The Manningtree Witches by A.K. Blakemore follows Rebecca West during the 17th century witch hunt craze in England, spearheaded by "Witchfinder General" Matthew Hopkins (again, I couldn't help picturing Vincent Price given his film.) Similar to Margaret Meyer's The Witching Tide, the women of Manningtree are one by one accused by Hopkins and his associates… Continue reading Review: The Manningtree Witches by A.K. Blakemore
I Am Cleopatra by Natasha Solomons follows teen to young adult-aged Cleopatra contending with the threat of Rome. When the Pharaoh, Cleopatra's father, dies and Rome sets its sights on Alexandria, Cleopatra takes stock of her country's leadership and well-being. As is the historical practice of the Ptolemies, Cleopatra is married to her brother. Her… Continue reading Review: I Am Cleopatra by Natasha Solomons
Vlad: The Last Confession by C.C. Humphreys is a historical fiction account of 15th century Vlad Dracula, Prince of Wallachia--or as most know him, Vlad the Impaler. The tale is framed by confessionals told in 1481 from those closest to Vlad, his former lover, his best friend, his confessor, who witnessed his lows and highs… Continue reading Review: Vlad The Last Confession by C.C. Humphreys
Ashes and Stone by Allyson Shaw is a creative non-fiction account of women accused of witchcraft throughout Scottish history, particularly in the 16th through 18th centuries. Shaw details her personal journey traveling around Scotland to visit the forgotten, often neglected monuments to the those who lost their lives to witchcraft craze. Reading Ashes and Stone… Continue reading Review: Ashes and Stones by Allyson Shaw
The House of Two Sisters by Rachel Louise Driscoll (titled Nephthys in the UK) follows Clementine "Clemmie", daughter of a famed Victorian Egyptologist and "mummy unwrapper." Clemmie ventures alone to Cairo to return one of her father's (pilfered) artifacts that Clemmie believes has cursed her family. (Read into that the colonialism and superstition as you… Continue reading Review: The House of Two Sisters by Rachel Louise Driscoll
Boudicca's Daughter by Elodie Harper is the author's first book after the completion of The Wolf Den trilogy (one of my favorites.) Many may know about the famous Iceni warrior Boudicca who led a rebellion against Roman invaders, but little is known about her two daughters beyond the Roman accounts. History tells us that Boudicca… Continue reading Review: Boudicca’s Daughter by Elodie Harper
The Huntress by Kate Quinn opens in 1950 Boston where Jordan McBride must contend with her mysterious new step-mother, Anna. Jordan's love of and talent for photography expose a darker side of Anna, causing Jordan to try to dig deeper into Anna's cloaked past. Meanwhile in Vienna, English journalist Ian Graham and his associate Tony… Continue reading Review: The Huntress by Kate Quinn
The Hounding by Xenobe Purvis is an 18th century tale of five out-of-the-ordinary sisters living in a small village in England. Raised by their grandparents, the sisters play by their own rules in a time and place where existing within a rigid set of rules and norms is expected. Anything out of the norm is… Continue reading Review of The Hounding by Xenobe Purvis
In The Art of a Lie by Laura Shepherd-Robinson, author of Square of Sevens, richly-paints another 18th century story a reader can easily immerse oneself in. Newly widowed Hannah Cole owns a confectionery shop in London, this fact being somewhat scandalous both on account of a woman being the sole owner of a business and… Continue reading Review: The Art of a Lie by Laura Shepherd-Robinson
The Piano Player by Maybelle Wallis, the sequel to Heart of Cruelty, picks up about eight years later in Dublin. Dr. William Doughty works in Meath Hospital amidst both the Great Famine and a cholera epidemic. Meanwhile, Jane and her actor husband Edmond are newly arrived in Dublin on their theatre troupe's tour. Jane and… Continue reading Review: The Piano Player by Maybelle Wallis
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