Sumerford’s Autumn
Reviewed By Janet Mawdesley July 3, 2013
Author Barbara Gaskell Denvil
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ISBN: 978-19-220-5258-2
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
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Website: http://www.simonandschuster.com
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For lovers of Historic Fiction set in Tudor times get set for a novel of epic portions with the sad and sorry plight of the Sumerford family as they become involved, to fatal degrees, in the turbulent, political court of Tudor Henry VII – the pretender King.
Political intrigue, dark family deeds, secret and mysterious agendas, are all woven together at the hands of a master story teller as the pages turn in more ways than one on the lives of all the members of the family Sumerford.
The story focuses around Ludovic, the Earl of Sumerford’s youngest son, who in spite of his dysfunctional and often deadly family, tries to break away from family tradition, finding love in the most unexpected of places when he is attacked by a local girl, Alysson, trying to find her youngest brother.
This chance encounter sets the scene to introduce the darker or darkest side of the Sumerford family as Alysson is introduced to the family as maid to recent bride Lady Jennine, wife to the Lord Humphrey, heir to the Earl of Sumerford.
There is also the mysterious comings and goings of Brice, the second son. Brice is always dressed in the richest of fashion, something the failing coffers of Sumerford would not be able to afford, always appears to be in the political know, is often seen at the Court of Henry and is given to disappearing as he desires. What is the intrigue woven into his life, as he always seems to be one step ahead of the politics of the day?
Gerald the third son is deeply involved in trying to restore the rightful King to the throne in a time when political involvement against Henry Tudor would get you tried and hung for treason. Gerald’s commitment to the cause of the “pretender Perkin Warbeck”, ends in tragedy for the conspirators.
Alysson’s story becomes an integral component of the family as she struggles to find her place in this family of secrets, all the while never giving up the quest to find out what became of her youngest brother at the hands of the Sumerford’s. She is befriended by her mistress, the Lady Jennine, who also has dark secrets in a past she prefers to keep hidden.
As their friendship evolves Jennine decides to coach Alysson in the art of seduction in order for her to become the mistress of Ludovic, something Alysson resists but later comes to regret as Ludovic goes to the aid of Gerald, only to find himself arrested and tortured as an accomplice in plotting to overthrow King Henry.
Political intrigue, dark family deeds, secret and mysterious agendas, are all woven together at the hands of a master story teller as the pages turn in more ways than one on the lives of all the members of the family Sumerford.