The year is 1911 when twenty-year-old heiress Peggy Batternberg is invited to spend the summer in America’s Playground.
But the invitation to Coney Island is unwelcome. Despite hailing from one of America’s richest families, Peggy would much rather spend the summer at the Moonrise Bookstore where she works voluntarily, than keeping up appearances with Brooklyn socialites and her snobbish, controlling family.
But soon it transpires that the hedonism of Coney Island affords Peggy more of the freedom she has been longing for. For one, she finds herself in love with a troubled pier-side artist of humble means, whom the Batternberg patriarchs would surely disapprove of.
Disapprove they may, but hidden behind their pomposity lurks a web of deceit, betrayal and deadly secrets. And as bodies begin to mount up amidst the sweltering clamour of Coney Island, it seems the powerful Batternbergs can get away with anything…even murder.s
It is up to Peggy to overcome the oppression of her family and clear the name of her vulnerable lover, before she or her beloved sister become the next victims of Dreamland.
Extravagant, intoxicating and thumping with suspense, bestselling Nancy Bilyeau’s magnificent Dreamland is a story of corruption, class and dangerous obsession.
About the Author
"Dreamland" is Nancy Bilyeau's fifth novel of historical suspense. She is the author of the best-selling historical thriller “The Blue” and the Tudor mystery series “The Crown,” “The Chalice,” and “The Tapestry,” on sale in nine countries.
Nancy is a magazine editor who has lived in the United States and Canada. She studied History and English Literature at the University of Michigan. After moving to New York City, she worked on the staffs of “InStyle,” “Good Housekeeping,” and “Rolling Stone.” She is currently the deputy editor of the Center on Media, Crime and Justice at the Research Foundation of CUNY and a regular contributing writer to “Town & Country" and "Mystery Scene Magazine."
Nancy’s mind is always in past centuries but she currently lives with her husband and two children in Forest Hills in the borough of Queens. "Dreamland" is her first novel set in her adopted hometown of New York City.
She is known as Lady Macbeth. What leads her down the path of murder? What secrets fire her destiny?
Gruah, granddaughter of King Cìnéad III of the Royal Clan Alpin, marries two men in less than six months, one she loves and one she hates; one in secret, the other arranged by the High King of Scotland. At the age of eighteen, she lays her palm upon the ancient stone of Scone and sees her destiny as Queen of Scotland, and she vows to do whatever necessary to see her true love, Macbeth macFindlaech, beside her on the throne.
Amid the fiery times and heated onslaughts from Denmark and England, as the rule of Scotland hangs in the balance, Gruah seeks to win the throne and bring revenge upon the monsters of her childhood, no matter the cost or amount of blood tainting her own hands; yet, an unexpected meeting with the King called the Confessor causes her to question her bloody path and doubt her once blazing pagan faith. Will she find redemption or has the blood of her past fire-branded her soul?
The story weaves the play by William Shakespeare with the actual history of Macbeth and his Queen in 11th-century Scotland.
“...a woman's story at a winter's fire...” (Macbeth, Act III, Scene IV)
“This beautifully written reworking of the Macbeth tale told from Lady Macbeth’s point-of-view flows from the page and you quickly become immersed in the politics and intrigues of feudal Scotland as she fights for her rightful place and her true love! A mesmerizing read that grips from start to finish and Gruah is now one of my all-time favorite literary crushes. “ - Iain Leonard, ARC Reviewer
“Brilliantly conceived and beautifully written, The Fire of Winter is a tale not to be missed by lovers of Shakespeare, lovers of history, or lovers of the written word.” - Riana Everly, Author of Teaching Eliza and Through a Different Lens
The Fire of Winter was quite a surprising treat to read! I love Shakespeare and usually jump at the opportunity to read an author's take on a Shakespeare play - especially when it is told from the woman's point of view. I was very impressed with how the author was able to bring Gruah to life and make her a very complicated, interesting, conflicted and thoroughly intriguing person.
I was totally drawn into her life - there is tragedy, violence, ambition, passion and enough revenge to satisfy most any reader. Eleventh century Scotland was still making a transition from the Celtic faith to Christianity and it wasn't a smooth, peaceful transition. The transition plays a part in the novel and helps to explain Gruah's beliefs and some of her justifications for some of her actions.
The Fire of Winter stays pretty true to Shakespeare's Macbeth with the added bonus of getting to explain some of the things that always made me wonder about the play. For example, who the "witches" are, why they do what they do, what the motivating factors are for Gruah's actions -- why does she urge Macbeth to kill the king? All of these and more are explained in very clever ways that tell a dark and complex tale about Gruah, her history, her family and helps explain the complicated relationship between the aristocracy of Scotland at the time.
Gruah is not an easy character to like, but she is definitely interesting and deserves to have her story told - even if it is completely fictionalized. Hers is definitely a story that sticks with the reader and Gruah is a memorable character. The Fire of Winter was a fun and clever book and I would happily recommend it to anyone who enjoys Shakespeare, historical fiction, women's history, and dark revenge tales.
About the Author
D. K. Marley is a historical fiction writer specializing in Shakespearean themes. Her grandmother, an English Literature teacher, gave her a volume of Shakespeare's plays when she was eleven, inspiring DK to delve further into the rich Elizabethan language. Eleven years ago she began the research leading to the publication of her first novel "Blood and Ink," an epic tale of lost dreams, spurned love, jealousy and deception in Tudor England as the two men, William Shakespeare and Kit Marlowe, fight for one name and the famous works now known as the Shakespeare Folio. She is an avid Shakespearean / Marlowan, a member of the Marlowe Society, the Shakespeare Fellowship and a signer of the Declaration of Intent for the Shakespeare Authorship Debate. She has traveled to England three times for intensive research and debate workshops and is a graduate of the intense training workshop "The Writer's Retreat Workshop" founded by Gary Provost and hosted by Jason Sitzes. She lives in Georgia with her husband and a Scottish Terriers named Maggie and Buster.
During the Blog Tour, we are giving away copies of The Fire of Winter + a surprise gift to three lucky winners! To enter, please use the Gleam form below.
Giveaway Rules
– Giveaway ends at 11:59 pm EST on August 19th. You must be 18 or older to enter.
– Giveaway is open to the US only.
– Only one entry per household.
– All giveaway entrants agree to be honest and not cheat the systems; any suspicion of fraud will be decided upon by blog/site owner and the sponsor, and entrants may be disqualified at our discretion.
– The winner has 48 hours to claim prize or a new winner is chosen.
When a prominent citizen is murdered, former Captain of the Guard Owen Archer is persuaded out of retirement to investigate in this gripping medieval mystery.
1374. When a member of one of York’s most prominent families is found dead in the woods, his throat torn out, rumours spread like wildfire that wolves are running loose throughout the city. Persuaded to investigate by the victim’s father, Owen Archer is convinced that a human killer is responsible. But before he can gather sufficient evidence to prove his case, a second body is discovered, stabbed to death. Is there a connection? What secrets are contained within the victim’s household? And what does apprentice healer Alisoun know that she’s not telling?
Teaming up with Geoffrey Chaucer, who is in York on a secret mission on behalf of Prince Edward, Owen’s enquiries will draw him headlong into a deadly conspiracy.
A Conspiracy of Wolves is the eleventh novel in the Owen Archer
series. But don’t worry if this is your first introduction to Owen Archer – the
novel can easily be read as a standalone. Candace Robb is a master storyteller
and she truly understands the time period. Any needed back story is provided
within the novel as well as plenty of historical references for those of us who
are history nerds and need to know exactly when in time the story takes place and
who the important historical players would have been.
While the mystery regarding the violent and confusing deaths
is the main element of the novel – the rumors of wolves running wild and
killing people despite the evidence of murder, a new Archbishop of York brings
some challenging political changes that Archer must deal with, conflicting
loyalties, other characters keeping secrets – all work to make the story
complex and infinitely fun to read.
I was completely drawn into the challenges that Owen Archer
and his oftentimes annoying friend Geoffrey Chaucer face in trying to figure
out exactly what is going on. There are so many wonderful characters in the
novel besides Archer and Chaucer. I found them engaging and very real.
Usually when I read mysteries, I am really focused on trying
to figure out who the murderer is and solving the crime. But while reading A
Conspiracy of Wolves, I found myself more involved with the characters and
their lives and problems. I was so pleased at how real the story felt – from the
details of everyday activities to the historical accuracy.
A Conspiracy of Wolves was a real treat to read and I am embarrassed
to admit that this is the first Owen Archer novel I have read – but it won’t be
the last! I immediately ran to the library to check out the first two books in
the series. I would wholeheartedly recommend A Conspiracy of Wolves to anyone
who enjoys historical fiction and/or mysteries.
About the Author
I’m Candace Robb, a writer/historian engaged in creating fiction about the late middle ages with a large cast of characters with whom I enjoy spending my days. Two series, the Owen Archer mysteries and the Kate Clifford mysteries, are set in late medieval York. The Margaret Kerr trilogy is set in early 14th century Scotland, at the beginning of the Wars of Independence. Two standalone novels (published under pseudonym Emma Campion) expand on the lives of two women in the court of King Edward III who have fascinated me ever since I first encountered them in history and fiction.
I am a dreamer. Writing, gardening, walking, dancing, reading, being with friends—there’s always a dreaming element.
During the Blog Tour, we are giving away a Hardcover copy of A Conspiracy of Wolves by Candace Robb! To enter, please use the Gleam form below.
Giveaway Rules
– Giveaway ends at 11:59 pm EST on August 15th. You must be 18 or older to enter.
– Giveaway is open to the US only.
– Only one entry per household.
– All giveaway entrants agree to be honest and not cheat the systems; any suspicion of fraud will be decided upon by blog/site owner and the sponsor, and entrants may be disqualified at our discretion.
– The winner has 48 hours to claim prize or a new winner is chosen.
Conspiracy of Wolves
