Royalist Rebel Release Day!

Apologies for the alliteration, but after all the anticipation, edits and proofreading, it's finally time to launch my 17th Century novel onto the world.

If you visit Ham House, the Jacobite mansion near Richmond, the guides talk thus about its 17^th Century owner. That she was irascible, embittered widow stripped of her glory and reduced to genteel poverty in her beloved childhood home. They run ghost evenings at Ham, telling of sightings of the old lady’s spirit that roams the mansion, tapping the floors with her stick, her small dog at her side while the scent of attar of roses permeates her favourite rooms announcing her presence. 

In the gallery is the above portrait of Elizabeth, painted by Sir Peter Lely in her youth, a beautiful, intelligent and passionate young girl on the threshold of womanhood who was dedicated to Ham House, the Royalist cause and the men in her life; her father William Murray, son of a minister who rose to become King Charles’ friend and confidant, Lionel Tollemache, her husband of twenty years who adored her, Oliver Cromwell who was fascinated by her, and her second husband, John Maitland, Duke of Lauderdale, Charles II’s favourite on whom he heaped honours and riches, only to ostracise him after a bitter quarrel.   

Royalist Rebel is the story of that girl. 

The owners of the blogs listed in the post below have been kind enough to join me in this event - click on the links to see some amazing book blogs.

 

Published by Claymore Press, an imprint of Pen and Sword 
For a little background on the novel, see Book Blog

The National Trust Website of Elizabeth Murray’s former home, Ham House, at Petersham near Richmond, Surrey