'When you must face Maxwell, give evidence 
before the King. Have you thought on that?' 
'If I do not face Maxwell, I will not 
be able to face myself.'\nScotland 1597. The truce between the Cunninghame and Montgomerie clans is fragile. And for the Munro family, living in hiding under assumed names, these are dangerous times.\nWhile Munro risks his life daily in the army of the French King, the spectre of discovery by William Cunninghame haunts his wife Kate. Her fears for their children and her absent husband realized as William's desire for revenge tears their world apart.\nA sweeping tale of compassion and cruelty, treachery and sacrifice, set against the backdrop of a religious war, feuding clans and the Great Scottish Witch Hunt of 1597.\nThis eagerly awaited sequel to Turn of the Tide can also be read as a stand-alone novel and will appeal to fans of Winston Graham's Poldark and C J Sansom's Shardlake series.\nProfessional Reviews\n'...captivating and fast-paced. You'll find yourself reading far into the night. 
Ann Weisgarber: Walter Scott and Orange Prize shortlisted author of The Promise\n'A classic adventure story that grips from the very first page.' 
Shirley McKay author of the Hew Cullen mystery series.\nPraise for Margaret Skea - Beryl Bainbridge Best 1st Time Novelist 2014\n'Margaret Skea brings 16th century Scotland to vivid life in Turn of the Tide.' 
Sharon K Penman\n'The quality of the writing and the research is outstanding.' 
Jeffrey Archer\n'A rollicking good read ... Skea is definitely a name to watch out for.' 
Scottish Field Magazine\n'The sheer villainy of some characters will take your breath away.' 
Historical Novels Review\n'More down-in-the-dirt than Diana Gabaldon and just as meticulously researched as Philippa Gregory. It's touching, fierce and surprising, with a sprinkling of humour.' 
The Bookbag

A House Divided (Munro Saga)

Romance

Skea, Margaret

Historical

Sanderling Books

‘The quality of the writing and the research is outstanding.’ Jeffrey Archer\nScotland 1586. A land in turmoil, a family torn apart. An ancient feud threatens Munro’s home, his family, even his life.\nMunro owes allegiance to the Cunninghames and to the Earl of Glencairn. He escapes the bloody aftermath of a massacre, but cannot escape the disdain of the wife he sought to protect, nor inner conflict, as he wrestles with his conscience, with divided loyalties and, most dangerous of all, a growing friendship with the rival Montgomerie clan.\nSet against the backdrop of the turmoil of the closing years of the sixteenth century, Turn of the Tide follows the fortunes of a fictional family trapped at the centre of a notorious historic feud. Known as the Ayrshire Vendetta, it began in the 15th century and wasn’t finally resolved until the latter part of the 17th, the Cunninghames and Montgomeries dubbed the ‘Montagues and Capulets’ of Ayrshire.\nBook 1 of the Munro Scottish Saga trilogy\nPraise for Margaret Skea – Beryl Bainbridge Best First Time Novelist 2014\n‘I have read some wonderful debut novels this year – Turn of the Tide is one of them. I loved it … a tale of love, loyalty, tragedy and betrayal.’ BooksPlease\n‘Munro frames the book, in at the initial kill, and centre stage in the brilliant climax, all the more shocking as the conclusion of an otherwise measured tale … a fascinating and engaging read with great visual effect.’ Between the Lines\n‘It is hard to know where to begin, there were so many things I liked about Turn of the Tide…an emotionally gripping story about a man caught between duty and conscience at a time in history when a man’s livelihood depended upon his loyalty to family and clan.’ The History Lady\n‘Margaret Skea brings sixteenth century Scotland to vivid life in Turn of the Tide. I enjoyed travelling back in time with her.’ Sharon K Penman

Turn of the Tide (Munro)

Literature & Fiction

Literary

From the Author\nKatharina von Bora is one of the 'shadowy' women of history - there is debate over her parentage, birthplace, why she was put into a convent aged five and what led her to flee aged twenty-three.\nWe have much more information regarding what she did following her marriage to Martin Luther, but very little to tell us why.\nMy job, as a novelist, was to seek to bring her alive in a way that remained truthful to what we do know about her and in particular to resist the temptation to romanticise her story.\nI am indebted to Creative Scotland who provided me with a travel grant to enable me to visit Saxony to walk where she walked, stand where she stood, handle objects that she handled and experience for myself the landscape and background against which her story unfolded.\nRUNNER-UP Historical Novel Society New Novel Award 2018 At five Katharina is placed in a convent. 
At twenty-three she escapes. 
At twenty-five she marries the most controversial man in Europe. 
This is her story - of courage, resilience in the face of adversity and a determination to choose her own life. 
If you like your historical fiction to be absorbing, authentic, beautifully written and full of warmth and heart, this portrayal of Katharina von Bora, the escaped nun who married Martin Luther, is for you. 
Grab your copy today. Reviews: 
'Assured, evocative, compelling. A fascinating reading experience.' 
Catherine Cho, Lead judge HNS 
‘Margaret Skea has a brilliant eye for historical detail. She creates characters who take us by the hand so that we never stumble or wonder where we are. An engrossing read.’ 
A. Bacon: Between the Lines 
'A wonderfully vivid portrait of how a headstrong girl grows into a wry, steely and impassioned woman, carves a path for herself through tumultuous times, and changes the course of history in the process. Skea knows her history, but more importantly, she writes with imagination and humanity.' 
Professor Alec Ryrie, Durham University, author of Protestants.\n‘A dramatic and most moving story, which transported me back to the 16th century and into Katharina’s mind. I felt what she was feeling and was both fascinated by and anxious for her right from the start. I loved it.’ 
Books Please

Katharina: Deliverance (Katharina Luther Series)

Genre Fiction

Eagerly-awaited conclusion to Katharina Deliverance, Shortlisted for the BookBrunch prize 2020 
‘We are none of us perfect, and a streak of stubbornness is what is needed in dealing with a household such as yours, Kat… and with Martin.’ 
Wittenberg 1525. The unexpected marriage of Martin Luther to Katharina von Bora has no fairytale ending. 
A sign of apostasy to their enemies, and a source of consternation to their friends, it sends shock waves throughout Europe. 
Yet as they face persecution, poverty, war, plague and family tragedy, Katharina’s resilience and strength of character shines through. 
While this book can be read as a standalone, it is also the powerful conclusion to her story, begun in Katharina: Deliverance. 
Authentic, immersive and packed with drama. 
'Behind even a great (sometimes, noisy, fractious) man, there is often a quietly strong, more amenable woman. 
Margaret Skea's deep research and empathy brings alive one of those. If you like your historical fiction truthful and complex, then this novel about Katharina Luther is for you.'Sarah Dunant 
'Beautifully written and meticulously researched - historical fiction at its best.' BooksPlease 
Fans of Sarah Dunant, Hilary Mantel and Winston Graham will love this book. 
Grab a copy today.

Katharina Fortitude (Katharina Luther Series)

Biographies & Memoirs

Sanderling

BY Sword and Storm (Munro Saga)

British & Irish

Iced Gems: An anthology of stories, poems and reflections from Margaret Skea, Oliver Eade, Kathleen Mansfield, Anita John, Lisa Ainslie

EADE, Oliver

Mansfield, Kathleen

John, Anita

Ainslie, Lisa

Essays & Correspondence

Kathleen Mansfield Publishing

See the best price to sell, buy, or rent books by Skea, Margaret. BookScouter helps to compare book prices from 25+ online bookstores and 30+ buyback vendors with a single search.

Books by Skea, Margaret