The Handwriting of the Kings Queens of England by WJ Hardy

Excerpt: The method I intend to adopt in presenting the reader with specimens of the handwriting of successive English sovereigns, and in some instances of their children, from the time of Edward III to the present day, is to preface each example of writing with a few words, giving, if undated, its approximate date, explaining the circumstances under which it was written, and pointing out any special feature of interest it may contain. 

In order to make this volume 'useful' as well as 'curious,' I have given examples of all the forms I have met with of the signatures of English sovereigns. Prior to Henry VIII, the same king often altered considerably the form of his signature; and by giving examples of those various forms I hope the volume may be a guide to those who endeavour either to gauge the authenticity of a document professing to bear a particular royal auto graph, or to fix the actual reign to which belongs an instrument that might, from the signature upon it, equally well be of the reigns of Henry IV.

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Examples of English royal handwriting through letters, documents, signatures, translations dating from Edward the Black Prince to Queen Anne.

Definitely one for royalists.

Read: January 2026

The Love Letters of Henry VIII to Anne Boleyn With Notes

Synopsis: The Letters of Henry VIII to Anne Boleyn is perhaps the most remarkable document of the kind known to exist. The letters appear to have been written after Anne Boleyn had been sent away from court, in consequence of reports injurious to her reputation, which had begun to be publicly circulated. Her removal indeed was so abrupt that she had resolved never to return. The king soon repented his harshness, and strove to persuade her to come back; but it was a long time, and not without great trouble, before he could induce her to comply. 

This book is very different from other works on the same topic and two of its letters - the fifth and the thirteenth - are not comprehended in the Vatican collection. Of the seventeen letters here included eight were written in English and nine in French.

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"The Love Letters of Henry VIII to Anne Boleyn With Notes" will be of special interest to those who love Tudor history.These are a series of letters from Henry to Anne c.1528 (after she had left court), and have been formatted to ensure they are in chronological order for easier reading.

Review: The Tudor Heresy by Samantha Burnell

Sysnopsis: A short story Introduction to the Tudor Mystery Trials. This short pre-quel sets the stage for the full length book - A Queen's Spy.

A gripping Historical Adventure set in 16th Century Tudor England. Elizabeth Tudor needs a hero. Murder, Mystery & Intrigue with a Splash of Romance.

Based on actual historical events, an epic tale of a young Tudor nobleman’s courage as he tries to keep his future Queen safe in one of England’s most turbulent eras.

Richard Fitzwarren is a Tudor nobleman with a dubious past who takes risks for a living.

His close friendship with Princess Elizabeth leads to his banishment to France, but when he returns he remains loyal to her.

At his side is Jack, his bastard sibling, and their relationship is a troubled one due to a family secret and their opposite personalities.  Will he keep the future Queen safe?

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Short story / novella (prequel) set in 1548 to a series involving young Richard Fitzwarren, who was banished from England when set up as a fall guy for the lecherous Thomas Seymour, whose "relationship" with Princess Elizabeth in the house of his wife, dowager Queen Katherine Parr, created one almighty scandal, tarnishing the reputation of the young Elizabeth and sending Seymour to the scaffold.

This is his (adequate though hardly gripping) backstory in preparation for the following series.

Read: January 2026

Review: The Tyburn Guinea by Richard Blake

Synopsis: London 1696 - War. Treason. Espionage. Financial chaos. Speculation.

Sarah Goodricke writes plays. It pays the rent. It keeps her in tobacco and laudanum. She has a play to finish. Then she gets caught up in a hanging procession to Tyburn. She agrees to perform a last service for one of the convicts. It goes wrong. It goes terribly wrong. Sarah runs. Sarah thinks she is safe. But can she hide in a city filled with plotters, all desperate to lay hands on the packet of letters she has carried away from Tyburn?

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Draft version of an unpublished novel which, despite the premise,  failed to captivate and engage. And yes - I was disappointed that I was not left in suspense as promised. Narrative was just not for me. And so continued by run of DNFs.

Review: The Wolf God by Dan Davis

Synopsis: A young chief. An escaped demon. A quest for immortality. The Eurasian Steppe, 3000 BC.

As Perseyus leads his clan across the plains, the mighty wolf god Kolnos appears on the horizon.

The death serpent Medohis has escaped from the immortal mountain to bring chaos to the world.

And of all the men of the clans only Perseyus has strength enough to defeat her.

For Perseyus is godborn. Born to a mortal mother, his father is the lord of the gods.

But now Perseyus must sacrifice everything he has fought for and journey south across the plains to the mountain lair of the serpent demon.

Standing in his way are treacherous clan chiefs, wealthy lords of the settled peoples, and the corrupted acolytes of the serpent demon.

Will Perseyus merely walk the path of men or will he fulfil his destiny as one who is godborn and choose to walk the path of the gods?

This novella takes place in the world of the new mythological fantasy series Gods of Bronze from the bestselling author of the Immortal Knight Chronicles.

Gods of Bronze explores the world of the 3rd millennium BC where gods and demons battle for power over the peoples of early bronze age Europe, Asia and the Middle East.

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Expanding my reading remit with this prequel to a series set in the Bronze Age.  Just didn't cut it.  Not for me and thus marked as DNF.

Read: January 2026

Review: The Veiled Assassin by QV Hunter

Synopsis: Marcus wagers that surviving a deadly spy mission will earn him freedom from slavery, but he hasn't bargained on betrayal by the man he respects most in the world.A thrilling espionage adventure set in the fourth-century Roman Empire, "A Veiled Assassin" takes us to a broiling Numidian desert suffering from military occupation, sabotaged oil exports, and fanatical terrorists.

This is the first in an exciting series that pits Marcus against religious suicide martyrs, Gallo-Frankish army rebels as well as the corrupt imperial eunuchs ruling the East--all of them embers of a world blindly smoldering towards its extinction.

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Prequel to a series set in the Roman period of the 4th Century.

Not for me - modern day plot posited into the 4th Century. DNF and will not pursue the series.

Read: January 2026

Review: She Fell Away by Lenore Nash

Synopsis: In this gripping thriller, a diplomat must confront the ghosts of her past as she searches for a missing American woman in a pulse-pounding race against time.

Lake Harlowe may not appear to be your typical State Department diplomat. With the number of skeletons in her closet exceeding the tattoos on her skin, she moves to a new country every few years to keep one step ahead of her personal demons. After two grueling years working in Cambodia, Lake’s desperate for a break and a new posting to sleepy Wellington, New Zealand, seems like a dream come true.

That is, until eighteen-year-old singer-songwriter Bowie Bishop mysteriously vanishes shortly after American NFL player Bruce Walter is found dead in his hotel room. An exchange student from Las Vegas, Bowie was a world away from her possessive, washed-up stage mom who won’t stop calling until Lake finds her superstar daughter.

All at once, Lake finds herself ensnared in a network of deception involving Bowie’s high-profile host family, a shadowy music producer, a casino magnate, and the US ambassador—her boss. Obsessed with finding the truth, Lake soon realizes that to find the missing girl, she must confront her own dark past in this unputdownable thriller that will keep you guessing until the final page.

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Kudos for type of main character and the setting in the Land of the Long White Cloud (New Zealand).

But as with the title - I fell away.

Read: January 2026

Review: King's Ransom by Glenn Pierce

Synopsis: 1486: A time of treachery - brother against brother - as Richard III takes possession of the throne of England, and the Houses of Lancaster and York threaten to split the country in civil war. As storm clouds rise over Richard's embittered reign, two young princes are murdered in their beds. And kinsmen are banished or beheaded in a land plagued by fear and suspicion.

1986: Beneath Westminster Abbey, two archaeologists discover the writings of a Cistercian monk from the fifteenth century, As they painstakingly decipher the manuscript of Richard's most trusted servant, heinous crimes of state are revealed on horrifying detail. The parchments portray Richard in a new light, not at all the sadistic even monarch described by Shakespeare and others, but a tragically embattled king, less a villain and more the victim of betrayal by family and friends. He led the last battle of the Wars of the Roses and marched into history ... alone

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I love reading about Richard III but this ....

Modern-day author posits themselves in their own story - albeit for only the first and last chapters. The bulk of the book is the narrative of one Godfrey of Leicester, Cistercian Monk and Chum of RIII. His grave has been uncovered (1986) and a long hidden scroll revealed. This is the story - from the time Godfrey entered into Richard's service till Richard's death at Bosworth. It is a rehash of the history of the wars of the roses and the revelation of who killed the princes in the tower.

Spoiler alert - author is a RIII fan.

Read: February 2026 (although has been on my bookcase for so long it literally fell apart as I was reading it)

Review: Death In A Hansom Cab by Kerry Segrave

Synopsis: This is the story about two lovers riding in a hansom cab in New York City on June 4 1904. A single shot rang out and Caesar Young was dead. Nan Patterson soon came to be charged with murder in the first degree. 

Three trials followed; three mistrials ensued. But the trials of the 21-year-old woman weren’t so much about establishing the “facts” about Young’s death as they were about persecuting a young woman. Editorials were often printing pointing out that Nan deserved to be punished, regardless of the Young death. In their view she needed to be punished for her so-called moral lapses. She committed adultery and she was a home wrecker, a charge not leveled at Young. She was an actor and they were held in low esteem, especially the females, who were all immoral. Also, she stayed out late and participated in champagne suppers.

The story is about appalling media coverage that alternated between publishing smear pieces about the young woman, and making up tales about interviews with Nan that had not happened. It is about a poor quality prosecution that consisted mainly of lies and fanciful, bizarre theories about the death of Young. It is about the state refusing to grant bail and to set speedy trial dates. 

The story of Nan Patterson is the story of the persecution of a young woman under the guise of prosecution.

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The topic and sensationalism of the crime and trials that followed should have made for an interesting book. Should have being the operative word. Unfortunately, the author relied solely upon newspaper articles - sensationalised, most often incorrect, and most definitely not a source to rely upon for context and information. Were any trial transcripts or other source documents available?? I don't know - a google search only throws up newspaper items. However, as a reader, one would expect trial notes to be available and used - afterall, there were three trials and subject matter took up much newsprint at the time.

I would have liked to be able to compare this work with "The Nan Patterson Case" by Newman Levy (unfortunately don't have a copy of that one) to see what sources were used and available for that tome.

For what it was, it was an okay book that at least showed how the perceived perception of both victim and alleged perpetrator can sway and be swayed by public opinion, either for or against, despite (and in spite of) the evidence at hand.

Read December 2025

Note: not to be confused with The Mystery Of A Hansom Cab by Fergus Hume

Review: Warriors and Monks by Michael A Ponzio

Synopsis: Pons, born to a noble family in the south of France in 1075, is given to the Church at the age of four. He becomes a Benedictine monk and thrives in the monastery as a devotee of the Order’s rules, working, praying, and studying.

Reaching adulthood, he falls in love with Primavera, a woman in the nearby village, but the Church’s renewed enforcement of celibacy endangers their relationship.

It is a lawless time when people of the land are threatened with violence as they cultivate their fields or travel on pilgrimage. The monks are compelled to become warriors, defending themselves with farm tools and walking staves.

Pons is elected as Abbot of Cluny Monastery. He is torn amidst his sense of duty as the powerful leader of Cluny, rivaling the Pope, his love for Primavera, and the calling to join the crusade to save Jerusalem.

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Reading some of the reviews (after I had finished the book), I found myself wondering if I was indeed reading the same book - fastpaced??? cliffhangers?? Not my copy.

This is a slow, plodding, historical novel on the life of Pons of Melgueil, Abbot of Cluny. Yes, there is warriors, monks, action, adventure and romance - but there it ended for me.

I found the subject at hand - Pons - at considerable odds with himself. One the one hand, here was a man who strictly followed the Benedictine Rule and sought to impose it upon others, highly critical of those who deviated from the original intent of the Saint; and yet on the other hand, he was a morally weak man, who succumbed to earthly desires at the first sight of a fluttered eyelid or shapely ankle - and with a queen to boot. I guess the tome would have been rather boring otherwise - but this left me less than impressed.

Checking out the titles of the author's other books, I get the impression that all novels to date revolve around the author's surname and possible ancestry links.

Read: December 2025

Review: The Broken Hummingbird by Ann Marie Jackson

Synopsis: In the midst of a marital crisis, Jane hatches an unusual plan to avoid a custody battle. She convinces husband Kevin to walk away from the pressures of New York—in particular, her demanding job and an affair she almost had—in the hope that moving to their favorite city abroad will fix their family.

In San Miguel de Allende, Jane and her young sons delight in new adventures, but Kevin still seethes. Jane befriends a circle of intriguing women and helps two girls who remind her of the brother she abandoned when her own parents divorced. After witnessing violence involving the girls’ father, Jane’s vivid dreams, possibly guided by a hummingbird messenger from the hereafter, grow ever darker. When tragedy strikes San Miguel, the community fractures and then rises, and Jane must make a dangerous choice.

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This was not my usual type of fiction reading - however, I decided to take the plunge, and like the main character Jane, opted for new horizons.

The narrative moved between the present and Jane's childhood, which she sees mirrored in her own married life, whilst immersing the reader in the new locale that Jane and her family now reside. Jane finds pleasure and contentment in her home, her kids, and her new found community - however, husband Kevin quietly simmers with resentment and self-righteous indignation, which may soon put paid to Jane's desire for a new start.

The narrative focuses quite a bit on the local community (culture and customs) and in particular the Casa Mia housing project, which at times I found rather .... well ... over-done (ie: too much page time). Some of the characters that formed part of Jane's circle were a little under-done (ie: no depth of character). Finding the right balance is not always easy.

I found the novel, overall, to be a decent read - I think many readers may find that Jane resonates on a more personal level. As mentioned, it was outside of my normal reading, but I am glad I took it on.

Read: December 2025

Review: Mary Pickford Mystery by William Baer

Synopsis: In 1919, Hollywood film star Mary Pickford, “the most famous woman in the world,” is currently in between pictures and recovering from the Spanish Flu when a man shows up at her Malibu hideaway one night asking for help. The man, who’s been shot twice in the back, then dies in her garden, and Mary makes up her mind to figure out what’s going on. 

Assisted by her resourceful young driver, Billy Kidd, a rodeo rider and wrangler from Arizona, she soon finds herself involved in a series of dangerous abductions, abandonments, and murders that lead to San Francisco, Death Valley, then back to Los Angeles. Who’s the mysterious man who died in her Malibu garden? What’s happened to Suzanne Smith’s missing baby? What’s the involvement of Mary’s close friend, the powerful Hollywood tycoon Adolph Zukor?

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"Hollywood was far weirder than all the rest of the weird world."

An afternoon's escapism to "old" Hollywood, where we have America's Sweetheart, Mary Pickford, investigating a murder whilst supposedly convalescing after a dose of the flu. Her driver / bodyguard Billy Kidd plays Watson to her Sherlock when the begin looking into the death of a man in her garden.

In 1919, Mary Pickford was a force to be reckoned with in Hollywood - this was the year that she, D. W. Griffith, Charlie Chaplin and Douglas Fairbanks formed what would become United Artists film production company. As one of the most powerful women in Hollywood (and business), Pickford used her position in the movie industry to promote a number of causes dear to her. Whilst recovering from the 1918 flu pandemic and promoting war bonds, Pickford was in the midst of a secret relationship with Fairbanks, whilst sorting out her divorce from her first husband, Owen Moore.

The first person narrative comes from Billy, which is interspersed with additional information and dialogue, all of which is explained at the very end. There is a fair bit of historical background - I guess provided for a newer audience - though those of us who have delved into this period may find it a bit .... tedious. The narrative is not overly taxing, and one finds oneself swept up in the investigation.

Overall, an afternoon's pleasant escapism.

Read: December 2025

Review: The Adventure of the Murdered Midwife by Liese Sherwood-Fabre

Synopsis: Arthur Conan Doyle provided few details on Holmes' boyhood. His ancestors were country squires, his grandmother was the sister of the French artist Vernet, and he had a brother named Mycroft - seven years his senior. Recently, a cache of documents has been discovered detailing, in Sherlock's own hand, his early forays into criminal investigation. 

Only weeks into his first year at Eton, Sherlock's father calls him and his brother back to Underbyrne, the ancestral estate. The village midwife has been found with a pitchfork in her back in the estate's garden, and Mrs. Holmes has been accused of the murder. Can Sherlock find the true killer in time to save her from the gallows?

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After a few false starts with other authors taking on the Holmes canon, I actually found myself enjoying this take on the young Sherlock. What begins as simply a case of proving his mother innocent of a crime, young Sherlock, and indeed the Holmes clan, embark on solving the actual crime as the body count rises.

The author provides an insight into the young Holmes, fresh from being dragged away from his first year at Eton, to join older brother Mycroft (dragged away from Oxford Uni much to his chagrin) and uncle Ernest in collectively solving these local crimes.

For me, however, it is Mrs Holmes who is the stand out - she is obviously the one whom young Sherlock will emulate - and you can feel the author's guiding hand in his development as a detective. As Sherlock himself says "... mother always taught me a detached mind produced better results ...". We also are treated to the first glimpses of the skills Holmes will develop and use in his latter years - disguises, consorting with all class of people, powers of observation and evidence collection, a little criminal activity, and his one-up-manship against the local constabulary.

All in all, this is a fine start to a new series and one I am looking forward to investing in. Look out for the following in the series: the Adventure of the Deceased Scholar, the Adventure of the Murdered Gypsy, and the Adventure of the Purloined Portrait.

Read: December 2025

Review: Conall - The Place of Blood by David H Millar

Synopsis: Over four hundred years before the birth of Christ, the island of Eriu is a patchwork of feuding kingdoms, wide plains, and impassable bogs. Battle, intrigue, betrayals, and courage are part of life for the Celts who call Eriu home, while from their underground halls the mysterious aes sidhe seduce brave warriors, turning men in to kings and binding them with fearsome geis.

Conall Mac Gabhann is content with his apprenticeship to the local blacksmith. Content, that is, until his family is slaughtered in their home.

Two men share responsibility for the massacre: a mad Irish king and a dissolute Roman. Conall will have his vengeance on both, or die in the attempt.

Accompanied by his childhood friend Brion o Cathasaigh and the veteran warrior Fearghal o Maoilriain, Conall's hunt takes him northward through unfriendly kingdoms and treacherous bogs to a confrontation beyond the ancient earthworks of the Black Pig's Dyke.

Along the way, Conall will gather an army, and come to the attention of the aes sidhe. An apprentice blacksmith could become a king with their help-if he so desires."

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Not sure what the intent was in starting the book in a period set 20 years after the period in which the current book is set - however, despite the start, this was set in the period of 410s BC in Ireland, and weaves a tale mixed with mythology, history, and a good dose of fiction.

I was looking forward to this first in a new series, having read Kenneth C Flint's mythological cycle of books, and having read a good deal about Irish history and mythology, but came away feeling ... well, to be honest, .... meh.

Can't put my finger on it, but just was not feeling it with this one - will not be pursuing the rest of the series.

Read: November 2025

Review: A Portrait of Death by Rhen Garland

Synopsis: A mystery eons in the making. 

England - 1899: One weekend house party, multiple murders, and two very special investigators.

Immortal detectives Elliott Caine and Abernathy Thorne have spent centuries searching through time for the reincarnations of their murdered wives. As their quest continues, they use their many lifetimes of knowledge to solve mysteries that can be unsettling, and sometimes terrifying.  Never before have they been faced with a case like this.

Public figures and government officials are gathered for the social event of the season, but the genteel party comes to a horrifying halt when the mutilated remains of two men are discovered artistically displayed in the portrait gallery. As Caine and Thorne begin their investigations, they uncover more than the usual murderous web of intrigue, espionage, and treason.

An ancient evil is stalking ever closer, intent on finding that which they seek. Where does the mysterious agent Versipellis fit into the case? And who is the shadowy figure watching Caine and Thorne with such interest?

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I laboured with this one - supernatural mysteries are not really my genre, though I decided to give this one a go as it had hints of "Gosford Park". As I said, I laboured through it and will not be pursuing the rest of the series.  Having said that, I think others who like this genre will enjoy it and continue with the series.

Read: December 2025 (Kindle)

Review: Reliquary by Prue Batten

Synopsis: 1196AD Lyon

Relics can move mountains, so history relays. They cure the sick, promise success, enable whole kingdoms to win wars.

A fragment of byssus lies in a small chest and its very existence underlines the life of Christ and the meaning behind the Holy Church. Its power can only be wondered at.

It is the kind of relic which inspires heroic deeds and . . . murder.

An elderly nun and a returned crusader are all that stands between the world's most sanctified relic and a Templar knight who craves it for his own purpose.

From Constantinople to Caen, from Venice to Viviers, from Rome to Rouen, relics are traded like pepper and frankincense, silk and silver, lapis and alum. Sold to the highest bidder.

Who then should pay the highest price of all for a fragment of aged cloth?

Is the highest price surely . . . and inevitably . . . death?

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Pretty standard outing - a cloistered religieuse is sent out to seek a relic; a haunted knight, seeking redemption, comes to her aid against an evil templar with sinister motives. There are cross overs from some of the authors previous novels, which I have barely touched upon.

The more non-fiction I read, the more disappointed I become when reading historical fiction set around themes I have read. This tome did not disappoint in that I was disappointed with the formulaic narrative and stock standard characters. Nothing stood out for me. I will leave this one solely for the author's die-hard fans.

Read: November 2025

Review: Rebel's Knot by Cryssa Bazos

Synopsis: Ireland 1652: In the desperate, final days of the English invasion . . .

A fey young woman, Áine Callaghan, is the sole survivor of an attack by English marauders. When Irish soldier Niall O'Coneill discovers his own kin slaughtered in the same massacre, he vows to hunt down the men responsible. He takes Áine under his protection and together they reach the safety of an encampment held by the Irish forces in Tipperary.

Hardly a safe haven, the camp is rife with danger and intrigue. Áine is a stranger with the old stories stirring on her tongue and rumours follow her everywhere. The English cut off support to the brigade, and a traitor undermines the Irish cause, turning Niall from hunter to hunted.

When someone from Áine's past arrives, her secrets boil to the surface—and she must slay her demons once and for all.

As the web of violence and treachery grows, Áine and Niall find solace in each other's arms—but can their love survive long-buried secrets and the darkness of vengeance?

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Even though this is a period that I am well-read with, this particular tome was not really my thing. I wish I had known it was book three in a series, where all appear to have the same, formulaic narrative - civil war, a feisty yet down-trodden heroine, an unlikely hero, romance conquers all.

Read: November 2025

A Lack of Reviews

Well, the year has marched steadily on, and the blog is a little bare ... of reviews for this year. I could probably say the same for for 2025.

I have been reading and reviewing, posting to the usual suspects (Goodreads, NetGalley, Edelweiss, B&N etc) but have seriously neglected the Library here.

I shall endevour to catch up with my reviews from the previous two years and get them uploaded to the Library - however, I will preface this by saying some may not make it to the blog as my review was less than charitable ... then again ....