Pleasing Mr Pepys (Women Of Pepys' Diary Series) - Softcover

Swift, Deborah

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1786154188 ISBN 13: 9781786154187

Publisher: Headline Accent, 2022

Synopsis

'Deb Willet, Elizabeth Pepys's maid and the object of Samuel Pepys's attentions, is finally given centre-stage after 350 years, and her tale was worth waiting for. This is exceptional story-telling.' L. C. Tyler 'Laced with emotional intensity and drama, Pleasing Mr Pepys... (has) an intricate plot that features red herrings, unexpected twists, and surprises that will take readers on a very delightful ride.' Arya Fomonyuy, Readers' Favorite From acclaimed historical novelist Deborah Swift, Pleasing Mr Pepys is the story of diarist Samuel Pepys' London, vibrantly told through the eyes of his maid. Deb Willet is desperate to escape her domineering aunt and takes a position as companion to Elisabeth Pepys, Samuel's wife. Deb believes it will give her the respectability and freedom she craves - but it proves far more complicated than she could ever have imagined. London is still in ruins from the Great Fire. Although Charles II has been restored to the throne, there is the prospect of war with the Dutch - the world's great sea power of the era. In the midst of this tumult strides Samuel Pepys, diarist and man of note. Pepys' influence in Restoration London means that the Dutch are keen to get their hands on his secrets - even if that means murder, espionage and blackmail to get them. Deb is soon caught up in a web of deception and double-dealing. And with Mr Pepys' attentions turned towards her, there's a lot more than treason at stake... Selling other people's secrets is a dangerous game

About this title

From the Author

Samuel Pepys (pronounced 'Peeps') began his diary in 1660 and continued to write it for ten years. His famous diary is the best resource we have on London in the 17th century. It provides us with a fly-on-the-wall account of daily life in the period just following the Restoration of King Charles II, and includes passages on The Plague and The Great Fire.

Pepys's view of the women in his life was what you would expect - they were very much supporting characters in his story. Like all diarists, he is essentially egotistical in his presentation of events. But in Pleasing Mr.Pepys, I wanted to give the women centre stage, and Pepys provides plenty of inspiration and documentation for me to do so. One of the notorious highlights in the diary is Pepys's passion for his maid, Deb Willet, and I wondered howshe felt about the situation, and so began to unpick Pepys's Diary for clues.

The inspiration for the novel came from one description. When talking of Deb, the diary says that Pepys felt 'she might be a little too good for my family.' Further research revealed she was very well-educated, having been schooled at a girls' school in Bow--an education that was unusual for a girl of that era.Perhaps she might not be the archetypal downtrodden maid and have an agenda ofher own? So the idea for a novel about Deb Willet was born.

Samuel Pepys's wife, Elisabeth, had little education so I could well imagine tensions arising between the two women. At the time too,England was at war with the Dutch, so I wondered if the intelligent Deb could somehow be involved in espionage for the enemy. After all, she was in an ideal position to do it. I had heard of Aphra Behn, the actress and playwright, who played a similar role in the same period. Samuel Pepys had access to vital information about the English Fleet, and in his diary, he had been frank about the antics of the libertine King Charles II and his court.

Research introduced me to a fascinating Restoration world of spies and rebels,whores and priests, and I tried to populate the spaces between the lines of Pepys's Diary with this plausible but entertaining history. But at the heart of the novel is the innocent maid, who is not quite as innocent as she seems.
(This was originally an article on the blog, 'Let Them Read Books'.)

About the Author

Deborah Swift has worked in the theatre and at the BBC as a set and costume designer. She has a BA in Theatre Design and an MA in Creative Writing. She lives in an old schoolhouse in a small village in the North of England, close to the mountains and the sea.
Deborah is the award-winning author of five historical novels for adults and a historical trilogy for teens. The Lady's SlipperThe Gilded LilyA Divided InheritancePleasing Mr PepysPast Encounters (under pen name Davina Blake)The Highway Trilogy for Teensfind her at deborahswift.com or on Twitter @swiftstory

About this edition

• Publisher: Headline Accent
• Publication date: 2022
• ISBN 10: 1786154188
• ISBN 13: 9781786154187
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 496