‘A king adorns the throne…He has no subtlety, no grace but he does not deserve to die in the waythat has been planned and this is why we shall stop them, our men, our kin and save us all.’
1605; Bess Throckmorton is well used to cunning plots and intrigues. With her husband Sir Walter Raleigh imprisoned in the Tower of London, and she and her family in a constant battle to outwit Robert Cecil, the most powerful man in the country who is determined to ruin her, Bess decides to retreat to her beloved home, Crestwell Hall. But there she is shocked to hear talk of a new plot to murder the king. So, unbeknownst to their menfolk, the wives of the plotters begin to work together to try to stop the impending disaster.
Present Day; Isabella Lacey and her daughter, Emily, are excited to be starting a new life at her aunt’s home,Crestwell Hall in Wiltshire. During renovations, Isabella discovers an ancient bible that once belonged to Bess Throckmorton, and to her astonishment finds that it doubled as a diary. As Isabella reads Bess’s story, a new version of the Gunpowder Plot begins to emerge-told by the women.When Emily’s life is suddenly in terrible danger, Isabella understands the relentless fear felt by Bess, hundreds of years ago. And as the fateful date of 5th November draws ever closer, Bess and the plotters’ wives beg their husbands to stop before a chain of events is set into action that can only end one way…
Alexandra Walsh is the bestselling author of dual timeline historical mysteries, previously published by Sapere. Her books range from the fifteenth century to the Victorian era and are inspired by the hidden voices of women that have been lost over the centuries. Formerly a journalist, writing for national newspapers, magazines, and TV, her first book for Boldwood was published in Spring 2023.
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My thoughts: this was a really interesting time slip book blending the history of the Gunpowder Plot with the lives of Issy and Emily, who have moved into Crestwell Hall, the home of Issy’s Great-uncle Philip, who has recently died.
Bess Throckmorton was a real person, wife of Sir Walter Raleigh, lady-in-waiting to Elizabeth I and linked by birth and marriage to many of the most important families of the day. Including all of the Gunpowder Plot schemers.
While Crestwell Hall isn’t real, the author drew inspiration from the belief of Robert Cecil, spy master, that the Raleighs had a secret home he couldn’t find.
I really liked how the story of the wives’ plan to save their husbands from execution for treason unfolded as Issy explored the house and unravelled its history. Bess is an impressive woman, even if this attempt to stop the plot isn’t true, and I loved her determination to guard her family from themselves. Issy was a great protagonist, too. She, her aunt, and daughter are part of a new generation of incredible women living in Crestwell Hall.
*I was kindly gifted a copy of this book in exchange for taking part in this blog tour, but all opinions remain my own.
ramblingmads 