Traitor’s Knot
By Cryssa Bazos
England
1650: Civil War has given way to an uneasy peace in the year since Parliament
executed King Charles I.
Royalist officer James Hart refuses to accept the tyranny of the new government, and to raise funds for the restoration of the king’s son, he takes to the road as a highwayman.
Elizabeth Seton has long been shunned for being a traitor’s daughter. In the midst of the new order, she risks her life by sheltering fugitives from Parliament in a garrison town. But her attempts to rebuild her life are threatened, first by her own sense of injustice, then by falling in love with the dashing Hart.
The lovers’ loyalty is tested through war, defeat and separation. James must fight his way back to the woman he loves, while Elizabeth will do anything to save him, even if it means sacrificing herself.
Traitor's Knot is a sweeping tale of love and conflicted loyalties set against the turmoil of the English Civil War.
Royalist officer James Hart refuses to accept the tyranny of the new government, and to raise funds for the restoration of the king’s son, he takes to the road as a highwayman.
Elizabeth Seton has long been shunned for being a traitor’s daughter. In the midst of the new order, she risks her life by sheltering fugitives from Parliament in a garrison town. But her attempts to rebuild her life are threatened, first by her own sense of injustice, then by falling in love with the dashing Hart.
The lovers’ loyalty is tested through war, defeat and separation. James must fight his way back to the woman he loves, while Elizabeth will do anything to save him, even if it means sacrificing herself.
Traitor's Knot is a sweeping tale of love and conflicted loyalties set against the turmoil of the English Civil War.
What did I think of the book?
For King, For Country, And
For The Woman He Loves…
Elisabeth Seton has lost everything. Her home, her family, and her honour. Her father fought on the losing side during the Civil War, and now she is regarded as the traitor’s daughter. She will live with the shame for that is her lot to bear, but then a chance meeting with a highwayman changes her life forever and gives her a reason to hope.
There are some books that when you turn the pages, everything else is suddenly not so important. You get lost in the story, as you watch the events unfold in front of you. Traitor’s Knot by Cryssa Bazos is such a book.
Set during the reign of Cromwell, Ms. Bazos takes you on the most fascinating and compelling journey as she weaves a story of what it was like to be a Royalist in the time of the Puritan rule. The attention to historical detail has to be commended. It seems that nothing escaped Ms. Bazos attention. The hours of research that have gone into this book has certainly paid off. Ms. Bazos has brought the era to life.
This book has a large cast of characters, all of which were very well drawn. The two protagonists, James and Elisabeth, were so real in the telling that when someone brings up this era in conversation the first thing that will spring to mind, from now on, are these two fictional characters — that is how good they have been portrayed.
I have to say bravo to Ms. Bazos at her portrayal of Hammond. Hammond is probably the best portrayal of an antagonist that I have ever read. His mind is so corrupted that he twists the teachings of the Bible to accuse innocent men and women of the most horrendous crimes, when the real crime was what he was committing. But of course, he is blind to his wrongdoing but sees evil in everyone else. He is the perfect character to go up against our brave heroes.
The story is very compelling. So much happens in this book and near the end I was dreading turning the pages, fearing what was going to happen next. The action is non-stop, from battles to marketplaces. From royalty to the poorest of the poor. From filthy jails to beautiful countryside. From violence to romance. This book has something for everyone.
As I was reading Traitor’s Knot, I could not help but think of the great classic, Launa Doone by Richard Doddridge Blackmore. It had the same feel to it — that same desperate but compelling need to carry on turning those pages. Traitor’s Knot would make a fabulous mini-series on the television. It would certainly be a must watch.
Needless to say, I LOVED it. It is certainly in the top 5 books I have read and reviewed so far this year.
I Highly Recommend.
Links for Purchase
About the author
Cryssa Bazos is an award winning historical fiction writer
and 17th century enthusiast with a particular interest in the English Civil
War. She is a member of the Historical Novel Society, the Romantic Novelist
Association and is a co-editor and contributor of the English Historical
Fiction Authors blog. Her debut novel, Traitor's Knot, is published
by Endeavour Press. For more stories, visit her blog cryssabazos.com
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