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Historical Mysteries Collection #1
Blessop's Wife
1483 and Edward IV wears England's crown, but no king rules unchallenged. Often it is those closest to him who are the unexpected danger. When the king dies suddenly, rumour replaces fact - and Andrew Cobham is already working behind the scenes. Tyballis was forced into marriage and when she escapes, she meets Andrew and an uneasy alliance forms. Their friendship will take them in unusual directions as Tyballis becomes embroiled in Andrew's work and the danger which surrounds him. A motley gathering of thieves, informers, prostitutes and children eventually joins the game, helping to uncover the underlying treason, as the country is brought to the brink of war. But together Andrew and Tyballis have already discovered something just as surprising.
596 pages, Paperback
First published June 1, 2014
958 people are currently reading
315 people want to read
About the author
Barbara Gaskell Denvil
43 books63 followersI was born approximately two hundred years ago (It sometimes feels that way) in Gloucestershire, England, right in the heart of the Cotswolds. After a few years, I moved to London and fell in love with the history which oozes through the old stones, and the medieval atmosphere leaks from the beautiful old buildings. For many years, I walked the old cobbled lanes and researched the 15th century from original sources, and the books in the British Museum. I worked there in the Department of Ancient Documents, a place which I adored, full of scrolls illuminated by medieval monks, and hordes of informative parchments.
My father was an academic and playwright, my mother was a retired teacher, and my sister was an author of fantasy. I had no other passion except the arts, and books
Already a passionate reader half-crazed by the avid consumption of literature, I had grown out of Enid Blyton when I was about six. Next came a passion for Georgette Heyer, although far too young to understand romance. Once again it was the historical details I loved and I moved quickly onto Shakespeare, Dorothy Dunnett, Tolkien, C.S. Lewis and a host of others.
I started writing. Nonsense naturally! But I kept it up and eventually write articles and short stories for current magazines and newspapers. I was also a tutor for scriptwriting, and a reviewer for Books and Bookmen. That kept me busy until I married. A husband and three little girls (including identical twins) were a full-time job, and for most of the time I also worked at secretarial jobs, keeping the threat of starvation at bay and paying for the baked beans.
After leaving my husband, I started writing again but this time I was distracted by something different, as I had a wonderful 18-year romance with a man who lived on his yacht in the Mediterranean, sailing during spring, summer, and autumn, and exploring Europe by car in winter.
My partner died, and I was bereft, deciding to come to Australia for a change instead of sitting around in stagnant tears. Writing again, and seriously this time, I wrote full length books in all my favourite genres. I was accepted by one of the big top 5 publishers, and two of my historical crime/mysteries were published in the traditional manner. However, although I was reasonably well paid and sold reasonably well, I also found myself disliking the control system. I had to write as commanded, insert bucket loads more romance, accept covers I hated, and generally do as I was told.
Now, happy and free, I self-publish, and enjoy every minute of my writing. I live in Australia, adore the weather, the birds and the wildlife, and live a placid life during the day and a wonderfully exciting one in my dreams at night.
I have written fantasy and historical fiction. Very different genres, but all are crime mysteries in one way or another. I have almost finished my children’s series (Bannister’s Muster series, for middle-grade children), no crime here, but a vibrant mixture of history and fantasy. After this is complete I am moving onto a series of modern crime mysteries, and I’m looking forward to that.
Writing is and always has been my passion, now that I am able to do this full time, I am in my element and life couldn’t be better (a little more sunshine might help though).
My father was an academic and playwright, my mother was a retired teacher, and my sister was an author of fantasy. I had no other passion except the arts, and books
Already a passionate reader half-crazed by the avid consumption of literature, I had grown out of Enid Blyton when I was about six. Next came a passion for Georgette Heyer, although far too young to understand romance. Once again it was the historical details I loved and I moved quickly onto Shakespeare, Dorothy Dunnett, Tolkien, C.S. Lewis and a host of others.
I started writing. Nonsense naturally! But I kept it up and eventually write articles and short stories for current magazines and newspapers. I was also a tutor for scriptwriting, and a reviewer for Books and Bookmen. That kept me busy until I married. A husband and three little girls (including identical twins) were a full-time job, and for most of the time I also worked at secretarial jobs, keeping the threat of starvation at bay and paying for the baked beans.
After leaving my husband, I started writing again but this time I was distracted by something different, as I had a wonderful 18-year romance with a man who lived on his yacht in the Mediterranean, sailing during spring, summer, and autumn, and exploring Europe by car in winter.
My partner died, and I was bereft, deciding to come to Australia for a change instead of sitting around in stagnant tears. Writing again, and seriously this time, I wrote full length books in all my favourite genres. I was accepted by one of the big top 5 publishers, and two of my historical crime/mysteries were published in the traditional manner. However, although I was reasonably well paid and sold reasonably well, I also found myself disliking the control system. I had to write as commanded, insert bucket loads more romance, accept covers I hated, and generally do as I was told.
Now, happy and free, I self-publish, and enjoy every minute of my writing. I live in Australia, adore the weather, the birds and the wildlife, and live a placid life during the day and a wonderfully exciting one in my dreams at night.
I have written fantasy and historical fiction. Very different genres, but all are crime mysteries in one way or another. I have almost finished my children’s series (Bannister’s Muster series, for middle-grade children), no crime here, but a vibrant mixture of history and fantasy. After this is complete I am moving onto a series of modern crime mysteries, and I’m looking forward to that.
Writing is and always has been my passion, now that I am able to do this full time, I am in my element and life couldn’t be better (a little more sunshine might help though).
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 80 reviews
October 20, 2019
I think this is the first book I have read written by this author, but it is possible I tried one previously and discarded due to explicit love scenes. As I am older and a bit more patient with this aspect, I would simply recommend skipping over those sections so as not to miss out on a good medieval depiction of life in London during those times.
The author explains at the end why she chose certain viewpoints as possible and considered them a good part of her fictional account as there are many facts that cannot be confirmed. This time period includes the death of King Edward IV at age 40 (she goes with the poisoning theory) and the issue of illegitimacy of his son preventing his crowning. The period of the book goes on through his brother Richard ascending.
Most of the action centers on a young woman and the man who served his king as well as the king's brother Richard as a spy. There are some very interesting characters in this book.
One check against the abundance of sex scenes; one check against the enormous length of the book.
Kindle Unlimited
The author explains at the end why she chose certain viewpoints as possible and considered them a good part of her fictional account as there are many facts that cannot be confirmed. This time period includes the death of King Edward IV at age 40 (she goes with the poisoning theory) and the issue of illegitimacy of his son preventing his crowning. The period of the book goes on through his brother Richard ascending.
Most of the action centers on a young woman and the man who served his king as well as the king's brother Richard as a spy. There are some very interesting characters in this book.
One check against the abundance of sex scenes; one check against the enormous length of the book.
Kindle Unlimited
September 22, 2019
I read to the end, although I admit that I did skim parts. If I wanted graphic sex scenes, I'd read Fifty Shades of Gray. I might have missed a bit of the plot by doing that, but, oh well.
I am a sucker for medieval stories and when I saw this listed on kindle, I couldn't resist. I probably should have read more about it before I downloaded. I had no idea of the length.
The story was a good one, I will give the author that. The characters are well developed. I could easily imagine each one as truly existing. The twists in the story were well written. They kept my attention. I kept reading although at times I thought the story would never end. (I read on kindle and was dismayed to see my % read crept up ever so slowly. I was certain I'd read more than that! I finally looked up the book on amazon and learned that it is 600 pages long!)
My problems came with:
the graphically described sex (which I only read part of once - after that I was aware the scenes were coming and was able to skim past those)
the fact that I was trying to figure out when this was happening. An historical forward only tells us that this is the 15th century. There are no dates given until the Author's Notes at the end.
I had a difficult time keeping track of people because sometimes they are "Lord So-and-so" and sometimes "person's given name". That and the fact that a surname has nothing to do with the title makes it very hard.
I tried googling various names, but that didn't give much clarity. It would have been helpful if there had been a list of characters at the beginning that could be referred to.
People go from place to place and street names are given as are various areas around London. The names mean nothing to the reader unless he has a map close by to be able to determine where locations are in relation to each other. Sometimes things seem very close, other times very far apart.
Scenes change with no warning. One scene we are in a house with someone, the next line a different character is walking in a totally different area.
Sometimes we are expected to guess who a character is without much information being given. it takes several lines, even a paragraph, to figure out who we are reading about and what they are doing.
In short, (although that's something this author apparently can't do having looked at her other books and the length) I shan't be reading any more of her books. Too long and I am certain, after reading Blessop's Wife, that she will assault the reader with more graphic sex in her other works. That alone is enough to make me steer clear of other titles.
I am a sucker for medieval stories and when I saw this listed on kindle, I couldn't resist. I probably should have read more about it before I downloaded. I had no idea of the length.
The story was a good one, I will give the author that. The characters are well developed. I could easily imagine each one as truly existing. The twists in the story were well written. They kept my attention. I kept reading although at times I thought the story would never end. (I read on kindle and was dismayed to see my % read crept up ever so slowly. I was certain I'd read more than that! I finally looked up the book on amazon and learned that it is 600 pages long!)
My problems came with:
the graphically described sex (which I only read part of once - after that I was aware the scenes were coming and was able to skim past those)
the fact that I was trying to figure out when this was happening. An historical forward only tells us that this is the 15th century. There are no dates given until the Author's Notes at the end.
I had a difficult time keeping track of people because sometimes they are "Lord So-and-so" and sometimes "person's given name". That and the fact that a surname has nothing to do with the title makes it very hard.
I tried googling various names, but that didn't give much clarity. It would have been helpful if there had been a list of characters at the beginning that could be referred to.
People go from place to place and street names are given as are various areas around London. The names mean nothing to the reader unless he has a map close by to be able to determine where locations are in relation to each other. Sometimes things seem very close, other times very far apart.
Scenes change with no warning. One scene we are in a house with someone, the next line a different character is walking in a totally different area.
Sometimes we are expected to guess who a character is without much information being given. it takes several lines, even a paragraph, to figure out who we are reading about and what they are doing.
In short, (although that's something this author apparently can't do having looked at her other books and the length) I shan't be reading any more of her books. Too long and I am certain, after reading Blessop's Wife, that she will assault the reader with more graphic sex in her other works. That alone is enough to make me steer clear of other titles.
May 30, 2019
DNF can’t get past the sex scenes-ugh. Wince. No thank you.
September 18, 2017
Extremely interesting
This historical novel is set in England 1482, at the end of King Edward IV reign and sudden death. The plot encompasses a very hard political struggle for power and the throne. Plotting, spying are rampant while a romance ensues. The treatment of women during this era is appalling but commonly accepted. Loyalties on all sides is questionable.
I found the main plot fascinating albeit difficult to follow at times. Apparently there is not much left of the actual history of the time, but the author engineers a plausible scenario given what facts there are.
I would heartily recommend to other readers of historical fiction.
This historical novel is set in England 1482, at the end of King Edward IV reign and sudden death. The plot encompasses a very hard political struggle for power and the throne. Plotting, spying are rampant while a romance ensues. The treatment of women during this era is appalling but commonly accepted. Loyalties on all sides is questionable.
I found the main plot fascinating albeit difficult to follow at times. Apparently there is not much left of the actual history of the time, but the author engineers a plausible scenario given what facts there are.
I would heartily recommend to other readers of historical fiction.
August 2, 2014
I found this book repetitive: a damsel in distress and her knight in shining armour. I enjoyed the background setting of the death of Edward IV and the succession struggles.
Furthermore I was shocked at the appalling editing of this book. In such a mass produced novel, one would expect words not to run together, nor repeating words and missing punctuation. I was quite disappointed.
Furthermore I was shocked at the appalling editing of this book. In such a mass produced novel, one would expect words not to run together, nor repeating words and missing punctuation. I was quite disappointed.
August 6, 2022
Read: 6/8/20
Started out pretty good but slowed down in the middle. Reading a 500pg book should not seem like 2,000 pages. I give the author credit for creativity.
Problem: for me I'm a little bias when it comes to players in the War of the Roses. I feel modern era wants to make Richard iii less the villian. But he declared his nephews bastards to take the throne and then probably ( most likely ) murdered them.
The author explores Lord Hastings being a traitor. History has shown he most likely was only declared traitor and executed on the same hour because he would not have supported Richard stealing the thorne. Loyalty killed him.
The author explores Earl Rivers poisoning the King bc the queen was losing favor and power, which would have been foolish idea. The queen's family were very unpopular and to risk all on a child prince would have been idiotic. Rivers was appointed tutor of the prince bc the York Brothers mainly George repeatedly tried to steal the thorne.
The author doesn't include Richard excuting the earl Rivers and the half brother of the prince. Sir Richard is not included in the story but his only crime was bringing the prince to London. These unlawful acts weakened the York line and allowed the Tutors to gain power and maded Richard iii just as corrupt as the Shakespeare play portrayed.
Still the author explored an interesting idea. History is all about different views. Problem is cramming that much history in one story. Some editing would have been nice. Some parts were redundant. I lost count how many times the hr got kidnapped. The characters of the story were well developed and the descriptions were great. I would recommend this book for history lovers only.
Started out pretty good but slowed down in the middle. Reading a 500pg book should not seem like 2,000 pages. I give the author credit for creativity.
Problem: for me I'm a little bias when it comes to players in the War of the Roses. I feel modern era wants to make Richard iii less the villian. But he declared his nephews bastards to take the throne and then probably ( most likely ) murdered them.
The author explores Lord Hastings being a traitor. History has shown he most likely was only declared traitor and executed on the same hour because he would not have supported Richard stealing the thorne. Loyalty killed him.
The author explores Earl Rivers poisoning the King bc the queen was losing favor and power, which would have been foolish idea. The queen's family were very unpopular and to risk all on a child prince would have been idiotic. Rivers was appointed tutor of the prince bc the York Brothers mainly George repeatedly tried to steal the thorne.
The author doesn't include Richard excuting the earl Rivers and the half brother of the prince. Sir Richard is not included in the story but his only crime was bringing the prince to London. These unlawful acts weakened the York line and allowed the Tutors to gain power and maded Richard iii just as corrupt as the Shakespeare play portrayed.
Still the author explored an interesting idea. History is all about different views. Problem is cramming that much history in one story. Some editing would have been nice. Some parts were redundant. I lost count how many times the hr got kidnapped. The characters of the story were well developed and the descriptions were great. I would recommend this book for history lovers only.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 3, 2023
The plot line that overarches this story is based on Annette Carson’s theory that Edward IV was poisoned by his Woodville in-laws. The principal characters are Andrew Cobham, a spy in the service of the king’s brother, Richard of Gloucester, who uncovers the plot and must secure proof that Richard can use to convince his brother. The other is Tyballis Blessop, the abused, young wife of a brutish man.
The action begins when Tyballis flees into the night to escape another beating. She encounters a mysterious stranger (later turns out to be Andrew) who gives her his cloak and advice to leave her husband. The next morning her husband is arrested for the murder of his erstwhile employer Baron Throckmorton whose corpse was in the middle of a nearby street. Tyballis goes to the prison to give her husband some food, but instead she shares the provisions with a waif. She accompanies the girl back to her home, a rundown manor house where a motley assortment of misfits, thieves, and ne’er-do-wells are allowed to reside by its secretive owner called Drew. Tyballis is tempted to stay there, but decides to return to her house. Unbeknownst to Tyballis, her vindictive old crone of a mother-in-law has denounced her as Throckmortion’s murderer. Tyballis is promptly arrested, but before she suffers the worse indignities of prison life, Andrew/Drew is able to free her. It seems that one of his resident cutpurses witnessed her arrest and informed him. It also seems that Throckmorton was the man who imported arsenic from Venice and sold to the Dorset’s (the king’s stepson) best friend, Lord Marrot. Andrew knew this and was trying to get proof. Throckmorton is succeeded by his brother who carries on the family business.
After her release from gaol, Tyballis takes up permanent residence in Andrew’s manor house, Cobham Hall. She wants to do something to pay for her keep and convinces Andrew to use her in his attempt to get the goods on the second Throckmorton and the Woodvilles. At court and with Throckmorton, he assumes the identity of a Lord Feayton and presents Tyballis as Lady Feayton. Throckmorton abducts Tyballis but she escapes but not before hearing his plan to kill Andrew. At this time, Andrew is at Ludlow (under another assumed identity) so Tyballis and the other residents hatch a plan whereby Throckmorton and Marrot will be caught making a drug deal at court. The plan requires the group to gain admittance to the palace by posing as minstrels with a gypsy dancer—Tyballis. Although the group does gain admittance, things go awry and Tyballis is only saved from being raped by Marrot by Andrew’s sudden appearance as Lord Feayton.
Andrew & Co. think they have sent Throckmorton out of the country and stopped the importation of more arsenic. However, Andrew had some but it has disappeared, apparently stolen by one of the misfits.
Meanwhile, Hastings has been tipped off by Richard of the plot against the king, but he has no proof and the king gets really pissed off at him when he tells him of the plot. Later, Hastings is sent Throckmorton’s signed confession but destroys it out of fear that the king still won’t believe him and will strip him of his offices.
When the king survives a poisoning, Andrew rides off to Middleham to tell Richard that the king is alive. Throckmorton (who didn’t leave the country after all) and the Woodville faction lay siege to the manor hall, but Tyballis and the rest manage to escape. But the king has succumbed.
Richard is none too pleased when he learns that Hastings destroyed the evidence of the plot, and the latter is feeling guilty and insecure when he learns that Richard may take the throne. It is Andrew, of course, who informs Richard about the pre-contract. Richard tasks him with getting proof of the Hastings conspiracy against him—and this he does successfully. (The author has Richard doing everything by the book—at the council meeting, he states he is convening a constable’s court with Buckingham and Howard to try Hastings.)
Tyballis is abducted again—this time a third Throckmorton, a cousin, shows up—and she escapes again. Then there is another siege of the manor hall by friends of the first besiegers who were killed, but it fails and the motley crew learn the identity of the person among them who stole the arsenic that was used to kill the king.
I may have forgotten one or two abductions along the way, but there is a happy ending as the King Richard departs on his progress; makes Andrew Lord Leays—(Andrew was in reality the bastard son of the last Lord Leays); and Andrew and Tyballis marry.
It was inevitable early on that Tybalis and Andrew would fall in love, and when it happens quite a few somewhat graphic sex scenes follow— in addition to some some drippy pillow talk. Tyballis doesn’t think she is beautiful and has learned nothing about love from the brute that was her first husband. The first time they make love, the experienced Andrew tells her it was like the first time for him because she is the first woman he ever loved. Irritatingly for me, he keeps calling her “little one.” Tyballis seems far too sophisticated and well-spoken for a woman with her background.
I had hoped that there would be more interaction between Richard and these characters, but there were only a few scenes at the ending where Andrew and Richard have conversations--and these were strictly business and fairly boring. The characters at the manor house were entertaining, however, and I was caught up in their fates. I would have given the book a higher rating because of them, but the overlong plot dragged the whole thing down. 2.5/3 stars.
The action begins when Tyballis flees into the night to escape another beating. She encounters a mysterious stranger (later turns out to be Andrew) who gives her his cloak and advice to leave her husband. The next morning her husband is arrested for the murder of his erstwhile employer Baron Throckmorton whose corpse was in the middle of a nearby street. Tyballis goes to the prison to give her husband some food, but instead she shares the provisions with a waif. She accompanies the girl back to her home, a rundown manor house where a motley assortment of misfits, thieves, and ne’er-do-wells are allowed to reside by its secretive owner called Drew. Tyballis is tempted to stay there, but decides to return to her house. Unbeknownst to Tyballis, her vindictive old crone of a mother-in-law has denounced her as Throckmortion’s murderer. Tyballis is promptly arrested, but before she suffers the worse indignities of prison life, Andrew/Drew is able to free her. It seems that one of his resident cutpurses witnessed her arrest and informed him. It also seems that Throckmorton was the man who imported arsenic from Venice and sold to the Dorset’s (the king’s stepson) best friend, Lord Marrot. Andrew knew this and was trying to get proof. Throckmorton is succeeded by his brother who carries on the family business.
After her release from gaol, Tyballis takes up permanent residence in Andrew’s manor house, Cobham Hall. She wants to do something to pay for her keep and convinces Andrew to use her in his attempt to get the goods on the second Throckmorton and the Woodvilles. At court and with Throckmorton, he assumes the identity of a Lord Feayton and presents Tyballis as Lady Feayton. Throckmorton abducts Tyballis but she escapes but not before hearing his plan to kill Andrew. At this time, Andrew is at Ludlow (under another assumed identity) so Tyballis and the other residents hatch a plan whereby Throckmorton and Marrot will be caught making a drug deal at court. The plan requires the group to gain admittance to the palace by posing as minstrels with a gypsy dancer—Tyballis. Although the group does gain admittance, things go awry and Tyballis is only saved from being raped by Marrot by Andrew’s sudden appearance as Lord Feayton.
Andrew & Co. think they have sent Throckmorton out of the country and stopped the importation of more arsenic. However, Andrew had some but it has disappeared, apparently stolen by one of the misfits.
Meanwhile, Hastings has been tipped off by Richard of the plot against the king, but he has no proof and the king gets really pissed off at him when he tells him of the plot. Later, Hastings is sent Throckmorton’s signed confession but destroys it out of fear that the king still won’t believe him and will strip him of his offices.
When the king survives a poisoning, Andrew rides off to Middleham to tell Richard that the king is alive. Throckmorton (who didn’t leave the country after all) and the Woodville faction lay siege to the manor hall, but Tyballis and the rest manage to escape. But the king has succumbed.
Richard is none too pleased when he learns that Hastings destroyed the evidence of the plot, and the latter is feeling guilty and insecure when he learns that Richard may take the throne. It is Andrew, of course, who informs Richard about the pre-contract. Richard tasks him with getting proof of the Hastings conspiracy against him—and this he does successfully. (The author has Richard doing everything by the book—at the council meeting, he states he is convening a constable’s court with Buckingham and Howard to try Hastings.)
Tyballis is abducted again—this time a third Throckmorton, a cousin, shows up—and she escapes again. Then there is another siege of the manor hall by friends of the first besiegers who were killed, but it fails and the motley crew learn the identity of the person among them who stole the arsenic that was used to kill the king.
I may have forgotten one or two abductions along the way, but there is a happy ending as the King Richard departs on his progress; makes Andrew Lord Leays—(Andrew was in reality the bastard son of the last Lord Leays); and Andrew and Tyballis marry.
It was inevitable early on that Tybalis and Andrew would fall in love, and when it happens quite a few somewhat graphic sex scenes follow— in addition to some some drippy pillow talk. Tyballis doesn’t think she is beautiful and has learned nothing about love from the brute that was her first husband. The first time they make love, the experienced Andrew tells her it was like the first time for him because she is the first woman he ever loved. Irritatingly for me, he keeps calling her “little one.” Tyballis seems far too sophisticated and well-spoken for a woman with her background.
I had hoped that there would be more interaction between Richard and these characters, but there were only a few scenes at the ending where Andrew and Richard have conversations--and these were strictly business and fairly boring. The characters at the manor house were entertaining, however, and I was caught up in their fates. I would have given the book a higher rating because of them, but the overlong plot dragged the whole thing down. 2.5/3 stars.
May 28, 2018
I requested the ARC, although with some trepidation as I was not sure if I would like it. I am glad I did, as I found it an enjoyable read and I have now discovered a new author that I like. I find Denvil's description of medieval England vivid, her meticulous attention to detail brings it to life. The characters are well formed and the storyline is interesting and kept me reading. Her strong heroine certainly stirred a chord in me and I really liked it that she did not give up, even after all the trials that she had been subjected to, she was fighting to the end. The other characters were also well developed and contributed to fleshing out the background. I have to agree with one of the reviewers who mentioned that the scenes seem to run into each other - that was not good and at times a little confusing. All in all, I think 5 stars
February 25, 2017
I quite enjoyed this story. Set in the time toward the end of Edward IV and the beginning of Richard III this historical fiction is full of espionage. After just completing 'The War of the Roses' series, I read this novel fairly confident in this historical period so I was able to appreciate the creative license taken with the rest of the story. It is cute and fun.
The main issue I have is the abrupt change in POV in the middle of a chapter. This may be an editing issue but it caused a lack of cohesiveness and made following the storyline tricky at times.
Overall, yay for an Aussie author!
The main issue I have is the abrupt change in POV in the middle of a chapter. This may be an editing issue but it caused a lack of cohesiveness and made following the storyline tricky at times.
Overall, yay for an Aussie author!
July 12, 2019
Fact or fiction
Both the facts and the fiction are melded into a truly amazing tale of mystery, including all the intrigue you could wish for. Mistress Blessop runs away from a husband who beats her, she ends up in a old run down house full of people from many walks of life. For the first time she feels safe. Her adventures and the tales of the other characters in the house are beautifully written and described. So grab a cuppa of your favourite beverage, curl up in your favourite reading spot and lose yourself in the world intrigue. Highly recommend.
Both the facts and the fiction are melded into a truly amazing tale of mystery, including all the intrigue you could wish for. Mistress Blessop runs away from a husband who beats her, she ends up in a old run down house full of people from many walks of life. For the first time she feels safe. Her adventures and the tales of the other characters in the house are beautifully written and described. So grab a cuppa of your favourite beverage, curl up in your favourite reading spot and lose yourself in the world intrigue. Highly recommend.
September 11, 2020
Too much graphic gratuitous sex
This book started out very well and then all of a sudden, about a third of the way in, it took this hideously graphic turn and there was so much sex graphically explained that it completely ruined the book for me. So while I thought it was going to be a story about a female protagonist, it ended up being a story about a lecherous male user. Very disappointing. I will not be reading the rest of the series. Ick.
This book started out very well and then all of a sudden, about a third of the way in, it took this hideously graphic turn and there was so much sex graphically explained that it completely ruined the book for me. So while I thought it was going to be a story about a female protagonist, it ended up being a story about a lecherous male user. Very disappointing. I will not be reading the rest of the series. Ick.
April 1, 2017
This book has received a Discovering Diamonds Review:
" London, the setting for this tale, is as much a character as are the people who populate the city and the story. We see it as it was back in the 1400s"
Helen Hollick
founder #DDRevs
" London, the setting for this tale, is as much a character as are the people who populate the city and the story. We see it as it was back in the 1400s"
Helen Hollick
founder #DDRevs
June 8, 2020
I'm not a big fan of romance novels where people keep jumping in and out of bed with each other. That is one part I did not like in this book. Also, the political running around and backstory started taking up too much space with a lot of information being repeated towards the end.
I started reading this because the descriptions of society during the 15th century was stark, frank and disturbing in certain ways but overall very realistic.
This is a spy novel, not a mystery per se. Tyballis Blessop learns to fend for herself and gains independence.
I was particularly taken up by the unusual historical account of the kingship of the time. According to this, Edward the 4th was poisoned, and Richard the 3rd was an upstanding, just leader. Very different to what is commonly accepted (if you believe Shakespeare's version)
This book is based on some solid research and the author backs up her decision to go with this unorthodox version of history bu citing some non-fiction books including The Maligned Kind - which will be my next read!
I started reading this because the descriptions of society during the 15th century was stark, frank and disturbing in certain ways but overall very realistic.
This is a spy novel, not a mystery per se. Tyballis Blessop learns to fend for herself and gains independence.
I was particularly taken up by the unusual historical account of the kingship of the time. According to this, Edward the 4th was poisoned, and Richard the 3rd was an upstanding, just leader. Very different to what is commonly accepted (if you believe Shakespeare's version)
This book is based on some solid research and the author backs up her decision to go with this unorthodox version of history bu citing some non-fiction books including The Maligned Kind - which will be my next read!
June 5, 2018
I received a free copy of this book to honestly review.
If you are looking for a common bodice ripping, heroine falls head over heels, historical romance then you should move along. This story is rich in detail and full of interesting twists turns. The characters are very realistic and I got attached to a couple of them. There are some spots where the storyline is a bit hard to follow but overall a really good story.
If you are looking for a common bodice ripping, heroine falls head over heels, historical romance then you should move along. This story is rich in detail and full of interesting twists turns. The characters are very realistic and I got attached to a couple of them. There are some spots where the storyline is a bit hard to follow but overall a really good story.
March 28, 2025
Barbara Gaskell Denvil’s Blessop’s Wife is an immersive historical novel set in 15th-century England, blending romance, intrigue, and mystery with a rich historical backdrop. The story follows the resourceful yet often imperiled main character, who finds herself repeatedly caught in dangerous situations—perhaps a few times too many.
While the book is engaging, I found it much longer than necessary. Some sections could have been more concise, as the pacing occasionally lagged under the weight of excessive detail. Additionally, the female protagonist seemed to have a knack for getting kidnapped or landing in trouble more frequently than the plot truly required, which at times felt repetitive.
That said, Blessop’s Wife remains a worthwhile read, particularly for those who enjoy historical fiction. The references to true historical figures add depth to the narrative, and the portrayal of King Edward offers an intriguing spin on his character. Denvil’s meticulous research and atmospheric writing make the novel an enjoyable experience for fans of the genre, even if it could have been a bit tighter in execution.
Would I recommend it? Yes, but with the caveat that patience may be required for the length and some recurring plot devices.
While the book is engaging, I found it much longer than necessary. Some sections could have been more concise, as the pacing occasionally lagged under the weight of excessive detail. Additionally, the female protagonist seemed to have a knack for getting kidnapped or landing in trouble more frequently than the plot truly required, which at times felt repetitive.
That said, Blessop’s Wife remains a worthwhile read, particularly for those who enjoy historical fiction. The references to true historical figures add depth to the narrative, and the portrayal of King Edward offers an intriguing spin on his character. Denvil’s meticulous research and atmospheric writing make the novel an enjoyable experience for fans of the genre, even if it could have been a bit tighter in execution.
Would I recommend it? Yes, but with the caveat that patience may be required for the length and some recurring plot devices.
March 26, 2019
This was a book of two parts for me. I enjoyed the spy story, but found the romance and cringeworthy sex scenes quite tiresome.
When we first meet Tyballis Blessop, she's a battered teenage wife, worn down by the violence and vitriol aimed at her by her oafish husband and his vicious mother. Then she encounters a mysterious man whose words embolden her the next time she's assaulted in her home and give her the courage to leave. In something of an eye-rolling coincidence, she meets up with the mysterious man, Andrew Cobham, again and joins the ragtag band of people lodging in his home. From there of course, Tyballis and Drew fall in love. That's the bit I could have done without.
For the rest of the novel, Drew's trade as a spy for the Duke of Gloucester, the king's brother, plays a big part. His assorted lodgers get drawn in and help him as he uncovers a Woodville plot to kill the king, remove Gloucester and rule as the power behind a puppet child king.
The author draws a strong picture of 15th century London, the sights, the smells, the danger of a city with a powerful faction out to stage a coup. She also paints an unusual picture of Richard, Duke of Gloucester - soon to become the still-controversial King Richard III - as a moral, upstanding, trustworthy man with a keen sense of justice.
Of the main characters, Drew is secretive and patronising and sometimes creepy (calling the woman he's sleeping with 'child'? Ew. No, thanks.). Tyballis grows a backbone over the course of the story, except when she's with Drew, where she suddenly needs constant validation and acts the simpering fool. Some of the supporting characters are more interesting, like Caspar, the battle-scarred street fighter who becomes Tyballis' champion.
The women in the story are generally treated by the men as property and referred to as sluts, whores, trollops and so on even by other women. This got old very quickly. Maybe that did happen in the age in which this was set, but it didn't sit well with me. You could guarantee that practically every man in the story and every older woman would use a sexual slur virtually every time they opened their mouth. I thought it was all a tad unnecessary. And in keeping with that, I don't like the title of this book. To refer to the main character solely as another character's wife - and a minor character at that - seems to deny her her own identity. For all her faults, Tyballis is more than just an appendage to a man.
Overall, I enjoyed this for the setting and the spy story, but not for the romance aspect of it, which didn't really drive the narrative forward at all.
When we first meet Tyballis Blessop, she's a battered teenage wife, worn down by the violence and vitriol aimed at her by her oafish husband and his vicious mother. Then she encounters a mysterious man whose words embolden her the next time she's assaulted in her home and give her the courage to leave. In something of an eye-rolling coincidence, she meets up with the mysterious man, Andrew Cobham, again and joins the ragtag band of people lodging in his home. From there of course, Tyballis and Drew fall in love. That's the bit I could have done without.
For the rest of the novel, Drew's trade as a spy for the Duke of Gloucester, the king's brother, plays a big part. His assorted lodgers get drawn in and help him as he uncovers a Woodville plot to kill the king, remove Gloucester and rule as the power behind a puppet child king.
The author draws a strong picture of 15th century London, the sights, the smells, the danger of a city with a powerful faction out to stage a coup. She also paints an unusual picture of Richard, Duke of Gloucester - soon to become the still-controversial King Richard III - as a moral, upstanding, trustworthy man with a keen sense of justice.
Of the main characters, Drew is secretive and patronising and sometimes creepy (calling the woman he's sleeping with 'child'? Ew. No, thanks.). Tyballis grows a backbone over the course of the story, except when she's with Drew, where she suddenly needs constant validation and acts the simpering fool. Some of the supporting characters are more interesting, like Caspar, the battle-scarred street fighter who becomes Tyballis' champion.
The women in the story are generally treated by the men as property and referred to as sluts, whores, trollops and so on even by other women. This got old very quickly. Maybe that did happen in the age in which this was set, but it didn't sit well with me. You could guarantee that practically every man in the story and every older woman would use a sexual slur virtually every time they opened their mouth. I thought it was all a tad unnecessary. And in keeping with that, I don't like the title of this book. To refer to the main character solely as another character's wife - and a minor character at that - seems to deny her her own identity. For all her faults, Tyballis is more than just an appendage to a man.
Overall, I enjoyed this for the setting and the spy story, but not for the romance aspect of it, which didn't really drive the narrative forward at all.
February 7, 2025
@thebookclubclassic
I absolutely loved this book!!! A five star read for me!!! I was first accidentally introduced to this genre by visiting my local Goodwill bookstore and picking up S. G. MacLean’s first four books of “The Seeker” series. I have been to England three times from United States and every single time while being there I was trying to figure out how I could rearrange my life and move there. I was intrigued by the book covers of “The Seeker” series, filled with dreary, looking streets, gray skies filled with Tudor style houses. I ended up buying the rest of the series and most of S. G. Maclean books. While I was working on completing (buying) my Maclean collection, Amazon, in its true wisdom, recommended Barbara Gaskell Danvil book #1, “Blessop’s Wife.” I was immediately drawn to the cover and quickly realized that the author self publishes. I have a lot of respect for authors that self publish. I truly could not put the book down. The pages were practically turning themselves. Barbara Gaskell Danvil is such a detailed, sharp writer. Immediately, I was back in Tudor England. Although the book starts with a horrific instance of domestic violence and domestic abuse, that is the key event that propels the growth of our main heroine. This book was very atmospheric. The descriptions are so real, that you can just feel the biting cold and freezing rain and truly warm up by a massive fire in the harth.
I saw that the chief complaint of other reviewers was an abundance of adult content. Unlike them I found all the intimate scenes extremely tasteful and fitting. I have read a lot of smut and smuttier books and I personally found Barbara Gaskell Denvil’s intimate writing extremely enjoyable, exiting and loving. I found it to be like one or two out of five spicy peppers.
I was immediately in love with the cast of characters!!! Also the way she masterfully lays out the geography of the region and makes you feel like you can just walk in to Tudor London. Everything about this book feels so real, so unique. This book made me immediately buy the rest of 8 books in this “Historical Mystery Series” as well as Barbara Gaskell Denvil’s new book, just published “The Poor Man.”
Absolutely brilliant! Five stars!!!
I absolutely loved this book!!! A five star read for me!!! I was first accidentally introduced to this genre by visiting my local Goodwill bookstore and picking up S. G. MacLean’s first four books of “The Seeker” series. I have been to England three times from United States and every single time while being there I was trying to figure out how I could rearrange my life and move there. I was intrigued by the book covers of “The Seeker” series, filled with dreary, looking streets, gray skies filled with Tudor style houses. I ended up buying the rest of the series and most of S. G. Maclean books. While I was working on completing (buying) my Maclean collection, Amazon, in its true wisdom, recommended Barbara Gaskell Danvil book #1, “Blessop’s Wife.” I was immediately drawn to the cover and quickly realized that the author self publishes. I have a lot of respect for authors that self publish. I truly could not put the book down. The pages were practically turning themselves. Barbara Gaskell Danvil is such a detailed, sharp writer. Immediately, I was back in Tudor England. Although the book starts with a horrific instance of domestic violence and domestic abuse, that is the key event that propels the growth of our main heroine. This book was very atmospheric. The descriptions are so real, that you can just feel the biting cold and freezing rain and truly warm up by a massive fire in the harth.
I saw that the chief complaint of other reviewers was an abundance of adult content. Unlike them I found all the intimate scenes extremely tasteful and fitting. I have read a lot of smut and smuttier books and I personally found Barbara Gaskell Denvil’s intimate writing extremely enjoyable, exiting and loving. I found it to be like one or two out of five spicy peppers.
I was immediately in love with the cast of characters!!! Also the way she masterfully lays out the geography of the region and makes you feel like you can just walk in to Tudor London. Everything about this book feels so real, so unique. This book made me immediately buy the rest of 8 books in this “Historical Mystery Series” as well as Barbara Gaskell Denvil’s new book, just published “The Poor Man.”
Absolutely brilliant! Five stars!!!
February 11, 2025
I found the historical accuracy tinged with a political point of which side one might support. It's no great secret that the Woodvilles were a generally despised family, grasping and greedy, very much given to self promotion. I think that's going to be evident in any family where there is a great deal of power up for grabs, and those who come late to the table often crawl away with only crumbs. Elizabeth Woodville was not late, nor was she remiss in taking more than her fair share of booty, in terms of power and wealth. But being a woman did have its drawbacks, she was rather forced to abdicate in favor of her male relations who were not intended to keep all the power but were to share and actually be her voices of command. In that aspect, I think she was successful, but still limited.
Now, this book presented the opinion that Woodville was, in fact, always in charge and yet managed to remain somewhat behind the scenes, something that we, in this modern world cannot dispute. We actually see these same power struggles today in many aspects of political misfits currently in charge and "residence".
That's not the primary focus of this book.
I regret very much that I think the main character is rather stupid and more than a bit foolish. She's flighty and very immature, and appears to think because she's young, she can trade on her looks and youthful vigor rather than be able to think her way out of stressful or dangerous situations. Again, a woman who might have been a formidable influence is hampered by her sex. The age old struggle. It's not new and I doubt it will ever change.
My problem with the book is that I thought it was interminable. The prose is wandering and blossoms with all sorts of "whithers and wherefores" and stumbles over upon itself in trying to recreate the voices of the age. The truth is, unless we are reading contemporary material at the source, we are guessing how people spoke to each other, their neighbors, their trade persons, their servants, family members and certainly, anyone who might be above their societal perch. The speech was florid and a bit vague, but in trying to replicate every little nuance of the common garble, the author just didn't seem to be able to end a comment, a paragraph, a chapter, or even the entire book. I think there was possibly about 200 pages of just stuff and fluff-filler....ending up with almost 600 pages of "thee, thine, whereas, whatnot, and other words that just kept me hoping and wishing she'd get to the point.
I lost the plot, if there was one, at about halfway through. I didn't know if she was going to relate to the disappearance of the princes in the tower, the solidifying of Richard III's ascension to the throne, the summary (?) execution of Hastings or the price of eggs. There was a great deal of repetition regarding clothing, always referring back to the "worn velvets and frayed greatcoats". The "hero" spent a great deal of time running around in just his shirt, at least when he wasn't off doing his skulking and spying, his "line of work:. I got it. He's a spy.
I didn't care about the sex material. It wasn't particularly graphic, but it focused on kissing, fondling, stroking and savoring. Not much to get into a lather about. I can't really see why people would find it offensive, but it was annoyingly frequent.
I kept waiting to see if all the pieces would come together in some sort of cohesive order, but that eluded me. Who murdered Borin and Margery? Who killed Davey Lyttle? What took place that so destroyed Luke, and what on earth was Andrew's mother locked up next to Bedlam for?
Those were little peeks at mystery and they were left completely undone. I realize they probably didn't amount to much but why introduce a character, give them life and presence and then just leave them in the dust. Within almost 600 pages, surely there could have been some closure.
The hints about arsenic poisoning were just silly. Arsenic is a heavy metal, occurring naturally in the earth's crust. Almost all life is exposed, at some point and in some arcane fashion, to the effects of arsenic. In a concentrated and powder form, just the slight inhalation could immediately cause respiratory collapse and death. The way it was suggested here was pure fantasy. It's not medically feasible. I thought hemlock might have been a better choice but I wasn't writing the story.
All in all, I don't want to pick apart someone's work just based on a few minor points, but for accuracy, to give voice to a violent society, the scarce sanctity of everyday life is difficult. In this I think there was just too much emphasis on the mundane, and not the mystery of the violent death and criminal elements present to threaten every creature not locked up behind safe, impenetrable walls.
Of some interest to me was the almost eerie absence of the malignant figure of Margaret Beaufort, who was Henry Tudor's mother-herself a scheming and proficient figure of malice. She doesn't show up, and then only briefly, towards the end of the entire book, and the mention of her is only niggling and inconsequential. Yet she was the focal point of the emergence of the Tudor dynasty, left here unregarded and sloughed off as not essential to the Tudor warlike instigation which later ended Richard III's reign, with his death in battle at Bosworth. No mention of that historic devastation and reemergence of victory through sheer might and determination. Margaret thought she had the ear of god, who knew, in her delusion, who she was actually speaking with or to?
I read a huge amount of historical fiction and also regularly devour historical accounts based on fact and documentation that still survives. While this book is fiction, and the author acknowledges her imagination is enthusiastic, I found there was just too much fluff and not enough substance to keep reading her offerings.
600 pages is not an easy undertaking for most readers today. It's manageable for me, but boring to slog through endless text that does not advance the plot to a logical conclusion. By the end, I thought there was a rushed feeling to get to the finality that Richard III did become king, and soon, lost his life at Bosworth. All the lifelong struggle to become what he had never been intended to be, King of England. Richard III's memory is still tainted with his most notorious of alleged crimes, that of the murder of his two young nephews, also known as the Princes in the Tower. That's material for another book. Right now, I've had enough of the Plantagenets and the Tudors. Back to the 21st century for me.
Now, this book presented the opinion that Woodville was, in fact, always in charge and yet managed to remain somewhat behind the scenes, something that we, in this modern world cannot dispute. We actually see these same power struggles today in many aspects of political misfits currently in charge and "residence".
That's not the primary focus of this book.
I regret very much that I think the main character is rather stupid and more than a bit foolish. She's flighty and very immature, and appears to think because she's young, she can trade on her looks and youthful vigor rather than be able to think her way out of stressful or dangerous situations. Again, a woman who might have been a formidable influence is hampered by her sex. The age old struggle. It's not new and I doubt it will ever change.
My problem with the book is that I thought it was interminable. The prose is wandering and blossoms with all sorts of "whithers and wherefores" and stumbles over upon itself in trying to recreate the voices of the age. The truth is, unless we are reading contemporary material at the source, we are guessing how people spoke to each other, their neighbors, their trade persons, their servants, family members and certainly, anyone who might be above their societal perch. The speech was florid and a bit vague, but in trying to replicate every little nuance of the common garble, the author just didn't seem to be able to end a comment, a paragraph, a chapter, or even the entire book. I think there was possibly about 200 pages of just stuff and fluff-filler....ending up with almost 600 pages of "thee, thine, whereas, whatnot, and other words that just kept me hoping and wishing she'd get to the point.
I lost the plot, if there was one, at about halfway through. I didn't know if she was going to relate to the disappearance of the princes in the tower, the solidifying of Richard III's ascension to the throne, the summary (?) execution of Hastings or the price of eggs. There was a great deal of repetition regarding clothing, always referring back to the "worn velvets and frayed greatcoats". The "hero" spent a great deal of time running around in just his shirt, at least when he wasn't off doing his skulking and spying, his "line of work:. I got it. He's a spy.
I didn't care about the sex material. It wasn't particularly graphic, but it focused on kissing, fondling, stroking and savoring. Not much to get into a lather about. I can't really see why people would find it offensive, but it was annoyingly frequent.
I kept waiting to see if all the pieces would come together in some sort of cohesive order, but that eluded me. Who murdered Borin and Margery? Who killed Davey Lyttle? What took place that so destroyed Luke, and what on earth was Andrew's mother locked up next to Bedlam for?
Those were little peeks at mystery and they were left completely undone. I realize they probably didn't amount to much but why introduce a character, give them life and presence and then just leave them in the dust. Within almost 600 pages, surely there could have been some closure.
The hints about arsenic poisoning were just silly. Arsenic is a heavy metal, occurring naturally in the earth's crust. Almost all life is exposed, at some point and in some arcane fashion, to the effects of arsenic. In a concentrated and powder form, just the slight inhalation could immediately cause respiratory collapse and death. The way it was suggested here was pure fantasy. It's not medically feasible. I thought hemlock might have been a better choice but I wasn't writing the story.
All in all, I don't want to pick apart someone's work just based on a few minor points, but for accuracy, to give voice to a violent society, the scarce sanctity of everyday life is difficult. In this I think there was just too much emphasis on the mundane, and not the mystery of the violent death and criminal elements present to threaten every creature not locked up behind safe, impenetrable walls.
Of some interest to me was the almost eerie absence of the malignant figure of Margaret Beaufort, who was Henry Tudor's mother-herself a scheming and proficient figure of malice. She doesn't show up, and then only briefly, towards the end of the entire book, and the mention of her is only niggling and inconsequential. Yet she was the focal point of the emergence of the Tudor dynasty, left here unregarded and sloughed off as not essential to the Tudor warlike instigation which later ended Richard III's reign, with his death in battle at Bosworth. No mention of that historic devastation and reemergence of victory through sheer might and determination. Margaret thought she had the ear of god, who knew, in her delusion, who she was actually speaking with or to?
I read a huge amount of historical fiction and also regularly devour historical accounts based on fact and documentation that still survives. While this book is fiction, and the author acknowledges her imagination is enthusiastic, I found there was just too much fluff and not enough substance to keep reading her offerings.
600 pages is not an easy undertaking for most readers today. It's manageable for me, but boring to slog through endless text that does not advance the plot to a logical conclusion. By the end, I thought there was a rushed feeling to get to the finality that Richard III did become king, and soon, lost his life at Bosworth. All the lifelong struggle to become what he had never been intended to be, King of England. Richard III's memory is still tainted with his most notorious of alleged crimes, that of the murder of his two young nephews, also known as the Princes in the Tower. That's material for another book. Right now, I've had enough of the Plantagenets and the Tudors. Back to the 21st century for me.
January 4, 2021
Utter garbage and a waste of words. This story could have been told in 200 pages and desperately needs an editor. The gratuitous sex scenes are dull and add nothing to the storyline...and they are cringeworthy. May I never skim over another page of moist curly groin hair, this was painful and tedious. Many many many times setting changes with no clarification, and mid paragraph entirely new characters are added in. I frequently had to re-read passages to figure out what on earth was happening. Truly a monstrously long book that needs basic editing. BASIC fundamentals are lacking, voice, tense,characters and setting are all tossed about and leaves a reader annoyed and rarely interested enough to sort through the endless run on sentences to find meaning. This book was not ready for publishing in this form.
September 9, 2022
Nope
More sex than secret. I am not a pride by any stretch of the imagination but I found the repeated descriptions of intimacy between the two main characters gratuitous and eventually grating. Mystery? Nope, not much left to the imagination here. I kept looking for substance and all I got were vivid descriptions of her anatomy and how he touched different parts of it.
Lots of descriptions too on violent death, bodily fluids, and the clothing of the wealthy.
Then too, the ponderous and repeated instances of her being abducted and imprisoned by various villains always resolved with rescue by her clever and multi-talented lover. More melodrama than mystery.
Ho-hum. Guess I'll be skipping the rest of Barbara's "Historical Mysteries Collection."
More sex than secret. I am not a pride by any stretch of the imagination but I found the repeated descriptions of intimacy between the two main characters gratuitous and eventually grating. Mystery? Nope, not much left to the imagination here. I kept looking for substance and all I got were vivid descriptions of her anatomy and how he touched different parts of it.
Lots of descriptions too on violent death, bodily fluids, and the clothing of the wealthy.
Then too, the ponderous and repeated instances of her being abducted and imprisoned by various villains always resolved with rescue by her clever and multi-talented lover. More melodrama than mystery.
Ho-hum. Guess I'll be skipping the rest of Barbara's "Historical Mysteries Collection."
October 19, 2025
Given the rating of 4.5 ⭐️ on Audible I wasn’t surprised by this book being so good. It’s loaded with historical details but leans more toward romance. The story is well-written, with a unique storyline, and Gildart Jackson’s performance as narrator is highly entertaining.
The ranking and reviews here on Goodreads aren’t too generous. But if you like a historical romance while learning much on life & times, and people of all walks of life in 1483 London, I’d suggest giving this book a try.
In the meantime, I’ve procured the second in the series.
The ranking and reviews here on Goodreads aren’t too generous. But if you like a historical romance while learning much on life & times, and people of all walks of life in 1483 London, I’d suggest giving this book a try.
In the meantime, I’ve procured the second in the series.
August 16, 2019
Another book I really wanted to like, but, at 45% in, it just wasn't doing it for me. It's also really long.There's palace intrigue, a bit of romance, some dastardly characters, and a bunch of "rude mechanicals" a la Shakespeare. Still, I kept finding myself picking up other books ... even ones in PAPER in preference to this KOLL borrow. So, I sent it back.
July 19, 2014
Fantastic read. I enjoyed it very much. It seems to be a stand alone, so no worries there.
March 20, 2023
Trite crap.
November 29, 2022
If you're looking for a romance novel set in the late 15 c. then Blessop's Wife is right up your alley. The characters are well-constructed, and the writing is good. (One complaint: The author changes scenes in the middle of the page with no demarcation, either in language or by some sort of literary separation.) It's clear that the author has an excellent grasp of the sights and smells of London at that time.
The reasons for my giving this book two stars are as follows:
--- The novel relies heavily on the relationship between Andrew and Tyballis, and doesn't really
invoke historical fiction until the last part of the book. In fact, the sex scenes are so
numerous that they actually begin to become tiresome.
--- I thought that the Historical Mysteries series would follow a single character through
multiple novels. Indeed, the way that Blessop's wife ends practically begs for a follow-up.
While this book was well-written and well-researched, I found it wanting as a piece of historical fiction.
The reasons for my giving this book two stars are as follows:
--- The novel relies heavily on the relationship between Andrew and Tyballis, and doesn't really
invoke historical fiction until the last part of the book. In fact, the sex scenes are so
numerous that they actually begin to become tiresome.
--- I thought that the Historical Mysteries series would follow a single character through
multiple novels. Indeed, the way that Blessop's wife ends practically begs for a follow-up.
While this book was well-written and well-researched, I found it wanting as a piece of historical fiction.
February 5, 2025
Thoroughly enjoyable read and a very interesting take on a well known story. Usually this time period focuses on Elizabeth Woodville or Lady Margaret Beaufort, mother to Henry Tudor, so it was refreshing to see this time period from a different perspective.
This book is long, 600 pages, but it held my interest throughout and delivered some good and unexpected plot twists. I’ve seen some reviews mention explicit sex scenes but personally I didn’t feel they were at all explicit and definitely not in the league with the 50 Shades of Gray series.
The descriptions of London in Medieval England was well researched and not glamourised as many films are. London wasn’t clean, safe and full of beautiful clean streets, houses and people.
The chatacters were engaging and interesting and it was easy to become invested in their lives.
It would have been useful to know a little factual account of each of the major players was at the end of the book and would have saved a bit of time researching on Google.
This book is long, 600 pages, but it held my interest throughout and delivered some good and unexpected plot twists. I’ve seen some reviews mention explicit sex scenes but personally I didn’t feel they were at all explicit and definitely not in the league with the 50 Shades of Gray series.
The descriptions of London in Medieval England was well researched and not glamourised as many films are. London wasn’t clean, safe and full of beautiful clean streets, houses and people.
The chatacters were engaging and interesting and it was easy to become invested in their lives.
It would have been useful to know a little factual account of each of the major players was at the end of the book and would have saved a bit of time researching on Google.
March 30, 2022
Good read but...
I enjoyed much of this book. The first half had me engrossed and interested. Up to that point I would have given it 5 stars. I was surprised and disappointed when the explicit sex showed up midway through the story. So unnecessary. It distracted from the actual storyline. At that point I would have given it 3 stars. I finally just skipped over the sex scenes and read the actual story, which was well written. Until all the explicit sex showed up I thought I had found a new favorite author. I might give another book a chance but if it contains as much unnecessary sex as this one does, it will be the last one of this author. Seems like she didn't have much confidence in the story if she felt it needed sex to fill the second half. A good story stands on its own. Doesn't need the sex. Fortunately there are many writers out there who can achieve this. This author could as well.
I enjoyed much of this book. The first half had me engrossed and interested. Up to that point I would have given it 5 stars. I was surprised and disappointed when the explicit sex showed up midway through the story. So unnecessary. It distracted from the actual storyline. At that point I would have given it 3 stars. I finally just skipped over the sex scenes and read the actual story, which was well written. Until all the explicit sex showed up I thought I had found a new favorite author. I might give another book a chance but if it contains as much unnecessary sex as this one does, it will be the last one of this author. Seems like she didn't have much confidence in the story if she felt it needed sex to fill the second half. A good story stands on its own. Doesn't need the sex. Fortunately there are many writers out there who can achieve this. This author could as well.
January 3, 2021
I love stories I can loose myself in and this one is brilliant. I knew the middle ages were smelly but so clear is the writing that I was walking down London's streets, and seeing, smelling and feeling every step.
What a joy it is to be able to read a story that is consistent with itself and doesn't drop into modern references by accident. I lost myself in it without any 'jolting' discomfort of references to things not invented then. (I now realise how clean we all are!)
I have now got the next book and am looking forward to curling up in my comfy chair/bed and loosing myself in another age again. Brilliant.
What a joy it is to be able to read a story that is consistent with itself and doesn't drop into modern references by accident. I lost myself in it without any 'jolting' discomfort of references to things not invented then. (I now realise how clean we all are!)
I have now got the next book and am looking forward to curling up in my comfy chair/bed and loosing myself in another age again. Brilliant.
November 16, 2025
Some would love this, but too much of a romance book for me. I like historical mystery, but without this level of romance. Dragged on a bit too. My rating is just my opinion, but others will love it.
Main character was a mite changeable. She was weak sometimes, then showed remarkable spirit at other times, and it was quite clear that the author used her main protagonist as a deus ex machina, moulding her actions and reactions to whatever would move the plot in the direction she (the author) needed it to go. Not particularly satisfying as one doesn't ever quite feel one knows the main character.
Main character was a mite changeable. She was weak sometimes, then showed remarkable spirit at other times, and it was quite clear that the author used her main protagonist as a deus ex machina, moulding her actions and reactions to whatever would move the plot in the direction she (the author) needed it to go. Not particularly satisfying as one doesn't ever quite feel one knows the main character.
March 6, 2022
A wonderful wonderful book!
I enjoyed this book immensely!! It was just absolutely entertaining!!!! The very thing I was looking for in a good escape! Sometimes I will read 20 books or more, as I'm a fast and prolific book worm, and only just be pleased and mildly entertained. Then, one like this will pop up and I am lost in the pages and the whole evening is gone! Perfect!!!! There are several by this excellent author and I fully intend to read them all!!!! I see hours and hours of great stories in my future!!!! BRAVO
I enjoyed this book immensely!! It was just absolutely entertaining!!!! The very thing I was looking for in a good escape! Sometimes I will read 20 books or more, as I'm a fast and prolific book worm, and only just be pleased and mildly entertained. Then, one like this will pop up and I am lost in the pages and the whole evening is gone! Perfect!!!! There are several by this excellent author and I fully intend to read them all!!!! I see hours and hours of great stories in my future!!!! BRAVO
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