1605: Bess Throckmorton is well used to cunning plots and intrigues. With her husband Sir Walter Raleigh imprisoned in the Tower of London, and she and her family in a constant battle to outwit Robert Cecil, the most powerful man in the country who is determined to ruin her, Bess decides to retreat to her beloved home, Crestwell Hall.
I've enjoyed reading the new dual timeline novel, The Secrets of Crestwell Hall, by Alexandra Walsh, which switches between the present day and events leading up to the 1605 Gunpowder Plot.
The suspense simmers as we get to know the likeable central characters, Isabella Lacey, her ten-year-old daughter, Emily, her Aunt Thalia - and the enigmatic Lady Elizabeth Raleigh.
I'm always fascinated when new Tudor primary sources turn up, such as the 2023 discovery of a jewelled fifteenth-century prayer book in Trinity College Library depicted by Holbein in his portrait of Thomas Cromwell. I was therefore hooked as Isabella searched the dark corners of Crestwell Hall for lost Elizabethan relics.
I particularly liked the focus on the wives and female relatives of the Catholic 'Gunpowder Plotters', and their different point of view of the planned revolution.
There is a genuine 'well, I wasn't expecting that!' twist in the final chapter, which brings together several stands that kept me guessing. I highly recommend The Secrets of Crestwell Hall, which I'm happy to award five out of five stars.
Tony Riches
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About the Author
Alexandra Walsh is a bestselling author of the dual timeline women’s fiction. Her books range from the 15th and 16th centuries to the Victorian era and are inspired by the hidden voices of women that have been lost over the centuries. The Marquess House Saga offers an alternative view of the Tudor and early Stuart eras, while The Wind Chime and The Music Makers explore different aspects of Victorian society. Formerly, a journalist for over 25 years, writing for many national newspapers and magazines; Alexandra also worked in the TV and film industries as an associate producer, director, script writer and mentor for the MA Screen Writing course at the prestigious London Film School. She is a member of The Society of Authors and The Historical Writers Association. For updates and more information visit her website: www.alexandrawalsh.com and follow her on Facebook, Twitter @purplemermaid25 and Bluesky @purplemermaid25.bsky.social
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