The amber seemed to glow as Frances held it up to the candle that burned on her dresser. The beads were perfectly smooth and round, yet as the light shone through them, she could see the myriad dark flecks and shadows that made each one unique.
The rosary had been a gift from Queen Anne, who had slipped it quietly into her hands as Frances had taken her leave from court. "Keep faith," she had whispered, bending forward to kiss Frances on both cheeks. As she slowly threaded the beads through her fingers now, Frances wondered if Anne, too, would continue to abide by the faith that had bound her to the plotters - had made her countenance the murder of her husband and son.
***
Frances Gorges was accused of witchcraft - and she survived. But if her torturers at the court of King James discover she is pregnant with the child of Tom Wintour, her lover executed for his part in the Gunpowder Plot, it will mean certain death.
Then Frances is offered an escape: marriage. She will not be expected to sleep with her new husband, only to give up the cause for which Tom died.
But even when she is surrounded by the venomous dangers of life at court, Frances finds old loyalties hard to deny...
Compelling, sensual, suspenseful, The Devil's Slave is a novel of family, power and heartbreaking dilemmas. It is also a surprising, thrilling love story.
***
I actually finished reading this at the end of last year but have not had a space on the blog in which to upload it. This is the second part of the Frances Gorges trilogy, and follows on from The King's Witch which I have previously read and enjoyed.
The book begins sedately with Frances living a quiet life in the countryside, along with her husband and young son, George. Together, they return to the court of King James I where the plot gains both pace and tension, right through to the final chapter. As the book progresses, I wondered how all of this would end for Frances, and the author maintained the tension right up to the denouement.
As would be expected from the pen of Ms. Borman, who is a well-respected historian and the author of several non-fiction titles, it is obvious to the reader that this novel, along with it's predecessor, has been written following extensive research. As an academic the author has been able to use her skills and knowledge and has crafted her novel with intelligence and prowess.
The characters in the novel are based on real historical figures and the author has brought her characters to life on the page in a way that makes them utterly believable.
I am so pleased that there is another book in this series, The Fallen Angel, as I am already keenly anticipating what happens in Frances' story next.
ISBN: 978 1473662513
Publisher: Hodder Paperbacks
Formats: e-book, audio and paperback
No. of Pages: 432 (paperback)
About the Author:
Tracy studied and taught history at the University of Hull and was awarded a PHD in 1997. She went on to a successful career in heritage and have worked for a range of historic properties and national heritage organisations, including the Heritage Lottery Fund, The National Archives and English Heritage. She is now Chief Executive of the Heritage Education Trust, a charity that encourages children to visit and learn from historic properties through the Sandford Award scheme. She is also joint Chief Curator for Historic Royal Palaces, the charity that manages Hampton Court Palace, the Tower of London, Kensington Palace, Kew Palace, the Banqueting House, Whitehall and Hillsborough Castle. In July 2022, she was nominated Chancellor of Bishop Grosseteste University, Lincoln.
She often appears on television and radio, and is a regular contributor to history magazines, notably BBC History. She gives talks on her books across the country.
She is proud to be a trustee of The Buccleuch Living Heritage Trust and The National Archives Foundation, as well as a Patron of Lavenham Library, the Friends of Marble Hill House and the Chalke Valley History Festival, and Patron (Historical) of the Vectis Archaeological Trust. In 2017 she was awarded an honorary degree (DLit) from the University of Hull; in 2020 was made an Honorary Fellow in the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences at Queen Mary University of London; and in 2021 she was made an Honorary Professor at Bishop Grosseteste University in Lincoln. She is also a Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries and a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society.
(author photo and bio info courtesy of the author's own website)
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