In the autumn of 1642, Southwest England is ripped apart by civil war. Parliament has revolted against King Charles I and the populace is divided. Brothers and cousins, fathers and sons find themselves on opposing sides. Alexander Dynam leads a band of men in the service of the king. He is resourceful and courageous, an accomplished spy and a master of disguise. His men love him, he has earned their respect and they are loyal to the core. As the book opens, Alexander has been caught by Roundheads (as the forces of the Parliament are called) and is being held in a cellar. With MacGyver-like ingenuity, he escapes and in so doing makes a serious enemy of Captain James Dewett, the man held responsible for the loss of such a valuable prisoner. The consequences of his enmity will be far-reaching.

Alexander has always believed himself to be the bastard son of his guardian, Viscount Robert Westley. When he discovers that he is not Robert's son and Robert refuses to tell him the truth of his parentage it causes a bitter rift between the two. The rift is deepened by the loss of Robert's actual son, who is killed when thrown from Alexander's horse. Robert can't help but blame Alexander, who blames himself just as much. Their division is heartbreaking for Robert's sister Ellen who loves both men fiercely and can't bear to see them at odds.

Plots and intrigues hatched and carried out, skirmishes and battles, heroes and heroines who use all of their brains and courage in defense of themselves and their loved ones, cunning and sneaky villains, even a mystery satisfactorily sleuthed and solved. Jo Field brings all these and more together in this wonderful historical novel that brings alive the English past and a host of interesting and well developed characters.

I really enjoyed this engaging story. The plot was intricate and satisfying. If you are like me, you draw conclusions about a book based on the cover (Yes, I know I'm not supposed to!) But don't let the cover of this one fool you, though set against the background of war, it is far from the heart of the narrative. ( )

I have to say I was disappointed with this book.

Synopsis:

BOOK 1 OF THE TAWFORD CHRONICLES: A STORY OF INTRIGUE, PASSION AND BETRAYAL IN THE ENGLISH CIVIL WAR. Devon, September, 1642: Charles I has raised his standard and declared war on Parliament. The South West is in danger of being lost to his cause. It is imperative that the King's men continue to fight on. On the Somerset marshes, Roundhead soldiers capture a vagrant carrying vital information, but he is not what he seems. He is ALEXANDER DYNAM of TAWFORD. Deadly with a blade, a master of disguise and a Royalist spy. Widely and wrongly believed to be the bastard son of his guardian, Viscount Westley, he has to cope with learning the truth of his parentage and accepting that he cannot reveal his feelings of love for Ellen, the woman everyone thinks is his aunt. As the country spirals into bloody civil war Tawford buries his frustration in acts of reckless courage and debauchery and faces dangers that go beyond the Royalists' struggle for supremacy in the South West. Somebody wants him dead, but who? And why? What is the secret of his identity and does it hold the key? Seeking help from Cobb, leader of a band of outlawed Exmoor gypsies, and the lovely Arabella, an accomplished actress and spy, Tawford is drawn inexorably into a tangled web of intrigue, murder and deceit that carries him and his faithful band of followers from Exmoor to London, to Cornwall in service of the King.

There were a lot of characters, and I just could not remember who was who and who was fighting for which side. It was a descriptive book which made me laugh in places, but the story took a while to get going and sometimes it was too descriptive and graphic, leaving violent images in my mind. This book was a let down I'm afraid. ( )