A Catalogue of Catastrophe is the latest offering from the wonderful Jodi Taylor. The 13th novel in the St. Mary’s series has finally arrived and once again features the Disaster Magnets and the irrepressible Dr “Max” Maxwell. A Catalogue of Catastrophe sees Max and the equally irrepressible Markham in their new roles away from St. Mary’s. Despite facing the unfamiliar and new challenges, as usual whenever the Pros and Cons are around, there is trouble, tomfoolery, tea, and time travel. I adore Jodi’s novels so I couldn’t wait to get stuck into this one. Below is my spoiler free review of ACoC.
Plot
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…
Away from St. Mary’s and their nearest and dearest, Max and Markham have regrouped and found alternative employment whilst the fight to save their beloved institution goes on around them. Despite their separation from their families, everything seems to be going swimmingly until an attempt on their lives is made. This leads them to a shadowy organisation which has a strange fixation on history and potentially catastrophic outcomes.
Determined to discover the truth behind this organisation, and their own connection to it, Max and Markham devise a plan which involves plenty of jumping around the timeline and shenanigans. However, whilst on the trail of this mysterious organisation, Max’s health begins to suffer, threatening not only her mission, but her life. But Max is not prepared to abandon the keys to her pod just yet, and she will stop at nothing to save St. Mary’s.
Verdict
★★★★★
You never know what the St. Mary’s books are going to throw at you. Book number 13 in the series has the usual ingredients: Max on fine form, history, time travel. However, it’s also very different from previous books in the series, proving that it’s just as fresh as ever. This is a real page turner, heart in your mouth at times, part adventure and part thriller as Max is faced with some very different, and difficult, challenges. The plotting is intricate, the writing wonderful, the humour brilliant. 13 may be unlucky for some, but not for fans of St. Mary’s. A five star read.
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