Overview

The Martyr's Scorn follows on from the conclusion of The Cherub's Smile in 1450. To avoid imprisonment Harry Somers accepts the protectionof the Church and a challenging commission in Winchester. The acquaintances he encounters there lead him to investigate distasteful allegations concerning a murder and to make a choice, when he forms a judgement on a colleague's character, which has far-reaching consequences for his own future. Eventually he needs to move away from the town but when he travels to Yorkshire and Dublin old enemies menace him and the good faith of former supporters is uncertain. When he returns to London his prospects become increasingly entwined with the conflicting interests of rival noblemen and their followers, while his personal happiness is threatened by distressing inconsistencies in the relationship which becomes central to his life. He strives to fill his professional role with integrity, albeit recognising there are limitations on medical knowledge at the time, and is confronted with a range of conditions generally believed to be beyond the skill of a physican and attributable to supernatural influences. Caught up in the turbulent history of the period, he is forced to observe the downfall of a man he knows well and he becomes aware that the intriguing woman he loves may have secrets which threaten his peace of mind. Violent events bring the story to an end and set up the scene for the fifth book in the series.

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9781912513611

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A thrilling read. At times, I truly could not put the book down. With so many strong characters, a real sense of the period, and twists and turns that, at times, almost take your breath away, the writer has truly excelled herself with this latest addition to the Harry Somers series. Outstandingly good! Oliver Eade, award-winning writer,

Author Information

Pamela Gordon Hoad read history at Oxford University, and the subject has remained of abiding interest to her. She has also always loved the drama and romance of characters and plot in historical fiction. She tried her hand at such creative writing over the years but, due to the exigencies of her career, she mainly wrote committee reports, policy papers and occasional articles for publication. After working for the Greater London Council, rising to be an Assistant Director General and the Deputy Director of Industry and Employment, she held the positions of Chief Executive of the London Borough of Hackney and then Chief Executive of the City of Sheffield. Later she held public appointments, including that of Electoral Commissioner when the Electoral Commission was established and she chaired the Commission's Boundary Committee for England.. Since 'retiring', Pamela has been active in the voluntary sector and for three years chaired the national board of Relationships Scotland; she continues her involvement with several voluntary sector organisations. Importantly, during the last few years, she has also been able to pursue her aim of writing historical fiction and she published her first three novels in a series about the young physician, Harry Somers: 'The Devil's Stain', 'The Angel's Wing' and 'The Cherub's Smile'. Harry's story is continued in 'The Martyr's Scorn' and a fifth book in the series is planned for publication in 2019. Pamela has also published short stories with historical backgrounds in anthologies published by the Borders Writers Forum (which she chaired for three years). She continues to chair or be a committee member of various organisations concerned with the creative arts and history.

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