I am over the moon to be able to bring you my review of Drums Of War by Michael Ward. Thanks to Michael for the gifted copy of the book so I could bring you my honest thoughts.
London 1642.
The King has fled London with the drums of war ringing in his ears. Across the country, lines are being drawn and armies raised.
Influential royalist Lady Carlisle switches sides and presses spice trader Thomas Tallant and his partner Elizabeth Seymour into Parliament’s service.
Soon Thomas faces double-dealing in his hunt for a lethal hoard of gunpowder hidden on the river, while Elizabeth engages in a race against time to locate a hidden sniper picking off Parliamentary officers at will in the city.
The capital also witnesses a vicious gang of jewel thieves take advantage of the city’s chaos to go on the rampage, smashing homes and shops, leaving a trail of destruction in their wake. They hand pick their targets but refrain from selling any of their loot. There are more questions than answers.
When war finally erupts, Elizabeth is caught in the brutalising carnage of Edgehill while Thomas joins the Trained Bands in their defence of the city. As he mans the barricades at Brentford, in a desperate rearguard action to repel Prince Rupert’s surprise attack, he realises the future of London rests in the hands of him and a few hundred troopers.
Meanwhile, Elizabeth believes she has identified the jewel thief and goes underground to trace his hoard.
But all is not as it seems.
The third book in the Thomas Tallant Mystery series. I was lucky enough to have read the others, so I was certainly eager to read Drums Of War. I will say it is a book that can be read as a standalone. Saying that, I would always prefer to read the previous books first. If only to get the most out of the series.
A historical mystery that follows on from the second book. As I began to read, I felt like I had never been away. This instalment is set in 1642. I was taken right back to Thomas Tallant’s world. He is a merchant in London, doing his best in a country that is on the edge of the Civil War.
As always, Michael Ward has so skilfully woven the facts and fiction together so well that I couldn’t tell where the fiction began and the facts ended. This is another fast-paced addictive read. Thomas and Elizabeth Seymour, his pipe smoking partner, both find themselves involved in investigations of jewellery theft and assassinations.
The intricate way in which the author pulls every single story thread together makes for an engrossing and captivating read. His research is crystal clear, as it has been throughout this series! His characters are all unique, and some are even real-life historical figures.
I am always eager to read a Thomas Tallant book. Michael Ward writes the most intriguing, dramatic stories that have me invested from page one. This is a series I would recommend for any historical fiction lovers. Start at book 1, The Rags Of Time. You will not be disappointed!
Author Bio
Mike Ward is an English creator of historical fiction. Born in Liverpool, he was a BBC journalist and journalism academic before turning to non-factual writing.
His debut novel ‘The Rags of Time’ is located in London in 1639. It marks the start of a tumultuous 40 years – civil war, regicide, republic, and royal restoration. Politics, religion, commerce, science, medicine – none are left untouched by this ferment of change.
Mike believes it’s the perfect setting for his hero Thomas Tallant’s series of adventures, starting first with ‘Rags’. Its sequel ‘The Wrecking Storm’ is now also available.
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