A Murder on London Bridge (Thomas Chaloner Mysteries) [Hardcover]

Susanna Gregory (Author)

Book Description

Series: Thomas Chaloner Mysteries | Publication Date: May 1, 2010

The murder of a man in broad daylight on London Bridge is the first indication that the Earl of Clarendon's fears of a rebellion against the newly restored monarchy may be well-founded. His spy, Thomas Chaloner, suspects the assassin may be a member of a group dedicated to seeing the return of Puritanism, and at the same time he learns of a faction close to the King determined to bring back the old ways of the Roman Catholic Church. He discovers, too, that the killing on the Bridge is not the only assault committed there recently, and begins to decipher a link between the violence and the people who manage the Bridge and its tottering, ramshackle buildings. As he moves unobtrusively between White Hall, the elegant mansions along the Strand, and the heaving congestion on the only river crossing he becomes aware of an undercurrent of restlessness in the capital. And it soon becomes clear that the groups he is investigating are planning some extraordinary climax to achieve their separate aims on Shrove Tuesday, which gives him very little time to identify the ring-leaders and thwart their intentions.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Starred Review. Set in 1664, Gregory's exciting, intrigue-filled fifth mystery featuring English spy Thomas Chaloner (after 2009's The Westminster Poisoner) reinforces this British author's place in the front rank of those penning historicals in the genre. On the orders of the earl of Clarendon, Chaloner follows the Rev. Richard "Blue Dick" Culmer, who may be connected with political turmoil that threatens the recently restored monarchy, through the streets of London. When a cloaked man stabs Culmer to death on London Bridge, Chaloner tracks the assassin to a church, where he sees the killer confer with other masked men. The villains all get away before the secret agent can identify them. Meanwhile, Chaloner must also figure out why Jane Scarlet, the wife of a junior warden, was raped, and how these violent acts relate to discontent over the Clarendon Code, unpopular restrictions on religious freedom passed by Parliament. A dash of humor complements the fast-paced investigating.
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Review

"Brilliantly evokes 1663 London . . . Gregory salts the plot with several tantalizing subsidiary puzzles, and has impressively integrated into the story line not only historical figures but debates about the content of the period's newsletters and newsbooks."  —Publishers Weekly starred review of The Butcher of Smithfield

--This text refers to the Paperback edition.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 464 pages
• Publisher: Little, Brown Book Group; First Edition edition (May 1, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1847442528
• ISBN-13: 978-1847442529
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 5.6 x 1.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.3 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #951,121 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A great historical espionage novel., October 2, 2010

By 

S. Schwartz "romonko" (alberta canada) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: A Murder on London Bridge (Thomas Chaloner Mysteries) (Hardcover)

I have been a big fan of Susanna Gregory's Matthew Bartholomew series since she began writing it, and so I began her Thomas Chaloner series as soon as it came out. These are different and set in a different time period, but they are equally as good. Chaloner is a spy in the Restoration era. There is so much subterfuge in these books it's hard to keep everything straight, but they are truly wonderful. The historical detail is accurate and Ms. Gregory's fictional characters seem as real as her many historical characters. This book begins in February 1664 and runs up to Shrove Tuesday. Chaloner is trying to track down a number of traitors and avoid a dangerous insurrection as he races against the clock. He does get lost in the actual numbers of suspects since it seems many are involved in some way in the plot. I loved the book and enjoyed trying to keep up with Thomas as he unravels one thread after another in the big scheme of things.

4.0 out of 5 stars Great Discovery, October 24, 2011

By 

victorian lover - See all my reviews

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This review is from: A Murder on London Bridge (Thomas Chaloner Mysteries) (Paperback)

Have discovered another author from an era that I love to read about. I plan to read as many of her books as possible in the future. I was transported and hypnotized while reading this work and hope to be in this state again soon.