I like historical books but picked this up in a bookshop on a whim. The cover attracted me as did the storyline so decided to give it a shot. I am so glad I did.
1793. As the Terror begins to cast a great shadow over France, Thomas Pryce, the new Vicar of Deal, crosses the Channel to find the missing parents of his beautiful French wife. Facing grave dangers, he makes his way to Brittany where he not only discovers the fate of his in-laws but also uncovers a plot which threatens to topple the British monarchy. Fighting against a sinister secret society in a race against time, Pryce battles to thwart the plans of a Parisian spymaster and his agents in London.
The Fate of Kings is the first in a series of gripping spy thrillers that will engross readers of C.J. Sansom, Dan Brown, as well as the many avid watchers of Poldark and Grantchester. In the first years of the British Secret Service, Thomas Pryce truly is the original James Bond.
From the first word to the last I couldn’t put this book down. The attention to historical detail is outstanding and makes the book fascinating. Yet it is woven into a story so gripping it does not overwhelm. The story moves along at a fast pace. At times my pulse was pounding, at others it felt like it had slowed right down. The characters are well developed and believable and I found myself caring what happened to them. Thomas Pryce is a strong main character who carries the story, yet all other characters are both realisticall and necessary. It is said that books are either character or plot driven, but each is equally important in this book. I believe, but am not sure, that this is Mark Stibbe’s first foray into fiction. If so, he has played a blinder. I cannot wait for the next one.
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