Julie Garwood has written several books set in the highlands near the time of King John...you know, Magna Carta? Resembled Basil Rathbone? Oh wait, that's Sheriff of Knottingham.
I like her stories, usually about English maidens invading the pertinent lairds to help a friend, escape a bad situation, etc. Basically stories about two traditional enemies coming to grips so to speak in the marriage bed.
I was taught many years ago to look for the title of the book within the story. I did see mention of Shadow Dance as that meaning the sound of a very swift powerful sword as an enemy is killed.
Our heroine, Princess Gabrielle of St. Biel is on her way to to the highlands to marry Laird Mc something. He gets murdered by one of two barons who are competing for the hand of Gabrielle because they are certain she knows the secret of the missing treasure of St. Biel. Before they arrive, Gabrielle has to kill a man because he was about to cleave in half a beaten nearly dead man. She shot the prepetrator with her arrow. Her body guards helped clean up the mess. They take the beaten man to the abby where everyone is staying. The half dead man is Liam McHugh. Liam's brother is Colm McHugh the laird of McHugh clan and the most fierce man in the highlands.
There are many plots. One jealous woman is prompted by one of the barons to publicly denounce Gabrielle as a whore and she is promptly banished,forced to leave the abby in shame. Her body guards go with her. Colm McHugh decides that she will become his wife because he owes her a great debt for saving his brother's life. There are several more twists and turns.
That book title Shadow Music is heard and eventually Gabrielle does discover the secret of the treasure of St. Biel. I liked this book because it reconnected me with characters from previous books, "Ransom" and "The Secret".
This one is a keeper. I have so many keepers I mave have to expand the library downstairs.
I visited a house along the northern Mendocino coast years ago in a tiny town called Elk. I was taken there to meet the home owner who was a retired teacher. She had books everywhere, there were even books set in the spaces between the risers on the stairs. I loved that place.
2 comments:
Someone actually got PAID for designing the jacket art. Jeez, that is definitely Fred and Ginger lingering near the wrought iron gate. Not what comes to mind for a story set in Scotland during the reign of King John of England eh?
I told Mitch the other day that I am a book whore...a badge I wear proudly.
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