AUTHOR: Candace Robb
INFO: Fiction, 231 pages
PUBLISHED: Diversion Books, 2015
SOURCE: Received from Publisher for Review
SOURCE: Received from Publisher for Review
ABOUT THE BOOK: "Thirteenth-century Edinburgh comes off the page cold and convincing, from the smoke and noise of the tavern kitchen to Holyrood Abbey under a treacherous abbot. Most enjoyable." - THE LIST
In the spring of 1297 the English army controls lowland Scotland and Margaret Kerr's husband Roger Sinclair is missing. He'd headed to Dundee in the autumn, writing to Margaret with a promise to be home for Christmas, but it's past Easter. Is he caught up in the swelling rebellion against the English? Is he even alive? When his cousin Jack is murdered on the streets of Edinburgh, Roger's last known locations, Margaret coerces her brother Andrew, a priest, to escort her to the city.
She finds Edinburgh scarred by war - houses burnt, walls stained with blood, shops shuttered - and the townsfolk simmering with resentment, harboring secrets. Even her uncle, innkeeper Murdoch Kerr, meets her questions with silence. Are his secrets the keys to Roger's disappearance? What terrible sin torments her brother? Is it her husband that she glimpses in the rain, scarred, haunted? Desperate, Margaret makes alliances that risk twists love and loyalties, and that, until tested, we cannot know our own hearts, much less those of our loved ones.
MY TAKE: I jumped at the chance to be a part of this blog tour. I've been a Candace Robb fan for years. I appreciate the chance to review this series although I'm not really sure what I was expecting. I knew this was a completely different series, but I think it is very unfortunate that fans of Ms. Robb's blockbuster Owen Archer series (such as myself) immediately compare Margaret Kerr to Owen - without meaning to. It's hard not to expect this new protagonist to be just like him and to be engaged with her right away. She is truly her own person in her own new kettle of fish.
Admittedly, Margaret is hard to become attached to - in the beginning. She is a bit of a pain and I didn't gel with her "woe is me" aura. BUT, as the story progresses and she starts showing what she's actually made of, I got to like her. (I'm reading the 2nd book now and I can definitely say that I'm liking her more and more all the time.) The storyline continues to build and I'm enjoying this series. I think readers need to stay with her and she'll become beloved too.
I think any fan of historical fiction and her writing, knows that Candace Robb is a master at bringing history to life for us. Medieval Scotland is one of my favorite time periods to read about. The obvious extensive and meticulous research she does shines through in her stories.
Admittedly, Margaret is hard to become attached to - in the beginning. She is a bit of a pain and I didn't gel with her "woe is me" aura. BUT, as the story progresses and she starts showing what she's actually made of, I got to like her. (I'm reading the 2nd book now and I can definitely say that I'm liking her more and more all the time.) The storyline continues to build and I'm enjoying this series. I think readers need to stay with her and she'll become beloved too.
I think any fan of historical fiction and her writing, knows that Candace Robb is a master at bringing history to life for us. Medieval Scotland is one of my favorite time periods to read about. The obvious extensive and meticulous research she does shines through in her stories.
Out of 5 JEWELS, I give it:
The Fire in the Flint (Book Two)
“Intrigue abounds…. Robb’s captivating blend of history and mystery vividly evokes medieval Scotland.” —BOOKLIST
Scots are gathering in Murdoch Kerr’s Edinburgh tavern, plotting to drive out the English forces. Margaret takes her place there as innkeeper, collecting information to pass on to William Wallace—until murder gives the English an excuse to shutter the tavern. The dead man was a witness to the intruders who raided chests belonging to Margaret’s husband and her father, the latest in a string of violent raids on Margaret’s family, but no one knows the identity of the raiders or what they’re searching for.
Margaret’s uncle urges her to escape Edinburgh, but as she flees north with her husband Roger, Margaret grows suspicious about his sudden wish to speak with her mother, Christiana, who is a soothsayer. Margaret once innocently shared with Roger one of Christiana’s visions, of “the true king of Scotland” riding into Edinburgh. Now she begins to wonder if their trip is part of a mission engineered by the English crown...
A Cruel Courtship (Book Three)
“This is history as it should be told!” —GOOD BOOK GUIDE
In late summer 1297, Margaret Kerr heads to the town of Stirling at the request of William Wallace’s man James Comyn. Her mission is to discover the fate of a young spy who had infiltrated the English garrison at Stirling Castle, but on the journey Margaret is haunted by dreams—or are they visions?—of danger.
He who holds Stirling Castle holds Scotland—and a bloody battle for the castle is imminent. But as the Scots prepare to cast off the English yoke, Margaret’s flashes of the future allow her to glimpse what is to come—and show her that she can trust no one, not even her closest friends.
A CRUEL COURTSHIP is a harrowing account of the days before the bloody battle of Stirling Bridge, and the story of a young woman’s awakening.
AMAZON / BARNES & NOBLE / GOOGLEPLAY / ITUNES / KOBO / POWELL'S BOOKS / THE BOOK DEPOSITORY
ABOUT THE AUTHOR 
Growing up, Candace Robb wanted to be a ballerina, tap dancer, folk singer, journalist—but on the day that she walked into Liz Armstrong’s undergraduate class on Chaucer’s Troilus and Criseyde, that all changed. A gifted teacher, lively, witty, always laughing even when cringing at a lazy response, Dr. Armstrong launched into the opening stanzas, and within a few lines Candace’s ears adjusted to the middle English—and she was hooked. Chaucer’s psychological study of the two lovers was a revelation to her. The next quarter was The Canterbury Tales. That clinched it. Candace went on to graduate work in medieval history and literature, and ever since she’s been engaged in bringing to life the rich culture of the period, from the arts to the politics.
She is the internationally acclaimed author of thirteen crime novels featuring the sexy, brooding, clever Owen Archer, who solves crimes for John Thoresby, Archbishop of York and Lord Chancellor of England, and the young Margaret Kerr, searching for her missing husband and her role in a Scotland overrun by English soldiers.
Candace is currently under contract with Pegasus Books for a new crime series set in 15th century York, the Kate Clifford mysteries, which will debut in 2016. Writing as Emma Campion, Candace has published two historical novels about the women of the English court in the 14th century, A Triple Knot and The King’s Mistress.
Born in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina, Candace grew up in Cincinnati, Ohio, and has lived most of her adult life in Seattle, Washington, which she loves for its combination of culture, natural beauty, and brooding weather so like Yorkshire, Wales, and Scotland, which she visits as often as possible.
She has taught the art of writing the crime novel in the University of Washington’s certificate program, and offers workshops in writing the historical novel and in creating and plotting the crime series. Candace (and Emma) blog about writing and medieval topics at A Writer’s Retreat, ecampion.wordpress.com.
She is the internationally acclaimed author of thirteen crime novels featuring the sexy, brooding, clever Owen Archer, who solves crimes for John Thoresby, Archbishop of York and Lord Chancellor of England, and the young Margaret Kerr, searching for her missing husband and her role in a Scotland overrun by English soldiers.
Candace is currently under contract with Pegasus Books for a new crime series set in 15th century York, the Kate Clifford mysteries, which will debut in 2016. Writing as Emma Campion, Candace has published two historical novels about the women of the English court in the 14th century, A Triple Knot and The King’s Mistress.
Born in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina, Candace grew up in Cincinnati, Ohio, and has lived most of her adult life in Seattle, Washington, which she loves for its combination of culture, natural beauty, and brooding weather so like Yorkshire, Wales, and Scotland, which she visits as often as possible.
She has taught the art of writing the crime novel in the University of Washington’s certificate program, and offers workshops in writing the historical novel and in creating and plotting the crime series. Candace (and Emma) blog about writing and medieval topics at A Writer’s Retreat, ecampion.wordpress.com.
WEBSITE | FACEBOOK | TWITTER | GOODREADS
Please join Margaret Kerr as she tours the blogosphere for her Margaret Kerr Mystery Series, from October 12-23, with HF Virtual Book Tours, and enter to win one of three (3) Sets of A TRUST BETRAYED and THE FIRE IN THE FLINT in eBook!
BLOG TOUR SCHEDULE
Monday, October 12
Interview at The Writing Desk
Tuesday, October 13
Review at Worth Getting In Bed For (A Trust Betrayed)
Spotlight at Just One More Chapter
Wednesday, October 14
Review at Book Nerd (A Cruel Courtship)
Spotlight at With Her Nose Stuck in a Book
Thursday, October 15
Review at One Book Shy of a Full Shelf (A Trust Betrayed)
Spotlight at Buried Under Books
Friday, October 16
Review at Worth Getting in Bed For (The Fire in the Flint)
Monday, October 19
Tuesday, October 20'
Wednesday, October 21
Thursday, October 22
Friday, October 23
Spotlight at One Book Shy of a Full Shelf
GIVEAWAY
To win one of three (3) Sets of A TRUST BETRAYED and THE FIRE IN THE FLINT in eBook, enter using the Rafflecopter Widget below.
Rules – Giveaway ends at 11:59pm EST on October 23rd. You must be 18 or older to enter. – Giveaway is open internationally. – Only one entry per household. – All giveaway entrants agree to be honest and not cheat the systems; any suspect of fraud is decided upon by blog/site owner and the sponsor, and entrants may be disqualified at our discretion – Winner has 48 hours to claim prize or new winner is chosen.
Rules – Giveaway ends at 11:59pm EST on October 23rd. You must be 18 or older to enter. – Giveaway is open internationally. – Only one entry per household. – All giveaway entrants agree to be honest and not cheat the systems; any suspect of fraud is decided upon by blog/site owner and the sponsor, and entrants may be disqualified at our discretion – Winner has 48 hours to claim prize or new winner is chosen.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Be sure to join me again on the 23rd where I'll be spotlighting the 2nd and 3rd books:
The Fire and the Flint and A Cruel Courtship.
~~~~~ Disclaimer: All opinions expressed on this blog are 100% my own. I do not receive monetary compensation for my reviews but do utilize affiliate links. I may receive books in order to facilitate a review, but this does not guarantee a good review - only a completely honest one. Each review post denotes how I obtained the book.
0 comments:
Post a Comment
Thank you so much for taking the time to chat with us. Feel free to tell us what you think. (Please note that we have comment moderation turned on so we'll never miss a message from one of our readers.)