The Silent Boy Synopsis
From the No. 1 bestselling author of THE AMERICAN BOY comes a brilliant new historical thriller set during the French Revolution. Paris, 1792. Terror reigns as the city writhes in the grip of revolution. The streets run with blood as thousands lose their heads to the guillotine. Edward Savill, working in London as agent for a wealthy American, receives word that his estranged wife Augusta has been killed in France. She leaves behind ten-year-old Charles, who is brought to England to Charnwood Court, a house in the country leased by a group of emigre refugees. Savill is sent to retrieve the boy, though it proves easier to reach Charnwood than to leave. And only when Savill arrives there does he discover that Charles is mute. The boy has witnessed horrors beyond his years, but what terrible secret haunts him so deeply that he is unable to utter a word?
About This Edition
| ISBN: |
9780007506606 |
| Publication date: |
26th February 2015 |
| Author: |
Andrew Taylor |
| Publisher: |
HarperCollins Publishers Ltd an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers |
| Format: |
Paperback |
| Pagination: |
440 pages |
| Primary Genre |
Thriller and Suspense
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| Other Genres: |
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| Recommendations: |
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Andrew Taylor Press Reviews
Praise for The Scent of Death: 'Andrew Taylor wrote superb historical fiction long before Hilary Mantel was popular
Daily Telegraph
'Taylor shows once again how skilful a historical novelist he is'
Sunday Times
'A mesmeric read'
The Times
'The 18th-century tone and voice is beautifully achieved: Taylor is as good at this period as C J Sansom is at Tudor England'
Independent
'Andrew Taylor's historical crime fiction is always an event'
Guardian Praise for The American Boy:
'A wonderful book, richly composed and beautifully written ... enthralling from start to finish'
The Times, Top Ten Crime Novels of the Decade
'Hugely entertaining, beguiling and atmospheric'
Observer, Books of the Year
'A most artful and delightful book'
Daily Telegraph, Books of the Year
'Deeply absorbing and beautifully written. He creates an atmosphere close to Sarah Waters'
Fingersmith
Independent
About Andrew Taylor
Andrew Taylor has been a full-time writer since 1981, and has written over twenty books. He has been described by The Times as 'One of Britain's best writers of psychological suspense.'
Having decided to become a writer at the age of ten, he claims that it was his newly recognised facility for writing stories, teamed with the idea that a writer's life consisted of not wearing a tie to work, that first attracted him to the career. More recently however he has suggested that 'one of the attractions of writing fiction is that it allows you to create your own little universe and play God to your heart's content.' It was the discovery of Sherlock Holmes at the tender of age of eight and earlier yet with Enid Blyton's Hurrah for Little Noddy, that his love for crime novels was incited. 'Another thing I like about crime fiction' he asserts, 'is its lack of pretension. It sets out to entertain - it's fiction with its sleeves rolled up.'
In the years preceding Andrew Taylor's breakthrough in the literary world, he worked as a boat-builder, wages clerk, teacher, librarian, labourer and freelance publisher's editor. Since then, Public Lending Right estimates place his British public library readership in the top one per cent.
His novels include the Dougal and Lydmouth crime series, the psychological thriller The Barred Window and his ground-breaking Roth Trilogy, now published in one volume as Requiem for an Angel. He also reviews and writes about crime fiction, particularly in the Independent Awards received for his books include the John Creasey Memorial award from the Crime Writer's Association and an Edgar Scroll from the Mystery Writers of America, both for Caroline Minuscule, and the CWA's Ellis Peters Historical Dagger. The Roth Trilogy was adapted into the acclaimed ITV drama 'Fallen Angel'. 'The American Boy' was a 2005 Richard & Judy Book Club choice.
He lives in the Forest of Dean with his wife, a photographer, and their two children.
Author photo © Caroline Silverwood
Andrew Taylor was our Putting Authors in the Picture Feature for September 2019. Click here to read more about his author journey on our blog.
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