Saint Cuthbert Trilogy

Book excerpt: All three books in John Broughton's 'Saint Cuthbert Trilogy', a series of historical fiction set in medieval England, now in one volume! Heaven In A Wild Flower: In 7th century Northumbria, Aella survives war and gains the patronage of the king and friendship of Bishop Cuthbert. Commissioned to create a masterpiece for Lindisfarne, Aella impresses King Aldfrith who sends him to Ireland to learn to read and write. There, Aella makes friends, learns to illuminate manuscripts, and falls in love, but can he achieve his dreams and marry the love of his life? The Horse-Thegn: Set in late 9th century Northumbria, where Viking attacks and Danish settlers are a constant threat, Cynn is a royal Horse-Thegn who aims to bring peace and integration to his estates. Charged by the king to end the violent attacks of a group led by the elusive Edred, Cynn faces open revolt against legitimate rule. In a kingdom facing external threats, can Cynn achieve his goal of a durable and prosperous future as they enter a new century? The Master Of The Chevron: The third novel in John Broughton’s Saint Cuthbert trilogy follows the lifelong friendship of a studious monk and a bluff mason, Thurgot and Kenrick, respectively, after the Norman Conquest. Thurgot senses Kenrick’s destiny when he saves him from drowning near the Farne Isles, and their Christian beliefs and pragmatic talents help them overcome obstacles of revolt, persecution, and hardship in eleventh- and twelfth-century Northumbria. Their legacy is still present today in the work of the first master mason in Durham.