Customer Reviews

For King and Country

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Kate Sedley has written a number of books featuring Roger the Chapman. She lives in the Bristol area which features in many of the Chapman books. The books take place in the 15th century and feature Roger as a medieval detective.

For King and Country is a new venture for the author and moves the reader forward a couple of hundred years, to 1642 and a time when the civil war is beginning to not only split the country of England in half, but is doing the same to many families throughout the land, father's or uncles favouring the Cavalier forces who side with the King and son's and brother's who have no love for a king they hardly even know and take sides with the Puritan cause. One such person caught in the turmoil is Lilias Pride, married to Richard Pride, the MP for Bristol. She devotes her loyalty to her husband and the Puritan cause. But she also has strong feelings for Priam Lithgow, the Royalist Earl of Chelwood and when Lithgow falls into danger, Lilias risks everything, including her own life to save him. Lilias hopes to flee to safety with the many who are making the journey to the Americas, but nothing is ever that simple and she cannot escape her destiny . . .

I enjoyed the book very much, but admit that my own personal taste is for the Roger Chapman books of the mid 15th century. This is the period of history i like the most. However the author is an excellent story teller and I am sure many reader's will love it.

This is the first time I have written a review, and I regret that it is prompted by sheer disapointment. As a total fan of the Roger the Chapman series, I looked forward to reading this book. From what I can tell, the historical research is pretty solid, but the plot is contrived and cheesy.The "romance" on which the story rests is tawdry and unsatisfying. I read the entire 416 pages--hoping to find some redemptive theme or sympathetic character, but aside from some references to recognizable hisotrical figures, I found nothing particularly believable.

I would truly recommend any of the Roger the Chapman books and hope that Kate Sedley writes many more for our reading pleasure. But, please, please...no more romances!