historical fiction – Page 29

Today, I’m welcoming Anna Belfrage and her new book, Their Castilian Orphan, to the blog with an excerpt #blogtour #historicalfiction #historicalromance #blogtour

Here’s an excerpt from Their Castilian Orphan

In which Lionel—still hurting after having been told everything he though he knew about his parentage is a lie—and Noor reconcile

Noor had only visited the huge abbey church once before. As she recalled, it had been full of pilgrims and clerics, the sour scent of sweat and grime mingling with that of incense. She’d been too uncomfortable by the press of people to truly take in the magnificence of this huge space consecrated to God, but today, as she followed Father Alain in, the church was relatively empty. It was an hour or so after prime, and she was out of breath after hurrying after the priest, who’d appeared at their little inn, insisting she accompany him.

Despite the early hour, Robert and his men had already left for Clerkenwell. Elena was still asleep on the pallet in the room she shared with Noor and Robert, but Noor herself had been up since dawn, unable to sleep. All night, Lionel’s words had gnawed at her, and even if Robert was probably right when he said the lad did not mean them—not really—they still hurt. They hurt even more when she considered that they were still lying to him, still denying him his true lineage. But to tell him was impossible, for his sake as well as theirs.

“Beautiful, isn’t it?” Father Alain murmured beside her, and she bit back an annoyed remark along the lines that she had other matters preying on her mind—far more important matters. But she reluctantly agreed he was right, amazed by the vivid colours that wound their way up the wooden screens that portioned off the various chapels, the statues in red and blue and gold. She craned her head back to study the ceiling so high up above, and from beyond the rood screen came the sound of singing.

Robes swished as a group of priests passed by. A couple of women stood close together and prayed, and Noor bent her head and clasped her hands. Dearest Lord, keep Lionel safe. Safe from his true past, safe from too much suffering and pain. Help him find his way; help him know that he is so, so loved.

Father Alain’s touch on her arm brought her out of her fervent praying.

“He’s over there,” he said, dipping his head to gesture to a small shape that sat hunched in a corner, knees to his chest. “He was here when I came for prime. I think he has slept as badly as you have.” He gave her a smile. “Go on. He needs his mother.”

“He told me yesterday that I am not his mother.”

Father Alain brushed her cheek. “Of course you are. You have loved him and cared for him since he was a swaddled babe. Who else deserves to be called his mother? Those words, he said them in anger—and he regrets them.”

“Did he say as much?”

“Nay. But it suffices to look at him, don’t you think?”

Noor approached Lionel hesitantly. Once she reached him, she crouched before him, only to realise he was fast asleep, his face streaked with tear tracks. As she’d done so many times in his life, she adjusted his coif, cupping his cheek in the process. Still the downy cheek of a young lad, but when he opened his eyes, he looked far too weary for a lad not yet twelve.

“I am sorry,” he said hoarsely.

“So am I.” She slid down to sit on the floor beside him, ignoring the disapproving tsk from a passing priest. “But it was never my intention to cause you pain. All I wanted was to keep you safe—and with me.”

He nodded. “What was he like, my father?”

She frowned. “Dark hair, dark eyes, shorter than Robert and slim rather than stout. Strong shoulders, though. You could see he was a man accustomed to handling weapons.”

“Do I look like him?”

She studied him. “Maybe. I never knew him as a lad—truth is, I didn’t know him at all. He just rode into Orton Manor and asked me to take care of you.”

“Why?”

Noor sighed. “I do not know. There was so much upheaval at the time: Robert was God knows where helping the king finalise his conquest, there was falling out among the Welsh, far too many Marcher lords eager to claim more land from the defeated Welsh. A veritable quagmire, and I think your father found it hard to navigate through such turbulent times.”

“Do you believe he fought against the English?”

She knew he had. Fought and lost and died so, so bravely that distant day in Shrewsbury.

“I do not know,” she lied. Holy Mother, save her soul! But this lie was for Lionel’s sake, not hers. “I think that had he been fighting against the English, he’d have left you with his Welsh kin. Instead, he left—”

“Kin? You were his kin?”

“His very distant, very English kin,” she replied drily. “My grandmother was Welsh,” she offered.

“So you are my kin as well,” Lionel said, leaning against her. She wrapped an arm round his shoulders.

“I am.”

They sat like that for a while until Lionel began fidgeting. “I must get back,” he muttered. “Wilbur will be most displeased with me for slipping out as I did.” He exhaled. “He’ll likely belt me.”

Noor shot to her feet. “What? Do you want me to talk to him?”

Lionel looked horrified. “No! I can take it. Besides, Wilbur isn’t like Ambrose.”

“How so?” Father Alain asked, rising from where he’d been sunk in his own private devotions.

“Ambrose liked to hurt. Wilbur doesn’t.” Lionel shrugged.

Together, they made for the western doors. When they were some yards away, a clerk came scurrying from the direction of the choir, his sandals clacking on the stone floor. Noor had an impression of someone of a height with her and very thin, his face angular and dominated by shrewd eyes under heavy brows.

The man hurried by. Lionel grabbed hold of Noor’s kirtle. “That’s him,” he hissed. “That’s Humphrey!”

He’d not kept his voice down. The clerk turned, frowning at Lionel before glancing at Noor. He paled, even more so when he caught sight of Father Alain. With a little yelp, he took to his feet, leaping like a hunted hart towards the door.

“Well,” Father Alain said. “That was unfortunate.”

“Do you think he’ll flee?” Noor asked.

“I hope he does, for his sake. I hope he isn’t foolish enough to mention to his lord and master that we might know who he is.” Father Alain looked grim.

“Why would that be foolish?” Lionel asked.

“Eustace might be displeased,” Noor said lightly. “He expects Humphrey to keep to the shadows.” She ushered Lionel outside. “You hurry back to Wilbur and apologise profoundly. Tell him your foster mother desired your companionship for prime.”

Lionel nodded and trotted off.

“And Lionel,” she called, causing him to stop. She caught up with him. “Stay well away from Eustace—and Humphrey. Promise.”

Here’s the blurb

It is 1294 and Eustace de Lamont is back in England after five years in exile. He will stop at nothing to ruin Robert FitzStephan and his wife, Noor d’Outremer.

Robert’s half brother, Eustace de Lamont, has not mellowed during his absence. He is more ruthless than ever, and this time he targets Robert’s and Noor’s foster son, Lionel.

Lionel is serving King Edward as a page when Eustace appears at court. Not only does Lionel become the horrified witness to Eustace’s violent streak, Eustace also starts voicing his suspicions about Lionel’s parentage. The truth about Lionel’s heritage is explosive—should King Edward find out, all would be lost for Robert and Noor.

In October of 1294, Wales rises in rebellion. Robert must leave his family unprotected to fight the Welsh rebels on the king’s behalf, comforted only by the fact that Eustace too is called to fight.

Except that Eustace has no intention of allowing his duty to his king—or a mere rebellion—come between him and his desire to destroy Robert FitzStephan . . .

Buy Links

This title is available to read on #KindleUnlimited.

Universal buy link: https://mybook.to/TCO

Meet the author

Had Anna been allowed to choose, she’d have become a time-traveller. As this was impossible, she became a financial professional with three absorbing interests: history, romance and writing. Anna has authored the acclaimed time travelling series The Graham Saga, set in 17^th century Scotland and Maryland, as well as the equally acclaimed medieval series The King’s Greatest Enemy which is set in 14^th century England. Anna has just released the final instalment, Their Castilian Orphan, in her other medieval series, The Castilian Saga ,which is set against the conquest of Wales. She has recently released Times of Turmoil, a sequel to her time travel romance, The Whirlpools of Time, and is now considering just how to wiggle out of setting the next book in that series in Peter the Great’s Russia, as her characters are demanding. . .

All of Anna’s books have been awarded the IndieBRAG Medallion, she has several Historical Novel Society Editor’s Choices, and one of her books won the HNS Indie Award in 2015. She is also the proud recipient of various Reader’s Favorite medals as well as having won various Gold, Silver and Bronze Coffee Pot Book Club awards.

“A master storyteller”

“This is what all historical fiction should be like. Superb.”

Find out more about Anna, her books and enjoy her eclectic historical blog on her website, www.annabelfrage.com

Connect with the author

Website: www.annabelfrage.com

Twitter: https://twitter.com/abelfrageauthor

Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/abelfrageauthor.bsky.social

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/annabelfrageauthor

Instagram: https://instagram.com/annabelfrageauthor

Book Bub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/anna-belfrage

Amazon Author Page: http://Author.to/ABG

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6449528.Anna_Belfrage

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I’m welcoming Kinley Bryan and her new book, The Lost Women of Mill Street to the blog with a fantastic guest post #histfic

Mill Life in the Antebellum South

In the opening pages of The Lost Women of Mill Street, sisters Clara and Kitty Douglas each work a pair of power looms in a Roswell, Georgia, cotton mill. The Civil War has been raging for more than three years and will soon find its way to their village.

Like (fictional) Clara and Kitty, most mill workers in the antebellum South came from small, struggling farms, and their income was needed to make ends meet. Mill owners often recruited families who could provide several workers, as is the case with Clara and Kitty, whose mother, now deceased, had come with them to the mill years earlier.

At the Roswell mills and others throughout the South, employees went to work at sunrise and labored for ten to twelve hours, six days a week. Working conditions were poor: the noise was deafening, the ever-present dust and lint caused health problems, and the heat and humidity could be overwhelming. Working the rapidly moving spinning frames and power looms was dangerous: fingers, long hair, or clothing could become entangled in the machinery, causing severe injury or even death.

Some antebellum mill owners were slaveowners, and a small number of them put enslaved men to work in the mills doing the heaviest work: moving large bales of cotton, loading wagons with finished goods, and working in the pickers room, where raw cotton was cleaned of dirt and seeds. Black women were generally excluded from mill work.

While a small number of white men were employed by the mills, working as loom fixers or supervisors, the labor of poor white women and children was the cheapest. Women held jobs in the spinning and weaving rooms. Children worked entry-level jobs such as spinner or doffer. The spinner’s job was to move quickly up and down a row of machines, repairing breaks and snags. A doffer removed bobbins holding spun fiber from a spinning frame and replaced them with empty ones.

The mills featured in my novel are owned by the Roswell Manufacturing Company. Founded in 1839, the company became one of the largest textile mill operations in Georgia. Though the mills thrived, the mill workers did not. They were paid in scrip, which they spent at the company store for goods and supplies, after rent for factory housing was deducted from their pay. If they became sick or injured from the hazardous working conditions, there was no employer-provided health care or sick pay.

A source that was invaluable to my research on textile mills of the era, Neither Lady nor Slave: Working Women of the Old South, states that despite the Roswell mills’ success, the owners showed little concern for their employees’ welfare: “When new state legislation required operatives’ working hours be limited to from sunup to sundown, the board members voted that all Roswell employees, the majority of whom were women and children, could either work under the new laws but suffer reduced wages or work the old, longer hours for the same pay.”

During the Civil War, the Roswell mills produced gray woolen cloth for Confederate uniforms, as well as military supplies such as tent cloth, candlewick, and rope. When Federal troops arrived in Roswell during General Sherman’s 1864 advance through Georgia, it wasn’t surprising that they destroyed the mills. What was surprising was that the mill workers, mostly women and children, were arrested and sent hundreds of miles north.

In The Lost Women of Mill Street, Clara and Kitty’s experiences are based on actual events, and their troubles at the mill are just the beginning.

Here’s the blurb

1864: As Sherman’s army marches toward Atlanta, a cotton mill commandeered by the Confederacy lies in its path. Inside the mill, Clara Douglas weaves cloth and watches over her sister Kitty, waiting for the day her fiancé returns from the West.

When Sherman’s troops destroy the mill, Clara’s plans to start a new life in Nebraska are threatened. Branded as traitors by the Federals, Clara, Kitty, and countless others are exiled to a desolate refugee prison hundreds of miles from home.

Cut off from all they’ve ever known, Clara clings to hope while grappling with doubts about her fiancé’s ambitions and the unsettling truths surrounding his absence. As the days pass, the sisters find themselves thrust onto the foreign streets of Cincinnati, a city teeming with uncertainty and hostility. She must summon reserves of courage, ingenuity, and strength she didn’t know she had if they are to survive in an unfamiliar, unwelcoming land.

Inspired by true events of the Civil War, The Lost Women of Mill Street is a vividly drawn novel about the bonds of sisterhood, the strength of women, and the repercussions of war on individual lives.

Buy Link

https://books2read.com/lostwomenofmillstreet

Meet the author

Kinley Bryan’s debut novel, Sisters of the Sweetwater Fury, inspired by the Great Lakes Storm of 1913 and her own family history, won the 2022 Publishers Weekly Selfies Award for adult fiction. An Ohio native, she lives in South Carolina with her husband and three children. The Lost Women of Mill Street is her second novel.

Connect with the author

Website: https://kinleybryan.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/kinleybauthor

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KinleyBryanWrites

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kinleybryanauthor/

Book Bub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/kinley-bryan

Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Kinley-Bryan/author/B09J5GWDLX

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/21892910.Kinley_Bryan

Follow The Lost Women of Mill Street blog tour with The Coffee Pot Book Club

I’m delighted to welcome KJ McGillick and her new book, Whispers Through The Canvas, to the blog #blogtour #newrelease #mystery

I always love to hear how authors research their historical characters and events. KJ McGillick shares how she researched for her new book, Whispers Through the Canvas.

Howard Dynasty

To study the powerful Howard dynasty of Tudor England, I consulted a variety of digitized primary sources available online such as wills, letters, court records, and literary works from the era. Searching through these collections, I found references to key Howard figures like the poet Henry Howard, Earl of Surrey and his ill-fated relatives. Contemporary accounts provided glimpses into the scandals, romantic entanglements, and power dynamics playing out at the royal court and aristocratic estates. Family correspondence shed light on inheritance disputes among the duke’s children. Literary pieces like Surrey’s poems and writings by other Howards offered additional perspectives on their remarkable century – chronicling their ascent, arts patronage, and the perils their elite status invited.

Levina Teerlinc
To learn about Levina Teerlinc, one of the earliest professional female artists in Renaissance England, I turned to digitized primary sources and secondary analyses available online. High-resolution images of Teerlinc’s exquisite miniature portraits hosted by museums revealed her skill at capturing likenesses. I searched literature databases for any mentions of Teerlinc from writings of her era, finding scattered records confirming her lifelong court employment. While limited biographical details survive, historians have reconstructed some context about her Flemish origins and artistic training based on fragments of evidence. Scholarly articles also examined her pioneering role as an art tutor to noble pupils.

Witchcraft 16th Century

To investigate 16th century England’s witchcraft accusations and trials, I immersed myself in digitized primary sources and scholarly research available online. This allowed me to examine the social tensions, religious upheaval, and cultural forces behind the deadly persecution of alleged witches. I accessed sensationalized literature published during the witch-hunting frenzy, providing window into the paranoia around women supposedly consorting with the devil. Legal records and transcripts illuminated how flimsy the evidence used to condemn the accused often was – a person’s reputation, a death, or unexplained misfortune could prompt charges. Scholarly journal articles analyzed the complex sociopolitical tensions of the Reformation era that enabled witchcraft hysteria to take hold, from anxieties over female autonomy to ruling elite distrust of the peasantry.

16^th century Occult Symbols

To explore the fascinating world of occult symbols and their place in 16th century English society, I delved into a range of digitized primary source materials and secondary scholarship available online.

One key resource was literature databases containing published works from the era. I examined texts on astrology, alchemy, magic, and esoteric philosophies for insight into the symbolic languages and imagery employed by occult practitioners and their beliefs. Engravings and woodcuts accompanying these works provided a visual catalogue of seals, sigils, and emblems.

I also searched through digitized diaries, letters, and accounts of the time for references to the use of occult symbols and coded markings in both elite and folk traditions. Correspondence between royals, nobles, and scholars sometimes mentioned encrypted communications or arcane symbolic meanings.

Court records, witness depositions, and transcripts from witchcraft trials offered a window into societal suspicion surrounding the perceived nefarious use and misuse of symbols and markings associated with magic and the supernatural. The language and suspicions revealed in these documents shed light on prevailing attitudes.

Additionally, I consulted digitized archaeological reports, inventories of home goods, and material culture studies to trace actual artifacts and objects bearing occult symbols that survived from 16th century England – whether tools, talismans or architecture.

By synthesizing evidence from these various sources, I could begin mapping the complex cosmological, mystical, and coded symbolic vernacular of the Renaissance era and how it manifested in art, writings, personal practice, and dangerous accusations.

Intrigued? Here’s the blurb.

Here’s the blurb

Murder… Across The Fractured Corridors of Time.

Plunged into a centuries-old conspiracy, unconventional art historian Rowan Southeil must race against time to stop an ancient evil from rewriting history. When a young artist is murdered in a chilling echo of medieval violence, Rowan finds herself drawn to a seemingly unrelated clue – a 16th-century painting drenched in arcane symbols. Aided by the victim’s haunting presence, Rowan delves into the painting’s mysterious past, uncovering a dark conspiracy that stretches back generations.

Teaming up with the pragmatic Detective Lancaster, the intuitive Rowan follows a daring journey through time, from the storied halls of 16th-century Tudor London to the secretive 17th-century Vatican. As she awakens powerful elemental forces within herself, Rowan must decipher the painting’s secrets – and the connection to the medieval-style murder – before Lev Rubilov, a dark centuries-old occultist, can harness its magic to rewrite history and restore a twisted vision of the past.

For fans of genre-blending thrillers like A Discovery of Witches and Outlander, this captivating novel weaves together mystery, the supernatural, and high-stakes time travel in a race against the clock to stop an ancient evil. Whispers Through The Canvas is a crime story, filled with action and adventure, within a historical fantasy milieu. If you love kick-ass heroines who have a bit of life experience and walk on the wild side of magic, this book is for you.

Purchase Links

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CTHSC2H5/

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0CTHSC2H5/

Meet the author

From the bustling courtrooms of Atlanta to the vibrant tapestry of 16th-century England, Kathleen McGillick’s life and career have been a captivating blend of legal expertise, artistic passion, and a thirst for adventure.

Fueled by an undergraduate and graduate degree in nursing, Kathleen built a foundation of compassion and care. This dedication to service later led her to pursue a Juris Doctorate, allowing her to navigate the intricacies of the legal system for nearly three decades. Her courtroom experience now breathes life into the intricate details of her legal thrillers, ensuring every courtroom scene crackles with authenticity.

But Kathleen’s story doesn’t end there. A deep fascination with art history led her to delve into the world of renowned artists and captivating eras. Her particular passion for 16th-century British history allows her to transport readers to richly detailed historical settings, immersing them in the culture, politics, and societal nuances of the time.

Driven by an unwavering dedication to her craft, Kathleen has independently published eleven legal thrillers since 2018. Her commitment extends beyond solo creation, as she actively engages with the writing community, honing her skills through workshops and courses led by renowned authors.

And when she’s not crafting captivating narratives, Kathleen embarks on international journeys, soaking in diverse cultures and experiences that further enrich her writing. This global perspective adds another layer of depth and realism to her stories, allowing readers to connect with characters and settings that transcend geographical boundaries.

To delve deeper into Kathleen’s world and explore her captivating legal thrillers, visit her website at kjmcgillick.com.

Connect with the author

kjmcgillick.com

https://www.goodreads.com/kmcgillick

https://www.facebook.com/KJMcGillickauthor/

I’m delighted to welcome Ann Bennett and her new book, A Rose In The Blitz, to the blog #HistoricalFiction #HistoricalRomance #WorldWarII #BlogTour #TheCoffeePotBookClub

I’m delighted to welcome Ann Bennett and her new book, A Rose In The Blitz of the Sisters of War series, to the blog.

Here’s the blurb

Escape into the dramatic world of London during the Blitz in this sweeping family saga of love, war and betrayal.

Northamptonshire: 1980: Wealthy landowner, Hadan Rose, is dying. His daughter, May, rushes to his country estate, Rose Park, with her daughter, Rachel, to nurse him through his final days.

In the afternoons, while Hadan sleeps, May tells Rachel about her wartime experiences.

In 1940, Three of the four Rose sisters leave Rose Park to serve the war effort. May, the youngest is left behind. But she soon runs away from home to join an ambulance crew in London. She experiences the horrors of the Blitz first-hand but what happens to her there has remained secret her whole life.

In 1980, at Rose Park, Rachel wanders through the old house, looking at old photographs and papers, uncovering explosive family secrets from ninety years before. Secrets that her grandfather wanted to take to his grave. At the local pub, Rachel meets Daniel Walters, a local journalist and musician who takes an interest in her. But can she trust him, or does he have an ulterior motive for seeking her company?

As the secrets of the past gradually reveal themselves, both Rachel and May realise that their worlds are forever changed.

Fans of Lucinda Riley, Dinah Jeffries and Victoria Hislop will love this escapist wartime saga, Book 1 in the Rose Park Chronicles.

Buy Link

Universal Link:

This title is available to read on #KinldeUnlimited

Meet the Author

Ann Bennett is a British author of historical fiction. Her first book, Bamboo Heart: A Daughter’s Quest, was inspired by researching her father’s experience as a prisoner of war on the Thai-Burma Railway and by her own travels in South-East Asia. Since then, that initial inspiration has led her to write more books about the second world war in SE Asia. Bamboo Island: The Planter’s Wife, A Daughter’s Promise, Bamboo Road: The Homecoming, The Tea Planter’s Club, The Amulet and her latest release The Fortune Teller of Kathmandu are also about WWII in South East Asia. All seven make up the Echoes of Empire Collection.

Ann is also the author of The Lake Pavilion, The Lake Palace, both set in British India during the 1930s and WWII, and The Lake Pagoda and The Lake Villa, both set in French Indochina. The Runaway Sisters, bestselling The Orphan House, The Child Without a Home and The Forgotten Children are set in Europe during the same era and are published by Bookouture.

Ann is married with three grown up sons and a granddaughter and lives in Surrey, UK. For more details please visit www.annbennettauthor.com.

Connect with the Author

Website: BookBub:

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I’m delighted to welcome back David Fitz-Gerald and his new book, Snarling Wolf, to the blog #WesternAdventure #AmericanWest #WildWest #HistoricalWestern #NewRelease #BlogTour #TheCoffeePotBookClub

I’m delighted to welcome back David Fitz-Gerald and his new book, Snarling Wolf, book 4 in the Ghosts Along the Oregon Trail series, to the blog with a series trailer.

Series Trailer

Ghosts Along the Oregon Trail series trailer

Here’s the blurb

Dive back into the gripping, frontier chaos. Snarling Wolf is the fourth adventurous installment in the Ghosts Along the Oregon Trail series.

The famed Snake River marks the point the wagon master claims that all the greenhorns turn loco. After twelve hundred grueling miles and four relentless months on the trail, the expedition teeters on the brink. Frayed nerves, exhausted patience, and the specter of doom cast a dark cloud over the travelers.

At every turn, new dangers emerge. A young man who is like a brother to Dorcas Moon is ravaged in a mountain lion attack. A heat wave grips the dusty, barren plains and spreads sickness. The wolves that lurk in the shadows edge closer. Even the rattlesnakes seem emboldened.

Dorcas’ daughter, Rose’s descent into madness can no longer be ignored. What began as an eerie preoccupation with death takes a shocking turn when Rose reveals her truths. Dorcas is thrust into a realm of disbelief, and her worst fears about Rose’s mysterious suitor become a stark reality.

As weary emigrants yearn for respite, tales of murderous outlaws spread like wildfire across the prairie. Passing strangers share the latest terrifying news. It’s only a matter of when, not if, the notorious highwaymen will strike. Which bend of the mighty snake shelters the feared outlaws?

Grab your copy of Snarling Wolf now and unveil the next chapter in Dorcas Moon’s relentless saga. Sink your teeth into this tale of survival, madness, and the unyielding spirit of those who brave the treacherous migration.

Buy Link

Universal Link:

This title is available to read on #KindleUnlimited

Meet the Author

David Fitz-Gerald writes westerns and historical fiction. He is the author of twelve books, including the brand-new series, Ghosts Along the Oregon Trail set in 1850. Dave is a multiple Laramie Award, first place, best in category winner; a Blue Ribbon Chanticleerian; a member of Western Writers of America; and a member of the Historical Novel Society.

Alpine landscapes and flashy horses always catch Dave’s eye and turn his head. He is also an Adirondack 46-er, which means that he has hiked to the summit of the range’s highest peaks. As a mountaineer, he’s happiest at an elevation of over four thousand feet above sea level.

Dave is a lifelong fan of western fiction, landscapes, movies, and music. It should be no surprise that Dave delights in placing memorable characters on treacherous trails, mountain tops, and on the backs of wild horses.

Connect with the Author

Website: BookBub: Linktree:

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#TheLastKing is 4 years old.

If you’ve been with Coelwulf, Rudolf, Icel, Edmund and Pybba since the beginning, then you’re probably with me in trying to work out how 4 years have gone by since the release of the first book. There are now eight (well really nine and a half, as book 9 is written but not yet released, and book 10 is well underway) books in all, as well as a short story collection, Coelwulf’s Company.

If you’ve not yet discovered The Mercian Kingdom: The Ninth Century series, then you’ve in for a treat, as long as you’re not easily offended by foul language and violence – although if you are, there are Cleaner versions available without quite so much swearing. Follow this link, as they can be a bit tricky to find on Amazon.

Don’t forget to check out the short story collection, Coelwulf’s Company.

If you follow the link, here (to Bookfunnel) you can also download a copy of The New Recruit, a short story I wrote while working on The Last Seven.

The Last King books are available in ebook, paperback and hardback, and The Last King (book 1 ) is also available in audio.

The Last Viking (the most recent release) is currently 99p/99c on Amazon UK/Canada/Australia and reduced in all territories for a limited time only.

The Last King is also available to read with Prime Reading on Amazon UK.

Check out all the details for The Mercian Kingdom: The Ninth Century.

Today, I’m spotlighting the new release, The Family Home by Lorraine Mace #blogtour #thriller

Here’s the blurb

IS BLOOD ALWAYS THICKER THAN WATER?

Sally has lived in fear of her husband long enough. But after twenty years of suffering, she has been left with nothing of her own and no one to turn to – except her estranged sister, Alison.

When Alison agrees to help Sally escape, she knows she must return to the one place she was told never to show her face again – the family home – and confront her father once more.

But soon, Sally begins to suspect that all is not as it seems, and as she is forced to face the ghosts of the past, she discovers there may be secrets hidden in her own memory that are best left buried . . .

A twisting and compulsive page-turner, with a shocking twist. If you love Keri Beevis, L H Stacey and K. L. Slater, you’ll love The Family Home.

Purchase Links

UK Paperback

UK Ebook:

US Ebook

US Paperback

Meet the author

Born and raised in South East London, Lorraine lived and worked in South Africa, on the Island of Gozo and in France before settling on the Costa del Sol in Spain. She lives with her partner in a traditional Spanish village inland from the coast and enjoys sampling the regional dishes and ever-changing tapas in the local bars. Her knowledge of Spanish is expanding. To stop her waistline from doing the same, she runs five times a week.

Lorraine is the author of the D.I. Sterling series and two psychological thrillers, The Guest and The Family Home.

Connect with the author

Website: www.lorrainemace.com

Twitter: https://twitter.com/lomace

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mace_lorraine/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LorraineMaceAuthor

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1336955.Lorraine_Mace

It’s publication day for The Unspeakable Acts of Zina Pavlov by Eleni Kiriacou #blogtour #NewRelease #histfic

Here’s the blurb

THEY HAVE TOLD SO MANY LIES ABOUT ME.

London, 1954. Zina Pavlou, a Cypriot grandmother, waits quietly in the custody of the Metropolitan police. She can’t speak their language, but she understands what their wary looks mean: she has been accused of the brutal murder of her daughter-in-law.

Eva Georgiou, Greek interpreter for the Met, knows how it feels to be voiceless as an immigrant woman. While she works as Zina’s translator, her obsession with the case deepens, and so too does her bond with the accused murderer.

Zina can’t speak for herself. She can’t clear her own name. All she can do is wait for the world to decide…

IS SHE A VICTIM? OR IS SHE A KILLER?

A compelling historical crime novel set in the Greek diaspora of 1950s London – that’s inspired by a true story – The Unspeakable Acts of Zina Pavlou is perfect for fans of Erin Kelly, Sara Collins, and Jessie Burton.

Purchase Link

https://geni.us/TUAOZPRRR

Meet the author

Eleni Kyriacou is an award-winning editor and journalist. Her writing has appeared in the Guardian, the Observer, Grazia, and Red, among others. She’s the daughter of Greek Cypriot immigrant parents, and her debut novel, She Came To Stay, was published in 2020. Her latest novel, The Unspeakable Acts of Zina Pavlou, is inspired by the true-crime story of the penultimate woman to be executed in Britain. Follow her on and http://www.elenikwriter.com.

Connect with the author

Twitter: @EleniKWriter

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Website: www.elenikwriter.com

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I’m delighted to welcome Stella Riley and her new book, A Splendid Defiance, to the blog #HistoricalFiction #HistoricalRomance #EnglishCivilWar #BlogTour #TheCoffeePotBookClub

I’m delighted to welcome Stella Riley and her new book, A Splendid Defiance, a Roundheads & Cavaliers book, to the blog with an excerpt from Chapter 2: Bargaining with the enemy.

Chapter 2: Bargaining with the enemy

Jonas did not know if he was irritated or relieved to hear that Captain Ambrose awaited him in the shop. He loathed the garrison but a review of the last quarter’s figures had revealed a far from satisfactory state of affairs which meant he needed the Captain’s business. This, however, did not make him any less uncivil than usual and he said, ‘I begin to find your persistence annoying.’

‘I’m sure,’ agreed Justin. ‘But the remedy is in your own hands. And you won’t be the first to sacrifice your principles in exchange for hard cash.’

Jonas’s gaze sharpened.

‘Is that how you would pay? No promissory notes?’

‘No. We have the money. What we don’t have is endless time to discuss the matter. If the men are to have decent coats this winter, we need the cloth – and sooner rather than later. If you won’t supply it, I’ll apply to Oxford. Your choice … but if you can’t make it, then I must. Well?’

Jonas stared at the worldly elegance before him and longed for the satisfaction of refusing. Bitter rage burned in his breast and his frustration channelled itself into hatred for the man in front of him.

‘Very well. Broadcloth or worsted?’

The Captain expressed a preference for broadcloth. Jonas named his price and the Captain laughed.

‘Oh no, Mr. Radford. I realise that the damage done to your finer feelings will require compensation – but I’m not willing to be robbed. Try again.’

‘Robbed?’ echoed Jonas. ‘Do you think I can’t guess where you get the ‘hard cash’ you boast of?’

‘On the contrary, I’m very sure that you can. But I am equally sure that you will find our transaction less painful if you avoid thinking of it.’

Jonas’s answer was a diatribe against Cavalier lawlessness and vice. Captain Ambrose waited until he paused for breath and then said, ‘This is war, Mr. Radford. The Parliament attacks our convoys and we theirs. It is unfortunate but necessary. I doubt any of us takes any pleasure in it.’

‘Pleasure is all your kind ever think about!’ spat Jonas. ‘But God sees all and is not deceived. And you might remember that, if war makes thieves –’

‘Peace hangs them. Quite.’ Bored grey eyes met smouldering black ones. ‘But I’m not here to justify either myself or my cause – and I don’t have all day to waste while you preach. Fifteen shillings the yard and not a farthing more.’

Here’s the blurb

For two years England has been in the grip of Civil War. In Banbury, Oxfordshire, the Cavaliers hold the Castle, the Roundheads want it back and the town is full of zealous Puritans.

Consequently, the gulf between Captain Justin Ambrose and Abigail Radford, the sister of a fanatically religious shopkeeper, ought to be unbridgeable.

The key to both the fate of the Castle and that of Justin and Abigail lies in defiance. But will it be enough?

A Splendid Defiance is a dramatic and enchanting story of forbidden love, set against the turmoil and anguish of the English Civil War.

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Special Tour Price: Ebook £1.95/ US $1.95 (and equivalent) for the duration of the tour

Meet the Author

Winner of four gold medals for historical romance and sixteen Book Readers’ Appreciation Medallions, Stella Riley lives in the beautiful medieval town of Sandwich in Kent.

She is fascinated by the English Civil Wars and has written six books set in that period. These, like the 7 book Rockliffe series, the Brandon Brothers trilogy and, most recently The Shadow Earl, are all available in audio, performed by Alex Wyndham.

Stella enjoys travel, reading, theatre, Baroque music and playing the harpsichord. She also has a fondness for men with long hair – hence her 17th and 18th century heroes.

Connect with the Author

Website: BookBub:

Follow the A Splendid Defiance blog tour with The Coffee Pot Book Cub

I’m delighted to welcome Malve von Hassel and her new book, The Falconer’s Apprentice, to the blog #HistoricalFiction #HolyRomanEmpire #FrederickII #CasteldelMonte #falconry #MedievalMedicine #BlogTour #TheCoffeePotBookClub

I’m delighted to welcome Malve von Hassel and her new book, The Falconer’s Apprentice, to the blog.

Here’s the blurb

THE FALCONER’S APPRENTICE is a story of adventure and intrigue set in the intense social and political unrest of the Holy Roman Empire in the thirteenth century.

“That bird should be destroyed!”

Andreas stared at Ethelbert in shock. Blood from an angry-looking gash on the young lord’s cheek dripped onto his embroidered tunic. Andreas clutched the handles of the basket containing the young peregrine. Perhaps this was a dream—

Andreas, an apprentice falconer at Castle Kragenberg, cannot bear the thought of killing the young female falcon and smuggles her out of the castle. Soon he realizes that his own time there has come to an end, and he stows away, with the bird, in the cart of an itinerant trader, Richard of Brugge.

So begins a series of adventures that lead him from an obscure castle in northern Germany to the farthest reaches of Frederick von Hohenstaufen’s Holy Roman Empire, following a path dictated by the wily trader’s mysterious mission. Andreas continues to improve his falconry skills, but he also learns to pay attention to what is happening around him as he travels through areas fraught with political unrest.

Eventually, Richard confides in Andreas, and they conspire to free Enzio, the eldest of the emperor’s illegitimate sons, from imprisonment in Bologna.

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This title is also available to read on #KindleUnlimited

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Meet the Author

Malve von Hassell is a freelance writer, researcher, and translator. She holds a Ph.D. in anthropology from the New School for Social Research. Working as an independent scholar, she published The Struggle for Eden: Community Gardens in New York City (Bergin & Garvey 2002) and Homesteading in New York City 1978-1993: The Divided Heart of Loisaida (Bergin & Garvey 1996). She has also edited her grandfather Ulrich von Hassell’s memoirs written in prison in 1944, Der Kreis schließt sich – Aufzeichnungen aus der Haft 1944 (Propylaen Verlag 1994).

She has taught at Queens College, Baruch College, Pace University, and Suffolk County Community College, while continuing her work as a translator and writer.

Malve has published two children’s picture books, Tooth Fairy (Amazon KDP 2012/2020), and Turtle Crossing (Amazon KDP 2023), and her translation and annotation of a German children’s classic by Tamara Ramsay, Rennefarre: Dott’s Wonderful Travels and Adventures (Two Harbors Press, 2012).

The Falconer’s Apprentice (2015/KDP 2024) was her first historical fiction novel for young adults. She has published Alina: A Song for the Telling (BHC Press, 2020), set in Jerusalem in the time of the crusades, and The Amber Crane (Odyssey Books, 2021), set in Germany in 1645 and 1945, as well as a biographical work about a woman coming of age in Nazi Germany, Tapestry of My Mother’s Life: Stories, Fragments, and Silences (Next Chapter Publishing, 2021), also available in German, Bildteppich Eines Lebens: Erzählungen Meiner Mutter, Fragmente Und Schweigen (Next Chapter Publishing, 2022), and is working on a historical fiction trilogy featuring Adela of Blois.