In 1666, England’s saffron industry is booming, with the spice fetching a staggering £4 per pound — rivalling gold. Fabian Smith, the sensible second son of a Holborn poulterer, has sacrificed his dreams of adventure for family duty. But when the Great Fire claims his father and his reckless brother plunges them into debt with […]
A Visit to Bedlam by Jemahl Evans
England in 1648, and as the English Civil Wars still simmer, Hezekiah Hillier visits London after the death of his wife and son, and goes to the Hospital of Bedlam to view the inmates. He is falsely imprisoned by his brother in the asylum, but vows to escape and one day have his revenge. Hez […]
Broken Arrow by Griff Hosker
At the dawn of 14th-century England, when loyalty is as fleeting as the winter sun, one man stands at the crossroads of history. Gerald Warbow, the last of the storied archers who fought at Evesham and Falkirk, has all but hung up his bow and settled into the quiet life he has earned. But when […]
Jane Seymour: Patronage, Material Culture and Image Crafting by Elizabeth Norton
Jane Seymour, the third wife of Henry VIII, was queen of England for only 17 months, something which has accounted for the little interest shown in her by historians. In her lifetime, however, she was a significant political figure, while her legacy and memorialization extended beyond her early death following childbirth in October 1537. This […]
Orphan of the Storm by Lizzie Lane
Jamaica 1804, and as the last will and testimony of sugar plantation owner Sir Edward Albert Kildare is disclosed to an eager audience, a loyal servant is brutally murdered and a young girl’s life hangs in the balance. With the help of a guardian angel, young Lochranza Kildare, is spirited back to England under the […]
Swords of Troy by Anthony Riches
For Leonteus, bastard son of the former king of Argos, being the hegemon of his half-brother King Diomedes’ bodyguard is what he has trained for his entire life. But the stability of the land of the Achaeans is suddenly rent in two by the abduction of King Menelaus’s queen, Helen, by a prince of Troy. […]
Pale Mistress by Naomi Kelsey
Cyprus in the 16th century. Murder, lies and vengeance have left lovers dead, promises broken and no one to trust. Only one woman survives, Bianca. The slain? History knows their names: Emilia, Desdemona, Othello. But why do we not know Bianca? Who was the pale mistress? Liar or lied to? Instigator or victim? In telling […]
The Variety Girls by Betty Firth
In March, 1940, Bradford mill girl Molly Clough can hardly believe it when she successfully auditions for ENSA, the organisation that entertains the troops. Despite the much-mocked ENSA’s reputation as ‘Every Night Something Awful’, singing on stage feels like a dream come true for Molly. But as she tours with her troupe, the Forces Follies, […]