About this item
In an exciting new direction from an established author, bestselling British author Minette Walters brings her trademark suspense to a vivid historical novel that dramatizes the arrival of the Black Death in England in 1348 and the social upheaval that followed.In June 1348, the Black Death enters England through the port of Melcombe (now Weymouth) in the County of Dorsetshire. Unprepared for the virulence of the disease, and the speed with which it spreads, the people of the county have little or no defense. By the time the pestilence ends in the winter of 1350, contemporary writers record that barely one in ten of Dorset's population is still alive. Whole villages vanish from history forever, and a culture of terror and superstition spreads across England as news of the Black Death's killing power is carried abroad by messengers.
About the Author
Minette Walters (born 26 September 1949) is a British mystery writer. After studying at Trevelyan College, University of Durham, she began writing in 1987 with The Ice House, which was published in 1992. She followed this with The Sculptress (1993) , which received the 1994 Edgar Award for Best Novel. She has been published in 35 countries and won many awards. The Sculptress has been adapted for television in a BBC series starring Pauline Quirke. Her novels The Ice House, The Echo, The Dark Room, and The Scold's Bridle have also been adapted by the BBC.
