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A magical seventeenth-century Christmas tale from the author of the Measham Hall novels
December, 1653, England. The Puritan parliament has outlawed the celebration of Christmas and while shops must stay open every day, the theatres have been forced to close their doors.
The Hawthorne family have been allowed to return to their ancestral home, Measham Hall, just in time for Christmas. This is only after Sir Nicholas Hawthorne has reluctantly agreed to take an oath of loyalty to the Commonwealth. When a theatre troupe begging alms turn up on their doorstep, the family’s Catholic traditions of hospitality and charity dictate they must welcome the strangers in, despite the risks involved. These magical and exuberant guests transform Christmas at Measham Hall into a secret celebration, filled with theatrical performances, music and bountiful banquets, much to the delight of the children, William and Alethea.
This festive prequel to The Master of Measham Hall is a delightful tale of a small rebellion and sows the seed for decisions William and Alethea will make in years to come.
** PRAISE FOR THE MEASHAM HALL SERIES **
'A great yarn, which also reminded me enjoyably of The Children of the New Forest. Recommended' Leonara Nattress, author of Black Drop and Blue Water
'A gripping mystery full of intrigue with wonderful well researched historical detail. A real page turner with a brilliant twist!’ Clare Marchant, author of The Mapmaker's Daughter
'Immersive, with a cracking plot… Full of intrigue and tension’ Lianne Dillsworth, author of Theatre of Marvels
'Not just a gripping story filled with expert detail, but also a portal to the past that feels instantly and entirely real. The Messenger of Measham Hall is a historical fiction lover's dream' A. J. West, author of The Spirit Engineer
'Meticulously researched and alive with intricate period details to savour. I raced through it' Lucy Ribchester, author of The Amber Shadows
'A thrilling adventure exploring complex themes of loyalty, faith and gender… Both a tender coming of age story and a tense spy thriller’ Miranda Malins, author of The Rebel Daughter
‘It’s rare for a historical novel to feel so timely’ Jo Baker, Sunday Times bestselling author of Longbourn
Genre: Historical
December, 1653, England. The Puritan parliament has outlawed the celebration of Christmas and while shops must stay open every day, the theatres have been forced to close their doors.
The Hawthorne family have been allowed to return to their ancestral home, Measham Hall, just in time for Christmas. This is only after Sir Nicholas Hawthorne has reluctantly agreed to take an oath of loyalty to the Commonwealth. When a theatre troupe begging alms turn up on their doorstep, the family’s Catholic traditions of hospitality and charity dictate they must welcome the strangers in, despite the risks involved. These magical and exuberant guests transform Christmas at Measham Hall into a secret celebration, filled with theatrical performances, music and bountiful banquets, much to the delight of the children, William and Alethea.
This festive prequel to The Master of Measham Hall is a delightful tale of a small rebellion and sows the seed for decisions William and Alethea will make in years to come.
** PRAISE FOR THE MEASHAM HALL SERIES **
'A great yarn, which also reminded me enjoyably of The Children of the New Forest. Recommended' Leonara Nattress, author of Black Drop and Blue Water
'A gripping mystery full of intrigue with wonderful well researched historical detail. A real page turner with a brilliant twist!’ Clare Marchant, author of The Mapmaker's Daughter
'Immersive, with a cracking plot… Full of intrigue and tension’ Lianne Dillsworth, author of Theatre of Marvels
'Not just a gripping story filled with expert detail, but also a portal to the past that feels instantly and entirely real. The Messenger of Measham Hall is a historical fiction lover's dream' A. J. West, author of The Spirit Engineer
'Meticulously researched and alive with intricate period details to savour. I raced through it' Lucy Ribchester, author of The Amber Shadows
'A thrilling adventure exploring complex themes of loyalty, faith and gender… Both a tender coming of age story and a tense spy thriller’ Miranda Malins, author of The Rebel Daughter
‘It’s rare for a historical novel to feel so timely’ Jo Baker, Sunday Times bestselling author of Longbourn
Genre: Historical
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