On tour with The Coffee Pot Book Club — The Fugitive’s Sword by Eleanor Swift-Hook

The Fugitive’s Sword 
By Eleanor Swift-Hook

Autumn 1624

Europe is deeply embroiled in what will become the Thirty Years' War.

A young Philip Lord, once favoured at King James' court, has vanished without a trace, under the shadow of treason.

Outside the besieged city of Breda, Captain Matthew Rider faces the brutal reality of wintering his cavalry in the siege lines, until he crosses paths with Filippo Schiavono, a young man whose courage and skill could change everything.

Kate, Lady Catherine de Bouqulement, arrives in London prepared to navigate the dangerous politics of King James' court to ensure troops are sent to her mistress, the exiled Queen of Bohemia.

Within Breda’s walls, a foundling named Jorrit unwittingly stumbles into a lethal conspiracy when Schiavono hires him, supposedly to help sell smuggled tobacco. But Schiavono’s plans go awry and they are compelled to flee the city, only to be captured at sea.

If Schiavono is unable to prove his loyalty and ruthlessness to a savage Dunkirker privateer captain, both he and Jorrit will face certain death.

Meanwhile, in London, Kate is forced to fight her own battle against those seeking to coerce her into their schemes and finds herself trapped in a terrifying and deadly power struggle.

Driven by violence, treachery, and the sea's merciless tides, their fates collide.

You can grab your copy of this book from Amazon! And get this, if you have #KindleUnlimited you can read for free!

Eleanor Swift-Hook

Eleanor Swift-Hook enjoys the mysteries of history and fell in love with the early Stuart era at university when she re-enacted battles and living history events with the English Civil War Society. Since then, she has had an ongoing fascination with the social, military and political events that unfolded during the Thirty Years’ War and the Wars of the Three Kingdoms. 

The Soldier's Stand, book two in Lord's Learning and the sequel to The Fugitive's Sword, is now available for preorder and will be released on 25 February, 2025.

She lives in County Durham and loves writing stories woven into the historical backdrop of those dramatic times.

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On tour with The Coffee Pot Book Club — The Lotus House by Ann Bennett

 

The Lotus House
By Ann Bennett

A gripping, emotional drama of love and courage set in the Philippines during WW2.

1960: Nancy Drayton, an American nurse living on Lake Sebu, is visited by a stranger who hands her some faded letters, given to her by a dying man. Reading them transports Nancy back to the terror of the war years.

1941: When Nancy’s world is blown apart by the devastating attack on Pearl Harbor, she volunteers to travel to the Philippines to serve at the front. She soon finds herself working in a field hospital on the Bataan Peninsula in the thick of the fighting, experiencing the horrors of war first hand.

When tending to some wounded men, she meets Captain Robert Lambert, and they become close. But the Japanese are closing in on Bataan, and when the US surrenders, they are driven apart.

As Robert struggles to survive the horrors of the Bataan Death March and the brutality of captivity in a prison camp, Nancy too finds herself a captive, fighting for her life. Will they survive to find one another again or will the forces of war keep them apart?

If you enjoy compelling historical fiction, you’ll love this sweeping story of love and war. 

Perfect for fans of Kristen Hannah, Dinah Jeffries and Victoria Hislop.

 Trigger warnings: description of battle scenes and harrowing scenes of treatment of US prisoners by Japanese soldiers. One love scene, but not explicit. No swearing. 

Praise for Ann Bennett:

‘What an amazing read!!! I didn't expect this to be a roller coaster of emotions, suspense, and mystery but it was everything!!… The characters were amazing, the story will keep you wanting more and more until the end.’

~ Goodreads reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘So captivating, I was on edge while flipping through the pages as fast as I could… Truly heartwarming… Emotional, heartbreaking … I loved this… A must read… Amazing.’

~ Page Turners, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

You can grab your copy of The Lotus House over on Amazon, and get this it is only 0.99 on #Kindle for a limited time. This title is available to read on #KindleUnlimited.

Ann Bennett

Ann Bennett is a British author of historical fiction. Her first book, Bamboo Heart: A Daughter's Quest, was inspired by researching her father's experience as a prisoner of war on the Thai-Burma Railway and by her own journey to uncover his story. It won the Asian Books Blog prize for fiction published in Asia in 2015, and was shortlisted for the best fiction title in the Singapore Book Awards 2016. 

That initial inspiration led her to write more books about WWII in Southeast Asia – Bamboo Island: The Planter's Wife, A Daughter's Promise, Bamboo Road: The Homecoming, The Tea Planter's Club, The Amulet, and The Fortune Teller of Kathmandu. Along with The Lotus House, published in October 2024, they make up the Echoes of Empire Collection.

Ann is also the author of The Oriental Lake Collection - The Lake Pavilion and The Lake Palace, both set in British India during the 1930s and WWII, and The Lake Pagoda and The Lake Villa, set in French Indochina during the same period. A Rose in the Blitz – the first in the Sisters of War series and set in London during WWII, was published in March 2024.

The Lake Pagoda won a bronze medal for historical fiction in Asia in the Coffee Pot Book Club, Book of the Year awards 2022. The Fortune Teller of Kathmandu won a silver medal for dual-timeline historical fiction, and A Rose in the Blitz won bronze in the historical romance category in the Coffee Pot Book Club, Book of the Year awards 2024.

The Runaway Sisters, USA Today bestselling The Orphan House, The Child Without a Home and The Forgotten Children are set in Europe during the same era and are published by Bookouture. Her latest book, The Stolen Sisters, published on 29th November 2024 is the follow-up to The Orphan List (published by Bookouture in August 2024) and is set in Poland and Germany during WWII.

 

A former lawyer, Ann is married with three grown up sons and a granddaughter and lives in Surrey, UK. For more details, please visit www.annbennettauthor.com.

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On tour with The Coffee Pot Book Club — The World Turned Upside Down by Seth Irving Handaside

 

The World Turned Upside Down 
By Seth Irving Handaside 

"The World Turned Upside Down" takes readers on an exhilarating journey through one of history's most transformative periods.

This masterful work of historical fiction follows the audacious British-American colonists, known as the Founders, as they boldly rise against the mightiest empire of their time: England. Their unprecedented struggle challenged the status quo and reshaped the foundation of global politics and human rights, ushering in the era of democracy. As the narrative unfolds with rich, immersive detail and dynamic characters, the story poses a profound question: after securing their hard-won liberty, could they preserve and nurture the fragile promise of a new world?

This compelling tale captures the spirit of revolution and the enduring quest for freedom.

Excerpt

Horatio Gates

Birthed in 1728 to the much older housekeeper of the 2nd Duke of Leeds of England, who should know more about the desire for glory than the son of a housemaid?

Horatio Gates, a thick barrel man of 50, whose job was to help organize the myriad of state regiments that composed Washington's army, barked out orders.  He thought himself very efficient in managing the camp at Cambridge.

At a soiree given by Washington for his officers at his residence on Brattle Street in the summer of 1775, Gates sat across from Nathanael Greene, whom he studied.  He stood up, his wire-rimmed glasses sitting on the tip of his nose. Glancing around the room before sitting again, he informed anyone who would listen, "Burgoyne considers himself a man of wit, fashion, and honor, a fine dramatic writer, and an officer whose courage endures beyond question.  The only thing that rattles through the thick skull of John Burgoyne is his quest to achieve fame."

Gates' muscles, especially around the mouth and eyes, twitched slightly, the image of Burgoyne stuck in his mind.

He laughed. The tone of his voice changed, and he spoke at a quicker pace.

"Many aspects of his life Burgoyne enjoyed, but none more than public recognition.  When, as a member of the House of Commons, he demanded an investigation of the East India Company, alleging widespread corruption by its officials, he basked in notoriety."

Greene rolled his eyes, successful in stifling a chuckle.                                               

"From a personable standpoint, Burgoyne invited criticism.  My godfather, Horace Walpole, told me in a friendly way, 'Burgoyne is the illegitimate son of Lord Bingley," informed Gates.

"He relied on competent authority from the loose tongue of a jealous woman." 

"You know much about him." 

"Yes, I feel I must; destiny stands before us."

"Really," said Greene, who had enough of Burgoyne but not Gates, whose mind itched to pick up a sword. 

"Born in 1722," continued Gates, "his father, the second son of a third Baronet, educated at Westminster School in London, where he befriended Thomas Gage and Lord James Strange, the eldest son of the eleventh Earl of Derby.  The latter would influence his life and fortunes."

Without a word, General Israel Putnam, who commanded the Army Center at Cambridge, took a seat across from Gates.  He blinked and scratched his unshaven face, knowing a good tale awaited.

"In August 1737," Gates resumed, "the Baronet entered the British Army by purchasing a commission in the Horse Guards.  He became known for his fashionable attire and earned the nickname "Gentleman Johnny." He sold his commission in 1741 but returned to the army four years later by buying a cornet's commission in the 1st Royal Dragoons.  A year later, promoted to Lieutenant, he finished the conflict as a captain."

Gates paused, pleasure radiating his face.  He smiled, but his eyes avoided his comrades.  He breathed the scent of fall that whiffed through the open windows.

You can grab your copy of this book from Amazon!

Seth Irving Handaside

Growing up in Putnam County in the town of Putnam Valley, named after General Israel Putnam, Seth Irving Handaside walked its roads.

He explored the hills and valleys that American rebels tread. But, he often thought, what would have done when the head of the state, King George III of England, ignored his rights and the rule of law?

Would he have marched to the tune of the revolution and been in a regiment commanded by General Putnam or sided with the loyalists?

Fascinated by American history since elementary school, politics runs in his veins. He has spent the last ten years researching and reading about the founding fathers and settled on six men, three boys not yet twenty, and three Virginians who risked having their necks stretched to make the American dream a reality.

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On tour with The Coffee Pot Book Club — Harold The King by Helen Hollick

Oh my goodness, it is not often we get to celebrate a book anniversary, but today we are doing just that. It is 25 years since the publication of Helen Hollick's, Harold the King, isn't that wonderful! Congratulations, Helen. 

Harold The King 

By Helen Hollick

The events that led to the Battle of Hastings and the Norman Conquest of England in 1066 - told from the English point of view.

Two men. One crown.

England, 1044. Harold Godwinesson, a young, respected earl, falls in love with an ordinary but beautiful woman. In Normandy, William, the bastard son of a duke, falls in love with power.

In 1066 England falls vulnerable to the fate of these two men: one, chosen to be a king, the other, determined to take, by force, what he desires. Risking his life to defend his kingdom from foreign invasion, Harold II led his army into the great Battle of Hastings in October 1066 with all the honour and dignity that history remembers of its fallen heroes.

In this beautifully crafted tale, USA Today bestselling author Helen Hollick sets aside the propaganda of the Norman Conquest and brings to life the English version of the story of the man who was the last Anglo-Saxon king, revealing his tender love, determination and proud loyalty, all to be shattered by the desire for a crown – by one who had no right to wear it.

You can grab your copy of Harold The King or, if you are in America/Canada, I Am The Chosen King, over on Amazon.

Helen Hollick

First accepted for traditional publication in 1993, Helen became a USA Today Bestseller with her historical novel, The Forever Queen (titled A Hollow Crown in the UK) with the sequel, Harold the King (US: I Am The Chosen King) being novels that explore the events that led to the Battle of Hastings in 1066. Her Pendragon’s Banner Trilogy is a fifth-century version of the Arthurian legend, and she writes a nautical adventure/supernatural series, The Sea Witch Voyages. She has also branched out into the quick read novella, 'Cosy Mystery' genre with her Jan Christopher Mysteries, set in the 1970s, with the first in the series, A Mirror Murder incorporating her, often hilarious, memories of working as a library assistant. The fifth in the series, A Memory Of Murder, was published in May 2024.

Her non-fiction books are Pirates: Truth and Tales and Life of A Smuggler. She is currently writing about the ghosts of North Devon, and Jamaica Gold for her Sea Witch Voyages. 

Recognised by her stylish hats, Helen tries to attend book-related events as a chance to meet her readers and social-media followers, but her ‘wonky eyesight’ as she describes her condition of Glaucoma, and severe arthritis is now a little prohibitive for travel.

She lives with her family in an eighteenth-century farmhouse in North Devon with their dogs and cats, while on the farm there are showjumper horses, fat Exmoor ponies, an elderly Welsh pony, geese, ducks and hens. And several resident ghosts.

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