I have not read the first three books in this series and I think this fact may have coloured my view of the hero - I don't have his back story. The book is easy to read and full of plot and action but I didn't get a feel for London in the 1660s which I would have liked. For those who like adventure stories - yes a good read, not really for me. Sorry!
Nevertheless, thank you to Netgalley/the author/Amazon Publishing UK for a digital copy of this novel. All opinions are my own.

Well this was fascinating! Have a wet wipe to hand when you read this book as you'll need to wipe yourself clean from all the stench and soot of London to come from its pages. I haven't felt so immersed and in need of a wash after reading a novel in a long time and I mean that as a lovely complement! London is the den of debauchery and even those not in the opium dens or the whorehouses have to trudge the gritty, dirty streets to try and make a living, if not even just to survive.

Now that's not all. This novel is the fourth in a series but I haven't read the others and I didn't feel I was missing out until the end of the book when I wondered why I hadn't read the rest of this heart-pumping series. The theatre world was just fascinating and jaw-dropping both in detail and fantasy. There were threads of a magical and supernatural presence, which, for me, took the novel to an even better place. These illegal theatres just gave me a thrill reading about them and stepping inside, experiencing a world that the author has crafted with care and a mean glint in her eye.

If you love historical fiction, you'll get goosebumps. If you don't, you'll get goosebumps and a new genre to get stuck into. The changeling murders is fascinating, wonderfully evoked and I haven't even touched upon the changelings themselves...the fairy folk....now that really is something you have to discover for yourself, or is it that they will discover you?

Historical mystery fiction with many unusual twists and turns. The Changeling Murders is C.S. Quinns fourth book in the series ˋThe Thief Taker’ each title may be read as a stand alone. I thought at first it was difficult to keep up with the fast pace of the story but it was all so exciting I was hooked. I especially liked the strong characters of Charlie and Lily they are great team. I have already purchased the other three books in this series and look forward to reading them. Thanks to the author, the publisher and netgalley for making this title available to read and review.

This is a wonderful and entertaining series. In the 4th volume, Charlie Tuesday is as sharp as ever, even when the case gets personal. Maria, who may or may not be his true love, has been abducted and, to release her, Charlie needs to find a mysterious Lord and Lady who could bring the King down. Of course, he is not the only one looking, and not everybody agrees over what should be done if these figures are found. Some want the king overthrown. Charlie just wants Maria back so he teams up with Lily to find her (come on, Charlie, Lily is the real deal… stop pining over Maria and just get with her ASAP!). The research that goes into the historical part of the novels is palpable, and the descriptions of the background so complete that you feel like you are walking in XVII Century London. But it’s the non-stop action that reminds me of old-fashioned adventure serials. Every chapter ends in a cliffhanger, so it’s easy to fall into the “one more chapter before I go to bed” circle until the plot has reached its conclusion. There are unexpected twists, and some more details of Charlie’s mysterious past. I wouldn’t like to live in these novels, but I like to visit Charlie as often as possible.
I chose to read this book and all opinions in this review are my own and completely unbiased. Thank you, NetGalley/Thomas & Mercer!

Set in London, 1667, The Changling Murders is the next novel in CS Quinn's Thief Taker series.
C S Quinn shows yet again what a master storyteller can do. You feel as if you have been transported back in time to London of old in this story of abduction and murder which could ultimately bring down the King Of England.
The story grabbed me from the start and did not let go until I had turned the last page.

4 stars

Charlie Tuesday, thief-taker, is following a carriage. Meanwhile, his former beloved Maria is being kidnapped on the day of her wedding. When Charlie runs into Percy Berry, Maria’s fiancé, in a theatre, he asks how Maria is doing. Percy replies that Maria never showed up for their wedding.

Lady Castlemaine, consort of King Charles, is dead set against the theater and whores. She supports the Lenten observation of London’s apprentices vandalizing the theaters in an orgy of violence. The King, however, feels differently. With his actress friends and his penchant for debauchery, he opposes Lady Castlemaine’s attitudes.

Lily, Charlie’s partner joins in the hunt for the lost artifacts and Maria. Searching for the artifacts, they run into severe trouble. The apprentices are drunk – and they’ve found Charlie and Lily in an old theater. What follows is an exciting chase through the old theaters of London and the eventual capture of the bad guys – and the restoration of the artifacts.

There is a hint of the supernatural in this book. It is well-played out and scripted. The book is well written and plotted. It is exciting and reads linearly. That is to say, one event follows another logically. I liked Charlie and Lily. They make a good team. I didn’t care for the Percy character so much. I cannot fathom why Maria would prefer him over Charlie. Perhaps because he is a “respectable” lawyer where Charlie is just a poor man trying to eke out a living. Perhaps there is more in the cards for Charlie and Lily – stay tuned.

I want to thank NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for forwarding to me a copy of this book to read, enjoy and review.