Synopses & Reviews
The author of The September Queen explores Tudor England with the tale of Bess of Hardwickthe formidable four-time widowed Tudor dynast who became one of the most powerful women in the history of England.
On her twelfth birthday, Bess of Hardwick receives the news that she is to be a waiting gentlewoman in the household of Lady Zouche. Armed with nothing but her razor-sharp wit and fetching looks, Bess is terrified of leaving home. But as her family has neither the money nor the connections to find her a good husband, she must go to facilitate her rise in society.
When Bess arrives at the glamorous court of King Henry VIII, she is thrust into a treacherous world of politics and intrigue, a world she must quickly learn to navigate. The gruesome fates of Henrys wives convince Bess that marrying is a dangerous business. Even so, she finds the courage to wed not once, but four times. Bess outlives one husband, then another, securing her status as a woman of property. But it is when she is widowed a third time that she is left with a large fortune and even larger decisionsdiscovering that, for a woman of substance, the power and the possibilities are endless . . .
Review
"[A] richly engaging portrait of the life and times of one of history's most appealing characters!" Diana Gabaldon, author of the best-selling Outlander series
Review
"Bawdy and poignant ... an ebullient page-turner!" Leslie Carroll, author of Royal Affairs
Review
"An absolute triumph as a debut novel.... [It] is an absolutely brilliant addition to the historical fiction genre and might be the best novel on Nell Gwynn ever. ...Nell would have applauded in approval and probably done a little jig to celebrate her tribute." Pittsburgh Historical Fiction Examiner
Synopsis
From London's slums to its bawdy playhouses,
The Darling Strumpet transports the reader to the tumultuous world of seventeenth-century England, charting the meteoric rise of the dazzling Nell Gwynn, who captivates the heart of King Charles II-and becomes one of the century's most famous courtesans.
Witty and beautiful, Nell was born into poverty but is drawn into the enthralling world of the theater, where her saucy humor and sensuous charm earn her a place in the King's Company. As one of the first actresses in the newly-opened playhouses, she catapults to fame, winning the affection of legions of fans-and the heart of the most powerful man in all of England, the King himself. Surrendering herself to Charles, Nell will be forced to maneuver the ruthless and shifting allegiances of the royal court-and discover a world of decadence and passion she never imagined possible.
Synopsis
From London's slums to its bawdy playhouses, The Darling Strumpet transports readers to 17th-century England, charting the meteoric rise of the dazzling Nell Gwynn, who captivates the heart of King Charles II — and becomes one of the century's most famous courtesans.
Synopsis
A thrilling debut novel starring one of history's most famous and beloved courtesans.
Synopsis
A thrilling debut novel starring one of history's most famous and beloved courtesans. From London's slums to its bawdy playhouses, The Darling Strumpet transports the reader to the tumultuous world of seventeenth-century England, charting the meteoric rise of the dazzling Nell Gwynn, who captivates the heart of King Charles II-and becomes one of the century's most famous courtesans.
Witty and beautiful, Nell was born into poverty but is drawn into the enthralling world of the theater, where her saucy humor and sensuous charm earn her a place in the King's Company. As one of the first actresses in the newly-opened playhouses, she catapults to fame, winning the affection of legions of fans-and the heart of the most powerful man in all of England, the King himself. Surrendering herself to Charles, Nell will be forced to maneuver the ruthless and shifting allegiances of the royal court-and discover a world of decadence and passion she never imagined possible.
Synopsis
A thrilling debut novel starring one of history's most famous and beloved courtesans. From London's slums to its bawdy playhouses, The Darling Strumpet transports the reader to the tumultuous world of seventeenth-century England, charting the meteoric rise of the dazzling Nell Gwynn, who captivates the heart of King Charles II-and becomes one of the century's most famous courtesans.
Witty and beautiful, Nell was born into poverty but is drawn into the enthralling world of the theater, where her saucy humor and sensuous charm earn her a place in the King's Company. As one of the first actresses in the newly-opened playhouses, she catapults to fame, winning the affection of legions of fans-and the heart of the most powerful man in all of England, the King himself. Surrendering herself to Charles, Nell will be forced to maneuver the ruthless and shifting allegiances of the royal court-and discover a world of decadence and passion she never imagined possible.
Synopsis
From Londonand#8217;s slums to its bawdy playhouses, The Darling Strumpet charts the meteoric rise of the dazzling Nell Gwynn, who captivates the heart of King Charles IIand#151;and becomes one of the centuryand#8217;s most famous courtesansand#133;
Witty and beautiful, Nell Gwynn is born into poverty, and trades her motherand#8217;s treacherous grasp for the grim life of a prostitute at a precious young age. But before long she finds herself drawn to the theater, where she earns a place in the Kingand#8217;s Company.
As one of the first actresses in the newly opened playhouses, her talents and charms win the crowdsand#8217; affectionand#151;and the heart of her leading man. But when she catches the eye of the king himself, her life is transformed in ways she could never have imagined.
Surrendering her body and heart to Charles, Nell will be forced to maneuver the ruthless and shifting allegiances of the royal courtand#151;and discover a world of decadence and passion she never imagined was possibleand#133;
Synopsis
From Londonand#8217;s slums to its bawdy playhouses, The Darling Strumpet charts the meteoric rise of the dazzling Nell Gwynn, who captivates the heart of King Charles IIand#151;and becomes one of the centuryand#8217;s most famous courtesansand#133;
Witty and beautiful, Nell Gwynn is born into poverty, and trades her motherand#8217;s treacherous grasp for the grim life of a prostitute at a precious young age. But before long she finds herself drawn to the theater, where she earns a place in the Kingand#8217;s Company.
As one of the first actresses in the newly opened playhouses, her talents and charms win the crowdsand#8217; affectionand#151;and the heart of her leading man. But when she catches the eye of the king himself, her life is transformed in ways she could never have imagined.
Surrendering her body and heart to Charles, Nell will be forced to maneuver the ruthless and shifting allegiances of the royal courtand#151;and discover a world of decadence and passion she never imagined was possibleand#133;
About the Author
Gillian Bagwell grew up in Berkeley, California, and began her professional life as an actress, studying at the University of California Berkeley and the Drama Studio London at Berkeley before relocating to Los Angeles to pursue a career in film and television. She moved into directing and producing theatre, founding The Pasadena Shakespeare Company, where she served as artistic director for nine years, producing thirty-seven critically acclaimed productions.
She united her life-long love of books, British history, and theatre in writing her first novel, The Darling Strumpet, based on the life of Nell Gwynn. Her second novel, The September Queen, is the first fictional account of the perilous and romantic odyssey of Jane Lane, an ordinary English girl who risked her life to help the young Charles II escape after the disastrous Battle of Worcester in 1651 by disguising him as her servant. Gillian recently returned to Berkeley and is at work on her third novel, about the formidable four-times widowed Tudor dynast Bess of Hardwick. Visit Gillian's website, www.gillianbagwell.com, for further information about her books and upcoming events, and links to her blogs, articles, and videos of sites in Nell Gwynn's London.