Historical Stories of Betrayal by Judith Arnopp et al Spotlight and Excerpt

Publication Date: November 17, 2020
Publisher: Historical Fictioneers
Page Length: 486
Genre: Historical Fiction
Authors: Judith Arnopp, Cryssa Bazos, Anna Belfrage, Derek Birks, Helen Hollick, Amy Maroney, Alison Morton, Charlene Newcomb, Tony Riches, Mercedes Rochelle, Elizabeth St. John, Annie Whitehead

Synopsis

Betrayal, treachery, treason, deceit, perfidy—all names for the calculated violation of trust. And it’s been rife since humans trod the earth.

A promise broken
A mission betrayed
A lover’s desertion
A parent’s deception
An unwitting act of treason
Betrayal by comrades
Betrayal by friends

Could you resist the forces of misplaced loyalty, power hunger, emotional blackmail, or plain greed? Is there ever redemption, or will the destruction visit future generations and even alter history? These questions are still with us today.

Read twelve tales by twelve accomplished writers who explore these historical yet timeless challenges from post Roman Britain to the present day.

Read an Excerpt

“Road to the Tower” by Elizabeth St. John

England,1483. When Lady Elysabeth Scrope receives an urgent summons to escort her godson Prince Edward to London, she makes an impulsive decision that will change England forever. The sudden death of the king has thrown alliances into turmoil, and the safety of the twelve-year-old heir is at stake. Protecting the young prince from the ambitious Woodvilles is one thing. Defying Richard, Duke of Gloucester, and her half-sister, Margaret Beaufort, is quite another. As Elysabeth and the prince near London and their ultimate destination, the Tower, she begins to question the wisdom of her decision . . . and her family’s hidden motives.

Excerpt: Lady Elysabeth Scrope and her husband have just been urgently summoned to Richard, Duke of Gloucester’s Yorkshire stronghold, Middleham Castle. Unable to reach Lord Scrope, she impulsively decides to travel on her own to answer the Duke’s command.

April, 1483

He turned then and acknowledged me. Sanding his signature and flinging the parchment at the nearest attendant, Gloucester approached, waving Martha and our guards out of ears’ reach. As always, I wondered what fate had omitted even a ghost of his brothers’ fine physiques and charm. Richard Plantagenet may as well have been a changeling, for his stature was small, smaller than mine, and his sallow complexion concealed him within the hall until he merged with the dimness.

As he kissed my hand, Gloucester’s shoulders twisted under his light tunic, and the heavily muscled right side of his body rose dominant.

“Lady Scrope. Elysabeth.” The charisma flickered. He was one who did not need to illuminate a room when he could influence from the shadows. My husband often said his Yorkist lord had perfected that role his entire life, eclipsed by the splendour of his magnificent brothers. “And John is . . . ?” He peered over my shoulder.

“My lord,” I took a deep breath as I curtsied. “I . . . I opened your letter. John is surveying our lands and will not return for many days. I have left word for him. You summoned me urgently with a crucifix.”

Sovereynté.

I rose, a flush heating my cheeks. “I came alone.”

“Alone. Excellent.” Gloucester’s voice turned harsh. “My brother,” he cleared his throat, “my brother the king is dead of an apoplexy. Nigh on a week ago in Westminster.”

“Sweet Jesu, God rest his soul.” I stepped back, his news unbalancing me. “How could this be? King Edward was hale, hearty, full of life.” I couldn’t read his expression. “This means . . .”

“His heir, my nephew, your godson, Prince Edward, is now the fifth to the throne of that name. The Woodville love-child is King of England.”

King. My precious boy is king. I pulled my attention back to Gloucester. “The crucifix? You sent a crucifix to remind me of my vow. Surely you cannot believe I would have forgotten.”

Gloucester shook his head. “Not I. And the king trusted you. He wished the relic be given to his heir, for his last thoughts were of his son’s spiritual well-being. A godmother is considered a blood relative, and the child is your responsibility.”

“And gladly so, my lord. My vow was to stand with my godson against danger, against the world of corruption and temptation.” My thoughts peeled back to the dreadful wars and the miserable November gloom of Westminster’s Sanctuary. The Woodville woman’s beauty had been crushed by racking labour pains, then joyfully illuminated as a boy child was born. I relived the love that had washed over me that day, even if the infant was a York heir and I a Lancastrian pawn.

Gloucester made an impatient motion, as if thrusting away the past. “Thanks to your part in the queen’s safe delivery, my brother forgave your Lancastrian loyalties, brought you into our family, approved your marriage to a York loyalist. Now you must repay him.”

Media: King Edward V and the Duke of York in the Tower of London. Paul Delaroche, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:DelarocheKingEdward.jpg

Where to Purchase

https://books2read.com/BetrayalAnthology

Meet the Authors

A lifelong history enthusiast, Judith Arnopp holds an honours degree in English/Creative writing, and a Masters in Medieval Studies. Judith has written twelve novels to date, nine of which are based in the Tudor period covering women like Elizabeth of York, Anne Boleyn and Mary Tudor, but her main focus is on the perspective of historical women from all roles of life. The Beaufort Chronicle: The Life of Lady Margaret Beaufort (three book series) covers the transitional period between Bosworth and the death of Henry Tudor. She is currently taking a break from Tudor women and writing from the perspective of Henry VIII in "A Matter of Conscience."

Cryssa Bazos is an award-winning historical fiction author and a seventeenth century enthusiast. Her debut novel, Traitor's Knot is the Medalist winner of the 2017 New Apple Award for Historical Fiction and a finalist for the 2018 EPIC eBook Awards for Historical Romance. Her second novel, Severed Knot, is a B.R.A.G Medallion Honoree and a finalist for the 2019 Chaucer Award.

Anna Belfrage wanted to become a time-traveller but ended up as a financial professional with a passion for writing and history. She has authored the acclaimed time travel series The Graham Saga, set in the 17th century, and the equally acclaimed medieval series The King's Greatest Enemy, set in 14th century England. Anna has also published The Wanderer, a contemporary romantic suspense trilogy with paranormal ingredients. Her latest release, His Castilian Hawk, is a story of loyalty and love set against the complications of Edward I's invasion of Wales.

Derek Birks lives in Dorset, England, though he spent his teenage years in Auckland, New Zealand, where he still has strong family ties. For many years he taught history in a large secondary school before turning his hand to writing historical fiction. His stories, set both in the medieval period and late antiquity, are fast-paced and action-packed—almost no character is safe. He has also produced a series of non-fiction podcasts on the War of the Roses. When he is not writing, he enjoys travel, walking and watching films.

First published in 1994, Helen Hollick became a USA Today Bestseller with her historical novel, The Forever Queen (titled A Hollow Crown in the UK), with the sequel, Harold the King (U.S: I Am the Chosen King), being novels that explore events that led to the Battle of Hastings in 1066. Her Pendragon's Banner Trilogy is a fifth-century version of the Arthurian legend, and she writes a nautical adventure series, The Sea Witch Voyages. Her non-fiction books are Pirates: Truth and Tales, and Life of a Smuggler. She lives in an eighteenth-century farmhouse in North Devon, runs Discovering Diamonds, a review blog for historical fiction, and occasionally gets time to write . . .

Amy Maroney lives in Oregon, U.S.A, with her family. She spent many years as a writer and editor of nonfiction before turning her hand to historical fiction. When she's not diving down research rabbit holes, she enjoys hiking, drawing, dancing, traveling, and reading. Amy is the author of the Miramonde Series, a trilogy about a Renaissance-era female artist and the modern-day scholar on her trail.

Alison Morton writes the award-winning Roma Nova series featuring modern Praetorian heroines—tough but compassionate women. She puts this down to her deep love of Roman history, six years' military service, a Masters in History and an over-vivid imagination. It was hot that afternoon when, staring at a particularly beautiful mosaic, she started wondering what a modern Roman society would be like if run by strong women. Now, Alison blogs, reads, cultivates a Roman herb garden and drinks wine in France with her husband.

Charlene Newcomb lives, works, and writes in Kansas. She is an academic librarian (retired) by trade, a U.S Navy veteran, and has three grown children. When not at the library, she is still surrounded by books trying to fill her head with all things medieval and galaxies far, far away. She loves to travel and enjoys quiet places in the mountains or on rocky coasts. But even in Kansas she can let her imagination soar.

Tony Riches is a full-time author based in Pembrokeshire, Wales, UK, and is best known for his Tudor trilogy. After a career in the Royal Air Force he held senior roles in the National Health Service and Local Government. When researching his books Tony likes visiting the actual locations and discovering elusive primary sources. In his spare time he enjoys sailing and sea kayaking.

Mercedes Rochelle is an ardent lover of medieval history, and has channeled this interest into fiction writing. Born in St. Louis, Missouri, she received her B.A in Literature at the University of Missouri before moving to New York to "see the world". The search hasn't ended. Today she lives in Sergeantsville, N.J with her husband in a log home they had built themselves.

Elizabeth St. John spends her time between California, England, and the past. An acclaimed author, historian and genealogist, she has tracked down family papers and residences from Lydiard Park and Nottingham Castle to Richmond Palace and the Tower of London to inspire her novels. Although the family sold a few country homes along the way (it's hard to keep a good castle going thee days), Elizabeth's family still occupy them—in the form of portraits, memoirs, and gardens that carry their legacy. And the occasional ghost. But that's a different story . . .

Annie Whitehead has written three award-winning novels set in Anglo-Saxon England:To Be A Queen, about the life of Æthelflaed, Lady of the Mercians; Alvar the Kingmaker set in the turbulent tenth century when kings died young and not always of natural causes, and Cometh the Hour, the story of King Penda the pagan king. Her nonfiction books are published by Amberley Books and Pen & Sword Books and she was the inaugural winner of the Historical Writers' Association/Dorothy Dunnett Society Short Story Award.

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