Description
1361. An unlucky thirteen years after the Black Death, plague returns to England.
'Fear and hysteria are portrayed with claustrophobic skill' THE TIMES
'Dark and enthralling... with an unexpected hero' JULIE COHEN
From the bestselling author of Company of Liars, Karen Maitland, The Plague Charmer is a darkly compelling novel following a stranger who arrives in an isolated community in the grips of a medieval pandemic.
When the sickness reaches the village of Porlock Weir, who stands to lose the most? And who will seize this moment for their own dark ends?
The dwarf who talks in riddles?
The mother who fears for her children?
The wild woman from the sea?
Or two lost boys, far away from home?
PESTILENCE IS IN THE AIR. BUT SOMETHING DARKER LURKS IN THE DEPTHS.
Why readers are gripped by The Plague Charmer
'Its horrors are vividly told but with an underlying sense of human resilience and hope'
'A real page turner'
'The best and worst of human behaviour in troubled times'
'Poignant, shocking and haunting'
'It was so easy to be drawn into this world...'
About the Author
Karen Maitland is an historical novelist, lecturer and teacher of Creative Writing, with over twenty books to her name. She grew up in Malta, which inspired her passion for history, and travelled and worked all over the world before settling in the United Kingdom. She has a doctorate in psycholinguistics, and now lives on the edge of Dartmoor in Devon.
Reviews
A brilliant writer, with a real sense of history -- Susanna Gregory
If you like dark, atmospheric, historical fantasy, then this is definitely one for you * Daily Mail *
A dark read... fear and hysteria are portrayed with claustrophobic skill * The Times *
A really good read... as much one for first time Maitlanders as it is for the fans * Bookbag *
Karen Maitland is the go-to writer for gruesome medieval murk * Writing Magazine *
Written in dark but engaging prose, it is historical fiction with an apocalyptic twist * Lady *
Offbeat, absorbing * BBC History magazine *
Book Information
ISBN 9781472235862
Author Karen Maitland
Format Paperback
Page Count 576
Imprint Headline Review
Publisher Headline Publishing Group
Weight(grams) 395g
Dimensions(mm) 198mm * 129mm * 36mm
