The Smell of Death

Andrew Taylor is "one of the best modern authors in the genre of historical detective fiction" (The Times). He has received many literary awards, such as the highest award of the Crime Writers' Association of Great Britain, the "Diamond Dagger," the award from the Historical Writers' Association, the "Golden Crown," the "Barry" award, and the Ellis Peters Award for Historical Literature 2013.
"Taylor has always been interested in the instability of life and the truth that accompanies it: when necessity arises, everything is sold—truth, honor, love. This is how it happens in 18th century New York" (The Guardian).
The American Revolutionary War is ongoing. In August 1778, Manhattan, a British outpost surrounded by rebel forces, resembles a melting pot: it is full of soldiers, refugees, deserters, marauders... During this difficult time, Edward Saville, a London clerk, arrives on the American shore, tasked with addressing the claims of loyalists demanding compensation for their loyalty to the crown. And on his very first day after arrival, he gets involved in a murder investigation that occurred in the slums of New York. But if life in an age of change is so cheap, why does this death matter? Clearly, the creation of a nation is a profitable business, and some people do not want to miss out on the gain, no matter the cost... The case is complicated by the fact that the victim was among the recent guests of the house where Saville is staying, and the owners—the Winthur family—seem quite suspicious to the clerk. The loyalty to Britain cost them a fortune; their estate was looted, but Captain Winthur wants to find something very valuable among these ruins, and at night, a child's cry can be heard in the house, which neither the owners nor the servants wish to discuss...