PotsandPlots

Growing information.

Plant With: Fiction, Thriller, Hidden Secrets

Rating: 🌻🌻🌻 – Hardy Perennial

Purchased Copy – Available Now – (Affiliate Link)

The Review

I was in Stanfords in London, doing my Christmas shopping, when I stumbled on Seven Dials by John Dore.

I’d never heard of the book or author before, but it had been turned face out and had a “signed by the author” sticker on the front. I love Seven Dials; it might be my favourite spot in London, especially when it’s lit up for Christmas. It’s also a stone’s throw from Stanfords, which felt serendipitous enough to encourage me to read a little more.

“Seven Dials – An enigmatic London district where time, place, and hidden secrets converge”

Ooh, keep going.

“Sensational discovery…ancient guild…bury the past. “Questors.”.. unbreakable puzzle…glittering court…gritty estates.”

Ok. Interesting. Tell me more.

“…enigma…Thomas Neale, a visionary…powerful enemies…invaluable secret…savvy intelligence…lost knowledge…secrets still concealed beneath its streets.”

“Seven Dials is a mesmerising blend of historical intrigue and contemporary thriller that will captivate fans of Dan Brown, Ken Follett and Kate Mosse.”

You know what? In these dark winter days, that’s exactly what I need.

I hastily stuck it on my pile of gifts (hope my family like books and maps!) and bought myself a little something.

Do I regret it? Not one bit!

I bought the book. What’s it like?

I’ll caveat this review by saying that Seven Dials took an unexpected turn in the last 50 or so pages. A turn that might irritate some readers. Especially if you’re the sort of person who likes their books to remain grounded in reality.

I might have preferred a different ending, but nevertheless, I enjoyed Seven Dials, and I’ll definitely be picking up the second book in the “Questors” series when it arrives.

The story takes place across two time frames. One is present-day and follows Alison, a journalist, after she is caught up in an explosion that destroys the monument at Seven Dials. The explosion reveals a vault of gold, allegedly placed there by Thomas Neale, the original architect of Seven Dials in the late 1600s.

The other narrative follows Neale from a young man, when he works with Isaac Newton, through to his role as a courtier to King Charles II, and a member of Parliament. In real life, Neale was a man with a finger in many pies, but a figure about which very little information remains. In those cracks, John Dore recreates Neale’s story to lay the foundations for Seven Dials.

If you smashed Neal Stephenson’s Quicksilver (historical shenanigans featuring Isaac Newton, but dense and wordy (I loved it by the way)) with Dan Brown’s Da Vinci Code (engine-gunning, conspiracy-laden bestselling smash), you might end up with Seven Dials.

This is a super-accessible journey into London’s history (with a side tour to Tunbridge Wells). The book made me want to get up early, and walk around London taking in its history and architecture.

I’ve been looking up Isaac Newton and Thomas Neale, reading about the church of Charles the Martyr as well as the Glorious Revolution. It’s a book that has helped me fill a few historical holes in my knowledge. (There are still many left). I’ve been planning a family trip to the Bank of England museum.

Seven Dials is well plotted (if occasionally preposterous, including one bit where I’m still not sure quite what happened) and moves along at a good pace. I very much enjoyed it from first page to last.

It’s a book that doesn’t ask a great deal from its readers; the story flows effortlessly, delivering a great sense of satisfaction. As already mentioned, it prompted me to think a little bit deeper about how the city of London ended up looking like it does. It also answered the question of why I don’t remember Seven Dials from my childhood – the monument was reconstructed thanks to the Seven Dials Trust in 1989!

All in all, if you love London or historical mysteries with a little bit of alchemy thrown in, you’re going to love Seven Dials.