Puritan by David Hingley

Puritan is the follow up to the outstanding Birthright and continues the intriguing story of Mercia Blakewood. Having arrived in America and discovered the whereabouts of the Oxford Section, Mercia is looking forward to seeing a bit more of the New World and accepts an invitation from Governor Winthrop to visit Connecticut. She befriends local healer Clemency Carter and travels into the countryside of New England and the town of Meltwater where Puritan settlers have forged an uneasy alliance with the native tribes. The description of both the landscapes and the harsh lives of the New Englanders are vivid and captivating and the new characters introduced in this novel; Clemency in particular are fascinating. However the peacefulness and beauty are shattered when one of the townspeople is murdered. Mercia is determined to discover why. It soon becomes clear that the tensions between those who support the restoration and those who fought for the commonwealth are just as powerful and dangerous here in the New World as they were back in England. As more murders occur suspicion grows and neighbour turns against neighbour. Soon Mercia finds herself in danger and fighting for her life.

This is a thrilling follow up and I am eager to read more about Mercia Blakewood. A must for fans of historical crime fiction and ideal for fans of Andrew Taylor, SJ Deas and SG MacLean.

Published by Alison&Busby 2017 in hardback.

this review originally appeared in Historical Novels Review Issue 80 May 2017 and can be viewed online 

and this link https://historicalnovelsociety.org/reviews/puritan/ 

The Last Hoseman by David Gilman

David Gilman’s new novel is packed full of intrigue, adventure and excitement. The tale opens in Dublin in 1899 with American Joseph Radcliffe; a lawyer and former soldier. Unafraid to represent radical young men who face the noose as a result of their Fenian beliefs Radcliffe is a thorn in the side of the British establishment. When his young son runs away from boarding school Radcliffe gets information that he has followed some of his friends in the Irish Regiments to the war in South Africa, so he sets off after him along with his old friend and army comrade Benjamin Pierce and they will need every skill they learned in the “Indian Wars” in order to track Edward down. Unfolding alongside this story is sixteen year old Edward’s tale of what he hopes will be a grand adventure and the story of Sheenagh a prostitute on the run for passing information from the Fenian Brotherhood to the British Army. The writing here is skillful and while the story is a page turner full of adventure there are a number of moments in which we are reminded that though most of the characters are fictional the horror of this war was not. Gilman remains neutral in his opinions while still managing to get under the skin of his characters and like all the best historical fiction it is the characters and how they play off each other that really makes the story come alive. A perfect read for fans of Bernard Cornwell.
Reviewed for HNS 78
https://historicalnovelsociety.org/reviews/the-last-horseman/-horseman/

Blog Tour for Conquest Book 1 by Tracey Warr

I am delighted to be taking part in the blog tour for the brilliant new book by historical fiction author Tracey Warr. Check out the review below and check out the details of all the other stops on the blog tour in the banner above.

CONQUEST: DAUGHTER OF THE LAST KING

BY TRACEY WARR

This is the first book in the Conquest trilogy by Tracey Warr and it centres around a number of real historical figures most notably Princess Nest ferch Rhys daughter of the last independent Welsh King; Rhys King of Deheubarth. Nest is captured from her home by Normans invading her lands and held hostage at Cardiff Castle. Nest is just 12 years old when her family are killed and she is placed under the protection of  the Montgomerys and  FitzHamons. Her "captor"  Sybil  soon becomes a friend as Nest trains to be a lady, learning French, History and courtly manners in order to become the wife of a Norman Lord. 

Although the book is peopled with a large cast of characters the relationships are well delineated by the author so that readers don’t become confused and joy of joys there are maps, family trees, historical notes and even a floor plan of Cardiff castle.

Nest is an absolutely fascinating character torn between two cultures and eventually between the love of two men. The book also features letters and journal extracts from other characters; Faithful Knight Haith and his sister Benedicta and Gerald FitzWalter a faithful friend to Nest adding further insight and details about court life and the ongoing fighting between the Normans and Welsh and especially amongst the Normans themselves. This book offers fantastic insight into the lives of women of the period; the frustration of being kept in the dark about events, the lack of control, the insistence on bearing a son and heir and the constant reminders that a woman’s greatest currency is in her ability to bear children.

There is a wonderful quality to Tracey's writing, every character and setting really leaps off the page and I can imagine this book making a fantastic film or television series. 

This is a wonderful novel brilliantly researched and told in a fantastic page turning style it will appeal to fans of Carol McGrath, Joanna Courtney and Patricia Bracewell. I thoroughly enjoyed it and cannot wait for the next instalment. 

Thanks so much to Natalie at Impress Books for the chance to read the book and take part in the blog tour. 

Conquest is available from Impress and published on October1st. 

Letters from Skye by Jessica Brockmole

This review originally appeared as a guest review on Shaz's Book Boudoir http://shazsbookboudoir.blogspot.ie/2014/08/guest-book-review-jessica-brockmole.html



Letters from Skye is the debut novel from Jessica Brockmole. She was inspired by a trip to Skye with her family while she was living in Edinburgh a couple of years ago. The story began as scribbled notes that she wrote just for herself. The story is told entirely through letters between the main characters which I loved and it takes place during both World Wars which I also loved. Beginning in 1912 a young student Davey Graham writes a letter to a poet he admires Elspeth Dunn and she replies and a warm and loving friendship begins. In 1940 the adventurous Margaret writes to her mother and her friend Paul a pilot in the Royal Air Force desperate to discover more about her mother's mysterious past and learn who her father could be. Alternating the two storylines means that the reader cannot resist reading on desperate for more and I found myself finishing this book in a day. An utterly enchanting read which will appeal to fans of quality historical fiction or if like me you just love anything set in Scotland. Thanks so much Sharon and the publishers for the chance to read this wonderful book.
I adored this book I felt it was similar in style and tone to Mrs Sinclair's Suitcase and it's one not to be missed.