The Silent Boy

Praise for The Silent Boy: 'Taylor has not only succeeded in constructing a labyrinthine plot that is gripping to the last page, but he also created an entirely believable child, traumatised but resolute, whose plight is the fuel for true suspense' Guardian 'As a writer, Taylor wears his learning lightly and shares with Hilary Mantel the capacity to take the reader directly into a vanished world' Times Literary Supplement '[Andrew] Taylor is a wonder; once again he marries flawlessly integrated historical detail (revolutionary France conjured as vividly as in Charles Dickens' A Tale of Two Cities) and a knotty and involving mystery as strong as anything in the historical crime fiction field. I suspect Taylor should start clearing a space next to his current writing trophies' Financial Times 'Don't keep quiet about The Silent Boy. Tell everyone: it's a really excellent page-turning thriller set in a fascinating period in Anglo-French history' Robert Goddard 'Many elements of The Silent Boy bring Dickens to mind: the ill-treated child, the streets of old London, the kindness of strangers, the excellent storytelling, even the names of some the characters. It is utterly gripping, extremely well executed and suspenseful to the last' Spectator 'Taylor's mastery of plot and character show to great effect in a story that has a depth few other historical crime novels can match' Sunday Times 'I enjoyed this book very much indeed. I found the evocation of late 18th Century England, and the French exiles, effortlessly authentic, the hunt for Charles gripping, and the portrayal and first-person narrative of the helpless, traumatised, yet strong and resourceful little boy moving and believable. An excellent work.' C J Sansom, author of Revelation 'The Silent Boy is a gripping and atmospheric thriller - the perfect blend of dark suspense, appealing characters and fascinating history. I loved it!' Antonia Hodgson, author of The Devil in the Marshalsea