Set in the final years of the reign of Elizabeth I, Nicola Cornick’s latest is inspired by the true story of Robert Catesby, leader of the infamous Gunpowder Plot. This intriguing, twisty historical mystery combines a past and present story line that fans of Philippa Gregory and Susanna Kearsley will devour.
When Robert Catesby, the charismatic son of a Catholic gentleman, marries heiress Catherine Leigh and inherits the rich Oxfordshire manor house at Aston from his grandmother, it seems that the future happiness of the couple must be assured. However, Robert’s deep involvement in plots to overthrow the Protestant queen Elizabeth I and his increasingly dangerous behavior threaten the lives of his wife and their young son.
In desperation, Catherine tries to discover what Robert is plotting and uncovers a shocking secret: the lost treasure of the Knights of St. John, taken from London when Queen Elizabeth dissolved the Order, has been hidden at Aston Hall by Robert’s grandmother as the centerpiece of her exquisite Renaissance garden. Robert, in his fervor, sees the treasure as a talisman and obsessively seeks to restore the Catholic monarchy in England so that the Order may be reestablished and the treasure reclaimed. Meanwhile, Catherine is faced with the terrible dilemma of whether to betray her husband’s treasonous plan or keep her silence and risk everything.
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