Frequently Asked Questions
Where should I start with your books?
It depends on the world you want. If you want the real Wars of the Roses, with Richard Neville, Earl of Warwick, the Kingmaker himself, begin with The Kingmaker's Spy, the first novel in the Blood of the Bear series.
If you would rather the same war told through characters of my own invention, start with the Lochlainn series, where the hero, Hampton, is shaped after Warwick. It reads as a complete story, in this order: Shamrock, White Rose, Red Rose, and Fleur de Lys.
And if the Tudor court is more your territory, begin with Court of Lies, the first of the Mistresses of Deception.
What is the Blood of the Bear series about?
It follows Richard Neville, Earl of Warwick, the man the chronicles call the Kingmaker, and Alice Neville, a woman who notices what others miss. It is a story of loyalty, espionage, and a love that sits on the wrong side of a war. The first book opens in Calais in 1457, as England slides towards the Wars of the Roses.
What is the Lochlainn series?
The Wars of the Roses, reimagined through characters of my own invention. The hero, Hampton, is shaped after Richard Neville, the Kingmaker, but the heart of the story is mine to tell rather than the historical record's. You can read it as a complete arc, in the order Shamrock, White Rose, Red Rose, and Fleur de Lys. It is a good place to start if you are new to my books and want a story that runs from beginning to end.
Are Richard Neville and Alice Neville real historical people?
Richard Neville, Earl of Warwick, is a real historical figure. According to the historical record he was one of the most powerful men in fifteenth-century England, and he earned the name the Kingmaker for the part he played in putting Edward IV on the throne. Alice Neville is real too, though the record keeps her at the edges, which is exactly why I was drawn to her. In the world of my novels I have imagined the woman the chronicles never describe.
I love Philippa Gregory. Will I like your books?
Then you may feel at home here. Readers who enjoy Philippa Gregory, Anne O'Brien, Elizabeth Chadwick, and Sharon Kay Penman tend to like my work, and the emotional intensity sits closer to Diana Gabaldon. I write the political intrigue and the human cost together, not one at the expense of the other.
How much romance is in the books?
Romance and tension are central, and the relationships matter as much as the politics. The intimacy is there, but it is character first, and the slow burn is the point. If you want pure sweetness, or heat with nothing underneath it, these are not the books. If you want longing, consequence, and love that costs something, they are.
Is there a free book?
Yes. The Shadow Years, the prequel to Blood of the Bear, is free to everyone on my newsletter. Join the letter and it lands in your inbox the day it releases.
Where can I buy your books?
The novels are available on Amazon in ebook and paperback. Signed paperbacks are available directly from this site. You will find buy links on each book's page.
How historically accurate are the books?
Research matters to me a great deal. I read the historians and the chronicles before I write, and where the record runs out I imagine carefully rather than carelessly. Some historians still argue over the very events my characters live through, and I try to honour that uncertainty rather than flatten it.