Thursday 16 February 2017

THE ERRANT HOURS by Kate Innes

AMAZON UK £2.99    / £8.99
AMAZON US $3.99   / $13.50
AMAZON CA $ 4.96 / $17.43

This title was shortlisted for the February  Book of the Month

13th Century
England

The French woman is dying during childbirth. She is mistress to an English nobleman. Ursula the local Shropshire midwife is also due to give birth, but attends the hapless mother. One of their babies lives, the other does not.

Skip forward quite a few years: Illesa, Ursula’s daughter, is finding it hard to keep the small family farm going and her elder brother is in trouble again. She must trust to her wits and a book, Saint Margaret, that her mother gave her. Then she finds herself in the company of a man who is kindred to the King’s Chancellor, and who is to organise a celebration for Edward I’s victory over the Welsh, a task he struggles to ensure goes well (anyone who has organised such an important event can wholeheartedly sympathise with him!) Twists and unexpected turns follow, keeping the reader guessing as page after page is swiftly turned.

Running through the plot is the fortune (or misfortune) of St Margaret who was martyred in the 4th century, and a 6th century Welsh tale – both of which are skilfully woven into the narrative, and do have a reason to be there, but to say why here could be a spoiler so I am saying nothing more.

The research for this novel appears to be meticulous, and it was a delight to encounter something different to the norm in the form of an obscure actual incident, which so added to the pleasure of this wonderful story. Kate Innes writing holds the reader throughout – a delightful read, very highly recommended and most definitely a Discovered Diamond!

©Helen Hollick

Note: this novel may appear to be incorrectly justified as an e-book on some devices
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1 comment:

  1. I missed this when it was originally reviewed. I've been going back over the posts and this definitely looks like another for my tbr mountain.

    ReplyDelete

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