We first met former actor turned constable Matthew Cutler in Death of a Stranger, which takes you to Spitalfields, a poor area of wider London, in the last years of Elizabeth I’s reign. In the second book, Death of a Fugitive, things aren’t going too well for Matthew – he’s just returned from his father’s funeral, and it’s a cold night, made colder by the instruction that he’s expected to attend a hanging.
Bad harvests and inflation driven by greed among the merchant class has meant poorer people are starving. Riots have led to a rounding up of rebels, and three of those involved are the young apprentices facing the death penalty. The town constables are required to be present to show they mean business. As more rebels are sought, Matthew is meant to give his all to hunt them down. But he’s soon distracted by the discovery of counterfeit coins.
There’s some relief, in that Crown Commissioners have been sent to offer money to families in need, among them an old university friend of Matthew’s, Lucas Moffett. And among the most in need of help, the Broad family, living on their wits, with young Gilly Broad himself discovered palming off a counterfeit coin. Matthew’s far more interested in finding who is making the dud currency than tracking down the rebels. He has no wish to see more angry young lads sent to the gallows, but has a battle to keep his superiors happy.
As if that isn’t enough to keep him up at night, Matthew’s also worried about his younger daughter Jane, who has been keeping secrets and meeting up with a new friend she’s reluctant to bring home. And Margery surprisingly has a suitor, which she finds more embarrassing than flattering.
The story threads weave in and out of the plot, with a murder or two spaced nicely at intervals to keep things interesting. Danger closes in and the perpetrators are suitably nasty and hard to pin down. There are enough surprises to keep you guessing and a brilliant ending. Altogether, this is a very satisfying read, and Matthew Cutler, an interesting and complex character and not just your average law enforcer. I shall be keen to check in with him again to see how his career is going, if there’s romance in the wings for him and his family, and to learn more about this little nook of British history.
Death of a Fugitive is another well-researched and immersive read from Pilkington, bringing the era to life and a four star read from me. Thanks to Netgalley and Boldwood Books for an advance copy of the novel in return for an honest review. Death of a Fugitive is due for release on 13 May.
Judith McKinnon 