The Spur on the Plate
by
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About the Book
"A good piece of historical fiction, well written with a gripping plot and strong characters." - Hilary Johnson, Writers' Advice Centre
1529 - The England/Scotland border - a wild lawless place where families made their own law and stealing from each other was part of daily life.
Meg and Rob Armstrong despair at the hardships of their family, a family, until recently, rich, respected and probably feared by many, for their uncle is the notorious Reiver, Johnnie Armstrong.
Meg blames her father for the hard times as he will not ride out and provide for them. She thinks him a coward and a layabout, yet her mother fiercely defends him.
Headstrong and wilful, as always, Meg decides to goad her father into action. But does she know the full facts of the situation?
She makes her stand but is shocked and terrified at the force of the reactions from all around her. Even her young brother Rob will not stand by her side.
She finds herself forced to ride out on a raid with her father's men. The raid goes badly wrong and Meg realises that she has brought all those she loves into great danger. The lives of her father, her brother and her uncle, as well as her own, are threatened.
Remorse, guilt and fear and the disclosure of a family secret make Meg desperate to make amends. But, is it too late?
About the Author
I am a retired headteacher of a primary school in North East England. Reading, writing and archery are the great interests in my life.
The story The Spur on the Plate came about from many visits to places along the England/Scotland border. No matter how many times I go back there, I never cease to be in awe of the wild beauty of the land and the drama of its history.
I did a great deal of research for the story and enjoyed every minute of it. I hope that, within the pages, you get a glimpse of what I have seen and felt for the land and the time of the Border Reivers.
Another publication of mine is The Powder Monkey. (Oxford University Press ISBN 0-19-918727-4)
--Maureen Rylance