The Fabric of Murder

Ashmole Foxe #1

by William Savage

Mr Foxe must find the killer of a leading Master Weaver, before the collapse of his business empire undermines the city’s major industry.

Norwich in the 1760s is one of the most prosperous cities in England, finding its wealth in the booming trade in fine worsted cloth, richly dyed and embroidered. So when a leading cloth-manufacturer is found murdered and his business totters on the brink of collapse, everyone fears his fall will ruin hundreds of working families and cause the economy of the whole county to collapse.

In near panic, the mayor and aldermen turn to an unlikely person to solve the Mr. Ashmole Foxe, a man who claims to be a mere bookseller, yet lives in grand style, dresses like a dandy and associates as easily with the demi-monde as the gentry.

With few firm clues to go on and every sign the dead man himself had been hiding many secrets, Mr Foxe sets out to do as the City Fathers want. Who benefited from the death? Why had the murdered man been stockpiling cloth for months? Who is the stranger now trying to buy up all this surplus stock and what will he do with it?

Follow Mr Foxe through Norwich’s teeming 18th-century streets as he seeks out the answers and tracks down a killer with more than profit on his mind.

Genres: Mystery, Fiction, Historical Mystery

210 pages, Kindle Edition

First published May 1, 2015

About the author

I started to write fiction as a way of keeping my mind active in retirement. I have read and enjoyed hundreds of detective stories and mystery novels. One of my other loves is history, so it seemed natural to put the two together. Thus began two series of murder mystery books set in Norfolk.
All my books are set between 1760 and around 1800, a period of turmoil in Britain, with constant wars, revolutions in America and France and finally the titanic, 22-year struggle with Napoleon.
The Ashmole Foxe series takes place at the start of this time and is located in Norwich. Mr Foxe is a dandy, a bookseller and, unknown to most around him, the mayor’s immediate choice to deal with anything likely to upset the peace or economic security of the city.
The series featuring Dr Adam Bascom, a young gentleman physician caught up in the beginning of the Napoleonic wars, takes place in a variety of locations nearer the North Norfolk coast. Adam builds a successful medical practice, but his insatiable curiosity and knack for unravelling intrigue constantly involve him in mysteries large and small.
I have spent a good deal of my life travelling in Britain and overseas. Now I am more than content to write stories and run a blog devoted to the world of Georgian England.

Reviews

[Kathy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am confused about these Ashmole Foxe books since they are not marked as read on goodreads. I know I read this quite some time ago. It only took a brief perusal to bring it back to mind. Why the missing record as read? I don't know. I will check for other evidence. Nope...coming up blank.
I will have to give up as I was thinking changed author name, changed title...but striking out on this mystery. I most definitely read this book before but can't prove it. Oh well.

[Terry Tyler · Rating 5 out of 5]

Having just finished William Savage's The Code for Killing, I could read nothing else but another book by him, so started this one immediately! I loved it as much, if not more; whereas this author's other two 18th century Norfolk murder mysteries centre round the earnest young doctor Adam Bascom, this one's hero is the intriguing, charming man about town, Ashmole Fox, a different kettle of fish entirely.

The story is situated in Norwich, and portrays so well the different layers of society, from the upper echelons populated by Mr Foxe, to the underclasses, and illustrates that nothing changes when it comes to corruption and social pretensions. The mystery itself concerns the city's textile industry and that of rare books, which I found fascinating, aside from the plot itself, which is intricate and well thought out, with a clever outcome that I hadn't guessed.

One of the reasons I think this might be my favourite of this author's books so far (although there is not much between them), is that there is more description and creation of atmosphere; I really got the feeling of 18th century Norwich, from the coffee houses, to the dwellings of the well-to-do. Because it's a city I know quite well, this was of much interest to me.

The characterisation in this novel is terrific, as always, the dialogue subtle and witty ~ I adored Foxe and his associates. There is one character, an urchin messenger boy called Charlie Dillon, who I felt might benefit from more development in the future - I must agree with Foxe that he shows great promise :)

There is only one thing left to say: Mr Savage, hurry up and write me another book!

[Diane Challenor · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed two books from this series over the last few weeks. Great storytelling; moving along at a pace that suits me. I've bought the third book in this series and am looking forward to it.

[P.]

DNF Posted for those - since it's competently written -who like mysteries with a difference, as Fabric heralds itself. It's a very slow read - everyone the investigator spoke to when I gave up told him the exactly same thing. In addition, this investigator spent a huge amount of time changing costumes and personas, very nicely, if tediously, described. However, if you want the inside story on 18c prostitutes and actresses. and don't mind the molasses, this one might be for you.

[Lexie Conyngham · Rating 4 out of 5]

Somewhere between 3.5 and 4. If you enjoyed the previous book by William Savage with roughly the same setting, that doesn't necessarily mean you'll enjoy this one as the characters and plot are very different. This one is more action-packed and pacey, but the characters were less thoroughly drawn and I found the main character either over-mysterious or rather shallow. I also wondered if he had rushed this one out as the text would have benefitted from a good edit - at one point the spelling of the main character's name changes for half a chapter. The plot was interesting but the murderer and his motive were relatively easily spotted - in some ways, however, that seemed secondary to the action. Once again the setting was very convincing in both place and time, and the language, though still with an authentic feel, was lighter than in the previous book. I'll look out for more of these, probably.

[Virginia Tican · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ashmole Foxe leads a very interesting life, he is an irreverent amoral bachelor who effortlessly offends the vinegary self~righteous prudes both inside and outside the beau monde by enjoying the favors of the beyond the pale yet beautiful Catt sisters (it must be mentioned here that both sisters were not forced into their professions through poverty since both were daughters of a successful merchant) ~ Kitty is a well~loved and much admired comedy theatre actress and Gracie is a high class brothel owner with most of her clients from the ton and the merchant class... and yet Foxe has his own brand of justice or sense of right and wrong. For Foxe also had the Misses Calderwood who taught him, as they did the likes of Daniel Bonnevoit, his letters and his numbers as well as proper deportment, sadly his morals were his own. Yet he still retained his respect and admiration for them for though they are spinsters, they are not prudes but pragmatists. So when Norwich's prime cloth merchant and master weaver had his throat cut in a backstreet alley, an Alderman close to the city's mayor asked for his help. As the victim disinherited his only son by his second wife, all his money would go to charities as what his father, Jerome Bonnevoit did before him... thus, Daniel inherited nothing except his knowledge as a master weaver that his sire made sure of. And so it was then as for Daniel and his own son... for George was, like him, sent to London to apprentice as a weaver with a relative... but unlike him, though George finished his apprenticeship, he wanted to become a stage actor hence the acrimonious contentions between them that led to George's disinheritance. The stone cold heartlessness of Daniel led to his death and reaped a bitter harvest for his son that resulted into a brilliant plot of revenge that ended badly. Foxe is such a delight to follow... from his relationships with the Catt sisters (whose only rivalry were with the quality and quantity of time he spends on their beds and maybe the gifts he showers on them) to his varied disguises necessary for his investigations while maintaining his business as a bookseller and to keeping to his quite hectic schedule that were almost impossible to do yet altogether a Fun~Entertaining read... the culmination of his notorious non~conformity was at the night of the Mayor's Ball when he nonchalantly strolled into Norwich's foremost and worthiest citizen's and most humble of public servants' tastefully furnished elegant ballroom with the Catt sisters on his arms, both of them clothed in the most equally elegant finery Foxe's largesse could provide for services and delights rendered... etc...etc... setting a whole new set of rumours that would probably reach the Calderwood sisters before the night ends for which they would laugh at his latest antics and call him "a naughty boy".

[Gail Gassen · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a different read for me!

I just picked this out it sounded interesting so I read what it was about then got the sample. That got me hooked. I wished that I'd payed attention to the order the order this book was tho because I like to start at the beginning. I messed up good on this one for sure. Looks like I'll have to catch up on one & two now tho.... I did try to see what they were about but the names were totally different so I may be in for a big surprise.
I did enjoy this book allot tho. Lots of twists as Ash fills in the strange blanks. Very interesting & keeps you absorbed in all the mysterious finding of the clues Ash is finding along the way in solving the whole quirky murder & why & who was behind it all. Wonderful book...

[Scout · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is my first book written by Mr. Savage. I found that it was an interesting twist of facts that kept me guessing. I also found the relationships with the women in the book were a bit underwhelming. Having said that, Foxe's relationship with Brook very interesting. The history of Norwich's cloth trade, was fascinating. I am hungry for stories about the prosperous cities to the north, especially East Anglia.

I think with time, the author may find the necessary balance of characters associating with Foxe will mature. I will be reading his other Ashmole Foxe books to see how he develops his cher ami relationship.

[Angela Babcock · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting reading

Good story but a little too complicated. Many twists and turns, some not needed in my opinion. It took Fox a great deal longer to understand what was going on than it took me, and that frustrates.
The subject matter seems very well researched. I will look forward to the next book in hopes of a little more suspense

[Katherine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Charming

An enjoyable read with an engaging amateur sleuth and good supporting characters. My only nit is the sex with the sisters felt like it had more to do with the author than the MC.

[Denise Rowley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great read suitable for anybody’s

Enjoyed the plot liked the description of the clothes and cloths of the era fascinating. Had to look up some terms. Was the Channel known as the German Ocean and never heard of Molly houses.

[Melinda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great fun! A wonderful Georgian sleuth with interesting companions. Can't wait to read the other books.

[Ann · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a bit slow to start . . . . took a while to set the stage, I guess. The main investigator, Foxe, is a bit unbelievable -- independently wealthy via an accident of fate, poses as a bookseller, but pretty good at disguise -- mainly by dressing flamboyantly as himself meaning when he dresses less flashily people barely recognize him. His main cohort, Brock, is a cargo barge captain who, due to some injury never fully explained, no longer works on the boats but owns several. He's "low born" but apparently nearly as rich as Foxe.

Anyway, once you got past the fact that these people are a-typical for their time (Georgian/Regency England) and just go with it, it's a good mystery. Though I did figure out a major plot twist well before it was revealed.

I borrowed it via Kindle Unlimited -- not sure whether I'll try the next one. Unrealistic as the characters were, they were still quite appealing, so maybe.

[MRS V JOHNSON · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very enjoyable

I will read the second book about Fox, this story was delightful and how I imagined their high society, fabuloius!