Ayo Onatade is an avid reader of crime and mystery fiction. She has been writing reviews, interviews and articles on the subject for the last 12 years; with an eclectic taste from historical to hardboiled, short stories and noir films
The Last Protector is the fourth book in the author’s series featuring James Marwood and Cat Lovett. This novel is based around the life of Charles II, the Duke of Buckingham and Richard Cromwell (the eponymous last protector).
This latest addition to this 17th Century series opens with Taylor’s two protagonists knee-deep in court intrigue and treason. At the start of his reign the King is initially popular with his subjects; however, the tide of public opinion soon turns due to the monarch’s profligacy, immorality at court and his decadence.
Richard Cromwell no longer considered a threat to the realm; has secretly returned to the country from his exile. James Marwood is tasked to spy on a forbidden duel which unfortunately brings him to the attention of the Duke of Buckingham. Cromwell’s daughter Elizabeth renews her friendship with Cat Lovett for her own nefarious reasons.
Andrew Taylor is an award-winning historical crime writer who weaves a fictional narrative around historical facts adroitly; making it hard for the reader to discern where the seams reside. Taylor’s backdrops are heavily researched and vividly realised, cementing the story with a deft touch.
In this case, the historical backdrop features the utter misery of the underclasses (especially that of women and servants), the political intrigues of the period, and the perilous reliance on patronage to make a living and most crucially – to stay alive.
The Last Protector reads almost as a stand-alone historical thriller, though when the book is put down, the reader may well feel the urgent need to explore the three preceding books in this excellent series.
