an interesting mystery set during the Restoration times of 1663, while I found it hard to follow at times I did enjoy reading the book and would recommend to any fans of historical fiction during the restoration period.

I found serious structural issues that made the story hard to follow. My edition was in serious need of some basic editing. In fact as the paragraphs merged into one from one scene to the next with no line space to indicate that we had actually moved on, I constantly found myself re-reading to make sure that I was on the right track and hadn't missed anything.

We read because the subject matter interests us; the characters interest us; and for escapism. I don't want to be reading about the drudgery of someone else's life, chore by chore, day by day. The unnecessary use of dialects was totally distracting - as if the convoluted story-telling wasn't enough of a struggle. And the characters - for me - meh!

Will not be continuing with any forthcoming tomes slotted for this series.

This books started promisingly, set in 1664 it tell a fascinating tale of intrigue in restoration London. I found the characterisation fabulous but for me the story was a bit long winded and meandering. I felt sometimes I was more admiring the scenery than begin transfixed by the story. So I enjoyed but didn’t love this. However I enjoyed the writers characterisation and would look out for the authors other works.

Set in 1664 Major Russell (a former Roundhead now working for the king’s spy service). Russell has married Thomazine who has loved him since she was 2 years old. Russell has returned to Four Ashes the family house burned down in the murder of his sister. There is still a sinister feel round the rebuilt house and Russell is thought by locals to have got rid of his sister. Russell cannot shake people’s suspicions when more murders occur and it will take his wife’s love to clear his name. This book really involves you in the many changing fortunes at the time of the War with the Dutch.
I was as given an ARC of this book by Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

An Abiding Fire by M.J. Logue is a period story. It has interesting characters but is meandering and a bit hard to follow. It tends to jump around both storyline and the perspective. I did enjoy meeting Thnkful and Thomazine. But was very confused as the story jumped from place to place and from one perspective to another.

Intriguing Restoration mystery!

Fascinating mystery set during the Restoration times of 1663. Charles II is on the throne and expectations are somewhat murky for all parties.
The two leading characters are unusual. The battle scarred Major Thankful Russell and his newly wedded younger wife, Thomazine Babbitt.
Thankful is an ex-Roundhead and now a King's Intellegencer. The time has come for him to marry and he casts his hopes on the girl he knew as a young child. Many years his junior, Thomazine (Tibby) has loved Thankful since she was a child and sees only the Thankful she's grown up with, not his scars. "She’d considered him her especial property since she was two years old and he twenty-one."
Thankful has decided they will make their home in the manor house of Four Ashes, Buckinghamshire, where he grew up with his sister, a nasty piece of work, rigorously Puritan, married to the idea of works and punishment. Grace is not a concept she even understood.
Fly-Fornication Coventry had died in a house fire and Thankful has decided to rebuild the manor for himself and Thomazine. What he doesn't know is that Fly was murdered. And that first killing was only the beginning.
Thankful and Thomazine find themselves shunned by polite society in Buckinghamshire, (rumors of Thankful having somehow started the fire seem to have spread) and so return to London.
It's here, on the less salubrious edges of Charles II's court that Thankful and Thomazine find themselves in even more danger.
Logue has given us a fascinating insight into Restoration times, the day-to-day rigors of life, the political undercurrents, and the beginnings of the wars with the Low Countries. I recommend her Historical Notes for more and pertinent comments on the Anglo-Dutch Wars.
I really enjoyed Thankful and Thomazine as characters. Thankful with his understated strengths, a soldier turned Intellegencer-courtier, where the soldier is not far below the surface, and Thomazine, with her willingness to dangerously rush into things, her red hair and her temper that sometimes will just 'out'.
I'm looking forward to their future.

A Sapere ARC via NetGalley

An Abiding Fire is an historical mystery in the 1600s. It's an interesting read with enough twists to keep your interest. The characters are strong and likeable. It's a bit of a history lesson as well. I recommend if you enjoy historical fiction. Thanks to NetGalley for an arc in exchange for an honest review.

When reading An Abiding Fire by M. J. Logue, I felt like I was thrown into the middle of a most convoluted story. Not being very familiar with England's history back in the 1600s, I was very confused. At the end of the book the author gives us a synopsis of that part of England's history. it would have been nice to have had earlier.

Thankful Russell is a retired military man who wears the scars of a pike being thrust through his cheek. He is a truly honest man. Thomazine is his commander's daughter. They marry and move back to his home. The house is being rebuilt after his sister, a horrible woman, was murdered and her body burned. Someone has started the rumor that Thankful murdered his sister. The house is uninhabitable, so they stay in London. While going about his business, Thankful is again accused of a murder and fire set at a dock. To clear Thankful's name, he and Thomazine begin to associate with the "upper crust" in London. This is the most asinine group of people who delight in gossip and pretense. (I have never seen the word whore used more often in a book than I did this one.) No one is genuine and they all seem to delight in Thankful's problems. Underneath all this is the possibility of war with the Dutch and spying.

There are other books by this author that, if read first, might make this book more enjoyable. Unfortunately
I had not read those.

A very good historical fiction with a touch of romance and mystery.
The book is well researched and well written, the characters are interesting and lively.
The plot was engaging and entertaining and it's never slow or boring.
An enjoyable read, recommended!
Many thanks to Sapere Books and Netgalley for this ARC

An Abiding Fire by M.J. Logue
Murder Mystery in Restoration London
A Thomazine and Major Russell Thriller #1

Intriguing and educational this book set in 1663 mentioned history that I may have forgotten or never known and also had me wondering what it must have truly been to live in that era. I wondered how a king was toppled, others ruled for awhile and then a new king was put on the throne. I wondered what caused Major Thankful Russell’s recurring illness that created fever and tried to kill him – was it malaria or a disease that began with the bite of an insect. I wondered about the names given to people who were “plain” and was glad I did not have some of the names mentioned in this story. I wondered about the wars with the Dutch and the myths created about people not one’s own and I contemplated why people were the way they were and did what they did.

That said...I really enjoyed this book. It is the first book I have read by this author and I am eager to read more. The “voice” of the telling was new and smoothly flowing. I loved the way the characters were presented and the strengths of both Thankful and Thomazine and the close relationship they shared. The aspect of family and friends was strong and warm. The desire to right wrongs was one I could relate to and eagerly followed as the H/h couple worked to find out who had killed his sister and clear his name. The one time that I questioned the wisdom of Thomazine’s action(s) I decided to put it down to her age and lack of social awareness but boy did at least one of those times cause her and Thankful severe difficulties.

I believe that Thankful and Thomazine make a wonderful couple and their future is one that I would like to hear more about as this series continues.

Thank you to NetGalley and Sapere Books for the ARC – This is my honest review.

5 Stars