Wallis Peel Books

 

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When King Penda dies after losing the battle to King Oswiu of Northumbria, the Mercians are devastated to realise they will be subjugated and have to pay tribute to their hated enemies. Penda’s oldest son becomes king but the ealdormen, led by Burhred, do not support him, yet realise that Wulfhere the younger son is not ready and would not be a popular choice.
Wulfhere is whisked away along with Aidan, a tough churl, to a remote village where he is to be turned into kingly material, but not without treachery from the local lord of the manor.
And while Wulfhere and Aidan deal with treachery, back at home there is murder. But who, and why?

Elfrida and Alicia are the two women of this tale: Elfrida, feisty and courageous, desperately in love with Wulfhere, who doesn’t even notice her; Alicia, shrewish and devious, madly in love with Elfrida’s brother, and determined to have her scheming way.

This is a tale set in the seventh century with family and political infighting at its core. These themes are as relevant today as they were then and this is why Wallis Peel’s stories are so gripping.

“Wallis Peel has that uncanny ability to draw her readers into any tale she pens. In Pride of Mercia she most certainly does this again. Set in the Dark Ages and underpinned by her usual meticulous research this story captures the heroics of the period while not stinting on the harsh reality of life at that time. It is a story of tribal rivalry and although set earlier than her excellent previous novels is a book you won’t want to put down until the exciting finale.” Neil Weston, South Gloucestershire Librarian

“MUCH to the delight of her loyal fans, veteran author Wallis Peel has published yet another sizzling historical tale. This time we are whisked back to AD 654 when Penda was King of Mercia and at war with the fierce Northumbrians led by King Oswiu.

“Pride of Mercia may be set in the Dark Ages, but Wallis Peel’s special talent is showing us that although life was very different way back then, people have always been the same. Although a man might have needed three wives because so many died in childbirth, a girl was married in her early teens and the elderly were little more than forty years of age, human needs and desires were little different from ours nowadays. Couples fell in love – and some got divorced; siblings squabbled and fought; and families did the best they could to improve their position in society.

“Pick up any Wallis Peel book and you know you’re getting a thundering good tale, spiced with a pinch of romance, a sprinkling of passion and a good dollop of exciting warfare, all bound together with historical fact. If Wallis Peel’s books were on the school reading list, generations of children would gain a real love of history which they could enjoy throughout their lives.” Carole Taylor, journalist

 

 

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