Rags of Time by Michael Ward

Release: July 1st 2020
Format: Ebook
Source: Random Things Tours
Find it at: Amazon

‘Rags of Time’ is set in London in 1639. It tells the story of spice merchant Thomas Tallant, accused of murder and fighting to clear his name, and the enigmatic Elizabeth Seymour whose passion for astronomy and mathematics is only matched by her addiction to tobacco and the gaming tables.

Can Elizabeth’s brilliance untangle the web of deceit that threatens to drag Tom under, as England slides into civil war?

‘Rags’ is a murder mystery but not just a procedural thriller. Tom’s hunt for the real killer takes him on a journey through the ferment of new thinking that’s sweeping London in the 1640s. Change is everywhere – science, street politics, commerce and religion – and this shapes the plot, action, characters and outcome.

“Rags Of Time’ was published on August 15th 2019. It’s available on Amazon as a paperbook, Kindle and also on Kindle Unlimited.

About the Author:

Writing has been central to Mike Ward’s professional life. On graduating from university he became a journalist, working in newspapers and for the BBC. He then went into journalism education, teaching and researching journalism practice before becoming head of the UK’s prestigious Journalism School at UCLan. For the last eight years he has run his own content creation company.

‘Rags of Time’ is Mike’s debut novel. Its sequel is due to be published late in 2020.

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Rags of Time Review:

This story was just marvelous! A historical fiction masked with a murder mystery, where the lead is wrongfully accused? If you are a fan of either of these genres, it doesn’t get any better than this. I don’t think I have every read a historical murder mystery this good. I loved every minute of it and could not put it down!

The author is an amazing storyteller. The style of writing is simple, yet gripping. On one hand, he beautifully depicts the landscape of the 1600s and the mindset of the residents living in London during that time. The story also highlights the unrest and turbulent atmosphere that sparks the English Civil War. Although I know the highlights of the war, reading this book gave me a better understanding of it, and inspired me to further research it.

On the other hand, we have a gripping murder mystery where the lead is wrongfully accused. As the murders keep piling, Tom needs to investigate and clear his name before its too late. There are a lot of red herrings and possible suspects, which make the story very entertaining. You don’t know who the culprit is, and I was honestly shocked with the reveal.

The characters are also well written. Tom is stubborn and impulsive, but also determined and kind, and makes you root for him. I also loved Elizabeth. She steps away from the stereotype of the genre and is equally important in the story-line. She is smart, curious and energetic. I loved her passion for astronomy and science. The author also makes nice references to Galileo and William Harvey. It is clear that he has done significant research to the story, making it memorable. Overall, “Rags of Time” is just perfect and I loved it!