Changes

<!-- INSERT NEW REVIEWS BELOW HERE-->{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Jonathan Crown Tananarive Due|title=The 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 Jamie Searle Romanelli (translator)his Funhouse, Robert must enlist the help of the school's ghosts – only they have their own motivations...|isbn=1803366532}} {{Frontpage|author=Katherine Howe|title=SiriusA True Account|rating=34.5

|summary=Meet Levi. He's a humble little dog Hannah Masury is living in Boston, having been sent to live with a loving family. They've spent so much time with him he has learnt some tricks – not only the usual oneswho run an inn, of begging, or playing dead, but walking on two legs, somersaulting on and being made to his two other paws, and giving the Hitler salutework there from a young age. If this was 2015 in the UK he would When she hears there is to be shoe-a hanging of some pirates in for Britain's Got Talent (although the Hitler salute might lose him a few votestown, she decides to be honest) but this is 1930s Berlin, go and things are starting to get horrendously tough and nasty for Jewish families like his. Querying the statute laws that demand a formalisation of Jewish names his owners rename Levi after Sirius, the Great Dog in the night skieswatch. But nobody can foresee what happens when Jews are pushed harder and harder from their neighbourhoods, Enthralled and nobody can see what a Great Dog star Sirius can become, horrified in the most unlikely of milieux – Hollywood…|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1784081981</amazonuk>}}{{newreview|author=Ursula Dubosarsky|title=The Red Shoe|rating=5|genre=Confident Readers|summary=They may be quite far apartequal measure, but three houses Hannah finds herself embroiled in a row in young boy's death at the rural suburbs hands of 1950s Sydney contain some incredibly unusual peopletwo vicious pirates. In oneShe hides away, a solitary old man of very few wordsso that they don't find and kill her too, shuffling and then to the end of his daysescape them completely she runs away to sea, but brandishing dressing as a Japanese sword heboy and joining the notorious Ned Low's purloined after WWII, and with pirate ship as a gun in the corner of his loungecabin boy. In She soon finds herself in the middle, a family thick of five, with things when there is a father figure suffering from PTSD due to the same warmutiny on board, a mother feeling friendless and alone from there we are caught up in the isolated time and location, and their three daughters – one her rip roaring tale of whom has given up life on school after an alleged nervous breakdown, the middle one who barely speaks more than the neighbour, and Matilda, our key interest, who likes the idea of spies, and has an imaginary friend who came out of the radioocean waves. The third house however might be where the most interesting people live – after all, it had been empty, but now the luxurious building is home to several shady men in suits, who turned up out of the blue in luxury cars, and with at least one gun of their own…|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1406358746</amazonuk>0861547438

{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Sally WraggSarah Marsh|title=The Gypsy's TaleA Sign of Her Own

|genre=Historical General Fiction|summary=There's After a new resident at Loxleybout of scarlet fever as a child, Ellen Lark loses her hearing. Bronwyn's niece, Lottie Colfax is tired Suddenly plunged into a world of schoolsilence, desperate to join up and 'do everything about her bit', to life changes. Living in a time when the frustration use of her family who hope that some time away from home will encourage her sign language was seen as something only savages do, Ellen is sent to see sense. But from her family's point of view there's a bad example at Loxley: Hettieschool where she is taught to lip read, Duchess of Loxley has joined the WAAFS and is serving in London - usually driving people but physically restrained from place to placesigning. Her grandmother's not at all pleased about this: Katherine sees Hettie's duty as being at Loxley. ''Nothing'' comes before Loxley From here, she ends up in Katherine's view - even King another school studying under Alexander Graham Bell who has been teaching the deaf and country must take second placeusing a system called Visible Speech. Fortunately Katherine doesn't know that Hettie At the same time, Bell is going to be doing something far more dangerous. In the meantime Lottie has discovered a secret working on other inventions and ideas, and Ellen finds herself unwittingly caught up in Loxley's cellars and met a young man who is also determined to join up, no matter what his mother sayscomplicated tangle of espionage.|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>B0123Q8KL4</amazonuk>1035401614

{{newreviewFrontpage|author=David ChadwickClaire North|title=Liberty BazaarHouse of Odysseus

|genre=Historical Literary Fiction|summary= Confederate General Jubal de Brooke is sent ''What could matter more than love?'' The follow-up to the excellent ''Ithaca'' picks up a few months after where we left off. In the palace of Odysseus, with delicate care Queen Penelope continues to Britain as an envoy rule without her husband, who sailed to raise awareness war at Troy and funds from then by divine intervention never returned home. As ever she remains surrounded by suitors vying for the English aristocracy for his southern brothers in arms in throne of the American Civil WarWestern Isles. Meanwhile slave Trinity escapes to England Having survived – politically and immediately becomes an icon for physical – the liberal elite. However soon Trinity realises therechaotic storm that Clytemnestra brought to Ithaca's more to shores, Queen Penelope is on the English support than just talkbrink of a fragile peace. She uncovers a secret – One that shatters however with the return of Orestes, King of Mycenae, and highly illegal – plot with far reaching effects for her homelandhis sister Elektra, not to mention dangerous consequences for herseeking refuge.|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1906582920</amazonuk>0356516075

{{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=Lloyd ShepherdB0C7J9D21B|title=Savage MagicA Captive in Algiers (Muhammed Amalfi Mysteries)|author=A J Lewis

|genre=Crime (Historical)Fiction|summary=LondonWhen we first meet our hero, 1842: Magistrate Aaron Graham his name is missing his wifeEttore and he lives at The House of Beautiful Swallows. SheIdyllic as this might sound, it's left him, taking their daughter to live with her cousin in a very uncousinly waybordello and Ettore's mother died when he was born. Yet her distance doesnHe't prevent her discussing the goings on at her new home with Graham; as these goings on resemble witchcraft and seem to be taking a toll on s not been short of mothers, though - but for someone of his daughterbackground in late-eighteenth-century Amalfi, it's health Aaron is rightly worrieddifficult to obtain decent employment. He calls upon Constable Horton to investigate… this is The stint working with the Horton whose wife Graham encouraged to enter one preparation of the more exclusive madhouses. Under the circumstances it seemed the right thing to do but Horton still hasnanchovies didn't forgiven his superior for itwork out and bastards are considered bad luck on fishing boats. However, as the investigation goes on Ettore was nothing if not resourceful - and determined - and Graham is distracted by it was not long before he had a murder case with successful business as a rising body count, these bubbling undercurrents of enmity reduce in importanceguide for visitors. The important thing for each of them has become survivalHe was even saving some money.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1471136086</amazonuk>

{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Dominic LukeEssie Fox|title=Dreams That VeilThe Fascination|rating=3.54

|summary=12The Victorian era is incredibly over-year-old Eliza Brannan is looking forward romanticised as a setting for historical fiction (matched only, perhaps, by the Second World War) which has often led to more than a wonderful summerfew writers mishandling it. She and her older cousin Dorothea will be joined at home by ElizaThere's university student brother Roderick and such a glut of media set in the sun-drenched days will stretch out before them. Unfortunately era that the reality isnhallmarks we't ve come to associate with it are familiar to the same as the dream; point of being cliched, hackneyed even. All this is the summer when life changessimply to illustrate that it would be an easy thing to do poorly. Dorothea and Roderick will pursue futures But despite that no one had predicted , something about it still grabs me – and a foreign house guest will open Elizasomething about this book's eyes to the world outside her outgrown nursery. There again, this is 1914; a year heralding a change in life for more than just the Brannan householddescription did as well.|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>191020823X</amazonuk>1914585526

{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Laura AndersenNicole Jarvis|title=The Boleyn Reckoning (Anne Boleyn Trilogy)A Portrait in Shadow

|summary=SPOILERS FOR BOOKS 1 & 2 AHEAD: Henry IX is still in love with his childhood sweetheart Minuette and is determined ''I want all of Florence to marry her, despite being betrothed to Princess Elisabeth of France for political reasons. What he still doesnknow my name''t realise is that Minuette is married to the third member of their childhood trio Cast out from Rome, his trusted advisor Dominic, Duke of Exeter. Meanwhile there are some who feel that Henry's sister Princess Elizabeth would make Artemisia Gentileschi arrives in Florence seeking an oasis in which her art can find a better ruler home and where her future can thrive rather than hestagnate. Then there's his half-sister, Lady Mary, who is starting to realise what But as some as she enters Florentine society she's given up for Henry's future. The beginning of faces great opposition from the end has started… but whose end/ends will it be?|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0091956501</amazonuk>}}{{newreview|author= Vaughn Entwhistle|title= The Dead Assassin|rating= 4|genre= Crime (Historical)|summary=Londonpowerful Accademia, 1895. Arthur Conan Doyle is summoned to the scene of a mysterious crime – a senior member self-proclaimed guardians of the Government lies murdered. Close by, healing magics that through paintings have the body of power to protect the attacker is found, riddled with bulletscity and its citizens from plagues and curses. The dead assassin is identifiedall-male Accademia has hoarded power over art and architecture for centuries and guard it above all else. To them, however, as a man Artemisia – an ambitious young woman who was hanged several weeks previously. Mystified by the strange incident, Arthur Conan Doyle calls on a friend for advice promises trouble and change – Oscar Wilde. Together, the two of has no place amongst them are swept up into a bizarre investigation – one that threatens their lives, and their families, and the very establishment itselfsociety. It seems that someone is reanimating corpses, and programming them for murder…|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1783292687</amazonuk>1803362340

{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Dido Butterworth and Tim FlanneryThomas D Lee|title=The Mystery of the Venus Island FetishPerilous Times

|genre=Historical FictionFantasy|summary=Meet Archie Meek. He's about to leave 'Hate is the Venus Islands, where hepath of least resistance's lived for the last five years, and return to Sydney, where he'll take his office  Set in the museum and fill it with all the cultural artefacts he's found and wildlife he's plucked or pickled. That's not to ignore the fact he'll count as something quite alien himself, with his fillednear-out frame, nearly all-over suntan and totemic tattoodistant future, in amongst other changes to his body. But what's this? When he gets back, he finds one of the main Venus Islands artefacts that caused him to go there in the first place, a huge, macabre ceremonial fetish mask, purloined as corporate artwork. And some of the curators he wishes to work alongside have vanished. Is world on the weird society verge of the museum he's returning toclimate collapse, perchance, even weirder, stranger and more violent than the cannibalistic society he's waving farewell to?|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1922079308</amazonuk>}}{{newreview|author=Toby Clements|title=Kingmaker: Broken Faith Britain is in great peril. The British Isles desperately needs a hero (Kingmaker 2or several)|rating=5|genre=Historical Fiction|summary=This contains spoilers for Kingmaker 1, so that's probably best read first; you won't regret it! Now where were we? 1462: The War of to save the Roses rages on. Katherine is at Cornford Castle, posing as Lady Margaret Cornford, wife of the now blind Richard Fakenham. Not even he realises her true identity but she feels it's only a matter of time. The man who Katherine really loves day and assumes dead, Thomas Everingham is suffering from a head injuryrescue what little remains. He's just remembered enough to make his way to his childhood home but is unaware What no-one expected was that one of his more recent past; he can remember how to fight though – and just as well! On a wider canvas, the war has denuded England, most Knights of its food having gone to feed the armies. King Henry VI has fled to the northeast and Warwick, Round Table would answer the Kingmaker himself, is coming for him. The worst isn't over yet though, not for anyonecall.|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1780891709</amazonuk>0356518523

{{newreviewFrontpage

|title=1066: What Fates ImposeIn the Shadows of Castles|rating=4.5

|summary=Perhaps We begin after the momentous battle in 1066 and on the day of William of Normandy's coronation as King of England should realise it. William's in trouble when King Edward position is not secure and the Confessor takes one look at his naked bride and decides to remain chastenew king has many challenges. This signals Imposing authority through a lack of royal offspring and a succession crisis that becomes so coronation is important . And William is right to worry. While the vultures flock to fight even before he's illprevious king, Harold, let alone is dead. The jockeying for position as next in line to and the throne or next in line's favourite has begun. Indeed England likelihood of more pitched battles is famous for its royal succession wars over, the rebels are stirring and this is one much of the best; a story of a journey that will finish near Hastings as country does not wish to recognise a deadly stand-off between King Harold Godwinson and Norman Duke William in that year that every British school child is taught: 1066new overlord.|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1783062207</amazonuk>1800422466

{{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=Natasha Pulley3949666079|title=The Watchmaker of Filigree StreetNoema|author=Dael Akkerman

|genre=FantasyGeneral Fiction|summary=London 1883: Thaniel Steepleton, ''This is a telegraphist in story about some things that happened to me about twelve thousand years ago.'' Maya is a government office, finds himself young girl living and working in a city at siege hunter gatherer village during a Clan na Gael bombing campaignthe Mesolithic era. ItClimate change is occurring, the Sea of Grass encroaches further and further into Maya's around this time that he also realises that his pocket watch seems to have some oddforest home, previously unnoticed functionsand food is becoming more and more scarce. Grace CarrowWhat to do? Can the law givers in the federation of villages muster peaceful ways to cope? Can the Traveller, a 'bluestocking' physics student also owns such a watch. The two total strangers may think their watches odd, but 'odd' takes on a new meaning when they meet Mr Mori, spiritual figure who interprets the Japanese watchmaker. His clockwork pet octopus is only a small measure wisdom of the oddity ahead.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1408854287</amazonuk>All Life, provide solutions?

{{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=Katharine McMahon1529125898|title=The Woman in the PictureGodmersham Park|author=Gill Hornby|rating=4.5

|summary=In February 1926 London was tense and divided between those who supported ''If it were not for the principle casual dereliction of a general strike and those who were prepared the odd gentleman's duty, there would no women to break it teach well-bred daughters at whatever cost to themselvesall. Evelyn Gifford is a newly qualified solicitor and whilst '' Anne Sharpe was thirty-one years old when she's sympathetic arrived at Godmersham Park to take up the miners she's preoccupied by two cases from opposite ends position of the social spectrumgoverness to twelve-year-old Fanny Austen. Trudy Wright is a maidservant accused She had no experience of theft and Evelyn has undertaken teaching but this was a case ''pro bono'': her argument is that of necessity. Until the 'theft' was death of her mother, Anne had a letter asking for a reference for Trudy, but she comfortable life and was too frightened to hand it to loved by both parents although her bullying employer, so only she father was frequently absent from the loserhousehold. The Wright family worm their way into Evelyn's life: the When her mother died, her father is cast her off and would have nothing more to do with her. No explanation was offered but she would receive an annuity of £35 a bullyingyear. Her maid, drunken, wife beater, the mother is scared and brow beatenAgnes, would receive nothing but the son, Robbie, is deeply involved with the unionswas fortunately taken in by some neighbours.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0297866036</amazonuk>

{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Simon ScarrowMelissa Fu |title=Hearts of StonePeach Blossom Spring

|summary=Wars are often written about We meet part of the Talbot family in Yorkshire in November 1811. Twenty-seven-year-old Jocelyn Talbot and her mother have travelled in some discomfort from their home at Ecklington, to the further back you go house in the more unreal they feelhollow. The description two women are angry with each other and Jocelyn is well aware of her mother's strengths and weaknesses: ''She is practiced at subterfuge, at concealing, beneath a Roman Soldier being killed seems to have little impact on our lives todayfacade of respectability, but, what the deplorable truth''. Hester is furious about IraqJocelyn's refusal to do as she was asked, Afghanistan, Vietnam? How far must one go back before which has precipitated ''this violent and unexpected removal''. Then we feel detached from events? World War Two ended 70 years ago, but it still ripples through to today. There are stories still to be told from this timeof the birth of a child and, soon after, Hester Talbot departs, but they must be written well leaving Jocelyn in shame and sensitivelyisolation in Yorkshire.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0755380223</amazonuk>

{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Cynthia Harrod-EaglesAnnabel Abbs|title=Keep the Home Fires Burning: War at Home, 1915The Language of Food|rating=45

|summary= As the calendar page turns to 1915 Jack Hunter Eliza Acton is fighting a poet who has never had the front. The same goes for Charles Wroughton, leaving his new fiancée Diana slightest inclination to face his aristocratic family (including dreadful Rupert) aloneboil an egg. The country's men are going off in greater numbers as enlistment fever begins to build and women are being brought in to do men's jobs. (YesWhen tasked with writing a cookery book, really!) Diana's sister Sadie continues to train horses to be sent to the French frontshe recruits Ann Kirby, making her feel as if she's doing something usefula local woman with a troubled home life. There are also other benefits to the jobTogether, seeing more of local vet John Courcy for instancethey test, although their relationship is purely professional… yescraft, really! Not everything is focused on France though; there's talk refine and reshape the world of opening up a new front further east on domestic cookery, reinventing the recipe book and changing the Turkish coast at a place called Gallipoliface of cookery writing forever.|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>0751556297</amazonuk>1398502227

{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Rachel BillingtonFreya Marske|title=GloryA Marvellous Light

|summary=Sylvia Fitzpaine comes from Robin Blyth is nudged into a titled family with all job in the advantages of class Civil Service, much to his chagrin. There he meets Edwin Courcey and learns that the aristocracy can offer in 1915. These streets of London are grossly troubled times though, threaded with men including her father the Brigadier General and her fiancé Arthur away at warmagic. The Brigadier General seems safe at the moment in Cairo but Arthur has been sent into the thick of it. He sits in Desperate to remove a ship awaiting embarkation just off curse that threatens to swallow him, Robin follows Edwin to the coast of a little known Turkish regioncountryside, where the very name of which will one day summon images of terror hedgegrows bristle with incantations and ill-thought-out tactics. Arthur is on his way to Gallipoli.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1409146235</amazonuk>}}{{newreview|author=Elizabeth Fremantle|title=Watch the Lady|rating=5|genre=Historical Fiction|summary=Queen Elizabeth I is in her autumnal years and becoming increasingly pre-occupied with fear of potential plots and coups catching up people shimmer with her – and perhaps justifiably sopower. This is how young Penelope Devereux finds Her Majesty (Penelope's godmother) on Penelope's acceptance at court. It's There they uncover a dangerous time to be a royal maid, especially in young Miss Devereux's case with a banished mother, a step-father who is one of Elizabeth's favourites and the realisation sinister plot that threatens the girl has been placed there to spy for the family. However lives of all magicians in the Devereux interests will be served even if the game that Penelope plays is a fatal oneBritish Isles.|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>071817710X</amazonuk>1529080886

{{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=Elizabeth LoupasB09F4CTKJR|title=The Red Lily CrownFlights for Freedom|author= Steven Burgauer

|summary=Florence 1574: Chiara Nerini only approaches Francesco de' Medici to sell him her late fatherIt's alchemical equipmentthe later stages of World War I and the United States has just entered the conflict. She Petrol Petronus is a young American who has signed up and her family are starving and a sale would mean survivaljoined the 17 Aero Squadron. However This company was the first US Aero Squadron to be trained in Canada, the soon first to be Emperor has other ideas attached to the RAF and abducts Chiara the first to become his assistant in be sent into the quest skies to find fight the Philosopher's Stone. If he finds it she will go free. If not.Germans in active combat.But before that can happen, Petrol has to master flying the notoriously difficult but majestic Sopwith Camel. Best not think about that option!|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0099571536</amazonuk>

{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Rosemary GoringChristophe Medler|title=Dacre's WarMadrigal: A Closely Guarded Secret|rating=54

|summary=1523, ten years after Set against the Battle backdrop of Flodden and the death if James IV English Civil War, a secret plan (code-named Madrigal) is discovered by Sir Robert Douse in the summer of Scotland1642. Henry VIII has decided on As a scorched earth policy and sends agents over loyal servant of the borders to burn Scottish towns and plunder their churches and monasteries to fund his coffers. One such agent is ThomasKing, Baron Dacre, Keeper of Carlisle and, ironically, friend Head of the dead Scottish ruler. While working for the English crown Dacre also has his own private war to fight. Clan chief Adam Crozier hears that Dacre ordered Adam's father's murder and wants his revenge.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1846973112</amazonuk>}}{{newreview|author=Eve Makis|title=The Spice Box Letters|rating=4.5|genre=General Fiction|summary=KaterinaSecret Service, it is Robert's Armenian grandmother Mariam dies leaving her and her mother a journal in Armenian and a spice box full of mysterious letters. They're special duty to them both because they're uncover the legacy details of a much loved relative but totally indecipherable the plan and follow the clues to uncover one of the monolingually English pair. However a holiday abroad to get over a recent break up brings a random encounter for Katerina. When Katerina meets Ara she also meets most guarded secrets in history—especially since the plot could affect the key to her grandmother's secret pastKing.|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1910124087</amazonuk>B095HY8SXQ

{{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=MRC Kasasian1471187179|title=Death Descends On Saturn Villa (The Gower Street Detective Series)A Beautiful Spy|author=Rachel Hore

|summary=Adeline Minnie is an enigma'ordinary' girl living an unexciting life in a leafy provincial suburb. She has lived The book is set in the 1930s and Minnie is expected to live up to her mother's expectations and find a nunnery ever since nice young man to marry, produce children and spend the rest of her days looking after her rescuehusband and their home. Unfortunately, several years agothis isn't what she wants to do at all and neither does she want to continue working as a secretary. She cannot speak As a result of a chance meeting, nor can she remember much about her previous finds herself drawn into espionage, working for the secret service and effectively living a double life. She tries desperately - attempting to piece together infiltrate the ephemeral fragments that come to Communist Party of Great Britain. Minnie finds herself torn between what she perceives as her in fitful dreams. Something duty and the friends she has taken everything away. Something so powerful that it has rendered her speechlessmade - and likes - whilst working for the Communist Party.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1782395687</amazonuk>

{{newreviewFrontpage|author= Louisa TregerAfonso Cruz and Rahul Bery (translator)|title= The LodgerKokoschka's Doll|rating= 2.5|genre= Historical Literary Fiction|summary= A writer writing about writers writing. What more could a readerWell, this looked very much like a book reviewerI could love from the get-go, a tentative writer which is why I picked my review copy up and lover flipped pages over several times before actually reading any of words want from it. I found things to potentially delight me each time – a weird section in the middle on darker stock paper, a book? Not forgetting chapter whose number was in the setting – England20,000s, early 1900sletters used as narrative form, clear class divisions and social expectations – and so on. It intrigued with the characters – fascinatingsubterranean voice a man hears in wartorn Dresden that what little I knew of it mentioned, colourfultoo. But you've seen the star rating that comes with this review, and above allcan tell that if love was on these pages, real. This book has everything I look for in a storyit was not actually caused by them. So what happened?|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1250051932</amazonuk>1529402697

{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Antonia HodgsonChristina Hammonds Reed|title=The Last Confession of Thomas Hawkins|rating=5|genre=Historical Fiction|summary=A few months after we left Tom in the 1720s we return to find him living in sin and love with Kitty. Or it would be sin if they ever get round to the bed bit. Just as he promised underworld gang leader James Fleet, Tom has taken in James' son Sam to train him in the ways of being a gentleman. All seems to be going well in that department until Tom receives a visit from an old enemy and a brush with the country's ultimate power. Then both collide to create fear and an offer that Tom isn't able to refuse, no matter how hard he tries.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1444775456</amazonuk>}}{{newreview|author= Martine Bailey|title= The Penny Heart|rating= 5|genre= Historical Fiction|summary=After living a life of crime in order to scrape by, Mary Jebb is spared from the gallows – and banished to Australia. Before leaving for the penal colony of Botany Bay, she sends two engraved penny heart tokens to key players in her world. One of these takes us to Delafosse Hall, where Mary’s story meets that of shy artist Grace Moore – and yet more confidence tricks begin.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1444769855</amazonuk>}}{{newreview|author=Amitav Ghosh|title=Flood of Fire (Ibis Trilogy 3)|rating=4|genre=Historical Fiction|summary=1839 and the repercussions of the sinking of the Ibis and the Chinese clampdown on opium smuggling go on. Now widowed by the marine disaster, Shireen Modhi is given an opportunity to discover her late husband's legacy although it means journeying alone from India to China. Former sailor Zachary Reid finds life landside to be a little complicated when he becomes a 'mystery' (craftsman) attached to the Indian home of a British opium trader, despite its fringe benefits. East India Company sepoy officer Kesri Singh is also a little unsettled, especially when he discovers he must prepare for a war that, in some way or other, will affect them all.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0719569001</amazonuk>}}{{newreview|author=Jean Ravencourt|title=A Lover's PinchBlack Kids

|genre=Historical FictionTeens |summary=Hettie (Henriette to be formal) has grown up in straitened times. Her mother was a former mistress of Charles IX but now Henri IV Christina Hammonds Reed's debut novel is on the throne. A different king means different favourites and Hettie’s family have to live on set against the memory and favours backdrop of others. However Hettie has attracted the attention of Henri which is enough 1992 Los Angeles riots, a reaction to give her mother ideas. She’s not the only one though: King’s mistress Gabrielle d’Estrees also has plans absolution of four police officers for the teenage girl. Hettie is definitely embarking on an adventure but the twists it takes are unforeseen by anyone and dangerous to all.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>B00UEL4XLW</amazonuk>}}{{newreview|author=Patricia Duncker|title=Sophie and the Sibyl: A Victorian Romance|rating=4|genre=Historical Fiction|summary=''Sophie and the Sibyl'', consciously modelled on John Fowles's ''The French Lieutenant's Woman'', is beating a postmodern blending of historyblack man, fictionRodney King, and metafictional commentarynearly to death. Brothers Max and Wolfgang Duncker really were George Eliot's German publishers, but Told from the accident perspective of their surname matching the author's makes them her clever stand-in. As Ashley Bennett, the novel opens in 1872, the venerable English author is exploring Homburg and Berlin in the company of follows her 'husband' while ushering her latest novel, ''Middlemarch'', into German translation. Max, evolution from a young cad fond silent bystander when confronted with matters of casinos and brothelsrace, has two tasks: ensuring Eliot's loyalty to their publishing house, a woman finding her voice and securing Countess Sophie von Hahn's hand in marriageembracing her heritage.|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>140886052X</amazonuk>1471188191