The past is never dead, it isn’t even past
What a difficult decision - to pick my five favourite of Tudor histories! I am not an avid reader but have decided to concentrate on the more modern books which have had a significant influence on my own efforts, covering the period of Mary Queen of Scots and...
Elizabeth I's Final Years outlines the interwoven relationships and rivalries between politicians and courtiers surrounding England’s omnipotent queen in the years following the death in 1588 of the Earl of Leicester, whose life has been explored in Elizabeth I’s...
What first attracted you to the period or periods you work in? It began with genealogy and my wife’s connection to the Erskine’s of Mar. In researching them I was drawn into the story of Mary Queen of Scots but wanted to approach it from the point of view of the...
My original objective in writing my new book Elizabeth I’s Final Years (published by Pen and Sword History in May 2022) was to provide a biography of Charles Blount who had proved himself as the most able general of the Elizabethan age despite being largely ignored in...
The personal reign of Mary Queen of Scots is an endless source of fascination to historians and fans of historical mystery alike. The reasons why are obvious: her relatively brief period of rule offers romance, political drama, murder mystery, and high tragedy. I am...
