Overview

From the author of The Swift and the Harrier comes The Players, a gripping historical tale of espionage, treason, and surprising alliances set against the backdrop of the Bloody Assizes--the trials that would determine the fate of over one thousand treasonous rebels. England, 1685. Decades after the end of the English Civil War, the country is once again divided when King Charles II's illegitimate son, the Protestant Duke of Monmouth, arrives in Dorset to incite rebellion against his Catholic uncle. Armed only with pitchforks, Monmouth's army is quickly defeated by King James II's superior forces and charged with high treason. Those found guilty will be hanged, drawn, and quartered. As Dorset braces for carnage, the formidable Lady Jayne Harrier and her enigmatic son, assisted by the reclusive daughter of a local magistrate, contrive ways to save men from the gallows. Compelling and powerful, The Players is a story of guile, deceit, and compassion. Secrets are kept and surprising friendships formed in a dangerous gamble to thwart a brutal king's thirst for vengeance ...

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Reviews

""[A] complex story of revenge, defeat, and political intrigue, set in 1685 Dorset, England."" -- ""AudioFile"" ""A cracker of a read."" -- ""Sisters in Crime"" ""A fascinating book, drawing the reader into the world of vicious politics in the reign of King James II. Told with the masterful skill of a true storyteller, full of action, with characters that light up the historical stage, The Players is a novel that abounds with danger and foreboding. A real page-turner that kept me riveted from start to finish."" -- ""Anne O'Brien, Sunday Times bestselling author"" ""Historical fiction as it should be and at its best. An immersive joy to read that leads me to want more. A work that has been crafted with passion and care and symmetry, and will stand the test of time."" -- ""Elizabeth Chadwick, award-winning author"" ""Minette Walters has again crafted historical fiction which stands as both an accurate representation of a dark time in English history and romance infused with wit and intelligence."" -- ""Queensland Reviewers Collective"" ""Set in the years preceding the Glorious Revolution of 1688, The Players brims with intrigue and drama...Minette Walters has written an enthralling historical novel that will keep readers glued to the pages until the very end."" -- ""Bookreporter""

Author Information

Minette Walters is a British mystery writer. After studying at Trevelyan College, University of Durham, she began writing in 1987 with The Ice House, and followed this with The Sculptress, which received the 1994 Edgar Award for Best Novel. She has been published in thirty-five countries and won many awards. The Sculptress has been adapted for television in a BBC series starring Pauline Quirke. Her novels The Ice House, The Echo, The Dark Room, and The Scold's Bridle have also been adapted by the BBC.

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