‘Compelling and intriguing, this is a well-told story full of wonderful prose and surprising events. It’s a vivid addition to the genre’. –RT BookReviewsShortlisted for the Impress Prize England 1660When artist Alice Ibbetson discovers a rare orchid, the lady’s-slipper, growing in a nearby wood, she is captivated by its beauty. It is the last surviving specimen and she wants to preserve it for … specimen and she wants to preserve it for future generations.
There is only one problem – it is growing on the land of Richard Wheeler, a newly-converted Quaker, who will not allow her to touch it.
Fearing for the flower’s fragility, she steals the orchid, little dreaming that this seemingly simple act will set off an unstoppable chain of events – a web of intrigue that will lead to murder and exile, and change her comfortable life forever.
Set in an England riven by civil war and divided loyalties the novel explores the nature of faith, and who should control the land we all inhabit.
“It is a genuinely engrossing story, with characters you can get interested in.” –The Mum website
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Interesting subject – orchids. Decent plot. Entertaining.
Thoroughly impressed by the writer’s research in multiple historic areas.
Loved it
I’m always glad to read a well written book that takes place in a neglected time period. By that, I mean that I haven’t found a lot of books set in the 17th century. The Lady’s Slipper had a ton of interesting characters. As an author myself, I’m very impressed that Swift was able to keep track of them all and intertwine their stories so neatly. …
Alice who loved to paint pictures of plants and flowers gets involved in a murder. It’s very different. A must read.
In 1660 England, a woman rescues an endangered orchid, the lady’s slipper, from a neighboring wood. Alice is an artist, capturing botanical specimens in bloom. She is grieving, deeply, the loss of her sister. Her marriage is arid. The wood where she poaches the fragile, rare plant is owned by Richard, a serious man who clings to a gentle but …
Great book! Enjoyed it very much!
I really liked the historical background to the story. I really hadn’t read much of the beginnings of the Friends’ church. While I appreciate the need of a catalyst to the action in the story, I found it far-fetched that the theft of a flowering plant could be that. The epilogue did make it all more understandable, but it still wasn’t totally …
This had a lot of potential, but felt lacking in movement. It felt as though this book wanted to try to be both historical fiction and romance, however, there wasn’t really much by way of substance in either category. The author did throw in some gratuitous sexual references that felt both forced and random. Those elements didn’t really contribute …
This was interesting reading. (Had me looking up more words than I can ever remember, during the reading of a book. Some of those words were ‘old-variety’ and some now obsolete. Others just a bit foreign.) Nevertheless, an interesting story.
enjoed it
Loved this storyline. Creative and intense!
I really enjoyed reading this book.
This is an excellent saga centered around the theft of a rare orchid, and the ensuing tragic consequences of a lie. While that may sound milk- toast, the story is not.
There are several aspects entwined in the plot- from the intolerance of the Church of England in regard to the pacifist Quakers, the very wealthy and the very poor. Many of the …
Very frustrated with the sexual scenes. It had the appearance of a clean historical romance, and then there was unnecessary scenes added in. The story itself would have been very good otherwise.
PREDICTABLE.
Great book and great author.
I tried to finish this book but I could not get interested in the characters or their problems. There was way too much info on English politics of the time.
I usually finish books, but this one I quit reading in the middle. Others may enjoy it but I did not.
Excellent historical novel.