The Players - Minette Walters

Readers love THE PLAYERS''Totally riveting... Perfect.''I was transported every time I picked up this highly imaginative story''''Everything I love about historical fiction''''This is historical fiction at its best''''Good to see female characters having strong roles''''I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys history, literature and a "jolly good read"''REBELLION. RETRIBUTION. REDEMPTION.England, 1685. Decades after the end of the civil war, the country is once again divided when Charles II''s illegitimate son, the Protestant Duke of Monmouth, arrives in Dorset to incite rebellion against his Catholic uncle. Armed only with pitchforks, Monmouth''s army is quickly defeated by King James II''s superior forces and charged with high treason. Those found guilty will be hanged, drawn and quartered.As Dorset braces for carnage, the redoubtable Lady Jayne Harrier and her enigmatic son, assisted by the reclusive daughter of a local magistrate, contrive ways to save men from the gallows.Compelling and powerful, The Players is a story of guile, deceit and compassion during the dark days of The Bloody Assizes. Secrets are kept and surprising friendships formed in a dangerous gamble to thwart a brutal king''s thirst for vengeance...''Fascinating ... told with the masterful skill of a true storyteller'' Anne O''Brien''An immersive joy that will stand the test of time'' Elizabeth Chadwick