The Parliament House
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'Marston knows his period and his turf' Los Angeles Times
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It is London, 1670. Commissioned to design and build a new house for Francis Polegate, a merchant, Christopher Redmayne is pleased when the project is completed without a hitch. To celebrate the success of the venture, Polegate throws a party and invites Christopher as the guest of honour. But the party comes to an abrupt end when one of the guests is murdered upon leaving the house...With blood staining the doorstep of his new creation, Christopher can't help but feel involved. With the help of his good friend, the Puritan constable Jonathan Bale, and his dissolute brother Henry, Christopher vows to find the killer and bring him to justice. With suspicions running high and the life of someone close to him in peril, this is one of Christopher's most difficult cases as he discovers that politics really can be deadly.
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11 of 11 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
Edward Marston's "The Parliament House" is set in London in 1670. Charles II aka 'the Merrie Monarch' had by then been king of England for a little over 10 years, and it's been 5 years since the Great Plague, and 4 years since the Great Fire of London in 1666. Although Charles II has been restored as King, Parliament is very much a force to be reckoned with, and one of it's chief members is Sir Julius Cheever who used to be a commander in Cromwell's army, and still opposes royal rule of England (which has earned him quite a few royalist enemies).
Our hero Christopher Redmayne, a young architect, designed Sir Julius' new townhouse, and when a friend of Sir Julius is killed in Christopher's presence he cannot help but investigate. Joined by his friend the constable Jonathan Bale, Christopher must unravel an intricate plot that will lead them to some very unexpected places, and some equally surprising conclusions...
This is the very first novel by Edward Marston I've read, and a very good read it was too. The plot is very well done, the characters are very much 'alive' and engaging, and you get a very good sense of London in the 1670s. This is a very good historical whodunnit, and I was glad to discover that Edward Marston is apparently a prolific author which means there's plenty more to enjoy.
Our hero Christopher Redmayne, a young architect, designed Sir Julius' new townhouse, and when a friend of Sir Julius is killed in Christopher's presence he cannot help but investigate. Joined by his friend the constable Jonathan Bale, Christopher must unravel an intricate plot that will lead them to some very unexpected places, and some equally surprising conclusions...
This is the very first novel by Edward Marston I've read, and a very good read it was too. The plot is very well done, the characters are very much 'alive' and engaging, and you get a very good sense of London in the 1670s. This is a very good historical whodunnit, and I was glad to discover that Edward Marston is apparently a prolific author which means there's plenty more to enjoy.
7 of 7 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
I had not read Edward Marston's books before and there were three things I liked about this one. Firstly, you get two very different sleuths operating in different spheres in 17th century London - Christopher Redmayne mixes with the toffs, while Constable Jonathon Bale gets to grips with the lower orders. Their professional partnership and friendship is a particular strength of the novel. Secondly, the narrative is driven by some cracking dialogue and sketches; he doesn't hamper us with descriptive passages or stall the story with unnecessary signposts to the fact that he has done his research into the period. Thirdly, we have some engaging minor characters and tantalising romantic sub-plots - will the three men, Christopher Redmayne, Sir Julius Cheevers and the rakish Henry Redmayne get their respective girls in the end?.
The only disappointment was the ending. It seemed rushed and it didn't convince me. I groaned at its weakness and tossed the book over my shoulder after reading the denouement. It would have got four stars but for that.
The only disappointment was the ending. It seemed rushed and it didn't convince me. I groaned at its weakness and tossed the book over my shoulder after reading the denouement. It would have got four stars but for that.
8 of 10 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
I had not read Marston before and admit to not being a huge fan of the amateur sleuth. However, I did find this a very enjoyable book with a wonderful range of interesting characters. The period details didn’t always ring true to me, although they may well have been, but nothing to cause me great distress. There was some good suspense; the dialogue was well done and seemed appropriate to the period. To the negative, there were a couple coincidences, and I did suspect on of the characters part way through. All-in-all, it was a fairly quick, enjoyable read.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
A Case of Mistaken Identity
I am always excited about a new book from Edward Marston. He is perhaps not as well known as some authors but he is certainly in my top six and a new novel is always well worth... Read more
Published on 23 Feb 2007 by J. Chippindale
A Case of Mistaken Identity?
I am always excited about a new book from Edward Marston. He is perhaps not as well known as some authors, but he is certainly in my top six and a new novel is always well worth... Read more
Published on 7 Aug 2006 by J. Chippindale
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