*I received a paperback copy free of charge to enable me to take part in the blog tour. I absolutely loved the book which is based on a true story.
Edinburgh, January 1732: It's Lady Grange's funeral. Her death is a shock: still young, she'd shown no signs of ill health. But Rachel is, in fact, alive. She's been brutally kidnapped by the man who has falsified her death - her husband of 25 years, a pillar of society with whom she has raised a family.
Her punishment, perhaps, for railing against his infidelity - or for uncovering evidence of his treasonable plottings against the government. Whether to conceal his Jacobite leanings, or simply to `replace' a wife with a long-time mistress, Lord Grange banishes Rachel to the remote Hebridean Monach Isles, until she's removed again to distant St Kilda, far into the Atlantic - to an isolated life of primitive conditions, with no shared language - somewhere she can never be found.
This is the incredible and gripping story of a woman who has until now been remembered mostly by her husband's unflattering account. Sue Lawrence reconstructs a remarkable tale of how the real Lady Grange may have coped with such a dramatic fate, with courage and grace.
My thoughts?
I absolutely loved this richly drawn novel (based on a true story) which is set in Edinburgh, London and the Hebrides in 1732.
Lady Grange very much has a mind of her own and will say exactly what she thinks, regardless of it being appropriate or not, much to her husband's disgust. She's not one for holding back and tells Lord Grange she's annoyed by his infidelities and Jacobite leanings. She even goes so far as to tell him, the pillar of society that he is, that she's minded to go to the authorities and smear his good name.
He's having none of this and arranges to have her removed to a remote Scottish island, meanwhile letting their children believe their mother has died. She find island living hard at first, although her claret helps her through closely followed by her friendship with the island Minister...
She makes contact with her daughter, "her Angel" without her husband knowing and they hatch a plan to get her off the island. But disaster strikes and she finds she really is unable to outwit her husband.
I really enjoyed this historical tale based of true facts and would highly recommend it.
Lady Grange very much has a mind of her own and will say exactly what she thinks, regardless of it being appropriate or not, much to her husband's disgust. She's not one for holding back and tells Lord Grange she's annoyed by his infidelities and Jacobite leanings. She even goes so far as to tell him, the pillar of society that he is, that she's minded to go to the authorities and smear his good name.
He's having none of this and arranges to have her removed to a remote Scottish island, meanwhile letting their children believe their mother has died. She find island living hard at first, although her claret helps her through closely followed by her friendship with the island Minister...
She makes contact with her daughter, "her Angel" without her husband knowing and they hatch a plan to get her off the island. But disaster strikes and she finds she really is unable to outwit her husband.
I really enjoyed this historical tale based of true facts and would highly recommend it.
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