A Noble Cunning: The Countess and the Tower

 

A Noble Cunning: The Countess and the Tower
Patricia Bernstein
Publication date: March 7, 2023 by History Through Fiction
Genre: Historical Fiction
Rating: 5 👢👢👢👢👢

Summary: 

Based on the true story of Winifred Maxwell, a Catholic in anti-Catholic England.

Scotland, 1716 -

Traveling alone through a frightful snowstorm, Bethan Glentaggart is desperate to get to London where her husband languishes in the Tower of London. As the date of Gavin's beheading rapidly approaches, Bethan has only her wits and her women friends to support her against King George. Will she be able to free Gavin? Will she even be allowed to see him?


My Thoughts: Extraordinary story! Bernstein showcases a keen ability for storytelling in this debut novel. In what seems to be nothing short of unfathomable, Bernstein unveils the true tale of a woman who defied the odds to save her husband from the Tower of London. Although this book could very easily have fallen into a quagmire of facts, Bernstein ensured that the raw emotions and personalities came through in each of the novel's characters. Through the remarkable life of the main character Bethan Glentaggart, readers experience the Jacobite Rebellion of 1715, the persecution of Catholics in both Scotland and London, and the ingenious plan to escape the formidable Tower of London. Just when I think I've read all the "good" stuff, someone brings to light a story that sucks me in and makes me appreciate the never ending amount of historical documents that have yet to be sifted through. 

Thank you to History Through Fiction and NetGalley for a copy of this title.  

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