the history down your throat, and thus admirably able to draw you into the story of Christopher and Susan, how their courting will be effected by the attempt on her father's life and Christopher's brother and his life of hedonistic stupidity.I love historic London, and if I am ever lucky enough to go there, I am sure I will fall in love with the place and have a hard time pulling myself away from it's amazing twisting and turning streets. So this was an easy place for me to fall into and really dig into the story. Now, I am a sucker for a love story, and this story had one in addition to the murder and the attempt on Susan's father. The story moved along at a good pace, had a good number of twists and turns, all the villains got their due coming, and in the end Christopher was able to secure a relationship with the one woman for him. So all in all, a decent book, perhaps not the best I have ever read, and nothing life changing here, but still a worthwhile and enduring story. I definitely recommend this book to lovers of a good historical mystery.
—Matt
#6 in the Christopher Redmayne, London architect, mystery series. Set around 1670 after the Great London fire of 1666. Redmayne has been commission to design and build a home for an increasing popular portrait painter who has settled in London from Paris. The painter is arrested for the murder of the husband of the woman he has been commissioned to paint and Redmayne, with the help of his friend Constable Jonathan Bale, sets out to prove the painter innocent and find the real murderer. It is light on historical setting, but great in providing an interesting mystery. Supporting characters are interesting particular recurring Redmayne's brother and Bale, a Puritan who fought with Cromwell and who is at odds with the Restoration.
—George
