Rebels and Traitors, by Lindsey Davis

I am halfway through this epic novel, Rebels and Traitors, by Lindsey Davis. It is a very different kind of novel than those I am used to by this author, her light weight history mystery novels set in ancient ROME ,featuring an investigator named Falco.

Th Civil War novel (not the American Civil War) is filled with all kinds of detail and information about the 17th century, and covers the years 1649 to 1657. This is a fascinating period where a king was executed, battles were fought throughout England, and families were torn apart. Lindsey adds little details that bring the story to life. She mentions a sordid jail in Southwark on Clink Street. Jail even today is nic-named "Clink." Characters mentioned in asides include a large scale, and large, brewer named Sir John Falstaff, of Shakespearan fame. And another famed past resident of Southwark is named John Harvard, the founder of the New World's first university.

I am just over half-way through this epic story and I am enjoying it tremendously. My only complaint is that the 742 page hard cover edition is very heavy. For ease of reading  the novel could have been divided into two or even three volumes.

The book was published in 2009, by Century press.