An oh-so glorious slice of historical fiction, I wanted to savour yet devour every single page. I will confess to being rather gleeful when I heard that S.G. MacLean was resurrecting the world of Republicans and Royalists, The Seeker series is one of my favourites. This is set in York, after Damian Seeker has flown his turbulent nest, and focuses on his daughter and his friends as well as Lady Anne Winter and her list of suspected traitors. You really could read this as a standalone, but the previous series is so wonderful I recommend filling your book bag either before or after reading The Winter List. S.G MacLean encourages tension and suspense to flow through the pages as an unknown spy lurks readying doom. The search for truth and answers, and the various spying techniques kept me thoroughly entertained and on high alert. Beautifully full of atmosphere, I felt as though I was living in York and experiencing those tumultuous times. The ending by the way is a cracker, so no peaking! I’ve chosen this novel to join our list of LoveReading Star Books, and as a Liz Pick of the Month. The Winter List is a roaring success of a novel as it delves into the deadly hidden world of conspiracy and deception.
S. G. MacLean returns to the world of Damian Seeker, but Cromwell is dead and Charles Stuart restored to the throne. Men who supported the Protector must be hunted down as traitors. Perfect for fans of Robert Harris and Andrew Taylor.
By the summer of 1660 the last remnants of the Republic have been swept away and the Stuarts have been restored under their king, Charles II. A list of regicides believed to be involved in the death of Charles I is drawn up. Gruesome executions begin to take place and the hunt intensifies for those who have gone into hiding at home or abroad.
Although not a regicide, staunch Republican Damian Seeker is on a list of traitors to the king. Royalist spy, Lady Anne Winter, is employed to find evidence of guilt or innocence among the names on this Winter List. Seeker has fled England but his beloved daughter Manon remains, married to Seeker's friend, the lawyer Lawrence Ingolby, and living in York.
As the conduit to her father and to others on the Winter List and surrounded by spies and watchers, Manon lives in constant danger and fear of discovery. One of those spies is closer than even she could have imagined.
S. G. MacLean has a PhD in history from Aberdeen University, specializing in sixteenth- and seventeenth-century Scottish history. She lives in Conon Bridge, Scotland with her husband and four children. The Devil's Recruit, her fourth novel, follows three highly acclaimed historical thrillers, The Redemption of Alexander Seaton, A Game of Sorrows and Crucible.
