by Philippa Gregory A Review 'This was the walking night for the dead, this night and their saints' days; but she did not think her drunken violent husband had been under the care of any particular saint.' Alinor Reekie scratches out a living for herself and her children Rob and Alys in the marshlands of …
Category: Women in History
The Five
by Hallie Rubenhold The Untold Lives of the Women Killed by Jack the Ripper 'The victims of Jack the Ripper were never "just prostitues"; they were daughters, wives, mothers, sisters and lovers. They were women. They were human beings, and surely that, in itself, is enough.' During the late summer of 1888, death stalked the …
The Confession
by Jessie Burton A Review 'I was fourteen when I killed my mother.' Elise Morceau is twenty years old in 1980 when she meets thirty-five-year-old novelist Constance Holden in London. They embark on a love affair. One of Constance's novels is being made into a movie and Constance takes Elise with her to Hollywood to …
The Art of Dying
by Ambrose Parry A Review 'The Reverend struck me again ...... It was what happened when you ate filth.' The Art of Dying reacquaints the reader with Dr Will Raven and Sarah Fisher, protagonists of Ambrose Parry's first novel, The Way of All Flesh. Now fully qualified, Raven returns to Edinburgh from a study tour …
Witch Hunt
The Familiars by Stacey Halls A Review ' "The light and the darkness are equal forces - partners, if you will - then there is a moment, very quick and quiet, where you can see the day giving in to the night. That's when I know." ' [Alice Gray] We know about witches, don't we …
Alice!
A look back at the life of a famous child - I haven't done any blogging for a week or two because I've been on holiday, first in the New Forest, then in Belgium and the Netherlands. Wherever I go, I can't help looking for literary connections. A few years ago, at Winchester, it was …
Matoaka's Last Journey
'Tis enough that the child liveth.' Rebecca's Tale (Part Three) Wahunsenacawh did not attend his daughter’s wedding. Instead, he sent a brother-in-law and two nephews ‘to see the manner of the mariage and to doe in that behalfe what they were requested'. According to some accounts, he also sent Mataoka a pearl necklace as a …
'… for the good of this plantation'
'... Pokahuntas. To whom my hartie and best thoughts are ...' Rebecca's Tale (Part Two) Heacham is a holiday resort in the county of Norfolk. Situated on the shores of the Wash, it is the English centre of lavender farming and distilling, and boasts 100 acres under cultivation. The village was of sufficient importance in …
From Jamestown to Gravesend
'... the Kings most dear and well-beloved daughter ...' On looking back, I see that I first wrote this series of articles about four years ago. Time goes by so quickly and I felt compelled to introduce to (hopefully) a new audience what, for me, is a romantic and poignant true life story. **** Rebecca's …
Wonder Women
[WARNING! Any apparent similarity between this post and my previous one (Dreaming the Impossible) is pure coincidence.] Amazons by John Man A Review 'As always with superheroes, the plot involves saving the world, which suggests that the film is nothing but fun, at best, and utterly lacking in significance. Not at all. Wonder Woman is …
