Dissenters, a new novel set in Frome during the years 1666-67, is published this month (May 2020). Author, Liz Hutchinson, has described the town itself as a character in her book, and Dissenters successfully brings to life Frome’s spirit of enterprise and tradition of non-conformism.
Local readers and lovers of historical fiction alike will enjoy this pacy story of men and women struggling with conscience and corruption in seventeenth century Somerset.
The Restoration of the Monarchy in 1660 marked a new era, but did not conclude the political and religious disputes which had previously divided the country and led to civil war. Those who could not conform to the established church often broke the law by holding their own services and many began to look to emigration for a freer life. Two of the book’s main characters, Gideon Silcox, a puritan minister, and his son John, make plans for a religious colony in Newfoundland – plans which are complicated by their own struggles with desires unlikely to be accepted by their congregations.
For siblings, Molly-Ann, Ben and Nathaniel, simply surviving is hard enough. For Molly-Ann this means accepting the routine sexual harassment of a tavern maid’s life at The Boar.
Her brothers make themselves useful to a local thug, Joshua, risking life and liberty in his dangerous smuggling ventures, while Molly-Ann has the dubious fortune of winning his affections.
There are new opportunities in the booming woollen and building industries – and honest men and women within them – but when a corrupt local magistrate looks to muscle in and employs Joshua as his ‘enforcer’, woe betide the man or woman who stands in their way! Fortunes rise and fall and threats lurk in the shadows of this Somerset market town. Like the tunnels beneath its streets, suspicions of witchcraft, violence, crime and murder underlie its everyday life.
Dissenters is published by Hobnob Press in association with Silver Crow Books and is Liz Hutchinson’s second novel. During the current lock-down, copies can be ordered from Hunting Raven/Winstones by telephoning 01373 473111, by emailing winstonebooks3@gmail.com or by visiting the Winstone’s website. Copies are also available through Amazon at £10.95, or Liz is offering free home delivery in the Frome area. Contact her on 01373 473909 or lizhutchinson01@yahoo.co.uk.
