Blog Tour: The Winter Siege

 

Publication Date: October 1, 2013
Electric Reads
Paperback; 488p
ISBN-10: 1492795712

1643. The armies of King Charles I and Parliament clash in the streets and fields of England, threatening to tear the country apart, as winter closes in around the parliamentary stronghold of Nantwich. The royalists have pillaged the town before, and now, they are returning. But even with weeks to prepare before the Civil War is once more at its gates, that doesn’t mean the people of Nantwich are safe.

While the garrison of soldiers commanded by Colonel George Booth stand guard, the town’s residents wait, eyeing the outside world with unease, unaware that they face a deadly threat from within. Townspeople are being murdered – the red sashes of the royalists left on the bodies marking them as traitors to the parliamentary cause.

When the first dead man is found, his skull caved in with a rock, fingers start being pointed, and old hatreds rise to the surface. It falls to Constable Daniel Cheswis to contain the bloodshed, deputising his friend, Alexander Clowes, to help him in his investigations, carried out with the eyes of both armies on his back. And they are not the only ones watching him.

He is surrounded by enemies, and between preparing for the imminent battle, watching over his family, being reunited with his long-lost sweetheart, and trying, somehow, to stay in business, he barely has time to solve a murder.

With few clues and the constant distraction of war, can Cheswis protect the people of Nantwich? And which among them need protecting? Whether they are old friends or troubled family, in these treacherous times, everyone’s a traitor, in war, law, or love.

When the Winter Siege is through, who will be among the bodies?

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My Review: 

This is one seriously meaty book. The historical element is quite well researched and presented in a way that keeps non-history buffs like me reading furiously. I really found myself plowing through this story and losing myself in the writing. My past experiences in this genre has been that I'll lose myself in a story then something anachronistic will pop up, like a phrase or an idea. This book is SO well researched I never had that jarring feeling of being pulled back into my own time! I felt like the writer spent a great deal of time making sure that every word was perfect, and for that I give so much credit! 

 

This is going to sound weird, since I've made it clear I'm not a history buff...I could not tell where the fact part ended and the fiction part started. The mystery story was woven so very evenly in, that it just seemed natural. Daniel is a great character that was instantly likeable. He just wants to live his life, but he feels obligated to do what he is "supposed" to. *sigh..been there buddy..I know that feel*  I really hope that there are more stories with Daniel as a main character. His development was super awesome, and I really wanted to continue getting to know him! 

 

So basically, if you like books that pack a historical punch with a mystery added for extra flavoring, please do yourself a big ole favor and pick up this book! You will not be disappointed!

 

About the Author

D.W. Bradbridge was born in 1960 and grew up in Bolton. He has lived in Crewe, Cheshire since 2000, where he and his wife run a small magazine publishing business for the automotive industry.

“The inspiration for The Winter Siege came from a long-standing interest in genealogy and local history. My research led me to the realisation that the experience endured by the people of Nantwich during December and January 1643-44 was a story worth telling. I also realised that the closed, tension-filled environment of the month-long siege provided the ideal setting for a crime novel.

“History is a fascinating tool for the novelist. It consists only of what is remembered and written down, and contemporary accounts are often written by those who have their own stories to tell. But what about those stories which were forgotten and became lost in the mists of time?

“In writing The Winter Siege, my aim was to take the framework of real history and fill in the gaps with a story of what could, or might have happened. Is it history or fiction? It’s for the reader to decide.”

For more information please visit D.W. Bradbridge’s website. You can also find him on Facebook and follow him on Twitter.

Virtual Book Tour Schedule

Monday, April 7
Spotlight & Giveaway at Passages to the Past

Tuesday, April 8
Review at Must Read Faster

Wednesday, April 9
Review at Staircase Wit

Friday, April 11
Review at A Bibliotaph’s Reviews

Monday, April 14
Review at Princess of Eboli

Wednesday, April 16
Review at Caroline Wilson Writes

Interview at Layered Pages

Thursday, April 17
Interview at MK McClintock Blog

Review & Giveaway at Unabridged Chick

Friday, April 18
Review at bookramblings

Review at Svetlana’s Reads and Views