Additional information
by Jane Loftus (Author)
'An impressive unputdownable debut' The Historical Novel Society
The Hundred Years' War comes to life in this spellbinding tale of love, betrayal and conspiracy ...
A quest born on the battlefield will change a young boy's destiny...
Rafi Dubois is five years old when his mother is murdered after the Battle of Crecy in 1346. Alone and lost, Rafi is given a token by the dying Englishman who tried to save his mother's life: a half-broken family seal which he urges Rafi to return one day to Winchester.
Years later, when Rafi saves a wealthy merchant's wife from a brutal robbery, he is rewarded with the chance to travel to England, taking the seal with him.
But when he reaches Winchester, Rafi finds himself in a turbulent world full of long-held allegiances, secrets and treachery. His path is fraught with danger and with powerful enemies working against him, Rafi falls in love with Edith, a market apothecary. But in doing so, Rafi unleashes a deadly chain of events which threatens to overwhelm them both...
The Herb Knot is a sweeping and passionate novel set in one of the most tumultuous times in English history, from a powerful new voice.
Readers give The Herb Knot five stars!'A superb debut novel, with a story that grips you from beginning to end'
'The amount of research that has so obviously been undertaken is quite phenomenal. I don't believe I've ever read a book so absorbing'
Winchester comes alive in The Herb Knot... A beautifully compelling story, rich in historical detail.
'Plenty of twists to the tale to keep you guessing'
'A fascinating glimpse into a medieval world filled with intrigue and danger ... a compelling story which lingers long after the last page is turned'
Author Biography
Jane Loftus studied 16th Century European history before taking a postgraduate degree in modern political history. As a lone parent, she worked in Winchester Waterstones before taking a job in IT. This novel was written in the evenings while she was raising her son. Hugely passionate about the Middle Ages, she drew inspiration for this novel from the medieval layout of Winchester which has been painstakingly documented.
