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Jodi Taylor.
Just One Damned Thing After Another.
Accent Press. 2013

rating : 3 : worth reading
review : 29 November 2016

A madcap new slant on history that seems to be everyone’s cup of tea…

Behind the seemingly innocuous façade of St Mary’s, a different kind of historical research is taking place. They don’t do ‘time-travel’ – they ‘investigate major historical events in contemporary time’. Maintaining the appearance of harmless eccentrics is not always within their power – especially given their propensity for causing loud explosions when things get too quiet.

Meet the disaster-magnets of St Mary’s Institute of Historical Research as they ricochet around History. Their aim is to observe and document – to try and find the answers to many of History’s unanswered questions… and not to die in the process.

But one wrong move and History will fight bade – to the death. And, as they soon discover – it’s not just History they’re fighting.

Follow the catastrophe curve from eleventh-century London to World War I, and from the Cretaceous Period to the destruction of the Great Library at Alexandria. For wherever Historians go, chaos is sure to follow in their wake…

Dr Madeleine Maxwell, known as Max to all, is an historian recruited by St Mary’s Institute of Historical Research. St Mary’s have some time travel machines, allowing the historians to go back and observe historically significant events as they happen. This requires nerve, and training. Max has the former in spades; St Mary’s provide the latter. But there’s more at stake than Max realises.

This is a mish-mash of genres, involving history, time-travel, boot-camp training, romance, intrigue, tragedy, and more. It is a mish-mash in a good way, as Max, nobody’s fool and nobody’s patsy, powers her way through increasingly bizarre and traumatic incidents, including serving in a WWI battlefield hospital, dodging dinosaurs and more in the Cretaceous, and visiting the Library of Alexandria under somewhat trying conditions.

Everyone at St Mary’s is eccentric and weird, but also competent, which is always good to see: competence makes eccentricity funny, rather than annoying. St Mary’s does seem to have a rather small staff for what it does (although significantly more than the Gerry Anderson school of staffing levels). And I never fully understood its original business model: the time travel is a secret, so how do the historians’ observations of past events contribute to current knowledge? No matter; by the end Max has come up with a new business model which is much more effective. If the villains let them pursue it. Which of course they won’t.

I initially dipped my toe in this series, buying only the first entry. But before I was half-way through this compulsively readable book, I ordered the next three.

Jodi Taylor.
A Symphony of Echoes.
Accent Press. 2013

rating : 3 : worth reading
review : 29 December 2016

In the second book in the Chronicles of St Mary’s series, Max and the team visit Victorian London in search of Jack the Ripper, witness the murder of Archbishop Thomas a Becket in Canterbury Cathedral, and discover that dodos make a grockling noise when eating cucumber sandwiches.

But they must also confront an enemy intent on destroying St Mary’s – an enemy willing, if necessary, to destroy History itself to do it.

Max and the crew of time-travelling historians are back. We get another series of historical adventures, both of snippets providing scenes of hilarity or tragedy (sometimes simultaneously), and of major events that move the plot forward. Here the snippets include observing the final kill of Jack the Ripper, a team-building exercise with dodos, an expedition to Canterbury Cathedral to record the assassination of Thomas a Beckett, and a trip to the Hanging Gardens of Ninevah. The plot, that of protecting St Mary’s, and all of history, from Ronan, includes a protracted visit to future St. Mary’s, and a trip to imperil Mary Queen of Scots, in order to confound the unhistorical ending of the lost Shakespeare play.

‘Dr Maxwell. Why are you wearing a red snake in my office?’
‘Sorry, sir. Whose office should I be wearing it in?’

The combination of snark, fun, terrible historical incidents, and the tragic fight against Ronan continues. Still compulsively readable.

Jodi Taylor.
A Second Chance.
Accent Press. 2014

rating : 3 : worth reading
review : 4 March 2020

St Mary’s is back and nothing is going right for Max. Once again, it’s just one damned thing after another.

The action jumps from an encounter with a mirror-stealing Isaac Newton to the bloody battlefield at Agincourt. Discover how a simple fact-finding assignment to witness the ancient and murderous cheese-rolling ceremony in Gloucester can result in CBC – concussion by cheese. The long awaited jump to Bronze Age Troy ends in personal catastrophe for Max and just when it seems things couldn’t get any worse – it’s back to the Cretaceous Period again to confront an old enemy who has nothing to lose.

So, make the tea, grab the chocolate biscuits, settle back and discover exactly why the entire history department has painted itself blue…

I was surprised to discover I had read only two of the series so far when I picked up this book. So much has happened that I felt I must be several books into the series.

And a lot happens here, too. There are relatively light-hearted episodes such as the blue team, the cheese-rolling, and the encounter with Isaac Newton and an enraged mob of Cantabrigians; there is the very affecting tale of Troy, including a great take on the wooden horse and Troy’s final destruction; there is a fateful encounter in the Cretaceous; there is a visit to the bloody field of Agincourt; and there is the tragedy that befalls Max.

One damned thing after another, indeed.

Jodi Taylor.
A Trail Through Time.
Accent Press. 2014

rating : 3 : worth reading
review : 14 September 2023

St Mary’s is back and is facing a battle to survive in this, the fourth instalment of the Chronicles.

Max and Leon are re-united and looking forward to a peaceful lifetime together. But, sadly, they don’t even make it to lunchtime.

The action races from 17th century London to Ancient Egypt and from Pompeii to 14th century Southwark as they’re pursued up and down the timeline, playing a perilous game of hide and seek until they’re finally forced to take refuge at St Mary’s – where new dangers await them.

As usual, there are plenty of moments of humour, but the final, desperate, Battle of St Mary’s is in grim earnest. Overwhelmed and outnumbered and with the building crashing down around them, how can St Mary’s possibly survive?

So, make sure the tea’s good and strong…

Max and Leon are both dead; Leon for violating the laws of history; Max at Agincourt defending a colleague.

But death isn’t final if you have the Muse of History on your side. So Max finds herself not so dead, in a parallel world with its still-alive but different Leon. They decide to see if they can make a go of it. But the Muse has Plans, and they soon find themselves on the run from the Time Police. Not only do they have to save themselves, they have to save St Mary’s and the whole time line from the rampaging police. Situation normal, then.

This is the usual clever mix of banter, history, peril, and tragedy. The reboot leaves behind some old enemies, but introduces some new ones. Max and Leon have to develop their new relationship (it’s a new Leon for Max, and also a new Max for Leon) whilst running for their lives and planning to save the other historians. We get the last day of Pompeii, a visit to ancient Egypt, a frost fair on the frozen Thames during the Little Ice Age, and more, as they flee through the timeline, before the grim, but still eccentric, final showdown at St Mary’s.

Jodi Taylor.
No Time Like The Past.
Accent Press. 2015

rating : 3.5 : worth reading
review : 14 July 2024

St Mary’s has been rebuilt and it’s business as usual for the History department.

But first, there’s the little matter of a seventeenth-century ghost that only Mr Markham can see.

Not to mention the minor inconvenience of being trapped in the Great Fire of London…and an unfortunately-timed comfort break at Thermopylae leaving the fate of the western world hanging in the balance.

Another fun/traumatic romp as Max, Leon, and the other historians of St Mary’s. jump about in history with the usual combination of madcap adventures, wisecracking, and horrific consequences.

The outcome of their trip to the Great Fire of London is traumatic for all of them. And their attempts to fix the mess they make while observing at Thermopylae make me think that they are not the ones trying to fix up problems in history, but are the actual causes of most of our history.

Jodi Taylor.
What Could Possibly Go Wrong.
Accent Press. 2015

Max is back! New husband, new job, and a training regime that cannot fail – to go wrong!

Take one interim Chief Training Officer, add five recruits, mix with Joan of Arc, a baby mammoth, a duplicitous Father of History, a bombed rat, Stone Age hunters, a couple of passing policemen who should have better things to do, and Dick the Turd. Stir well, bring to the boil – and wait for the bang!

Jodi Taylor.
Lies, Damned Lies, and History.
Accent Press. 2016

‘I’ve done some stupid things in my time. I’ve been reckless. I’ve broken a few rules. But never before have I ruined so many lives or left such a trail of destruction behind me.’

As Max would be the first to admit, she’s never been one for rules. They tend to happen to other people. But this time she’s gone too far and everyone is paying the price.

From Georgian London to Arthur’s Britain and from Stonhenge to a desperate hunt for King John's treasure, grounded till the end of time, how can Max ever put it right?

Jodi Taylor.
And the Rest Is History.
Accent Press. 2017

‘Because, my dear Max, you dance on the edge of darkness … and I don’t think it would take very much for you to dance my way.’

When an old enemy appears out of nowhere with an astonishing proposition for Max – a proposition that could change everything – Max is tempted. Very tempted.

With an end to an old conflict finally in sight, it looks as if St Mary s problems are over with. Can they all finally live happily ever after?

As everything hangs in the balance, Max and St Mary’s find themselves engulfed in tragedies worse than they could ever imagine.

Is this the end?

Jodi Taylor.
The Long and the Short of It.
Accent Press. 2017

The Long and Short of It collects the 8 unmissable short stories from international bestselling author, Jodi Taylor. Now with new introductions, plus the brand new short story, A Perfect Storm.

Follow the tea-soaked disaster magnets of St Mary’s as they rattle around History. Because wherever the historians go, chaos is sure to follow.

Jodi Taylor.
An Argumentation of Historians.
Accent Press. 2018

They say you shouldn’t push your luck. Max gives her own luck a massive shove every day – and it’s only a matter of time until luck pushes back…

January l536 – the day of Henry VIII’s infamous jousting accident. Historians from St Maiy’s are there in force, recording and documenting. And, arguing – obviously.

A chance meeting between Max and the Time Police leads to a plan of action. And, it’s one that will have very serious consequences – especially for Max. Her private life is already more than a little rocky. But with Leon recovering and Matthew safe in the future there will never be a better opportunity to bring down Clive Ronan, once and for all.

From Tudor England to the burning city of Persepolis – and from a medieval siege to a very nasty case of 19th centuiy incarceration – Max is determined that this time, he will not escape.

Jodi Taylor.
Hope for the Best.
Headline. 2019

You can’t change History. History doesn’t like it. There are always consequences.

Max is no stranger to taking matters into her own hands. Especially when she’s had A Brilliant Idea. Yes, it will mean breaking a few rules, but – as Max always says – they’re not her rules.

Seconded to the Time Police to join in the hunt for the renegade Clive Ronan, Max is a long way from St Mary’s. But life in the future does have its plus points – although not for long.

A problem with the Time Map reveals chaos in the 16th century and the wrong Tudor queen on the throne. History has gone rogue, there’s a St Mary’s team right in the firing line and Max must step up.

You know what they say. Hope for the best. But plan for the worst.

Jodi Taylor.
Long Story Short.
Headline. 2019

From riotous misbehaviour in Victorian London to ingenious feats of scientific invention (powdered water – just add water!), and from a chaotic Nativity play starring a vengeful Angel Gabriel to an illegal expedition to Mars, Jodi Taylor knows how to spin a good yarn.

This unmissable collection brings together seven short stories from the internationally bestselling Chronicles of St Mary’s series, and one special guest tale from somewhere completely different. Includes brand-new St Mary’s short story When Did You Last See Your Father? and original introductions from the author.

Jodi Taylor.
Plan for the Worst.
Headline. 2020

I would have trusted this man with my life. Until a couple of days ago, anyway.

You know what they say hope for the best, but plan for the worst.

Max is quite accustomed to everything going wrong. She’s St Mary’s, after all. Disaster is her default state. But with her family reunited and a jump to Bronze Age Crete in the works, life is getting back to normal. Well, normal for St Mary’s.

And then, following one fateful night at the Tower of London, everything Max thought she knew comes crashing down around her.

Too late for plans. The worst has happened. And who can Max trust now?

Jodi Taylor.
Another Time, Another Place.
Headline. 2021

‘It’s time, Max.’

And so, a whole new chapter opens up…

It’s long been known that if a thing can go wrong, it will. With knobs on, usually. Disasters start to pile up. A new colleague with no respect for the past and a great deal to prove. Historians lost in time. And – worst of all – Rosie Lee on her very first jump. Then there’s the small matter of Max’s dishonourable discharge.

From Tudor England to the Tower of Babel – it’s all going horribly wrong.

Jobless and homeless, Max receives an offer she can’t refuse. Another time, another place. A refuge, perhaps.

She’s got that wrong, too.

Jodi Taylor.
A Catalogue of Catastrophe.
Headline. 2022

Finally – finally! – Max has that nice office job she’s always wanted. The one with no heavy lifting and no one tries to kill her. Well, one out of two’s not bad…

Punching well above their weight, Max and Markham set out to bring down a sinister organisation founded in the future – with a suspicious focus on the past.

Max’s focus is staying alive long enough to reunite with Leon and Matthew, alternately helped and hindered by St Mary’s. Who aren’t always the blessing they like to think they are.

But non-stop leaping around the timeline – from witnessing Magna Carta to disturbing a certain young man with a penchant for gunpowder – is beginning to take its toll. Is Max going mad? Or are the ghosts of the past finally catching up with her?

Jodi Taylor.
The Nothing Girl.
Accent Press. 2014

Getting a life isn’t always easy. And hanging on to it is even harder.

Known as The Nothing Girl because of her stutter, disregarded by her family, isolated and alone, Jenny Dove’s life is magically transformed by the appearance of Thomas, a mystical golden horse only she can see. Under his loving guidance, Jenny acquires a husband – the charming and chaotic Russell Checkland – together with an omnivorous donkey and The Cat From Hell.

Jenny’s life will never be the same again, but a series of ‘accidents’ leads her to wonder for how long she will be allowed to enjoy it.

Jodi Taylor.
The Something Girl.
Accent Press. 2017

The Nothing Girl has grown up…

It’s life as usual at Frogmorton Farm – which is to say that events have passed the merely eccentric and are now galloping headlong towards the completely bizarre.

Once again Jenny struggles to stay afloat in the stormy seas of matrimony with her husband, Russell Checkland, together with an unlikely mix of Patagonian Attack Chickens, Jack the Sad Donkey, and Mrs Crisp’s mysterious boyfriend. The old Favourites are still around, of course. There’s Marilyn the Omnivorous Donkey, Russell’s ex-girlfriend Don’t Call Me Franny, and the neurotic Boxer, currently Failing to deal with butterfly trauma.

So nothing much is new … except for the mysterious figure dogging Jenny’s steps and who, if she didn’t know better, she would swear was her sinister cousin Christopher, last seen being hurled from the house by her wayward husband. He couldn’t possibly be stupid enough to come back and try again … Could he?

Jodi Taylor.
Doing Time.
Headline. 2019

A long time ago in the future, the secret of time travel became known to all. Unsurprisingly, the world nearly ended. There will always be idiots who want to change history.

Enter the Time Police. An all-powerful, international organisation tasked with keeping the timeline straight. At all costs.

Their success is legendary. The Time Wars are over. But now they must fight to save a very different future – their own.

This is the story of Jane, Luke and Matthew – the worst recruits in Time Police history. Or, very possibly, three young people who might change everything.