Some tales are timeless. As timeless as the waters of the Thames; as the stones in the White Tower. Tales of love. Hate. Betrayal. Murder. Dr. James Beauregard, hunted across London by a hidden enemy, must grapple with a new and deadly tale—his own. He must make sense of his past. Battle for his future. And perhaps the only ones that can help him are The Keepers.

I received a free copy of this book courtesy of the author in exchange for an honest review.

Dr. James Beauregard, an acclaimed history professor with more demons than any man should harbour returns for another adventure. Following a lecture in London James does what he does best, heads out in search of a drink. In his favourite watering hole in the city, he runs into an old family friend. What at first appeared to be a chance encounter, turned into a meeting of dark revelations and deadly consequences. What ensues is a frantic dash around London to unearth history, discover a secret order dating back centuries and prevent a lethal attack.

Over the years, I’ve read the preceding books in the James Beauregard series. I’ve also come to know the author, J.M. Richardson, quite well. He’s a meticulous author, stubbornly determined to ensure everything he writes is accurate in every possible way. As a Brit, living close to London, I have been keen to read this book from the moment he told me it was going to be set in London. When he sent it to me as an early copy, he told me he was a touch nervous having it read by someone living near to London.

That was a concern he need not have entertained. The facts and locations were accurate to the point of obsessive. It was brilliant to read about all the action and drama going on in places I know. The accuracy, in fact, was such that there are even a few places in the book that I’ve never heard of. I went off to Google places and was surprised and thrilled to discover places I’ll have to visit the next time I head to the city.

And then there is the history. As I have grown to expect when I read these books, the historic elements are so detailed and factually correct I cannot help but be absorbed by these novels. The characters are all so rich and diverse. They are all so human, flawed, and vibrant in equal measures. The story itself is intense. I cannot help but find myself feeling tense, on the edge of my seat, as the book rolls towards its climax. The story is well-written. It’s tense, frenetic and kept me guessing from start to finish. I had no idea what to expect or where it was going to end up. Once again, Richardson has scored a touchdown with his third outing for James Beauregard. I cannot wait to see if he has anything more in store for him!

My rating: