London 1678: Titus Oates, an unknown preacher, creates panic with wild stories of a Catholic uprising against Charles II. The murder of a prominent Protestant magistrate appears to confirm that the Popish Plot is real. Only Nathaniel Thompson, writer and Licenser of the Presses, instinctively doubts Oates’s revelations. Even his young wife, Anne, is not so sure. And neither know that their friend William Smith has personal history with Titus Oates. When Nathaniel takes a public stand, questioning the plot and Oates’s integrity,
the consequences threaten them all.
The Road to Newgate is my second novel set in the 17th Century - a fascinating time in Europe when society was making great advances in knowledge and literacy but was still fairly 'medieval' in its attitudes and medical understanding. The line between religion and superstition at times was paper-thin.
This is a story about a private marriage and friendships in a time of great public upheaval. Titus Oates rocked London with wild tales of Catholic plots, playing on the intense bigotry against Catholics that was felt by many at the time. The murder of the magistrate, Sir Edmund Berry Godfrey, appeared to prove that Oates' claims were true. The truth about this murder, still unsolved today, is at the heart of Nat Thompson's efforts to undermine Oates and end the terror crisis gripping London. But what will it cost him personally?
I hope the book will appeal in many ways. There's a murder mystery, a love story, an LGBT theme, and a wonderful villain. For those who love historical novels - as I do - I've tried to vividly bring to life the Popish Plot, a dramatic moment in British history, which also resonates with politics and society today.
Kate Braithwaite
“Moved me greatly and brought tears to my eyes. Gripping, moving and brilliantly captures this tense and sometimes brutal episode in late seventeenth-century English history.” - Andrea Zuvich, Author & Historian
“A real pleasure to read,” - Denis Bock, author of The Ash Garden & The Communist’s Daughter
“Meticulously researched, vividly imagined, and deftly plotted. Rich, resonating and relevant.” - Catherine Hokin, author of Blood & Roses, the story of Margaret of Anjou.
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About the Author
Kate Braithwaite grew up in Edinburgh but has lived in various parts of the UK, in Canada and the US. Her first novel, CHARLATAN, was long-listed for the Mslexia New Novel Award and the Historical Novel Society Novel Award in 2015. Kate and her family live in West Chester, Pennsylvania. Find out more at Kate's website kate-braithwaite.com and find her on Twitter @KMBraithwaite
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