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[[Category:New Reviews|Historical Fiction]]{{adsense2}}__NOTOC__<!-- Remove --> <!-- INSERT NEW REVIEWS BELOW HERE-->{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Tananarive Due|title=The Sorrow Reformatory|rating=5|genre=Historical Fiction|summary= Gracetown, Florida. June 1950. After a scuffle with a white boy, twelve year-old Robbie Stephens Jr is sentenced to six months at the Gracetown School for Boys, otherwise known as the Reformatory. It's a place with a brutal and dark reputation. But the segregated reformatory is a chamber of horrors, haunted by the boys that have died there. In order to survive the school governor and his Funhouse, Robert must enlist the help of Angelsthe school's ghosts – only they have their own motivations...|isbn=1803366532}} {{Frontpage|author=Katherine Howe|title=A True Account|rating=4.5|genre=General Fiction|summary=Hannah Masury is living in Boston, having been sent to live with a family who run an inn, and being made to work there from a young age. When she hears there is to be a hanging of some pirates in the town, she decides to go and watch. Enthralled and horrified in equal measure, Hannah finds herself embroiled in a young boy's death at the hands of two vicious pirates. She hides away, so that they don't find and kill her too, and then to escape them completely she runs away to sea, dressing as a boy and joining the notorious Ned Low's pirate ship as a cabin boy. She soon finds herself in the thick of things when there is a mutiny on board, and from there we are caught up in her rip roaring tale of life on the ocean waves.|isbn=0861547438}}{{Frontpage|author=Jon Kalman StefanssonSarah Marsh|title=A Sign of Her Own

|genre=Literary General Fiction|summary=Our decidedly unheroic main character has been at the café for three weeks nowAfter a bout of scarlet fever as a child, so we are following on very closely from [[Heaven and Hell by Jon Kalman Stefansson|Heaven and Hell]]Ellen Lark loses her hearing. After the tragedy and soul-searching Suddenly plunged into a world of that first booksilence, he seems settled everything about her life changes. Living in a time when the ridiculous family that has formed around him thereuse of sign language was seen as something only savages do, finding employmentEllen is sent to a school where she is taught to lip read, enjoying the literature, yet being very intrigued by the female bodybut physically restrained from signing. The man From here, she ends up in another school studying under Alexander Graham Bell who is still young enough to be known only as ''has been teaching the boy'' might have latched on to stability for once, deaf and replaced the family and best friend he had lostusing a system called Visible Speech. But everything At the same time, Bell is restless in this environmentworking on other inventions and ideas, and once again he might just be tempted to go on Ellen finds herself unwittingly caught up in a journey, with another male companion, despite the harshness complicated tangle of the surroundsespionage.|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>0857051652</amazonuk>1035401614

{{newreview|title=Heaven and Hell|author=Jon Kalman Stefansson|rating=4|genre=Literary Fiction|summary=Iceland, The follow-up to the excellent ''Ithaca'' picks up a hundred years agofew months after where we left off. From a place that is In the very definition palace of rural and remoteOdysseus, with delicate care Queen Penelope continues to rule without her husband, a small fishing boat leaves for four hours' hard row who sailed to a profitable bankwar at Troy and then by divine intervention never returned home. It carries six men on As ever she remains surrounded by suitors vying for the way out, and five on throne of the way backWestern Isles. The deceased is the best friend Having survived – or perhaps only friend politically and physical – of the main characterchaotic storm that Clytemnestra brought to Ithaca's shores, who Queen Penelope is still young enough to merely be known as ''boy''on the brink of a fragile peace. When he returns to port he enters an almost Camus-like semi-existenceOne that shatters however with the return of Orestes, wondering just how much life is an answerKing of Mycenae, and for whathis sister Elektra, after the tragedy he has witnessedseeking refuge.|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1849164061</amazonuk>0356516075

{{newreviewFrontpage|isbn=B0C7J9D21B|title=She RisesA Captive in Algiers (Muhammed Amalfi Mysteries)|author=Kate WorsleyA J Lewis|rating=34.5

|summary=ImagineWhen we first meet our hero, if you can, a lifelike eighteenth-century seafaring epic (something along the lines his name is Ettore and he lives at The House of Carsten Jensen's [[WeBeautiful Swallows. Idyllic as this might sound, the Drowned by Carsten Jensen|We, the Drowned]] or Carol Birchit's [[Jamracha bordello and Ettore's Menagerie by Carol Birch|Jamrachmother died when he was born. He's Menagerie]]) crossed with Sarah Watersnot been short of mothers, though - but for someone of his background in late-eighteenth-century Amalfi, it's ''Fingersmith''difficult to obtain decent employment. If you then added in touches of Charles Dickens's ''Bleak House'', plus shades of The stint working with the rest preparation of the homoerotic Waters oeuvre (especially ''Night Watch'anchovies didn' t work out and bastards are considered bad luck on fishing boats. Ettore was nothing if not resourceful - and determined - and ''Tipping the Velvet''), you would just about have Kate Worsley's debut novel, ''She Rises'', in it was not long before he had a successful business as a nutshellguide for visitors. He was even saving some money.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1408835894</amazonuk>

 {{newreviewFrontpage|titleauthor=Mistress of the SeaEssie Fox|authortitle=Jenny BardenThe Fascination

|summary=''Mistress of the Sea'' The Victorian era is an epic adventure involving pirates, starincredibly over-crossed lovers and romanticised as a lust setting for gold and vengeance. The novelhistorical fiction (matched only, set in Tudor timesperhaps, is based on by the real-life events Second World War) which has often led to more than a few writers mishandling it. There's such a glut of media set in the life of Francis Drake, notably era that the raid at Nombre de Dios and hallmarks we've come to associate with it are familiar to the rout point of the English fleet at San Juan de Uluabeing cliched, hackneyed even. Barden weaves an exciting adventure/romance story against All this backdrop, which results in is simply to illustrate that it would be an immersive narrative easy thing to do poorly. But despite that excites the mind , something about it still grabs me – and sensessomething about this book's description did as well.|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>009194922X</amazonuk>1914585526

 {{newreviewFrontpage|author=Graham ThomasNicole Jarvis|title=Hats Off To Brandenburg (The Roxy Compendium)A Portrait in Shadow|rating=4.5

|summary=It was London, 1815. George III was on the throne although it was his son who was Regent, but it would be quite a while before those facts bothered the Roxy Playhouse Irregulars, who lived, loved and had their being in the old Roxy Playhouse. Money had always been in short supply as it tends to be when life is lived as a celebration, but they were in debt to Richard Sheridan and eventually forced to strike a bargain with him: pay their debts within one month or he would take the Roxy Playhouse. The Irregulars took the challenge and put on a performance, only this was no three-act play on a stage. Their performance was a tightly choreographed heist which would relieve members of the ton of some of their more valuable trinkets. If you're thinking 'I want all of Robin Hood then forget it - this was going Florence to be far more complex and bloody and it was obvious that there was more at stake than a decrepit playhouse.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0956742238</amazonuk>}}know my name''

{{newreview|title=Burnt Norton|author=Caroline Sandon|rating=2.5|genre=Historical Fiction|summary=After the death of his youngest son Cast out from Rome, Artemisia Gentileschi arrives in a terrible accident, Sir William Keyt starts to lose interest Florence seeking an oasis in life. It takes meeting young Molly Johnson, which her art can find a bright home and beautiful daughter of a local landlord, to rekindle a spark for himwhere her future can thrive rather than stagnate. He brings her into Norton House But as some as a maidservantshe enters Florentine society she faces great opposition from the powerful Accademia, where she quickly catches the eye self-proclaimed guardians of his bookish eldest son, Thomasthe healing magics that through paintings have the power to protect the city and its citizens from plagues and curses. The all-male Accademia has hoarded power over art and architecture for centuries and guard it above all else. But Sir William wants Molly to be more than a maid to himTo them, Artemisia – an ambitious young woman who promises trouble and as a rich man change – has no place amongst them and an MP is used to having his own waytheir society.|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1781850674</amazonuk>1803362340

{{newreview|author=Bruce Macbain|title=The Bull Slayer|rating=5|genre=Historical Fiction|summary=Years after we left him Set in [[Roman Games (Plinius Secundus) by Bruce Macbain|Roman Games]]the near-distant future, Pliny in a world on the Younger has become Roman Governor verge of Bithynia. Not the most hospitable of regions, its Greek residents regard the Romans with hatred; an emotion thatclimate collapse, Britain is in many cases, is reciprocated by the Romansgreat peril. No matter how bad this is though, it gets worse when The British Isles desperately needs a high ranking official dies mysteriouslyhero (or several) to save the day and rescue what little remains. Could it have anything to do with What no-one expected was that one of the religious sect Knights of Mithras? Possibly but it's not Pliny's only dilemma; at home his beloved young wife Calpurnia is acting somewhat oddlythe Round Table would answer the call.|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1781850798</amazonuk>0356518523

 {{newreviewFrontpage|author=James HeneageG K Holloway|title=The Walls In the Shadows of Byzantium (The Mistra Chronicles)Castles|rating=4.5

|summary=Luke Magoris is heading for disgrace which means a lot since heWe begin after the momentous battle in 1066 and on the day of William of Normandy's coronation as King of England. William's position is not secure and the son of new king has many challenges. Imposing authority through a Varangian, the Viking-originated elite guard of the Byzantine Emperorcoronation is important. Anna Lasaris daughter And William is right to a Byzantine court official andworry. While the previous king, feisty but kindHarold, is dead and the opposite likelihood of the Archon's daughter Zoe. As politically adept as her brother more pitched battles is ineptover, Zoe will do anything for status and money… anything. As the 14th century Byzantine Empire starts to crumble due to the relentless struggle with the Islamic Turks rebels are stirring and Mistra becomes the only province left for much of the Turks country does not wish to conquer, their paths will cross. They're all young but they'll soon discover that treachery can emanate from friendship as much as it can from warrecognise a new overlord. |amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1782061118</amazonuk>1800422466

 {{newreviewFrontpage|isbn=3949666079|title=Beautiful LiesNoema|author=Claire ClarkDael Akkerman

|genre=Historical General Fiction|summary=Clare Clark's ''Beautiful Lies'' takes in Royal jubilees, London riots, newspaper editors overstepping the bounds on personal vendettas and political sex scandals - all set in the late 1880s showing how little has changed. There are even early instances and questions over photographic manipulation. Maribel, apparently a Chilean heiress and wife of radical, socialist politician Edward Campbell Lowe, has This is a past which she has tries story about some things that happened to keep buriedme about twelve thousand years ago. If it were to be revealed, both her and her husband would be ruined by the scandal. Making enemies of an unscrupulous and hypocritical newspaper editor might not be the best move then.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0099570467</amazonuk>}}''

{{newreview|title=All Woman and Springtime|author=B W Jones|rating=3.5|genre=Historical Fiction|summary=Gyong-Ho Maya is a seamstress. That's not young girl living in a euphemismhunter gatherer village during the Mesolithic era. She works at a machine in a garment factoryClimate change is occurring, with a bullying supervisor, invalided out the Sea of the glorious Chochun armyGrass encroaches further and further into Maya's forest home, limping around and terrifying food is becoming more and more scarce. What to do? Can the girls only slightly more than law givers in the picture federation of Kim Jong-il on villages muster peaceful ways to cope? Can the walls. GiTraveller, a nickname she'll acquire because spiritual figure who interprets the wisdom of her stammering attempts to get her own name out (Gi-Gi-Gyong) strives truly hard to be worthy of the Dear Leader. She has learned the hard wayAll Life, what happens if someone somewhere for some obscure reason decides that you're not.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1780222912</amazonuk>provide solutions?

 {{newreviewFrontpage|isbn=1529125898|title=The AsylumGodmersham Park|author=John HarwoodGill Hornby|rating=3.5

|summary=A woman wakes up in an unfamiliar room. She doesn’t know where she is''If it were not for the casual dereliction of the odd gentleman's duty, or how she got there, but would no women to teach well-bred daughters at least she knows who she is: her name is Georgina Ferrars and she lives with her uncle in Gresham’s Yard, Londonall.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0224097415</amazonuk>}}''

{{newreview|author=Edward Rutherfurd|title=Paris|rating=5|genre=Historical Fiction|summary=Taking four families, from different social positions, Edward Rutherfurd weaves these family histories into Anne Sharpe was thirty-one years old when she arrived at Godmersham Park to take up the history position of governess to twelve-year-old Fanny Austen. She had no experience of teaching but this was a case of Paris and Francenecessity. We encounter Until the noble de Cygnesdeath of her mother, Anne had a comfortable life and was loved by both parents although her father was frequently absent from the bourgeois Blanchardshousehold. When her mother died, the lower class Gascons her father cast her off and the revolutionary Le Sourdswould have nothing more to do with her. Their lives cross paths through the years in often unexpected ways and while ''Paris'' is No explanation was offered but she would receive an historical fiction novelannuity of £35 a year. Her maid, this is as much an epic story of families as it is about the historyAgnes, would receive nothing but was fortunately taken in by some neighbours.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1444736795</amazonuk>

 {{newreviewFrontpage|author=Emma StraubMelissa Fu |title=Laura Lamont's Life in PicturesPeach Blossom Spring

|genre=Historical Fiction|summary=Small town girl Ella Emerson loves acting - her father runs I loved the Cherry County Playhouseprelude to Peach Blossom Spring, and shea short chapter entitled ''Origins''s always been captivated by the stage. She loves watching Unfortunately it is the actors perform, and getting involved in shows where she canonly truly poetic part of a book that I expected more from. Following a family tragedy, though, she moves to Hollywood Covering Chinese history from 1938 to marry an actor and reinvents herself 2005 as Laura Lamontviewed through one family's perspective. QuicklyWhen their home city is set ablaze during the war with Japan, she outshines a young mother (Meilin) and her new husbandfour-year-old son (Renshu) are among those who flee. Can her successThe story follows them on their journey across China, and their relationship, last?in Renshu's case eventually to America. |amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1447203208</amazonuk>1472277538

 {{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=Nick Rennison1916072038|title=Carver's Quest|rating=3|genre=Historical Fiction|summary=The year is 1870 and Adam Carver is at home in his lodgings House in London’s Doughty Street when he is interrupted by an unexpected caller. This distraught and enigmatic young woman, Miss Emily Maitland, requests Carver’s help but disappears mysteriously before he can ascertain the details of her predicament. Hollow (The days and weeks that follow her visit prove to be most eventful, pitching Carver and his assistant Quint into an investigation involving murder, a missing manuscript and a hidden treasure.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1848871791</amazonuk>}} {{newreviewTalbot Saga)|author=Michael Ridpath|title=Traitor's GateAllie Cresswell

|summary= Oxford-educated Englishman Conrad de Lancey is haunted by the brutality We meet part of the Spanish Civil War, his ideals laying Talbot family in Yorkshire in the dust along with the cause for which he foughtNovember 1811. Therefore, on a visit to his Twenty-seven-year-old Jocelyn Talbot and her mother's German homelandhave travelled in some discomfort from their home at Ecklington, Conrad shies away from involvement in any resistance to the rise of house in the National Socialist Partyhollow. However, he will soon have little choice as tragic events drag him into a world The two women are angry with each other and Jocelyn is well aware of espionage, brutality her mother's strengths and fear, culminating in a conspiracy to kill Hitler himself.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1781851808</amazonuk>}}weaknesses:

{{newreview|author=A L Berridge|title=Into The Valley of Death|rating=4.5|genre=Historical Fiction|summary=Master Harry-sahib saunters up the path of the family bungalow in some unnamed Indian 'British town'She is practiced at subterfuge, puzzled to see the pathway choked with weedsat concealing, surprised by the absence beneath a facade of servants and disgusted by the swarming ants. There is worse inside. His fatherrespectability, the colonel, is dead on the floor. deplorable truth''The money was gone, obviously, but it would take more than that to make a devoted soldier to blow his brains out. What had it done to him, this army he'd given his whole life to?'

What indeed? Hester is furious about Jocelyn'Into the Valley of Deaths refusal to do as she was asked, which has precipitated ''this violent and unexpected removal' isn't the novel that will tell us.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>024195410X</amazonuk>}}

{{newreview|author=Tim Willocks|title=The Religion|rating=4.5|genre=Historical Fiction|summary=To Then we are told of the Maltese and Sicilians, Mattias Tannhauser is a successfully blooded infantry captain. To Ottoman Turks he's Ibrahim the Red, having been kidnapped from Hungary and raised as a Muslim. Dual nationality comes in handy once he's met the beautiful Contessa Carla de la Penantier and is commissioned to find and return her 12 year old bastard son. As always with these missions there's birth of a catch. The boy (whom Carla hasn't seen since the day of his birth) is rumoured to be on Malta, an island currently being threatened by 30,000 Turks child and defended by a tenth of that number, even if you count the Knights Hospitaller. The Turks call themselves the Hounds of Hellsoon after, the Knights are known as the ReligionHester Talbot departs, but it's immaterial to Mattias. He just needs to find the lad leaving Jocelyn in shame and get out aliveisolation in Yorkshire.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0099581299</amazonuk>

 {{newreviewFrontpage|author=Elizabeth FremantleAnnabel Abbs|title=The Queen's GambitLanguage of Food

|summary= The recently widowed Lady Katherine Latymer falls in love Eliza Acton is a poet who has never had the slightest inclination to boil an egg. When tasked with aristocratic Thomas Seymourwriting a cookery book, she recruits Ann Kirby, a man more local woman with a stranger to fidelity than to a lady's bedtroubled home life. It's not a good ideaTogether, they test, craft, especially when Henry VIII announces he'd like to make use of her renowned nursing skills by marrying her. As Katherine navigates refine and reshape the seas world of palace survival there's a lot that can sink her: Katherine's wish for Henry to return to the original protestant faith as he perceived itdomestic cookery, her desire to bring reinventing the King's children together under one roof recipe book and changing the plotting face of those who would like to see her head disconnected at the neck to name but three. Meanwhile the shadow of Snape Castle hangs over Katherine's step-daughter Meg, haunting her hopes, her dreams and her everyday life to a degree that only the maid Dot understandscookery writing forever.|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>0718177061</amazonuk>1398502227

 {{newreviewFrontpage|author=Amy BrillFreya Marske|title=The Movement of StarsA Marvellous Light|rating=4.5

|summary= Hannah Gardner Price lives Robin Blyth is nudged into a job in Nantucket, a small New England island with fortunes based on the whaling trade. As it's 1845Civil Service, Hannah's life is based on what her father feels is best for hermuch to his chagrin. This is unfortunately reinforced by the fact There he meets Edwin Courcey and learns that Nantucket is not just an island geographically but also insular in outlook and expectations as the claustrophobic, small community revolves around the weekly Friends' Meeting streets of its Quaker faithLondon are threaded with magic. Why unfortunately? Hannah is highly intelligentDesperate to remove a curse that threatens to swallow him, in her mid-20s, unmarried, practically runs her family's navigational instrument business since her twin brother dashed off Robin follows Edwin to sea and has a scientific passion for astronomythe countryside, all of which are at odds where the hedgegrows bristle with societal normality. However, this is just incantations and the beginningpeople shimmer with power. When Isaac Martin, a ship's black second mate, brings Hannah There they uncover a chronometer to repair he becomes a presence sinister plot that will shake her community as it shakes her worldthreatens the lives of all magicians in the British Isles.|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>0718159926</amazonuk>1529080886

 {{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=Rhidian BrookB09F4CTKJR|title=The AftermathFlights for Freedom|author= Steven Burgauer

|summary=It''The Aftermath'' is set amongst s the later stages of World War I and the devastated ruins in United States has just entered the fire-bombed city of Hamburg in 1946conflict. The British have occupied the ruined city and Colonel Lewis Morgan, an officer Petrol Petronus is a young American who has signed up and a gentleman, is charged with overseeing joined the restoration of order17 Aero Squadron. HoweverThis company was the first US Aero Squadron to be trained in Canada, Colonel Morgan must the first deal with to be attached to the human cost of RAF and the bombing including remnants of fanatic Nazis, first to be sent into the ''trummerkind'' - children of skies to fight the rubble, and the starving civil populaceGermans in active combat. He also, in 1943But before that can happen, lost a child due Petrol has to a Luftwaffe bomb and he must support his deeply grieving wife, Rachel, when she arrives after months of separation with their surviving twelve year old boy, master flying the impressionable Edmundnotoriously difficult but majestic Sopwith Camel.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0670921122</amazonuk>

 {{newreview|author=Diana Souhami|title=Coconut Chaos|rating=5|genre=Historical Fiction|summary=Our anonymous narrator has a chaos-theory-theory about the mutiny on the Bounty. It can all be traced back to Fletcher Christian stealing a coconut. Armed with this thought and the intrepid spirit of many Britons before her, she sets off for Pitcairn Island, the isolated home of Christian and his band of dissenters 3,000 miles from New Zealand. She leaves behind a beloved but delusional mother, her partner and all the comforts of civilisation as she travels with hope and the inimitable Lady Myre. Meanwhile we listen to true stories about the mutiny, the aftermath and the fact that there weren't really many heroes, just a group of flawed individuals fighting for survival.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1780878745</amazonuk>}} {{newreview|author=Robert Wilton|title=Traitor's Field|rating=5|genre=Historical Fiction|summary=It's 1648 and the embers of Charles I's reign start to fade as Britain slowly turns the monotone colour of Oliver Cromwell's Commonwealth. However, Royalist passion still exists and it's up to Sir Mortimer Shay, the Comptrollerate-General for Scrutiny and Survey, to gather the intelligence, maintain his spy network and fan the embers towards the Royalist victory for which he longs. He's a wily veteran so not easily stopped but among the confusion and brutality that tears Britain in half, former lawyer Cromwell's spymaster John Thurloe is the man charged with the task.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1848878192</amazonuk>}} {{newreviewFrontpage|author=Paul LynchChristophe Medler|title=Red Sky In MorningMadrigal: A Closely Guarded Secret

|summary=It’s 1832 and Coll Coyle and his humble family are to be turfed out Set against the backdrop of their home the English Civil War, a secret plan (code-named Madrigal) is discovered by Sir Robert Douse in Donegal and Coll is just angry enough to confront the landowner’s son who is responsiblesummer of 1642. The repercussions As a loyal servant of Coll’s actions are huge the King, and Coll Head of the Secret Service, it is forced Robert's duty to go on uncover the run. He attempts to escape across the unforgiving and desolate landscape details of North West Ireland, the brutal Atlantic Ocean plan and follow the plains clues to uncover one of North America, all the while stalked by most guarded secrets in history—especially since the plot could affect the incredibly dangerous and violent John Faller. Red Sky in Morning is Paul Lynch’s debut novel and it is a real hitKing.|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1780879164</amazonuk>B095HY8SXQ

 {{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=Patricia Watkins1471187179|title=Trick of Fate: Connell O'Keeffe and The Pen Caer LegacyA Beautiful Spy|author=Rachel Hore

|summary=Connell OMinnie is an 'Keeffe was ordinary' girl living an unexciting life in a gentleman actor leafy provincial suburb. The book is set in the 1930s and on 23 February 1797 he was on his way from Haverfordwest in Pembrokeshire Minnie is expected to live up to her mother's expectations and find a nice young man to catch marry, produce children and spend the ferry rest of her days looking after her husband and their home to Ireland. Unable Unfortunately, this isn't what she wants to speak Welsh he was unaware that the French had invaded Pen Caer do at all and rode into neither does she want to continue working as a situation which would change his life foreversecretary. The man who had set off to make his leisurely way homeAs a result of a chance meeting, she finds herself drawn into espionage, taking in some of working for the local landmarks suffered secret service and effectively living a double life-threatening injury, was unjustly accused attempting to infiltrate the Communist Party of a foul murder and became a fugitiveGreat Britain. It was difficult to see that he could survive his current situation Minnie finds herself torn between what she perceives as her duty and the friends she has made - fitter men than he were dying and likes - and if he did, what was whilst working for the point? What was there that he could do when his chosen profession would no longer be open to him?|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0957210450</amazonuk>Communist Party.

 {{newreviewFrontpage|author=Michael EnnisAfonso Cruz and Rahul Bery (translator)|title=The Malice of FortuneKokoschka's Doll|rating=32.5|genre=Historical Literary Fiction|summary=Michael Ennis sets his ''The Malice of Fortune'' in Italy in the early part of Well, this looked very much like a book I could love from the 1500s. Ennis is a history lecturer so unsurprisinglyget-go, his book which is full of evidence of detailed research why I picked my review copy up and understanding flipped pages over several times before actually reading any of the timesit. And what fascinating times they were. With I found things to potentially delight me each time – a weird section in the Borgia family dominating both the papacy and several political regions, fighting for power and landmiddle on darker stock paper, a chapter whose number of family led mercenary armieswas in the 20, and several great figures who would leave a lasting legacy000s, notably Leonardo Da Vinci and Niccolò Machiavelliletters used as narrative form, the latter of whom narrates a very large part of this novel. The real life political wrangling of the times would stretch the imagination of most novelists and Ennis bases his tale so on a huge number of real, documented happenings. What he seeks to add to It intrigued with the party is an insight into why and how these events occurred and certainly there are some unexplained gaps subterranean voice a man hears in the relationships wartorn Dresden that what little I knew of the key players. The core story is an attempt to discover the identity of the murderer of the pope's son, Juan Borgiait mentioned, Duke of Gandiatoo. Candidates range from his brother, Cesare Borgia, Juan But you's courtesanve seen the star rating that comes with this review, Damiata to the heads of various powerfuland can tell that if love was on these pages, mercenary families. It's historical fiction meets crime fictionit was not actually caused by them. So what happened?|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1780890974</amazonuk>1529402697

 {{newreviewFrontpage|author=Tim LeachChristina Hammonds Reed|title=The Last King of LydiaBlack Kids|rating=4.5|genre=Historical FictionTeens |summary=Ancient mythology seems to be enjoying a surge in popularity Christina Hammonds Reed's debut novel is set against the backdrop of latethe 1992 Los Angeles riots, with a plethora of books, movies and games based on these ancient legends and fabled heroes. There is something in the collective consciousness that enables these stories reaction to resonate with each subsequent generation, allowing ancient wisdom to put out new roots in fresh soil.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0857899171</amazonuk>}} {{newreview|author=James Benmore|title=Dodger|rating=4|genre=Historical Fiction|summary=That loveable rogue, the Artful Dodger, is one absolution of the most memorable and amusing characters in all of English literature. ''Oliver Twist'' ended with Dodger Jack Dawkins arrested four police officers for the theft of beating a silver snuff box and transported black man, Rodney King, nearly to Australiadeath. But what happened next? James Benmore explores that idea in ''Dodger'', which takes up the story six years after Told from the events of ''Oliver Twist''.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1780874650</amazonuk>}} {{newreview|author=Elizabeth Gill|title=Miss Appleby's Academy|rating=3.5|genre=Historical Fiction|summary=After forsaking her own chance perspective of happiness to care for her aging fatherAshley Bennett, Emma Appleby’s life is thrown into turmoil when he dies suddenly, leaving her fate entirely in the hands of novel follows her callous brother Laurence. Laurence and his wife view the middle-aged spinster as evolution from a burden and are keen to marry her off to an elderly neighbour to free themselves silent bystander when confronted with matters of responsibility. With seemingly nowhere to turnrace, Emma flees America to make a new life for herself in woman finding her voice and embracing her childhood home of County Durhamheritage.|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1780878478</amazonuk>1471188191

{{newreview|author=Jenny Mandeville|title=A Crown of Despair|rating=4.5|genre=Historical Fiction|summary=By the age of 31 Katherine, Lady Latimer, had been married and widowed twice. Her first match Move on to an elderly, sickening baron ended at the age of 16, as miserably as it had started two years earlier. Her second marriage to John Neville, Lord Latimer, had been more comfortable. On his death she found love for the first time in her life, but to no avail. The monarch had seen Katherine and would claim her for himself no matter what her wishes may be. This forced marriage would make her famous, for down the centuries history would recount the story of Lady Latimer using her other name: Katherine Parr, the sixth and final wife of Henry VIII.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>071980857X</amazonuk>}}[[Newest History Reviews]]