{"title":"Books by Margaret Skea","description":null,"products":[{"product_id":"9780993333118","title":"Turn of the Tide","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e‘The quality of the writing and the research is outstanding.’ Jeffrey Archer\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eScotland 1586.\u003c\/strong\u003e A land in turmoil, a family torn apart. An ancient feud threatens Munro’s home, his family, even his life.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eMunro owes allegiance to the Cunninghames and to the Earl of Glencairn. He escapes the bloody aftermath of a massacre, but cannot escape the disdain of the wife he sought to protect, nor inner conflict, as he wrestles with his conscience, with divided loyalties and, most dangerous of all, a growing friendship with the rival Montgomerie clan.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eSet against the backdrop of the turmoil of the closing years of the sixteenth century, Turn of the Tide follows the fortunes of a fictional family trapped at the centre of a notorious historic feud. Known as the Ayrshire Vendetta, it began in the 15th century and wasn’t finally resolved until the latter part of the 17th, the Cunninghames and Montgomeries dubbed the ‘Montagues and Capulets’ of Ayrshire.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBook 1 of the Munro Scottish Saga trilogy\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePraise for Margaret Skea – Beryl Bainbridge Best First Time Novelist 2014\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e‘I have read some wonderful debut novels this year – Turn of the Tide is one of them. I loved it … a tale of love, loyalty, tragedy and betrayal.’ \u003cstrong\u003eBooksPlease\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e‘Munro frames the book, in at the initial kill, and centre stage in the brilliant climax, all the more shocking as the conclusion of an otherwise measured tale … a fascinating and engaging read with great visual effect.’ \u003cstrong\u003eBetween the Lines\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e‘It is hard to know where to begin, there were so many things I liked about Turn of the Tide…an emotionally gripping story about a man caught between duty and conscience at a time in history when a man’s livelihood depended upon his loyalty to family and clan.’ \u003cstrong\u003eThe History Lady\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e‘Margaret Skea brings sixteenth century Scotland to vivid life in Turn of the Tide. I enjoyed travelling back in time with her.’ \u003cstrong\u003eSharon K Penman\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Gardners","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":56295650623861,"sku":"9780993333118","price":10.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0612\/7193\/3106\/files\/9780993333118_7f479f1d-3ff6-4de1-b507-efbed4bed645.jpg?v=1786015651"},{"product_id":"9780993333156","title":"Katharina","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eShortlisted for the BookBrunch Prize 2020\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eWhile this book can be read as a standalone, it is also the powerful conclusion to her story, begun in Katharina: Deliverance.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e‘We are none of us perfect, and a streak of stubbornness is what is needed in dealing with a household such as yours, Kat… and with Martin.’\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eWittenberg 1525. The unexpected marriage of Martin Luther to Katharina von Bora has no fairytale ending.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eA sign of apostasy to their enemies, and a source of consternation to their friends, it sends shock waves throughout Europe.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eYet, as they face persecution, poverty, war, plague and family tragedy, Katharina’s resilience and strength of character shines through.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePraise for Katharina Fortitude\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e'Behind even a great (sometimes, noisy, fractious) man, there is often a quietly strong, more amenable woman.\u003cbr\u003eMargaret Skea's deep research and empathy brings alive one of those. If you like your historical fiction truthful and complex, then this novel about Katharina Luther is for you.' \u003cstrong\u003eSarah Dunant\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e'Beautifully written and meticulously researched - historical fiction at its best.'\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e \u003cstrong\u003eBooksPlease\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFans of Sarah Dunant, Hilary Mantel, C J Sansom and Winston Graham will love this book.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eAuthentic, immersive and packed with drama.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eGrab a copy today.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Gardners","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":56312014766453,"sku":"9780993333156","price":10.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0612\/7193\/3106\/files\/9780993333156_d5d77985-3bf5-4214-99de-206ec841ddae.jpg?v=1786015653"},{"product_id":"9780993333101","title":"A House Divided","description":"\u003cp\u003e‘When you must face Maxwell, give evidence\u003cbr\u003ebefore the King. Have you thought on that?’\u003cbr\u003e‘If I do not face Maxwell, I will not\u003cbr\u003ebe able to face myself.’\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eScotland 1597. The truce between the Cunninghame and Montgomerie clans is fragile. And for the Munro family, living in hiding under assumed names, these are dangerous times.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eWhile Munro risks his life daily in the army of the French King, the spectre of discovery by William Cunninghame haunts his wife Kate. Her fears for their children and her absent husband realized as William’s desire for revenge tears their world apart.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eA sweeping tale of compassion and cruelty, treachery and sacrifice, set against the backdrop of a religious war, feuding clans and the Great Scottish Witch Hunt of 1597.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThis eagerly awaited sequel to Turn of the Tide can also be read as a stand-alone novel and will appeal to fans of Winston Graham's Poldark and C J Sansom's Shardlake series.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eProfessional Reviews\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e'…captivating and fast-paced. You’ll find yourself reading far into the night.\u003cbr\u003eAnn Weisgarber: Walter Scott and Orange Prize shortlisted author of The Promise\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e'A classic adventure story that grips from the very first page.'\u003cbr\u003eShirley McKay author of the Hew Cullen mystery series.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003ePraise for Margaret Skea - Beryl Bainbridge Best 1st Time Novelist 2014 \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e‘Margaret Skea brings 16th century Scotland to vivid life in Turn of the Tide.'\u003cbr\u003eSharon K Penman\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e‘The quality of the writing and the research is outstanding.’\u003cbr\u003eJeffrey Archer\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e‘A rollicking good read … Skea is definitely a name to watch out for.’\u003cbr\u003eScottish Field Magazine\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e‘The sheer villainy of some characters will take your breath away.’\u003cbr\u003eHistorical Novels Review\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e‘More down-in-the-dirt than Diana Gabaldon and just as meticulously researched as Philippa Gregory. It's touching, fierce and surprising, with a sprinkling of humour.’\u003cbr\u003eThe Bookbag\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Gardners","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":56312015356277,"sku":"9780993333101","price":10.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0612\/7193\/3106\/files\/9780993333101_1788ce54-400a-47f4-a038-1c3a54f83f15.jpg?v=1786015650"},{"product_id":"katharina-deliverance","title":"Katharina","description":"\u003cp\u003e‘It is very shameful that children, especially defenceless young girls, are pushed into the nunneries. Shame on the unmerciful parents who treat their own so cruelly.’ Martin Luther\u003cbr\u003eGermany 1505\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eFollowing the death of her mother and her father’s remarriage, five-year-old Katharina is placed in the convent at Brehna. She will never see her father again.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eSixty-five miles away, at Erfurt in Thuringia, Martin Luder, a promising young law student, turns his back on a lucrative career in order to become a monk.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe consequences of their meeting in Wittenberg, on Easter Sunday 1523, will reverberate down the centuries and throughout the Christian world.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eA compelling portrayal of Katharina von Bora, set against the turmoil of the Peasant’s War and the German Reformation ... and the controversial priest at its heart.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e˃˃˃ From award-winning historical fiction author, Margaret Skea (Beryl Bainbridge Best first Time Novelist 2014; Long list Historical Novel Society New Novel Award 2016), a new novel that breathes life into the 'woman at Luther's side.'\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eIf you like your historical fiction well-researched and beautifully written, this book is for you.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eReviews:\u003cbr\u003e‘Margaret Skea has a brilliant eye for historical detail. She creates characters who take us by the hand so that we never stumble or wonder where we are. An engrossing read.’  \u003cbr\u003eBetween the Lines\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e‘A dramatic and most moving story, which transported me back to the 16th century and into Katharina’s mind. I felt what she was feeling and was both fascinated by and anxious for her right from the start. I loved it.’  \u003cbr\u003eBooks Please\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e'A wonderfully vivid portrait of how a headstrong girl grows into a wry, steely and impassioned woman, carves a path for herself through tumultuous times, and changes the course of history in the process. Skea knows her history, but more importantly, she writes with imagination and humanity.'\u003cbr\u003eProfessor Alec Ryrie, Durham University, author of Protestants.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThere is so much to enjoy in this sparkling novel that brings the characters to life, including the rather dour Martin Luther, but most especially Katherina's progress from child to woman. The quality and style – written in the first person and the present tense – didn't so much grab me as to physically haul me back through the centuries and wouldn't let me go until I had read every single word.\u003cbr\u003eVery highly recommended.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eDiscovering Diamonds\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Gardners","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":57483487674741,"sku":"9780993333149","price":10.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0612\/7193\/3106\/files\/9780993333149.jpg?v=1786178656"}],"url":"https:\/\/backstory.london\/collections\/author-margaret-skea.oembed","provider":"Backstory","version":"1.0","type":"link"}