The Wicked Lady by Elena Collins is based on the true story of a female highwayman and set in 17th Century England. It was published by Boldwood Books on 31st July.
'Incredibly atmospheric, haunting and poignant.' Nicola
Cornick
1648 - Hertfordshire
Thirteen-year-old Katherine Ferrers is in despair at being
betrothed to arch-Royalist Thomas Fanshawe whose family are hellbent on
plundering her family’s fortune to champion the exiled Charles. As her unhappy
marriage stretches before her, her only comfort is her beloved childhood home
The Cell. But as the years pass and Kate grows restless, a new passion, a new
love and a dangerous calling threaten to upend everything she’s ever known.
Present Day - Hertfordshire
Charlie Wolfe jumps at the chance to help his uncle renovate
a tumbledown cottage overlooking Nomansland Common. Number One Constable’s
Cottages was once the home of the man charged with ridding the common of the
highwaymen who terrorised travellers. But it’s the story of The Wicked Lady,
the notorious female highway robber, that captures Charlie’s imagination, and
some long winters’ nights he’s sure he can the hoofbeats of her horse echoing
across time.
What drove this mystery woman to risk everything for a life
of crime, and why is she still restless, wandering the common in grief? It
seems only Charlie can finally uncover the secret Katherine Ferrers has kept
for hundreds of years; a secret of a terrible betrayal and a tragic love that
was never meant to end this way…
USA Today bestselling author Judy Leigh writing as Elena
Collins, brings you this spellbinding and heartbreaking timeslip novel,
uncovering the intriguing story of another brave woman that history forgot.
Perfect for fans of Barbara Erskine, Nicola Cornick, Diana Gabaldon and Louise
Douglas.
My Thoughts
This rather intriguing time slip novel has two story strands. Linking them is Katherine Ferrers. Whilst her story in the novel is conjecture, it is based on actual places and of course, the real life Katherine. In the present day, Charlie and Edie try to unravel events from centuries earlier. Usually with dual timeline stories, I tend to prefer one story over the other. In this case, I was invested in both. I particularly enjoyed the inclusion of historical figures of the past and to cultural references.
In the novel, Katherine emerges as an independent and fair minded character who has been forced to live within the expectations of the time. She is the victim of the view that women’s property became their husband’s. Her solution to this makes for an entertaining story, full of action and adventure. Charlie and Edie’s contemporary love story is a nice contrast and adds to the poignant atmosphere invoked by Katherine. At the start, he seems a lost soul but you sense that he is fated to arrive at Constable’s Cottages and needs to feel grounded. As Charlie and Edie investigate Katherine’s life, friendship grows.
In short: two centuries collide
About the Author
Elena Collins is the pseudonym for Judy Leigh. Judy Leigh is
the bestselling author of Five French Hens , A Grand Old Time and The Age of
Misadventure and the doyenne of the ‘it’s never too late’ genre of women’s
fiction. She has lived all over the UK from Liverpool to Cornwall, but
currently resides in Somerset.
Thanks to Elena Collins, Boldwood Books and Rachel of Rachel's Random Resources for a copy of the book and a place on the tour.
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Thanks for sharing your lovely review. Best, J x
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