A Shadowed Fate
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- $6.99
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- $6.99
Publisher Description
A shocking revelation from an old friend leads Claire Clairmont on a dangerous quest in this second in a fascinating historical trilogy based on the ‘summer of 1816’ Byron/Shelley group.
1873, Florence. Claire Clairmont, the last survivor of the 'haunted summer of 1816' Byron/Shelley circle, is reeling from the series of events triggered by the arrival of Michael Rossetti two weeks before, which culminated in a brutal murder and a shocking revelation from her old friend, Edward Trewlany.
Stunned by her betrayal at the hands of those closest to her, Claire determines to travel to the convent at Bagnacavallo near Ravenna to learn the true fate of Allegra, her daughter by Lord Byron. But the valuable Cades sketch given to her by Rossetti is stolen, and Claire soon finds herself shadowed at every turn and in increasing danger as she embarks on her quest. Is the theft linked to Allegra, and can Claire uncover what really happened in Ravenna so many years ago?
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Ambrose's excellent sequel to 2018's Claire's Last Secret finds Claire Claremont, Mary Shelley's stepsister, living in near-poverty in 1873 Florence, Italy, with her niece and grand-niece, though her memories of reckless youthful passion provide solace. Claire has kept her valuable letters from Lord Byron and Percy Shelley, which ruthless men in Last Secret made clear were worth murdering for. Claire's not out of danger yet. Moreover, she's learned that her illegitimate daughter with Byron, Allegra, did not die of disease in a convent as she was told decades ago. Accompanied by friends, Claire embarks on a desperate search for Allegra across Italy, but those offering answers are often not what they seem. The surprising revelations that populate the book, mixed with a mood of regret and wistful longing for dead loves, imbue the story with a seductive power. Ambrose ratchets up the suspense over the fate of Allegra and the truth about mad, bad, and dangerous-to-know Byron. Readers will eagerly anticipate the final volume in this trilogy.
