Kingmaker: Winter Pilgrims – Toby Clements

Kingmaker: Winter Pilgrims - Toby Clements
Kingmaker: Winter Pilgrims – Toby Clements

The first in a four part series set in the Wars of the Roses starts with a young canon and nun fleeing their Lincolnshire Priory in the hard winter of 1460. They soon take on new identities to escape charges of apostasy.

Jean borrowed my Frinton purchase when she and dad stayed in the summer and thoroughly enjoyed it. So, spotting a copy in my pre-Christmas whizz around Barbican library, it was an easy choice. A good one too – and not simply because it turned out I’d read the other three novels I picked up!

Plenty of adventure as Thomas and Kit find themselves travelling around the country, and across the Channel, on boats, horses and foot.

I particularly enjoyed the Welsh section, and the chapter spent in Hereford, when the Chained Library gets a mention.

Handily I have the next two – further Frinton purchases – at home. Less handily I’ve already promised to let Jean have them when we get to 40A in January. She’s been waiting patiently to find out what happens after the Battle of Towton….

The only disappointment was discovering that the author is/was a literary critic at The Telegraph. No wonder there’s such a glowing review from them on the front cover…. It’s not what you know, eh?

Publisher page: Kingmaker: Winter Pilgrims – Toby Clements