Release Date: April 1st 2021
Publisher: Headline
Pages: 448
Find it on: Goodreads. BookDepository. Waterstones.
Source: The publisher kindly sent me a copy of this book to review
Rating: 4/5 stars

Synopsis

1606. A year to the day that men were executed for conspiring to blow up Parliament, a towering wave devastates the Bristol Channel. Some proclaim God’s vengeance. Others seek to take advantage.

In London, Daniel Pursglove lies in prison waiting to die. But Charles FitzAlan, a close adviser to King James I, has a job in mind that will free a man of Daniel’s skill from the horrors of Newgate. If he succeeds.

For Bristol is a hotbed of Catholic spies, and where better for the lone conspirator who evaded arrest, one Spero Pettingar, to gather allies than in the chaos of a drowned city? Daniel journeys there to investigate FitzAlan’s lead, but soon finds himself at the heart of a dark Jesuit conspiracy – and in pursuit of a killer.

Review

This is my first time reading a book by Karen Maitland and it was a rollercoaster ride. The story is set in 1606, the year after the gun powder plot. As a giant wave destroys much of Bristol, Daniel Pursglove is freed from a London prison and sent to Bristol to investigate a Jesuit conspiracy. As Daniel delves deeper into the conspiracy, Pursglove uncovers far more than he ever suspected.

The Drowned City is a really compelling read and Maitland brings to life the sights and sounds of the 1600s in great detail. The story came across as well researched and Maitland really brought Bristol to life in the story. The Drowned City is packed with atmosphere and I absolutely felt swept away into this tense story. The book is a fairly large one but the story moves pretty quickly and I found myself turning pages quicker and quicker as we raced towards the final chapters. The Drowned City is the first in a new series, so I’m incredibly intrigued to see where the story will go next.

Our main protagonist is a really fascinating character and I enjoyed getting to know him and understand more about his history that led him to end up in prison. All the characters in this story felt well-created and that really came across in the story. The story is brimming with political intrigue and there are more than a few gruesome moments. The Drowned City is dark and atmospheric and overall a brilliant start to the series. If you’re looking for a well-plotted historical thriller with plenty of mystery and menace, this is definitely a book to pick up.