Set in 17th century New England and partly in Cromwellian England, The Traitor's Wife is a work of fiction but many of the novel's chief characters are based on actual people. Two of the key protagonists are Thomas Carrier, a former army officer who had fought in the English Civil War and Martha Allen a servant girl in her cousin's home. The Traitor’s Wife captures the compelling love story between Martha and Thomas as they try to forget their past as well as telling the reader quite brilliantly about the haunting legacy he in particular must live with. A past that threatens to engulf them even in the remotest parts of New England. Kathleen Kent is an extremely clever and talented writer for she really gets the reader under the skin of the characters and the sights and sounds of the settings are well wrought. It's a book any reader will enjoy curling up with but more than that it's a book that you'll want to think about afterwards so it's perfect for 'reading group' discussion.Click here to view some reading group questions on The Traitor’s Wife. This is Kathleen's second novel. Her first is The Heretic's Daughter.
I'll not ask you to be mine ... I will never seek to blunt the fury in you, never, and will honour your will as my own. What say you? Can you be a soldier's wife? New England, 1673. Martha Allen, a young woman reviled by her family because of her refusal to marry, is packed off to be a servant in her cousin's home. She takes charge of the neglected household and annoys everyone around her - including a mysterious Welshman who works for the family, a man whose forceful nature matches her own. As they both gradually let their guard down, a fragile, uneasy friendship grows between the pair. Meanwhile, on the other side of the Atlantic, a band of assassins, driven by the will of Charles II, charter a ship to the New World. They have a single aim: to capture Thomas Morgan, the killer of Charles I, and bring him back to London where he will face an excruciating death. The Royalists want to see his head on a spike outside the Tower of London. As Martha begins to fall for the tall Welshman, he reveals a little of his past. It soon becomes clear that his life is in grave danger. As the threat of the assassins grows closer, can Martha find it in herself to be a traitor's wife? Praise for The Heretic's Daughter 'Absolutely compelling' Daily Mail 'A very fine novel ... a remarkably accomplished telling of a truly shocking tale' Daily Express
Kathleen Kent is a direct descendant of Martha Carrier, and THE HERETIC'S DAUGHTER is based on true family history. Kathleen has worked in commodity trading and for the US Department of Defence in Russia. She now lives in Dallas with her husband and son. THE HERETIC'S DAUGHTER is her first novel.
Click here to read an Ask the Author feature on Kathleen Kent.
