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GENRE
History; Short Stories

UK PUBLICATION
January 2018
​BUY BEAUTIFUL STAR
​More by Andrew Swanston

Beautiful Star
Andrew Swanston

History is brought alive by the people it affects, rather than those who created it. In Beautiful Star we meet Eilmer, a monk in 1010 with Icarus-like dreams; Charles I, hiding in 1651, and befriended by a small boy; the trial of Jane Wenham, witch of Walkern, seen through the eyes of her grand-daughter. This is a moving and affecting journey through time, bringing a new perspective to the defence of Corfe Castle, the battle of Waterloo, the siege of Toulon and, in the title story, the devastating dangers of the life of the sea in 1875.

Rights Sales

UK & Commonwealth: The Dome Press

​Praise

"Colourful and gripping historical novel."
i-Newspaper

"Beautifully done. All the sights, smells and sounds of Elizabethan England are there."
Historical Novel Review

"Wonderful - rich, deep, intelligent and thoughtful, with clearly drawn characters and just the right amount of suspense."
M.C. Scott, author of The Emperor's Spy series

"The plot canters along from the very first page... I cannot wait for the next one."
Madhatter

"Narrated in unflashy prose, intriguing and occasionally eye-opening, these quietly revisionist stories are a pleasure to read."
Daily Mail