Oxfordshire-based author Amanda Roberts is set to launch her new historical mystery-thriller series at the upcoming HeadLitFest in Headington this weekend.
The author, who resides in Islip, will unveil Lady of the Quay, the first installment of her Isabella Gillhespy series, at the one-day festival on Saturday, May 10. The event will take place at Headington Quarry Village Hall.
Set in 16th-century Berwick-upon-Tweed, Northumberland, Lady of the Quay introduces Isabella Gillhespy, the daughter of a wealthy merchant. After the sudden death of her father, Isabella discovers unsettling truths about the inheritance she has received, forcing her to confront a series of challenges that test her resilience and understanding of the past. As financial ruin looms, she faces betrayal, criminal accusations, and a growing suspicion that her situation is far more dangerous than she initially realized. The story unfolds against the backdrop of the town’s fraught historical context, where English and Scottish tensions have shaped its unique identity for centuries.
Roberts, a member of both the Royal Society of Authors and the Historical Novel Society, found inspiration for the series during a 2021 family holiday in Berwick-upon-Tweed. The town’s Elizabethan ramparts and its pivotal role in the English-Scottish conflicts sparked her imagination, providing the perfect setting for her new series.
“Berwick-upon-Tweed’s rich history and strategic importance fascinated me,” Roberts said. “The shifting allegiances between England and Scotland, as well as the town’s role during the Elizabethan era, offered the perfect backdrop for a historical thriller.”
This marks Roberts’ third novel, following The Roots of the Tree, a deeply personal work about her mother’s search for her biological father, and The Woman in the Painting, a dual-timeline historical novel set in her home village of Islip. The Woman in the Painting was recognized with a silver medal at the Coffee Pot Book Club Historical Fiction Book of the Year Awards in the time slip/time travel/dual timeline category.
In addition to her literary accomplishments, Roberts is an active member of West Oxfordshire Writers and Oxford Independent Authors.
Lady of the Quay promises to be a gripping start to the Isabella Gillhespy series, blending historical intrigue with rich character development. Fans of historical fiction and mystery thrillers can expect a compelling read that not only delves into personal discovery but also explores the larger political and social forces that shape individual fates.
The launch of Lady of the Quay will take place at HeadLitFest, a popular gathering for literary enthusiasts, on May 10, at Headington Quarry Village Hall, providing an opportunity for fans to meet the author and explore her latest work.
