Tag Archives: Historical Fiction
Why The Temple of the Muses is the Perfect Read for Women’s History Month
When researching an entirely different story in the autumn of 2022, I visited the ancient church of St Mary the Virgin, Merton. Walking among the gravestones, one caught my eye: Dorcas, Wife of J Lackington Bookseller, Finsbury Square Ladies who chance to frisk this way, With honest Hearts and Spirits gay. A serious moment give…
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Why The Temple of the Muses was the perfect name for a Georgian Bookshop
In the bustling heart of Georgian London, James and Dorcas Lackington didn’t just open a bookshop—they created a cultural landmark. As their business outgrew its Chiswell Street premises, the Lackingtons dared to think bigger: a temple to books. Situated on one side of Finsbury Square (32 Finsbury Place South) and designed by architect George Dance,…
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Georgian London After the Gordon Riots
In the early summer of 1780, London erupted in one of the most violent chapters of civil unrest in British history. What began as a protest against proposed relief for Catholics spiralled into days of destruction, looting and terror that left swathes of the city in ruins. The Gordon Riots were more than a sudden…
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Virtual Book Club: Al Bacon on her novel, The Absent Heart
Today I’m delighted to welcome award-winning author Ali Bacon Virtual Book Club, my author interview series in which authors have the opportunity to pitch their book to your book club. After graduating from St Andrews University, Ali moved to the South West of England where her writing is still strongly influenced by her Scottish roots….
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Conventions when naming a fictional tube station
This month has been a busy time for book stalls at venues ranging from churches to garden centres. One of the questions I am asked most often when meeting readers face-to-face is why can’t they find St Botolph and Old Billingsgate tube station (Smash all the Windows) on the underground map? It is, I confess,…
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Inequality in the eyes of the law
My novel, At the Stoke of Nine O’Clock, is the result of a long-held fascination with one woman. I first became aware of Ruth Ellis (pictured below) when I was a teenager. Ruth was that rarity: a female killer. Women, as we know, are far more likely to be victims rather than killers. (Arguably, the two…
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The power of protest
I see so few novels about political activism and protest that I was excited to learn about the upcoming release of Laura Katz Olson’s novel, Wrinkled Rebels (published by Vine Leaves Press, 23 July 2024). Laura is Distinguished Professor of Political Science at Lehigh University. She received her bachelor’s degree from the City College of…
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The Chiswell Street Chronicles
The year is 1775. London is bursting at the seams. It has breached the confines of its ancient Roman blueprint to become the largest city in Europe. Though most Londoners live within walking distance of open countryside, Moorfields is one of the last remaining plots of open land in the city. It straddles the wall,…
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A woman of five and twenty
Based on a true story, The Bookseller’s Wife tells the story of Dorcas Turton, the great grand-daughter of the Honourable Sir John Turton, Baron of the Exchequer and Justice of the King’s Bench. Dorcas’s mother was so proud of her lineage that she kept her maiden name in the only way a woman in the…
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Virtual Book Club: Clare Flynn introduces The Colour of Glass
Today I’m delighted to welcome award-winning author Clare Flynn to Virtual Book Club, my author interview series in which authors have the opportunity to pitch their book to your book club. Clare Flynn is the author of fifteen historical novels and a collection of short stories. Her website promises historical fiction with modern themes and,…
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