History
Reviews
Rosemary’s books, Homecoming – which looked at Mary's time in Scotland – and Exile – which covers her imprisonment – take readers through Mary's story through the locations she spent time in, all of which Rosemary visited herself
Scots Magazine
Goring is a superb writer who artfully breathes life into the tale of Mary's captivity... Goring's sympathetic and deeply human portrayal of a wronged yet scheming woman is superb... and a narrative style which makes facts read like fiction
Scottish Field
Taps into the current vogue for intensely personal journeys, allowing the reader to experience vicariously Mary's historical confinements
Country Life
Written very lucidly... This is a new take on Mary’
History Scotland Webinar
Homecoming was a very good book… this sequel, Exile, telling of her years in captivity in England, is even better. Together they have claim to be not only the most complete account of Mary’s life, but also the fairest and most intelligent
The Scotsman
Showcasing the many ways in which examining this period of Mary Queen of Scots life tells us a whole bunch of things we maybe did not know already, despite how much attention certain aspects of her life have had over the centuries
NewBooks Network
an engrossing story of Mary's tumultuous later years
Britain Magazine
A fantastic read... taking us through the tragic intrigues in the life of Mary, Queen of Scots
Love Scotland podcast
About the Book
Discover a thrilling true story of treachery, deceit, hope and despair.
From the moment Mary, Queen of Scots set foot on English soil in 1568 until her execution at Fotheringhay Castle on 8 February 1587, she was the prisoner of her cousin, Elizabeth I. Unlike Mary’s time on the Scottish throne, the dramatic events of these years – almost half her life – took place while she was a captive. But while trouble was perpetually simmering beyond her prison walls, within them Mary was constantly plotting. Only towards the end did she lose faith in returning to her homeland as rightful ruler.
This is the story of Mary’s tumultuous later years, told through the many atmospheric locations where she was confined. Drawing on the latest research, including a treasure trove of recently decoded letters, Exile sheds fascinating new light on her captivity and the charged political climate of the period. Reading like a 16th-century thriller, this account of treachery, deceit, hope and despair is a penetrating and enthralling psychological portrait of one of history’s endlessly fascinating queens.
The Author
Rosemary Goring
Rosemary Goring was born in Dunbar and studied at the University of St Andrews. She worked at W&R Chambers as a reference editor before becoming literary editor of Scotland on Sunday. She was also the literary editor for The Herald and Sunday Herald, and is the author of two historical novels, After Flodden and Dacre's War.
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