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Historical Mysteries Collection #7
The Western Gate
Perfect for fans of CJ Sansom, SW Perry, SJ Parris and SG Maclean …
Her father is in Newgate gaol for murder. Landry is there for reasons of his own, but somehow the two end up in conspiracies they couldn’t have imagined. When visiting her father in Newgate, for killing his wife, Wren cannot possibly know that this will be the first of many trips to the gaol. Medieval life has a way of throwing Wren into the strangest situations, not only strange but often deadly.
Landry is unknown to Wren, but when events bring him to her life, he seems to be around at every turn. Is he another murderer, a thief or something more? Wren doesn’t know what to think or who to trust, but she will have to find out quickly, or her stepmother won’t be the only one murdered.
What readers are
• "you want to savour every meticulously crafted sentence. Barbara Gaskell Denvil is not one of those authors who cuts corners. Her opus weighs in at 400+ pages, and there is not a gram of flab."
• “An understanding of medieval life that hints that the knowledge comes from reincarnation or – as I safely suspect – impeccable research.”
• "I know no other author who so completely manages to drag me back in time, leaving me submerged in a past skilfully brought to life."
• "I love that while the story itself was fiction, the author was able to make it historically accurate. This book is full of twists and turns. Espionage and intrigue all mixed in to one of the best romance novels I've read for some time."
• This is a wonderfully written book! It's an historical romance, as well as an arson and murder mystery. It's a testimony to the fragility of life in the dark ages. Now, if I Just had the recipe for Apple codlings that Emeline loves, I'd be all set!
Her father is in Newgate gaol for murder. Landry is there for reasons of his own, but somehow the two end up in conspiracies they couldn’t have imagined. When visiting her father in Newgate, for killing his wife, Wren cannot possibly know that this will be the first of many trips to the gaol. Medieval life has a way of throwing Wren into the strangest situations, not only strange but often deadly.
Landry is unknown to Wren, but when events bring him to her life, he seems to be around at every turn. Is he another murderer, a thief or something more? Wren doesn’t know what to think or who to trust, but she will have to find out quickly, or her stepmother won’t be the only one murdered.
What readers are
• "you want to savour every meticulously crafted sentence. Barbara Gaskell Denvil is not one of those authors who cuts corners. Her opus weighs in at 400+ pages, and there is not a gram of flab."
• “An understanding of medieval life that hints that the knowledge comes from reincarnation or – as I safely suspect – impeccable research.”
• "I know no other author who so completely manages to drag me back in time, leaving me submerged in a past skilfully brought to life."
• "I love that while the story itself was fiction, the author was able to make it historically accurate. This book is full of twists and turns. Espionage and intrigue all mixed in to one of the best romance novels I've read for some time."
• This is a wonderfully written book! It's an historical romance, as well as an arson and murder mystery. It's a testimony to the fragility of life in the dark ages. Now, if I Just had the recipe for Apple codlings that Emeline loves, I'd be all set!
392 pages, Kindle Edition
Published August 15, 2022
71 people are currently reading
21 people want to read
About the author
Barbara Gaskell Denvil
43 books65 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 - 2 of 2 reviews
October 8, 2022
oh,dear
I have read and enjoyed other books by this writer, but skimmed a lot of this one. It just went on and on and on. Needs a good pruning and I did not find the characters likeable, although to be fair the heroine wasn’t quite as silly as others, but by the end must have shed enough tears to be dehydrated.
I have read and enjoyed other books by this writer, but skimmed a lot of this one. It just went on and on and on. Needs a good pruning and I did not find the characters likeable, although to be fair the heroine wasn’t quite as silly as others, but by the end must have shed enough tears to be dehydrated.
March 12, 2023
A good read
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews