The Apostates: Enthralling Historical Fiction (The Seton Chronicles Book 3)

From the prisons of the Inquisition to the waterways of Venice, The Apostates is an immersive story of faith, family and survival during one of the most turbulent periods in European history.

Europe, 1550. Accused of secretly practising Judaism, Bethia flees Antwerp with her infant son as the shadow of the Inquisition draws ever closer. Accompanied by her brother Will, a devout Protestant, she journeys across a continent bitterly divided by faith, believing her husband Mainard will soon join them.

But Mainard never arrives.

Uncertain whether he is alive or dead, Bethia reaches Geneva, to discover that Protestant rule can be as unforgiving as Catholic authority. While Will finds common cause with fellow reformers, Bethia struggles to feel safe and belong.

Then comes word of Venice.

Unlike much of Europe, the great trading city offers new possibilities for people of Jewish heritage. Merchants, refugees and travellers crowd its canals, and prosperity beckons to those fortunate enough to grasp it. For Bethia, Venice may offer a future. For Will, whose Protestant convictions run deep, it presents a different challenge.

As the family reunites in a city of wealth, intrigue and hidden dangers, they must navigate a world where faith, loyalty and survival are never simple choices.

A gripping historical novel of faith, exile and survival, perfect for readers of Ken Follett and C. J. Sansom.

'One of those books where you forget you’re reading and feel you’re there.' Lexie Conyngham

'A series which never fails to get better and always leaves me wanting more.' Esther Mendelssohn

V E H Masters was born and grew up on a farm just outside of St. Andrews in Scotland. She's been fascinated by the siege of St Andrews Castle ever since her history teacher took the class on a visit, which included going down the siege tunnel dug out of rock and peering into the bottle dungeon where Cardinal Beaton's body is said to have been kept, pickled in salt, for over a year. When she learned that the group who took the castle and held it for over 14 months, resisting the many attempts to re-take it, called themselves the Castilians, she knew even then it was the perfect title for the story. The second in series, The Conversos, which picks up to the hour where The Castilians left off, continues the dramatic adventures of Bethia and Will in Antwerp and Berwick, England.The Apostates, the third in series follows our protagonists across Europe to where they seek sanctuary in Venice... which of course necessitated a visit to that beautiful city.To find out more please go to her website https: //vehmasters.com/ and she would be honoured if you signed up for the newsletter.