Book excerpt: Perfect for fans of Philippa Gregory, Alison Weir, Anne O'Brien and Elizabeth Chadwick, Deborah Swift brings a unique period in history to vivid, fascinating life in her acclaimed Pepys trilogy. 'An intriguing and exceptionally beautifully written book' CAROL MCGRATH 'A novel that transports readers with astonishing and engrossing detail' READERS' FAVORITE 'An immersive and rich imagining of a mysterious woman from Pepys' life that will hold readers until the very end' HISTORICAL NOVEL SOCIETY *The second in Deborah Swift's atmospheric trilogy, bringing to life the women in Pepys' Diary. The books can be read in any order as each stands alone.* .................................... 1665 and The Great Plague has London in its grip. As the summer heat rises, red crosses mark the doors, and wealthy citizens flee. Only the poor remain to face the march of death . . . Ambitious and attractive Bess Bagwell is determined her carpenter husband, Will, should make a name for himself. So she schemes to meet Samuel Pepys, diarist, friend of the King, and an important man in the Navy shipyards. But Pepys has his own motive for cultivating Bess, and it is certainly not to benefit her husband. With pestilence rife in the city, all trade ceases. Will is forced to invest in his unscrupulous cousin Jack's dubious 'cure' for the pestilence. But this only horrifies Bess and leaves them deeper in debt. Now they are desperate for money, and the dread disease is moving ever closer. Pepys's help seems to be the only answer. But as with all bargains, there's a price to pay. A price that could cost more than Bess has to give. .................................... Praise for Deborah's INSANELY ATMOSPHERIC tales: 'A Plague on Mr Pepys brings seventeenth century London to life in convincing detail. I found the story utterly gripping and it is a book that will be hard to forget' ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ 'Ms Swift's characterisation is so compelling, her storytelling is a dream, and her descriptions of the time and place and the way the people lived are so vivid, so detailed and intricately researched... Utterly brilliant, you have to read it' ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ 'I found this story utterly page-turning and was lost for several days amongst its pages. It is an intriguing and exceptionally beautifully written book filled with vivid images of London between 1662 and 1665' ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ 'If you enjoy historical fiction, this is a book you will savour' ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ Don't miss Deborah Swift's other enthralling tales of Samuel Pepys - Pleasing Mr Pepys and Entertaining Mr Pepys - OUT NOW!