A Noble Cunning: The Countess and the Tower
by Patricia Bernstein

Publication Date: March 7, 2023
History Through Fiction LLC

Genre: Historical Fiction/Christian

 

 

A thrilling tale, based on a true story, of one woman’s tremendous courage and incomparable wit in trying to rescue her husband from the Tower of London the night before he is to be executed.

The heroine of A Noble Cunning, Bethan Glentaggart, Countess of Clarencefield, a persecuted Catholic noblewoman, is determined to try every possible means of saving her husband’s life, with the help of a group of devoted women friends.

Amid the turbulence of the 1715 Rebellion against England’s first German king George I, Bethan faces down a mob attack on her home, travels alone from the Scottish Lowlands to London through one of the worst snowstorms in many years, and confronts a cruel king before his court to plead for mercy for her husband Gavin. As a last resort, Bethan and her friends must devise and put in motion a devilishly complex scheme featuring multiple disguises and even the judicious use of poison to try to free Gavin.

Though rich with historical gossip and pageantry, Bethan’s story also demonstrates the damage that politics and religious fanaticism can inflict on the lives of individuals.

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Praise

“A riveting tale of one woman’s courage and determination! Bernstein has crafted a dazzling heroine in Bethan Glentaggart. After enduring the religious fanaticism of Protestants, the vain heroics of Scottish lords, and the insipid insecurities of King George I, Bethan must devise and carry out a daring plan to rescue her husband from the Tower of London before his execution for treason. Her forceful personality makes A Noble Cunning a gripping page-turner!”

– David Blixt, author of What Girls Are Good For and Her Majesty’s Will

“I love a good historical novel about women with brains, heart, and courage. In A Noble Cunning, Patricia Bernstein’s finely-spun yarn of Jacobite sympathizer Countess of Clarencefield-inspired by the true adventures of Winifred Maxwell, Countess of Nithsdale-the author brings both the Scottish Lowlands and Hanoverian London vividly to life with a keen eye for period detail and a heart-stopping denouement.”

– Leslie Carroll, author of Notorious Royal Marriages

“This is a riveting and largely unknown story, based on true events, about a remarkable woman’s strength, love and courage against formidable odds. Set amidst English and Scottish hostilities in the early 1700s, and the terrible religious persecution of the period, Patricia Bernstein brings the countess’s extraordinary tale to dramatic life.”

– Karen Brooks, International Best-selling Author of The Good Wife of Bath and The Locksmith’s Daughter

“Wow! This spellbinding historical novel captures the religious aspects of an intriguing and true story. I was especially taken by the extraordinary Countess, the unsung Catholic heroine in a time of unrelenting persecution of Catholics in England and Scotland. Her dedication to her Catholic faith and especially to the Virgin Mary, her unstoppable courage, unimaginable cunning, and unflappable determination exceeded most women of her day. I also loved that Bethan Glentaggart, based on the true story of Winifred Maxwell, performs her audacious feat with the help of a group of devoted and courageous women friends. Patricia Bernstein adds dramatic flair and suspense that capture you to the very end. It is a must-read.”

– Sister Jane Meyer, O.P., Former Head of St. Agnes Academy, Houston, an all-girl secondary school

“Patricia Bernstein’s sumptuously detailed historical novel, A Noble Cunning: The Countess and the Tower, is set in 18th century Scotland and is based on the remarkable true story of a fiercely courageous woman fighting tirelessly against political and religious tyranny to save her husband, imprisoned and condemned to die in the Tower of London.”

– Kathleen Kent, NY Times Bestselling author of The Heretic’s Daughter

“In A Noble Cunning, Patricia Bernstein paints a compelling and dramatic portrait of Scotland in the perilous time of the 1715 Jacobite Rebellion, seen through the eyes of the courageous Bethan Carlisle Glentaggart, Countess of a Clarencefield, a Catholic noblewoman who defies danger to undertake an ingenious plot to save her husband from a traitor’s terrible death. Fans of historical fiction will find much to enjoy in this immersive tale of adventure, rich with period detail.”

– Gillian Bagwell, author of The September Queen

About the Author

Native Texan Patricia Bernstein grew up in Dallas. After earning a Degree of Distinction in American Studies from Smith College, she founded her public relations agency in Houston. In 2018, her third book was named a Finalist for the Ramirez Family Award from the Texas Institute of Letters. The Austin American Statesman named the book to a list of 53 of the best books ever written about Texas. Patricia’s nonfiction was previously published by Simon & Schuster and Texas A&M University Press. Patricia lives in Houston with her husband, Alan Bernstein, where she pursues her other great artistic love, singing with Opera in the Heights and other organizations. She also basks in the glory of her three amazing daughters. A Noble Cunning is her debut novel. You can learn more about Patricia and her work at PatriciaBernstein.com.

Blog Tour Schedule

Monday, May 15
Review at Books, Cooks, Looks

Tuesday, May 16
Review at A Potpourri of Opinions
Review at Michelle the PA Loves to Read

Wednesday, May 17
Review at Bookworlder
Review at Novels Alive

Thursday, May 18
Review at 100 Pages a Day

Saturday, May 20
Review at Rajiv’s Reviews
Review at Novel Nerd Blog
Review at Reading is My Remedy

Monday, May 22
Review at Cover Lover Book Review

Tuesday, May 23
Review at Linda Ulleseit
Guest Post at Author M.K. McClintock

Wednesday, May 24
Feature at Passages to the Past

Friday, May 26
Review at Coffee and Ink
Review at Gwendalyn’s Books

Giveaway

Enter to win a copy of A Noble Cunning by Patricia Bernstein. We have 3 copies up for grabs!

The giveaway is open to the US only and ends on May 26th. You must be 18 or older to enter.

A Noble Cunning

In the Shadow of The Apennines
by Kimberly Sullivan

Publication Date: October 13, 2022

Genre: Historical Fiction

 

 

An American divorcée. An Italian shepherdess.
Separated by a century, united by common dreams.

The sleepy little Abruzzo mountain town of Marsicano seems about as far as Samantha can flee from her failed marriage and disastrous university career. Eager for a fresh start, Samantha begins to set down roots in her Italian mountain hideaway.

At first, the mountain retreat appears idyllic, but an outsider’s clumsy attempts at breaking into the closed mountain community are quickly thwarted when the residents discover Samantha’s snarky blog ridiculing the town and its inhabitants.

Increasingly isolated in her mountain cottage, Samantha discovers the letters and diaries of Elena, a past tenant and a survivor of the 1915 Pescina earthquake. Despite the century that separates the two women, Samantha feels increasingly drawn into Elena’s life, and discovers startling parallels with her own.

Available on Amazon

Praise

“A poignant and hopeful story of one woman’s search for herself.”-Kirkus Reviews

“An emotionally nuanced thrill ride. Sullivan’s expert prose allows a deeper look at her protagonists’ feelings, fears, and vulnerabilities. The novel succeeds as both a contemporary fiction and a thoughtfully told story of a heartbroken woman trying to come to terms with the new circumstances of her life. A tale of heartbreak, grief, courage, and self-realization that will resonate with many.” -The Prairies Review

“A compelling literary work. Sullivan’s novel is romantic in the way only foreign travel can be, with the prose beautifully describing the sights and sounds of Italy, as well as unveiling the captivating story of two women’s seemingly disparate lives woven together across time.” -Self-Publishing Review

“From the start, Sullivan’s remarkable storytelling drew me in and had me hooked to the end. The story is filled with delightful descriptions of Italian culture, the breathtaking Apennine Mountains, and details about the hardworking, courageous people who have called Abruzzo home for centuries. This is an unforgettable story about hope, finding the strength to face the past, and embracing new beginnings.” -Readers’ Favorite

“In author Kimberly Sullivan’s newest novel, Samantha Burke unearths comfort and solace in Italy’s idyllic towns and cultures and an awe-inspiring journal of fortitude and adversity. A fascinating fiction with resonant themes.” -Feathered Quill Review

About the Author

Kimberly grew up in the suburbs of Boston and in Saratoga Springs, New York, although she now calls the Harlem neighborhood of New York City home when she’s back in the US. She studied political science and history at Cornell University and earned her MBA, with a concentration in strategy and marketing, from Bocconi University in Milan.

Afflicted with a severe case of Wanderlust, she worked in journalism and government in the US, Czech Republic and Austria, before settling down in Rome, where she works in international development, and writes fiction any chance she gets.

She is a member of the Women’s Fiction Writers Association (WFWA) and The Historical Novel Society and has published several short stories and two novels: Three Coins and Dark Blue Waves.

After years spent living in Italy with her Italian husband and sons, she’s fluent in speaking with her hands, and she loves setting her stories in her beautiful, adoptive country.

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The Suicide Skull
by Susan McDuffie

Publication Date: September 23, 2022
Liafinn Press
Paperback & eBook; 285 pages

Genre: Historical Mystery/Medieval

 

 

Scotland, 1396: Euphemia MacPhee lives alone in a witch’s cave with her healing herbs and an ancient skull for company. Her reclusive life shatters the day she learns that her four-year-old son, fostered on the Isle of Barra, has mysteriously fallen ill. Euphemia sails to remote Kisimul Castle to nurse the boy and soon discovers he has been poisoned. Why would someone strike at an innocent young child? Can she trust anyone there to help her fight this evil?

Euphemia must utilize every remedy available to confront ancient malice and long-buried wounds, as she struggles to save her son and to clear her own name.

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | IndieBound

About the Author

A fan of historical fiction since childhood, Susan McDuffie spent such vast amounts of time reading stories set in the past that she wondered if she had mistakenly been born in the wrong century. As an adult her discovery that Clorox was not marketed prior to 1922 reconciled her to life in this era. Susan’s childhood interest in Scotland was fueled by family stories of the McDuffie clan’s ancestral lands on Colonsay and their traditional role as “Keeper of the Records” for the Lords of the Isles. On her first visit to Scotland she hitchhiked her way through the Hebrides, and her initial visit to Colonsay and the Oronsay Priory ruins planted the seeds for her medieval mysteries. Those seeds have grown into the Muirteach MacPhee mysteries, set in medieval Scotland during the Celtic Lordship of the Isles. The series includes A MASS FOR THE DEAD, THE FAERIE HILLS (2011 New Mexico Book Awards “Best Historical Novel”), THE STUDY OF MURDER (New Mexico/Arizona Book Awards Finalist 2014), and THE DEATH OF A FALCON. Susan frequently presents at workshops and conferences and regularly reviews historical fiction books for the Historical Novel Society’s “Historical Novels Review.

Susan lives in New Mexico and shares her life with a Native American artist and four cosseted cats. She enjoys taking flamenco dance classes in her spare time. Susan loves to hear from readers and can be contacted via Facebook or through her website.

Where the Gulls Fall Silent
by Lelita Baldock

Publication Date: October 28, 2021

Genre: Historical Fiction

 

 

A small fishing village, a shunned healer, her daughter, tradition, superstition and a world set to change.

Kerensa lives with her mother, the healer Meliora, on the edge of a small fishing community on the Cornish Coast.

The townsfolk, who work the fish runs of pilchard and mackerel that make their way up the Atlantic coast, call on her mother for help with their ailments, but never for her company.

Kerensa does not know why.

Curses and superstitions whisper around her as she grows into a competent young woman, fighting for her place amongst the people of Porth Gwynn.

But what has caused the rift between her and the town?

And can their traditional way of life survive in the face of changing winds?

Where the Gulls Fall Silent is an historical fiction that explores the lives of the fishermen and women who made their living from the rough Atlantic Ocean; the hardship they faced; the secrets that divided them; and the community spirit that pulled them through.

A story of love, loss, hope and second chances.

About the Author

Lelita Baldock is an author of historical and literary fiction. She is represented by InterSaga Literary Agency, London.

Lelita has a passion for dark stories, with an unexpected twist.

It was during her years studying English Literature at University that Lelita discovered her love of all things reading and writing. But it would be another 15 years before she took up the challenge and wrote her own novel.

Her debut novel, the historical fiction Widow’s Lace, is an Amazon best-seller.

Her follow up, The Unsound Sister, saw her take a different direction in her writing, trying her hand at crime fiction and has been warmly received globally.

Her new novel, Where the Gulls Fall Silent, a traditional historical fiction set in 1850s Cornwall released October 2021.

Lelita also runs a blog and newsletter featuring fellow authors and other creatives.

Hearts of Steel
by Elizabeth Camden

Publication Date: January 17, 2023
Bethany House Publishers

Genre: Historical Romance/Christian
Series: The Blackstone Legacy, Book #3

 

 

His steel empire has catapulted him to the top of the world, but loving her could cost him everything.

Maggie Molinaro survived a hardscrabble childhood in the downtrodden streets of Manhattan to become a successful businesswoman. After a decade of sacrifice, she now owns a celebrated ice cream company. But when she offends a corrupt banker, she unwittingly sets off a series of calamities that threaten to destroy her life’s work.

Liam Blackstone is a charismatic steel magnate committed to overhauling factory conditions for the steelworkers of America. Standing in his way is the same villain determined to ruin Maggie. What begins as a practical alliance to defeat a common enemy soon evolves into a romance between two wounded people determined to beat the odds.

A spiraling circle of treachery grows increasingly dangerous as Liam and Maggie risk their lives and fortunes for the good of the city. It will require all their wit and ingenuity to protect everything–and everyone–they hold dear.

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Books-a-Million

About the Author

Elizabeth Camden is best known for her historical novels set in Gilded Age America, featuring clever heroines and richly layered story lines. Before she was a writer, she was an academic librarian at some of the largest and smallest libraries in America, but her favorite is the continually growing library in her own home. Her novels have won Christy, Carol, and RITA Awards and have appeared on the CBA bestsellers list. She lives in Orlando, Florida, with her husband, who graciously tolerates her intimidating stockpile of books.

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Blog Tour Schedule

Tuesday, January 17
Review at Ms. Darcy Reads

Wednesday, January 18
Excerpt at Aubrey Wynne
Review at Michelle the PA Loves to Read

Thursday, January 19
Review at Novels Alive
Review at Books, Cooks, Looks

Friday, January 20
Review at Classicly Kait
Review at Tammy Reads

Saturday, January 21
Review at Reading is My SuperPower

Sunday, January 22
Review at Debjani’s Thoughts

Monday, January 23
Review at The Green Mockingbird

Tuesday, January 24
Guest Post at Heidi Reads

Wednesday, January 25
Review at Bookworlder

Thursday, January 26
Review & Excerpt at Older & Smarter

Friday, January 27
Review at The Lit Bitch

Monday, January 30
Feature at CelticLady’s Reviews

Tuesday, January 31
Feature at I’m Into Books

Wednesday, February 1
Review at Reading is My Remedy

Friday, February 3
Feature at Coffee and Ink
Review at Jorie Loves A Story

Giveaway

We have two copies of Hearts of Steel by Elizabeth Camden up for grabs!

The giveaway is open to the US only and ends on February 3rd. You must be 18 or older to enter.

Hearts of Steel

Where David Threw Stones
by Elyse Hoffman

Publication Date: September 27, 2022
Project 613

Genre: Historical Fiction

 

 

“Welcome to the Brennenbach of Midnight! The Curse Hours have begun.”

West Germany, 1968

When ten-year-old David Saidel’s parents are murdered, he is sent to live with his grandfather in the anti-Semitic village of Brennenbach. Miserable and lonely, David finds solace in his kindly Grandpa Ernst, who has one strict rule: never go out after midnight.

When David breaks curfew to search for his missing dog, he discovers why Ernst is so serious about his curfew: Brennenbach is cursed. When midnight strikes, the town is thrown back to 1943, the height of Hitler’s reign.

The Nazi ghosts that infest Brennenbach are just as dangerous as they were in life. They’re hunting for David, thinking he is the last member of a family they’ve been ordered to destroy.

Through the help of a little girl named Maria Rahm, David sets out to end the Curse before it claims more victims.

About the Author

Elyse Hoffman is an award-winning author who strives to tell historical tales with new twists. Having studied WWII since the age of thirteen and with interests in fantasy and Jewish folklore, she loves to combine them in her writing. Elyse started writing novels at fourteen and finished her first historical fiction work at fifteen. She has published eight books: five in a series called The Barracks of the Holocaust, and three novels, including The Book of Uriel, Where David Threw Stones, and Fracture. In her spare time, she loves to read, work on pretty keyboards, and hang out with her co-authors – her Goldendoodle Ari and her ex-feral cat, Echo.

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Half Notes From Berlin
by B.V. Glants

Publication Date: October 4, 2022
Anchor Media

Genre: Historical Fiction

 

 

Berlin, 1933.

Hans believes he and his family are safe from persecution.

Then, he discovers his family’s dirty secret: his maternal grandparents were Jews who converted to Christianity.

Driven by the desire to understand who he is and whether his mother’s blood is tainted, Hans befriends Rebecca, the only Jewish girl he knows. Perhaps if Jewish blood isn’t evil, his mother will be ok.

To be a Jew in Hitler’s Germany is dangerous.

But to fall in love with one is unthinkable.

Desperate to keep both his family’s true heritage and his love for Rebecca a secret, Hans attempts to navigate this terrifying new world. He’s disconsolate when his Jewish mother is kicked out of the Berlin Conservatory. He’s disgusted by his Aryan father’s aims to acquire Jewish business on the cheap.

Worst, he must watch helplessly as his classmates target Rebecca with increasing violence and malice.

But when his school announces it will expel Jewish students, Hans is determined to fight for Rebecca — and the lives and souls of his family.

“…[a] beautifully written historical debut explores themes of identity and resistance…their gripping stories will stick with readers long after the last page.” –BookLife Reviews – Editors Choice

“A mesmerizing novel, moving and intelligent.”–Kirkus Reviews

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About the Author

B.V. Glants was born in Soviet Ukraine and immigrated with his family to suburban New Jersey when he was ten years old. Raised on family stories ranging from his grandparents’ fight for survival in WW2 to his parents’ confrontations with Soviet antisemitism, he now lives in Silicon Valley with his wife and daughter.

B.V. Glants is a lay leader at a Jewish day school, a Wexner Heritage Program member, and a technology entrepreneur, most recently having cofounded Tonic Health (sold to R1, NASDAQ:RCM) and Turnkey Labs. That hasn’t stopped him from earning an MFA at California College of the Arts and attending writers’ conferences at Squaw and Sewanee. He writes historical fiction from a Jewish perspective, focusing on how major historical events challenge and transform the lives of everyday families. Half Notes from Berlin is his first published novel.

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Blog Tour Schedule

Monday, November 28
Feature at Pages and Paws

Thursday, December 1
Review at Dive Into a Good Book
Feature at Books, Ramblings, and Tea

Friday, December 2
Feature at Coffee and Ink

Saturday, December 3
Review at Bookworlder

Monday, December 12
Review at Reading is My Remedy

Thursday, December 15
Review at Impressions in Ink

Monday, December 19
Feature at Tammy Reads
Review at Novels Alive

Wednesday, December 21
Excerpt at CelticLady’s Reviews

Friday, December 23
Review at Carole’s Ramblings

Tuesday, December 27
Review at Cover Lover Book Review

Wednesday, December 28
Review at Girl Who Reads

Friday, December 30
Excerpt at Passages to the Past

Giveaway

Enter to win a paperback copy of Half Notes from Berlin by B.V. Glants! We have 10 copies up for grabs!

The giveaway is open to the US only and ends on December 30th. You must be 18 or older to enter.

Half Notes From Berlin

The Physician’s Daughter
by Martha Conway

Publication Date: September 1, 2022
Zaffre

Genre: Historical Fiction

 

 

From the author of The Underground River comes this compelling new novel of female perseverance. Set in the aftermath of the Civil War, The Physician’s Daughter is the story of two people trying to make their way in a world that is struggling to escape its past.

It is 1865, the American Civil War has just ended, and 18-year old Vita Tenney is determined to pursue her lifelong dream of becoming a country doctor like her father. But when her father tells her she must get married instead, Vita explores every means of escape – and finds one in the person of war veteran Jacob Culhane.

Damaged by what he’s seen in battle and with all his family gone, Jacob is seeking investors for a fledgling business. Then he meets Vita – and together they hatch a plan that should satisfy both their desires. Months later, Vita seemingly has everything she ever wanted. But alone in a big city and haunted by the mistakes of her past, she wonders if the life she always thought she wanted was too good to be true. When love starts to compete with ambition, what will come out on top?

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Praise

“In the proud tradition of female characters from Jo March to Meredith Grey, Vita Tenney takes her place as a determined woman unwilling to let society or her family control her destiny. I was captivated by The Physician’s Daughter. The novel stays with you.”
–Tony Phelan, executive producer of Grey’s Anatomy and Council of Dads

“Vividly realised, and impeccably researched, with a determined female lead”
–Kayte Nunn, author ofThe Botanist’s Daughter

“A riveting read set during the American civil war about a pioneering young woman dead-set on becoming a doctor.”
–Inga Vesper, author of The Long, Long Afternoon

About the Author

Martha Conway is the author of several novels including The Underground River, which was a New York Times Book Editor’s Choice (titled The Floating Theatre in the U.K. and Europe). Her novel Thieving Forest won the North American Book Award for Best Historical Fiction.

Martha’s short fiction has appeared in the Iowa Review, Mississippi Review, The Quarterly, Carolina Quarterly, and other publications. She has reviewed fiction for the San Francisco Chronicle and the Iowa Review, and is a recipient of a California Arts Council fellowship in Creative Writing. In addition to writing, Martha is an instructor of creative writing at Stanford University’s Continuing Studies Program. She received her BA from Vassar College in History and English, and her MA in Creative Writing from San Francisco State University. Born and raised in Ohio, she now lives in San Francisco with her family, where the fog reminds her of lake-effect cloud cover in Cleveland.

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Blog Tour Schedule

Monday, September 26
Review at Gwendalyn’s Books

Tuesday, September 27
Review at Amy’s Booket List

Wednesday, September 28
Review at Bookworlder

Friday, September 30
Review at Reading the Past

Monday, October 3
Review at Books, Cooks, Looks

Tuesday, October 4
Review at Novels Alive
Excerpt at What Is That Book About

Wednesday, October 5
Review at The Page Ladies

Friday, October 7
Review at Cover Lover Book Reviews

Sunday, October 9
Review at Older & Smarter

Monday, October 10
Review at Reading is My Remedy

Tuesday, October 11
Review at History from a Woman’s Perspective

Friday, October 14
Review at Coffee and Ink
Excerpt at A Darn Good Read
Review at Reading Is My SuperPower

The Unlikely Spy
by Sophie Schiller

Publication Date: September 2022

 

 

Casablanca meets Notorious in a Hitchcock-style thriller of espionage, romance, adventure, and intrigue.

1917. Emma Christensen is a young widow who returns to the Danish West Indies to reclaim the life and the villa she left behind. When she discovers her husband has disinherited her in favor of his young heir—an illegitimate son—she turns to the one thing she knows, gambling, and soon finds herself deeply in debt.

Emma is approached by Cornelius Smith, a representative of an American shipping line, who offers an alternative: infiltrate the suspicious Hamburg-American Line and spy on its nefarious leader, Julius Luckner, to gain valuable business intelligence for his firm.

It doesn’t take long for Emma to realize that both Smith and Luckner are not as they seem. Close to the Allies but even closer to the enemy, Emma bravely engages in missions that could blow her cover at any moment. But with the Panama Canal at stake, how far will she go to help the Allies?

A gripping and suspenseful World War I spy thriller from an accomplished thriller and historical adventure writer.

Pre-Order on Amazon

About the Author

Sophie Schiller is an author of historical fiction and spy thrillers. She loves stories that carry the reader back in time to exotic and far-flung locations. Kirkus Reviews has called her “an accomplished thriller and historical adventure writer.” Publishers Weekly called her novel, ISLAND ON FIRE, “a memorable romantic thriller”, her novel RACE TO TIBET, “a thrilling yarn,” and her TRANSFER DAY, “a page-turner with emotional resonance.” Kirkus Reviews called her latest novel, THE LOST DIARY OF ALEXANDER HAMILTON, “an engaging coming-of-age story of heartbreak, bravery, honor, and triumph.” Her latest novel is THE UNLIKELY SPY, a historical spy thriller set during WWI. She graduated from American University, Washington, DC and lives in Brooklyn, NY.

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Blog Tour Schedule

Monday, September 26
Review at Bibliotica

Tuesday, September 27
Review at Dive Into a Good Book

Thursday, September 29
Review at The Page Ladies

Friday, September 30
Excerpt at Passages to the Past

Tuesday, October 4
Review at Reading is My Remedy

Thursday, October 6
Review at Bookworlder

Sunday, October 9
Review & Guest Post at Older & Smarter

Monday, October 10
Review at Coffee & Ink
Excerpt at A Darn Good Read
Review & Excerpt at A Baker’s Perspective

Wednesday, October 12
Review at Novels Alive

Have you Eaten Rice Today?
by Apple Gidley

Publication Date: September 6, 2022
Vine Leaves Press

Genre: Historical Fiction

 

 

The Emergency rumbles through the jungle, the kampongs, and towns as the communist uprising in 1950’s Malaya adds poignancy to the salutation, ‘have you eaten rice today?’ when hunger drives some terrorists to surrender.

Simon Frampton returns to Malaya as a rubber planter after failing to settle into civilian life in England after the War. His knowledge of the jungle is again put to use when a war-time covert force is reformed and renamed, Ferret Force, made up of Malays, Chinese and Europeans.

Dee Cunningham, an Australian nurse longing to escape the confines of Townsville, Queensland, joins the British Red Cross to help set up and run rural clinics in Malaya.

The violence of guerrilla warfare becomes the backdrop to their love story, but miscommunication leads to sadness. It is not until sixty years later, when Simon’s grandson Max comes to stay at his Dorset farm, when he finds a box filled with envelopes with Australian stamps, and the truth comes to light.

Have You Eaten Rice Today? is a poignant exploration of Malaya’s violent history, merdeka, and how love is found in unexpected places.

Amazon | Barnes and Noble | IndieBound | Kobo

Praise

“Moving between England, Australia and Malaysia, between the past and the present, between the old and the young, this is both a cracking story with compelling settings, and an absorbing and moving testimony to the complementary powers of romantic and familial love. It explores the meaning of a happy ending, and stresses the importance of seizing second chances, however late in the day they are presented to us, and however temporary the joy they bring.” Rosie Milne, Circumstance; Truth and Lies in the Malayan Jungle

“I found this book difficult to put down. Excellently written with memorable characters faced with the dangers of guerrilla warfare, interlaced with a once in a lifetime romance… in the hands of this master storyteller all the threads of the story come together in a wonderful climax…. at times Gidley’s writing reminded me of Pearl S. Buck and Nevil Shute.” Sally Cronin, Life is Like a Mosaic

“An absorbing story set in 1950s Malaya during the Emergency uprising. The backdrop and historical period are brilliantly evoked, from the dangers of jungle warfare to the bustle and glamour of Penang. At its heart is a poignant love story – the second half of the book follows up in more modern times – with strong, engaging characters about whom you come to really care. Based loosely on the author’s own parents, this is an emotional and satisfying read.” Janet MacLeod Trotter, The Raj Hotel Series

“A gripping read that reminded me of the haunting sadness of classics such as A Town Like Alice and Brief Encounter, while becoming thoroughly absorbed in the authentic descriptions of post-war Malaya, rural Queensland, and sleepy Dorset, which the author describes with a pen dipped in affectionate familiarity.” David Field, The Tudor Saga Series

“Gidley’s vivid writing pulls you into the past and into the steamy, predator-ridden jungles of wartime Penang with adept story-telling that flows between 1948 and present day. The author creates a wraparound sensory experience for not only historical fiction buffs, but anyone drawn to intense, character-driven, drama-filled suspense.” Anne O’Connell, Deep Deceit

About the Author

A transient life has seen Anglo-Australian Apple Gidley live in countries as diverse as Trinidad and Thailand, Nigeria and the Netherlands, and another eight in between. St. Croix in the US Virgin Islands is home, for now. Her roles have been varied-editor, intercultural trainer for multinational corporations, British Honorary Consul to Equatorial Guinea, amongst others. Gidley started writing in 2010 and is now working on a contemporary novel whilst researching for two more historical fiction books. She has short stories in anthologies, and also writes a regular blog, A Broad View.

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