We are thrilled to announce that we have signed the next three books in The Tarnished Crown series by C. F. Dunn.
Set during the Wars of the Roses, the series follows Isobel Fenton — a brave and determined heiress — and the intrigues that surround her.
In Dunn’s words:
“I am delighted to continue working with the team at Sapere Books to bring the Wars of the Roses and this tempestuous period in English medieval history to life.
“I take the view that everything that happened in the past resonates down the centuries. The great names in history didn’t exist in isolation, but were part of a rich web that made up as complex a society as any that exists today. It is relationships at every level that enabled society to work, and when these broke down, conflict ensued. And like people throughout time, actions were driven by love and loyalty, fear, feuds and ambition.
“The next three books in The Tarnished Crown series see Isobel and her beloved Robert confront unforeseen twists of fortune, testing their allegiance to the Crown and to each other as England faces challenges from abroad and treachery at home. And when those closest to the throne call upon Robert and Isobel’s support, bonds of friendship and fealty are stretched to breaking point.”
Congratulations to Isolde Martyn, whose enchanting medieval romance, The Lady of Mirascon, is out now!
1208
When cruel King John makes advances on her, young Adela de Whitchurch is forced to flee her comfortable position as hairbraider to the Queen of England.
After stowing away on a ship, Adela finds herself in France. Surviving on her wits and courage, she is soon accepted into the retinue of Lady Alys FitzPoyntz — a noblewoman who is on her way to meet her betrothed, Lord Ricart, Vicomte of Mirascon.
On the journey, disaster strikes when the party is attacked by brigands. As one of the only survivors, Adela decides to make her way to Mirascon to deliver Lady Alys’s jewels to Lord Ricart and throw herself on his mercy.
But when the vicomte mistakes Adela for his betrothed, she is swiftly pulled into a web of deception. With Mirascon threatened by the Pope’s brutal crusade against heretics, Lord Ricart is occupied with protecting his people, and Adela is unable to find an opportunity to tell him the truth.
And as she begins to fall for his charm and passion, she wonders whether she will ever summon the strength to leave his side…
Will Lord Ricart discover Adela’s true identity? Can he return her love?
Instead of looking out at rose bushes and oak trees or hearing blackbirds, I face an office window that is flanked by palm lilies, and the bird noises come from kookaburras and sulphur-crested cockatoos. None of which is very helpful when I am attempting to describe a scene in fifteenth-century England or thirteenth-century France. Living in Sydney, my research is limited to the occasional overseas trip or the internet. Fortunately, the latter is so fantastic these days and British History Online is now one of my go-to places.
Inspiration? Visiting Carcassonne and Minerve in France and hearing how the Northern French crusaders ransacked the land of the troubadours. Or sometimes it’s someone’s talk quivering my antennae. My second novel, The Knight and the Rose, resulted from hearing a fellow historian cite a rare medieval divorce case that involved a ‘green card’ situation. My third book, The Silver Bride, was hatched from reading of a daughter dressing in armour to fight a duel for her cowardly dad, plus wondering what it would have been like to be a clairvoyant woman back in the 1480s. The Golden Widows arose out of a friend taking me to visit Shute Barton in Devon and hearing about Warwick the Kingmaker’s youngest sister losing seven menfolk in battle. That gave rise to the idea of two young widows on opposite sides in the Wars of the Roses in the early 1460s: Katherine Neville and Elizabeth Woodville.
Historical novelists tend to go over the ground with a metal detector trying to find new angles. It becomes a challenge, especially with the Tudors. Fortunately, the character who was trying to get my attention was from the previous century and one of history’s most mysterious wheelers and dealers, the twenty-nine-year-old Duke of Buckingham, Richard III’s cousin, and so the tale of a villain and a loser came to life in The Devil in Ermine.
‘Write a woman next, a shameless gold-digger,’ suggested my agent. It didn’t work. Instead, on further acquaintance that most appealing of royal mistresses, Elizabeth Lambard — aka ‘Shore’s wife’ — took charge of the writing, and away we went with Mistress to the Crown.
I still envy novelists living in the UK for being able to easily do location research, but living in Australia hasn’t stifled my lifelong interest in… Oh, there goes another kookaburra!
Congratulations to Coirle Mooney, whose page-turning Medieval drama, My Lady’s Shadow, is published today!
1198, France
Lady Maria of Turenne has long been engaged in a flirtation with Count Hugh La Marche. It is a match which her father has strongly encouraged. However, Maria is her own woman and she is determined to choose for herself. Maria is unaware that her clever, scheming maid, Maryse, is secretly in love with the count.
Soon after, the young troubadour, Gui d’Ussel, arrives at the castle and Maria is instantly captivated by him. He shares her distaste of convention and her love of the arts and they soon become inseparable. Meanwhile, Maryse develops a strong dislike for Gui and her resentment for Maria grows.
Angered by her treatment of the Count of La Marche, Maria’s father has arranged a new wedding match. This time, Maria will not be allowed to decline.
Forced into marrying a wealthy viscount against her will, Maria and Gui are torn apart from each other. However, Maria is determined to find a way to use the power she has gained through marriage to raise Gui in society.
Will Maria and Gui find a way to be together? Can Maria escape her marriage?
Congratulations to Coirle Mooney, whose enchanting Medieval drama, The Cloistered Lady, is published today!
Eleanor of Aquitaine has been arrested for rebelling against her husband, King Henry II of England.
Her loyal ladies-in-waiting, Alice and Joanna of Agen have fled to the nunnery at Fontrevault, where they are anxiously awaiting news of their queen.
Alice and Joanna struggle to adapt to their cramped new home at the Abbey. Each is secretly nursing a broken heart – and harbouring unholy desires.
Joanna left behind a lover, Jean, at Eleanor’s court in Poitiers, and Alice has long been in love with the queen’s daughter, Marie.
And as the days stretch on with no news, they both begin to fear the worst.
What has happened to Eleanor? Will Alice and Joanna be forced to remain at the Abbey indefinitely? And will they ever be reunited with the ones they love?
Congratulations to Coirle Mooney, whose enchanting Medieval romance, The Lady’s Keeper, is out now!
At Eleanor of Aquitaine’s palace in Poitiers, fourteen-year-old Lady Joanna of Agen is coming of age. Her aunt and guardian, Alice, rescued Joanna from her brutal father by bringing her to court. But now Alice fears Joanna could once again be at risk from the men around her.
When Queen Eleanor’s son, Henry, arrives at court, Joanna quickly catches his eye. But Alice overhears the lewd conversations of the male courtiers and worries that Joanna’s honour is at stake.
And as the relationship between Queen Eleanor and King Henry II of England becomes fractious, a dark mood settles over court.
Drawn into a world of intrigue, danger and adventure, Alice must fight to keep her and Joanna safe…
