My review of Children of Fire by Paul C W Beatty

Children of Fire by Paul C W Beatty is a wonderful novel set in 1841 during the Industrial Revolution in the North West of England. It tells the story of Police Constable Josiah Ainscough, on his first case, when he is sent to ingratiate himself with the Children of Fire, a local religious community. Josiah's remit is to investigate a previous explosion at a local powder mill but he quickly finds himself embroiled in a macabre murder. 

I loved Beatty's creation of Josiah, he's imbued with a sense of duty, an abundance of honour and a sharp and diligent mind. Every scrap of information, no matter how trivial, is stored away in his mind to germinate enabling him to always have the big picture in his head and make links that are essential to solving the case. Yet at no time is Josiah arrogant and his humility coupled with insecurity make him endearing to the reader.

I really felt as if I was in 1841 as Beatty has meticulously researched the era. We tend to view historical events as isolated but by linking the birth of the police force, unrest in Ireland and the Industrial Revolution, Beatty has created a deeply layered, informative and comprehensive narrative which I thoroughly enjoyed.

I'm already looking forward to Josiah's next adventure.

Thanks to Rachel Gilbey for the gifted copy of this book.