The Last Blast of the Trumpet

by Marie Macpherson

16th Century: Conflict, Chaos and Corruption in Reformation Scotland
He wants to reform Scotland, but his enemies will stop at nothing to prevent him.
Scotland 1559:
Fiery reformer John Knox returns to a Scotland on the brink of civil war. Victorious, he feels confident of his place leading the reform until the charismatic young widow, Mary Queen of Scots returns to claim her throne. She challenges his position and initiates a ferocious battle of wills as they strive to win the hearts and minds of the Scots. But the treachery and jealousy that surrounds them both as they make critical choices in their public and private lives has dangerous consequences that neither of them can imagine.

In this final installment of the trilogy of the fiery reformer John Knox, Macpherson tells the story of a man and a queen at one of the most critical phases of Scottish history.

409 pages, Kindle Edition

Published August 24, 2020

About the author

Marie Gilroy Macpherson writes historical fiction set in the 16th century during the turbulent period of the Scottish Reformation. The Knox Trilogy is a fictional account of the life of the fiery Reformer.
Her passion for historical fiction has been fired up by writers such as Walter Scott and the great Russian novelists. To research her PhD thesis on the 19th century Russian writer, Lermontov, she spent a year in the former Soviet Union.
Prizes and awards include Martha Hamilton Prize for Creative Writing from the Edinburgh University and 'Writer of the Year 2011' title awarded by Tyne & Esk Writers.
She is a member of the Historical Novel Society and the Historical Writers' Association.
To vote on Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/9...

Reviews

[Marie Macpherson · Rating 5 out of 5]

A heartwarming and encouraging email from a reader Jim who writes:
'I have now read all three of the John Knox books and thought they were fantastic. History at school I found boring - mostly having to remember the dates of big events (often not Scottish) without knowing why they happened or who was involved. Many years later I discovered Nigel Tranter, who wrote historical novels - putting imaginary words in the mouths of real long-ago people and bringing them to life. His are all relatively short books, covering the lives of various specific characters, and spanning several centuries.
Marie Macpherson's trilogy is a massive work, concentrating on one main character - John Knox - in great detail. She describes his background, his triumphs and defeats, his relationship with MQS, his friends and enemies and the various political currents in Scotland, England and continental Europe. It is all totally believable, and breathes life into characters of whom I previously knew very little detail. It's almost as if she has taken a box of old sepia-coloured photographs and by thorough research and her fantastic imagination created an exciting video in glorious technicolour. In my mind I could hear JK preach, see squadrons of horsemen riding through the city be with the citizens of Leith as they were bombarded by English cannons... (Sorry, getting carried away!)'!

[Steven Veerapen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Marie Macpherson manages the seemingly impossible in this concluding part of her trilogy: she brings John Knox to life in a sympathetic way.

In The Last Blast, we are once again taken back in time to Reformation Scotland. In these pages are all the characters we’ve come to know intimately throughout the series, from the indomitable Prioress Elisabeth to her protégée, Isobel.

Macpherson’s triumph here is taking a familiar enough tale - Knox’s ministry in Marian Scotland - and refreshing it completely. Her Scotland is a place of high politics, suspicion, romance, witchcraft, and drama. If you think you know the story of Mary Queen of Scots’ clashes with John Knox, think again! Scotland - and Knox - continued to smoulder long after the Scottish queen’s flight into England...

So sit back and enjoy the smoky tang of Edinburgh’s beggar-ridden streets, the perfume of Queen Mary’s apartments, and the complex domestic and political intrigues. You won’t regret it!

[Jaffareadstoo · Rating 5 out of 5]

In The Last Blast of the Trumpet we return to the complicated world of Scottish history and religious politics. We meet again with the fiery preacher, John Knox, as he enters Perth ready to lay the foundations of what will become a violent, and bloody, civil war. With the ailing, Regent of Scotland, Marie de Guise, doing all she can to protect the kingdom for her daughter, it is soon obvious that Knox's quest to scourge Popish idolatry out of Scotland will not be gainstayed. That this war of Reformation is fought between the Scottish people makes the unrest all the more disturbing, especially as there are no winners, only losers in this battle against God.

It's been interesting to get this vivid interpretation of Scottish history particularly in the years following Marie de Guise's death and the arrival of the young Mary Stewart, taking her rightful place as Queen of Scots. Knox's vitriol against the fair, young Queen is well documented and the author succeeds admirably in bringing their encounters alive with all the venom that this Scottish Presbyterian minister possesses.

Beautifully written, extensively researched and with a wonderful historical authenticity, The Last Blast of the Trumpet, is complete in itself and it is perfectly possible to read it as standalone historical fiction, especially if your interest in Scottish history takes in the tumultuous reign of Mary Queen of Scots. However, as the conclusion to the trilogy there is no doubt that the author has done herself proud with this final blast. The history comes alive in the imagination, as does the rather dour, Knox, but what's also interesting is to see the people from history take their place in the spotlight, standing comfortably alongside those fictional characters who have been such stalwarts since the first book.

The author has concluded the Knox trilogy with all the passionate zeal and intensity as the man himself. She has infused such life and personality into the man that. although I am still nowhere near liking him, I do have more of an understanding into his life and times, and all credit to the author for bringing the life of this belligerent, political and religious reformist to life in a remarkable and fascinating way.

[Helen Hollick · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have thoroughly enjoyed the first two books in this series - and was so hoping that the final conclusion would not let the side down. I need not have worried; if anything, Book Three even surpasses the other two.

John Knox is a character you either like or loathe, depending on your view of his determination, passion and conviction. Here is a man of a complex nature, living in a complex period with complex motivations. But then, this entire period of Scottish history was complex - the religious reformation, the political situation - all wrapped up in the diversity of support (or lack of it) for Mary, Queen of Scots.

Ms Macpherson skilfully juggles all these complexities of the political situations with apparent ease. The passionate views and goals of her characters come over as real, flesh-and-blood people, with her writing as passionate as their personal convictions. The author immerses the reader into the upheaval of the period as if we are there, watching on the sidelines as the political and religious battles are set into action by some of the most well known and controversial people who were a part of Scottish history.

A superb ending to an equally as superb trilogy. This is one of those series about history that should be compulsory reading for upper-grade students at school - or anyone interested in Tudor-period history, come to that.

The books are stand alone - but do start at the beginning, it is well worth it!
Very highly recommended

Reviewed for Discovering Diamonds

[Sarah Kennedy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This third and final installment in Macpherson's John Knox series is as compelling and rich in historical detail as the first two books--and it features quite a lot of Mary, Queen of Scots for Tudor-Stuart history and literature fans. The aging John Knox is curmudgeonly and impatient, but Macpherson also shows his humane and loving side, an element of this religious titan's character that is often overlooked. The machinations of Mary's court, as well as the evolving plots that surround her, make for an exciting and often poignant backdrop to the religious upheavals and reversals in sixteenth-century Scotland. This is a must-read for lovers of Renaissance history, religion, and politics.

[Paul · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really good stuff, and (the series is) a hidden gem. This appears to have a rather narrow audience, but it's very very well written with rich descriptions, well-conceived characters, a well executed plot. I hope this finds a wide audience. Recommended for historical fiction fans!

I really appreciate receiving the review copy!!

[Mary Yarde · Rating 5 out of 5]

Now’s the time to break from the fetters of Rome, brother. Scotland is on the brink of civil strife. We’re in dire need of a skipper to take the helm…’

Joshua may have only needed a trumpet to bring down the walls of Jericho, but Scotland was no Jericho and John Knox was no Joshua. Knox does have the one thing that Joshua did not though, he has a pulpit. It is here, in the church, before his congregation that Knox will draw the battle lines. He will fire up his congregation until the very demons of Hell will fear to stand against them, to stand against him. Nothing will stop his dream from coming to fruition, and no one will get in his way—not even a young and charismatic queen.

With the tragic death of Francis II, Mary, the former Queen of France, has no choice but to return home. But the kingdom of her birth is a land in crisis. Mary must be careful, for her throne is surrounded by vultures desperate to profit from her ruination, and there are many who would rejoice if she were to fall from grace. None more so than Knox. Mary does not fear Knox, but she does fear the power of his ideas. Scotland needed stability now more than ever, and therefore she is willing to listen to Knox and to find a mutual agreement in which everyone gets a little of what they want.

Knox, however, will not bow down to a papist queen. There is no other way but his way, and it would be wise of Mary to remember that…

The Last Blast of the Trumpet (John Knox Trilogy Book 3) by Marie Macpherson is a Historical Fiction masterpiece.

Macpherson’s careful use of foreshadowing builds suspense throughout this novel, which imbues it with an atmosphere that can only be described as hauntingly beautiful. As Macpherson asks those who are long dead to breathe again, to experience the grandeur and the horrors once again, one cannot help but feel compassion for their plight. To be stabbed 57 times, or to be faced with a corrupted form of justice, and to be condemned for nothing more than the greed and vanity of the prosecutor gives the reader pause to think about how vastly different this time was to our own. This was a violent time in Scottish history, and this novel reflects this volatile age.

Knox is known as the founding father of Protestant Reformation in Scotland, but his story may not be quite what you expect it to be. While Knox waited for the death of the old regime in Scotland, he knowingly perpetuated this seemingly never-ending circle of violence. His God came with a sword. Macpherson has captured his fiery oratory as well as his determination to destroy anything that differed from his beliefs. In this story, as he did in life, Knox deplores the papist rules and teachings. He does nothing to hide his disgust at the grandeur of the Catholic Church. Neither does he have any sympathy for those who refuse to embrace his religion. His inability to compromise is greatly telling of how he saw the world. Anyone who dared to challenge him, such as the Regent, Mary of Guise, and then later her daughter, Mary, Queen of Scots, was deserving of a terrible fate. They deserved to die, which made him an exceedingly unlikeable character. At times he is the antagonist in this tale. His thoughts, his beliefs, make it incredibly difficult for a reader to sympathise with him. He is so blinkered that while he is chasing this ideal religion and this violent God, he fails to see the poverty all around him and when he is confronted with it, he is extremely blasé about these poor starving people, his people, his congregation. One could say that he is an extraordinarily bad shepherd—he lets his flock starve while he chases his corrupted dream of what God was and how one should praise him.

Macpherson has given her readers a realistic, very rounded, characterisation of Knox. When he is not in the pulpit, when he is not arguing theology with people whom he considered inferior because of their beliefs, he is very much a family man. He is a father who adores his children and his wife. I thought the domestic Knox was a much easier man to like than the religious fanatic who seemingly thrived on fire and brimstone. Macpherson shows her readers a gentler side to him, a compassionate side when surrounded by his family. I thought this two-sided Knox worked incredibly well and made him particularly real in the telling.

There are a lot of characters in this story, and there are several points of view, which I thought gives this book a remarkably balanced account of this time in Scottish history. This is not a one-sided account, for this novel encompasses both sides of the argument. The reader bears witness to the dangerous and exceedingly volatile court of Mary, Queen of Scots. Mary is a historical person who has always attracted my sympathies simply because of how terribly she was treated. In this novel, the young and newly widowed Mary is quite literally thrown to the wolves. Her inexperience and her desperate desire to appease the like of Knox, and her desperate attempt to seek a compromise makes her all the more admirable. Her story is told through the eyes of Isabelle Hepburn. Isabelle is a wonderful, brave heroine who witnesses the most terrible injustices and of course the devastating damage that men such as Knox were causing. I thought Isabelle’s depiction was fabulous. Through her eyes, we witness it all.

The historical detailing of this story is staggering. The hours and hours that Macpherson has dedicated to research shines through in the thoroughly enthralling narrative. The historical backdrop of this story is magnificent, there was no doubt in my mind while I read this book as to which century I was in. When Historical Fiction is written like this, then there is no such thing as too much. Macpherson has brought 16th century Scotland back to life.

Although this is book 3 of a trilogy, it stands firmly on its own two feet. I have not read the previous two books, but at no time did I feel that I was adrift. The Last Blast of the Trumpet (John Knox Trilogy Book 3) by Marie Macpherson was a book that I could not wait to get back to. It is utterly enthralling from start to finish, and it is one that is certainly deserving of a place on your bookshelf.

I Highly Recommend.

Review by Mary Anne Yarde
The Coffee Pot Book Club

[Elena Douglas · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Last Blast of the Trumpet, by Marie Gilroy MacPherson, like its predecessors, is rich in well-researched historical detail and made me feel as if I had gone back in time to 16th century Scotland and met the real John Knox, with all his zeal and all his flaws. It is a dramatic conclusion to the trilogy. History puts him in conflict with Mary Queen of Scots, and the plot is unrelentingly suspenseful as we follow these two dynamically opposed historical figures. If you plan to read it, I recommend starting with The First Blast of the Trumpet and reaping the benefit of the entire trilogy. For it is through these three volumes that the characters are developed in all their fullness and the story of the Reformation is told. This trilogy is a must for history lovers.

[D.K. Marley · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had to take a few days to really ponder over this review for “The Last Blast of the Trumpet”; to sort of let the words sink in and absorb them into my mind and soul. Another reviewer compared this book to Hilary Mantel’s “Wolf Hall” books and to a certain extent I must agree. I adored Mantel’s books and while Macpherson’s novel, to me, has similarities to that incredible series, there are unique differences that will draw in fans of “Wolf Hall”. Such as the total immersion into the life of John Knox, as Mantel did with Cromwell. I found myself vacillating back and forth between liking his character and not liking his character, the same as I did with the entire novel. There were times I could not put it down and other times I felt tired over the abundance of flourishing words. Abundant but necessary. I admire Macpherson’s ability to tackle the atmosphere of the time in the use of the language, having the characters actually speak as they might have spoken by using certain phrasing and verbiage only used by Scots. For that, I say, bravo, Ms Macpherson, for I am a lover of the beauty of words. That being said, I must use a caveat here and say that the tiredness I felt was from an audacious application of alliteration throughout the entire novel. At first, I loved it but after the tenth or so time, I found myself trying to locate the next alliterative phrase which distracted me from the storyline. However, I’m not sure this will be a hindrance for most, it was just something that irritated me since I am the OCD sort.
Now, for the story itself. As most other reviewers re-summarize the story, I shall just hit the highlights. During the Tudor era, John Knox was the foremost religious reformer and revolutionist against Catholicism, pitting him against Mary, Queen of Scots, and aligning himself with supporters such as Queen Elizabeth of England and her renowned advisor, William Cecil; all against the backdrop of Scotland. I, like most other reviewers, found the sections dealing with his home life drawing me closer to his character while his religious life made me feel quite the opposite. To this, I say, bravo, again, Ms Macpherson for developing such a well-rounded character, a truly three-dimensional person who leapt from the page. The other details of the storyline, including the well-known aspects of Queen Mary, were detailed and immersive, revealing things I did not know or bringing them back to mind, such as the fact that Prioress Elisabeth Hepburn was Knox’s godmother.
I definitely recommend this read and think anyone who loved Hilary Mantel’s books will love this one, as well. It is deep, well-researched, and a good book for reflecting on a powerful and influential man in not only Scottish history but world history. As this is the third in the series and where I began, I am looking forward to going back to book one and two to fill in the rest of the history of his life.

[Kristin Gleeson · Rating 5 out of 5]

In this final installment we see John Knox come to the centre of the conflict between Protestant and Catholic Scots and wrangle with the Queen, Mary, as she battles for her faith and most importantly her throne. They are two people both passionate about their lives and their choices. Knox is a driven man, a man with a family who suffers personally and publicly but won't lose sight of his goal. Mary is also driven by her duty, but also her heart and desire to maintain the Stuart hold on the throne. And Elisabeth, Knox's godmother who is an abbess of a convent and the pain of a past love watches Knox and is torn between her personal concern for him and what he represents. Told in a compelling manner this novel is a wonderful conclusion to a great series that imagines the personal side to some of the most controversial figures in Scottish history.

[Iain Mccartney · Rating 5 out of 5]

Although I enjoy anything relating with Scottish history, John Knox was not a figure I was overly familiar with, but he was certainly brought to live in this highly enjoyable book.
Not having read Marie’s two previous titles in the series, they are certainly earmarked as a must do.
Hopefully there will be many for similar books to follow.
Recommend.

[Anna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant! Just brilliant.. what a strong finish to an amazing John Knox trilogy. I like that the novel takes you between the lines of history and gives you an idea of what might've happened behind the veil of the historical events in the 16th century Scotland - the drive and the emotion of the historical figures involved. The story takes on the clash between the sharp-tongued preacher Knox and Marie de Guise followed by the stand off with her daughter Mary Queen of Scots.. The Scottish Game of Thrones indeed! I also appreciated the fact that Marie (the author) uses Scots expressions and colloquialism to create an atmosphere and places the reader right in the middle of the scenes.. why is this not yet adapted into the mini-series!? I would recommend not just this instalment but the whole trilogy to anyone who is interested in Scottish history.

[Chris Waugh · Rating 5 out of 5]

The final part of Marie Macpherson's John Knox trilogy is a wonderful read. The narrative cleverly tells the stories of Protestant reformer John Knox and Roman Catholic Mary, Queen of Scots in parallel before entwining all the threads of the various characters into a very satisfying ending. The brevity of the chapters lets the reader pick up very easily from where they left off. I thoroughly enjoyed the first two parts of the trilogy, but the third instalment is the best of them all, in my opinion.

[Liz · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautiful book full of history, politics and religion which transported me back to sixteenth century Scotland. Ms Macpherson's writing style is truly wonderful and the atmosphere created makes the reader feel as if you are actually there, watching rather than reading.
In this 3rd instalment in the trilogy, we once again follow John Knox, the reformer and the struggles he faces.

I received a free copy of this book via The History Quill Book Club