A sumptuous debut from a wonderful new voice in historical fiction
The Lady's Slipper
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'The Lady's Slipper is a fabulous debut novel... Using prose that is remarkable for its simplicity, clarity and beauty.. The novel grips from the opening lines and carries the interest throughout. The several plot strands are seamlessly blended and come together in a wholly satisfying conclusion. Her characters are so real that they linger in the mind long after the book is back on the shelf. Highly commended.' --Historical Novel Review
Book Description
It is 1660. The King is back, but memories of the Civil War still rankle. In rural Westmorland, artist Alice Ibbetson has become captivated by the rare Lady’s Slipper orchid. She is determined to capture its unique beauty for posterity, even if it means stealing the flower from the land of recently converted Quaker, Richard Wheeler. Fired by his newfound faith, the former soldier Wheeler feels bound to track down the missing orchid. Meanwhile, others are eager to lay hands on the flower, and have their own powerful motives. Margaret Poulter, a local medicine woman, is seduced by the orchid’s mysterious herbal powers, while Sir Geoffrey Fisk, Alice’s patron and a former comrade-in-arms of Wheeler, sees the valuable plant as a way to repair his ailing fortunes and cure his own agonizing illness. Fearing that Wheeler and his new friends are planning revolution, Fisk sends his son Stephen to spy on the Quakers, only for the young man to find his loyalties divided as he befriends the group he has been sent to investigate. Then, when Alice Ibbetson is implicated in a brutal murder, she is imprisoned along with the suspected anti-royalist Wheeler. As Fisk’s sanity grows ever more precarious, and Wheeler and Alice plot their escape, a storm begins to brew, from which no party will escape unscathed. Vivid, gripping and intensely atmospheric, The Lady’s Slipper is a novel about beauty, faith and loyalty. It marks the emergence of an exquisite new voice in historical fiction.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
9 of 9 people found the following review helpful
By jennyy
Format:Hardcover
I'm not usually a big fan of historical fiction, but this first novel had me gripped from the first page. With an unusual plotline, plenty of action and sympathetic characters, who stay with you after you've turned the last page, this is one to read by the pool - or a lake in Cumbria. The historical detail makes the story come to life.
I can't wait to read the sequel.
I can't wait to read the sequel.
9 of 9 people found the following review helpful
By E. A. Graham
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase
It comes as no surprise to discover that Deborah Swift is a set and costume designer. Her eye for detail makes her debut a smoothly-plotted, authentic read. She keeps the strands of her story taut and I found myself unable to put The Lady's Slipper down. Deborah Swift is an author to watch.
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful
By Bryony Doran
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase
Deborah Swift's debut novel gave me a rare insight into a time and age I knew very little about. An intriguing and well written story unfolds around the existence of a rare plant - The tantalizingly named Lady's Slipper. I await the second novel with pleasure.
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3.9 out of 5 stars
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
Brilliant debut
I read this, the debut novel from Deborah Swift after I'd read her second novel, The Gilded Lily - which I absolutely loved. The Lady's Slipper is a story set in the 1600's. Read more
Published 1 day ago by Elaine
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great First Novel
To say this is the first novel from this author, it is a superb read. It capotures the mood of the age and the insight into Quaker life adds another layer. Read more
Published 26 days ago by Scotty
3.0 out of 5 stars
A good read
Easy enough to read and with a well researched start, the book floundered slightly towards the end, but kept my interest going throughout.
Published 3 months ago by Catinahat
5.0 out of 5 stars
Gripping read
Set in a rural village, in turbulent times, with several powerful characters, including.....
Alice, still in mourning for her young sister, becomes obsessed with the... Read more
Alice, still in mourning for her young sister, becomes obsessed with the... Read more
Published 19 months ago by DizzyC
5.0 out of 5 stars
Engaging tale of botanic rivalry
This is the tale of a quest for a rare orchid in Restoration England - each of the people involved has a very different motive for wanting the plant, but the unfolding events... Read more
Published 19 months ago by LCT
4.0 out of 5 stars
Wonderfully written
Whilst I'm known for loving a trip in time with authors like Philippa Gregory, I'm not usually that enamoured of a lot of the historical fiction female writers as they either don't... Read more
Published 20 months ago by Gareth Wilson - Falcata Times Blog
5.0 out of 5 stars
More please!
Having read many historical novels, I wasn't sure that I was going to like it this book, but found it unputdownable and ended up laying in bed reading until 5. Read more
Published 20 months ago by Lulubella
5.0 out of 5 stars
Excellent book
I dont usually read historical fiction but this book had me gripped from start to finish. I highly recommend it, an excellent read beautifully written!!
Published 21 months ago by gill
5.0 out of 5 stars
A gripping read.
I am not a great follower of historical fiction, but I found this compelling. Swift takes you dexterously and confidently into the world of the Civil War period, and makes you... Read more
Published 22 months ago by Peter Fisher
4.0 out of 5 stars
Not perfect, but a lot of fun.
The combination of a naturalist interest (rare orchid) and a period one (17th century Quakerism) was too much to resist for me here. Read more
Published on 30 Mar 2011 by Geoff Sawers
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