Alice Arden, idealistic and wealthy beauty, burnt at the stake for killing her husband, the former mayor of Faversham in Kent. But was she really the one responsible for the most scandalous murder of the sixteenth century?
William Shakespeare, England’s greatest playwright, born thirteen years after Alice’s execution. Why does his first-ever play, written about this murder, not bear his name?
This is a story of two people – one reviled, one revered – whose fates become linked in a tale of corruption, collusion and conspiracy. Based on historical documents and recently published academic research, Arden unveils shocking new evidence about the murder of Thomas Arden and reveals, for the first time, a remarkable new theory about Shakespeare’s early years.
Oh my word, what a cracking novel and one that historical fiction fans should not miss! I am absolutely speechless and I loved every single page of this book that is based on a true story.
I don't know much about Shakespeare's life so I learned so many new things whilst reading Arden, although it's worth noting that it is a work of fiction but the characters and historical events are real. The story is told from two perspectives: Will (Shakespeare) between 1586 and 1605 and Alice (Arden) between 1536 to 1551. The very poignant and chilling prologue dated 1551 haunted me throughout the novel as that fateful year approached.
As well as being a fictional recreation of Shakespeare's early life, it's also the true story of Alice Arden who was executed for the murder of her husband. The author includes a photographic section in the book showing real historical documents, places and portraits to accompany the story. There is also a dramatis personae and not just one but two maps at the start of the book to delight historical fiction fans.
The writing is exquisite and effortlessly breathes life into these long-dead characters so that they almost pop out from the page. I half expected to lift my eyes from the book and find Shakespeare sitting on my sofa with me! It has also made me more interested in Shakespeare's early life and I also felt compelled to find out more about Alice Arden.
Riveting, intriguing and fascinating, Arden is an unmissable historical fiction novel that I will be recommending for many years to come. GD Harper is an author who is new to me but I definitely want to read more of his books. Make sure you grab a copy of Arden, whether you're a historical fiction fan or not; it's a very highly recommended read from me and an easy five stars.
I received an ARC to read and review for the blog tour and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.
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About the author:
I have written four novels in the last eight years under the penname GD Harper.
My last novel, The Maids of Biddenden, the imagined biography of real-life conjoined twins born in 12th-century Kent, was featured on BBC TV News and was the winner of the Next Generation Indie Book Awards in the historical fiction category, shortlisted for the 2022 Selfie Award at the London Book Fair, and shortlisted or longlisted for five other awards.
It has over a thousand ratings on Amazon UK and Goodreads, with an average score of 4.3. Across the major Amazon markets, it reached number sixteen in overall paid-for e-book sales, number two in historical fiction and number one in medieval historical fiction.
Social Media Links – Instagram @gdharperauthor
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