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Betrayal: Historical Stories Kindle Edition

4.0 4.0 out of 5 stars 174 ratings

"Loyalty breaks as easily as a silken thread."

Misplaced trust, power hunger, emotional blackmail, and greed haunt twelve characters from post-Roman Britain to the present day. And betrayal by family, lover, comrade can be even more devastating.

Read twelve tales by twelve accomplished writers who explore these historical yet timeless challenges.

AD455—Roman leader Ambrosius is caught in a whirlpool of shifting allegiances
AD940—Alyeva and cleric Dunstan navigate the dangers of the Anglo Saxon court
1185—Knight Stephan fights for comradeship, duty, and honour. But what about love?
1330—The powerful Edmund of Kent enters a tangled web of intrigue
1403—Thomas Percy must decide whether to betray his sovereign or his family
1457—Estelle is invited to the King of Cyprus’s court, but deception awaits
1483—Has Elysabeth made the right decision to bring Prince Edward to London?
1484—Margaret Beaufort contemplates the path to treason
1577—Francis Drake contends with disloyalty at sea
1650—Can James Hart, Royalist highwayman, stop a nemesis destroying his friend?
1718—Pirate Annie Bonny, her lover Calico Jack, and a pirate hunter. Who will win?
1849/present—Carina must discover her ancestor’s betrayer in Italy or face ruin.

“I read this anthology from start to finish in a matter of days…. Each story is gripping.”– Discovering Diamonds Reviews

Editorial Reviews

Review

"...a wonderful anthology of 12 short stories exploring the concept of betrayal, either of country, family or lovers... The remarkable diversity of the stories make this anthology a gripping read." --Sharon Bennett Connolly of History the Interesting Bits
"Every snippet of a story was a smash hit, but collectively as a whole, this anthology was a triumph. To take twelve different tales that don't have much in common and to join them in a common theme, such as betrayal, is extraordinary."
--Adventures of a Tudor Nerd

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B08NGJXM6L
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Historical Fictioneers (November 13, 2020)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ November 13, 2020
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 931 KB
  • Simultaneous device usage ‏ : ‎ Unlimited
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 344 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.0 4.0 out of 5 stars 174 ratings

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Customer reviews

4 out of 5 stars
174 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find the stories engaging and well-written. They describe the book as a nice collection of short stories by various authors. Readers find the stories gripping and enjoyable, exploring themes of betrayal.

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8 customers mention "Storytelling"8 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the storytelling. They find the stories intriguing and gripping, with a fantastic historical backdrop that provides a wonderful sense of time and place. The historical aspect is well-researched and appreciated by readers.

"...I particularly enjoyed the early stories that covered the period from the end of the Romans to the middle ages...." Read more

"A nice collection of short stories by a variety of authors. The price was surely right. it was free! Judith Arnopp is a favorite author...." Read more

"...It provided a delicious amount of suspense knowing there is a betrayal in the works somewhere, and trying to guess who is the betrayer, who the..." Read more

"...fiction will find that every one of these stories is a well-told window to a different era, some with historical figures, others with fictional..." Read more

5 customers mention "Readability"5 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the book's readability. They find the stories engaging and recommend them as quick reads that transport them to another world. The collection of novellas explores themes of betrayal.

"...I also enjoyed Anna Belfrage’s and Judith Arnopp’s. Highly recommended quick reads that will take you to another world...." Read more

"...go on, but suffice it to say that every one of these stories is well worth reading." Read more

"...ENJOY this excellent collection of novellas exploring the theme of "betrayal" and don't forget to write a review!" Read more

"...An others were just dead pan. They had no ending. Not a bad read." Read more

An Award Winning Read
5 out of 5 stars
An Award Winning Read
Betrayal, Twelve Beautiful stories by 12 authors, has received a Chill with a Book Reader's Award.
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Top reviews from the United States

  • Reviewed in the United States on March 15, 2021
    I've dipped into these stories over recent weeks, reading them between my other books. They've made great escapes on the train or when stuck in a traffic jam too. The lineup of authors is terrific and I've enjoyed all the different takes on history through the ages. I particularly enjoyed the early stories that covered the period from the end of the Romans to the middle ages. One of my favourites was Annie Whitehead's, whose historical knowledge and authentic settings are backed up by years of academic research. I also enjoyed Anna Belfrage’s and Judith Arnopp’s. Highly recommended quick reads that will take you to another world. These authors really know their history and give the reader a marvellous sense of time and place.
    3 people found this helpful
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  • Reviewed in the United States on June 20, 2021
    A nice collection of short stories by a variety of authors. The price was surely right. it was free!
    Judith Arnopp is a favorite author. ( and the others were great too!) Wishing many of them were longer. Maybe six authors next time?
    2 people found this helpful
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  • Reviewed in the United States on November 17, 2020
    I really enjoyed this anthology of historical short stories focused on betrayal. It provided a delicious amount of suspense knowing there is a betrayal in the works somewhere, and trying to guess who is the betrayer, who the victim, and where, what, and how it will happen. Some of the forwards gave a pretty good hint, but some left you guessing. Needless to say, there is plenty of back-stabbing, twists, turns, and surprises. Sometimes the hero or heroine thinks they are doing the right thing only to find out they have played right into someone else's schemes. Friends betray friends, lovers betray lovers, family members betray parents, children, brothers, nephews, siblings. etc. No one is immune. The historical aspect provided a fantastic backdrop. The political machinations of men (and sometimes women) scrabbling for power, money, influence, or a crown made my head spin. I am so glad not to have lived in that time. I was particularly fascinated by the way loyalties changed, and how losing didn't necessarily mean death, and the way changing power structures could mean allies today were enemies tomorrow, then allies again the next day. The stories themselves were intriguing snapshots, some were poignant, some were sad. Not really any HEAs. The narrator of each story usually ends up getting the short end of things. I loved the characters and how sometimes fate didn't give them much choice in their decisions. Many of the stories made me want to look for the author's related books to learn more.
    8 people found this helpful
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  • Reviewed in the United States on December 13, 2020
    How many ways are there to double-cross someone? This collection of short stories from a dozen historical novelists covers more than a few of them. Of course, there are one or two pirates involved, more than a few competitors for thrones, loves won and lost, and the impetuous making careless choices. Life lessons from these stories include: keep your plans quiet, think carefully before you act, and choose your friends wisely.

    Fans of historical fiction will find that every one of these stories is a well-told window to a different era, some with historical figures, others with fictional characters. I enjoyed them all tremendously, but one that filled out my knowledge of English history was Anna Belfrage's story of Edmund, the son of Edward I, who was the Earl of Kent. His betrayal and execution would have been momentous at the time, although he's just a footnote in the history books now.

    I could go on, but suffice it to say that every one of these stories is well worth reading.
    4 people found this helpful
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  • Reviewed in the United States on January 1, 2021
    The title of this multi-author anthology should have prepared me as I found myself with “Oh, please, no!” at the end of each chapter; my investment in the main characters was that deep, the storytellers are that good.
    I enjoyed the almost lyrical cadence of these historical fiction stories where language and settings are so appropriate to the chosen era; something only achieved through painstaking research and love of subject. Despite each story’s brevity, the authors skillfully transport the reader into their fictional realm where, alas, murder, mayhem and Betrayal reign.
    Kudos to all.
    So, why “only” four stars? Four is excellent for an anthology.
    I highly recommend you now check out these twelve five-star authors and their works.
    One person found this helpful
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  • Reviewed in the United States on October 13, 2022
    It was a novel focused on betrayal."Trust no one".Enjoyed this excellent collection of novellas! I devoured this book and can't wait to read more from this new and inspiring author .I read this in one sitting. I could not put it down.
  • Reviewed in the United States on November 19, 2020
    Betrayal runs rampant at all levels of society, but most significantly among royalty and politicians. "Trust no one" (among the characters presented) as you read this book!

    I am a long-time fan of Alison Morton's ROMA NOVA mystery / thrillers, set in a fictional "modern Rome," so it's not surprising that her story is my favorite in this anthology. However, the 11 other stories introduced me to some "new" authors (new to me) that I will now want to explore.

    ENJOY this excellent collection of novellas exploring the theme of "betrayal" and don't forget to write a review!
    8 people found this helpful
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  • Reviewed in the United States on November 30, 2020
    If I have one complaint about Betrayal, it would be the brevity of its chapters. I know they are individual short stories - or parts of longer works - but they were intriguing and left me wanting more.
    5 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

  • Michael Bully
    5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful collection of historical fiction looking at betrayal in myriad forms
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on December 6, 2020
    Impressed by the high standard of the collection and don't feel that there were any 'fillers' amongst them. All the writers are accomplished and already published, and whilst I appreciated some stories more than others, gained a great deal from reading them. Decided to take one story each evening and felt a bit sad when reached the end.

    Starting with 5th century England ,Derek Birks' ' Death at the Feet of Venus', a tale unfolding amongst the ruins left behind by the Romans. And ends with Alison Morton creator of the 'Roma Nova' series with ' The Idealist', set partly in the 19th century and also in the future, concerning a small Roman republic that survives and changes throughout the centuries. The collection also takes in Elizabeth St John's chilling 'Road to the Tower' , the seizure of power by Richard Duke of Gloucester in 1485, from the point of view Edward V's godmother, Lady Elysabeth Scrape, an ancestor of the author. Cryssa Bazos 'Honour of Thieves, a tale of a Royalist during the English Commonwealth is another highlight, and I could easily review each of the stories on offer. Will be exploring a lot more of these writers' individual works.
  • Terry Tyler
    4.0 out of 5 stars 4.5* - A Journey Through Time
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on December 2, 2020
    This is a fine collection—it is rare to find an anthology by many authors without a weak moment here and there, but this is such. The stories follow on through time, chronologically, starting with Death At Feet of Venus, set in Roman times, by Derek Birks, and ending with a modern day story featuring alternative history, The Idealist by Alison Morton.

    The stories you like best will depend on your preferences for writing style and the periods that interest you most; my favourites were House Arrest by Judith Arnopp, about Margaret Beaufort, who is one of my historical heroes—I highly recommend Ms Arnopp's series about her, incidentally—and Love to Hatred Turn'd by Annie Whitehead, set in the 10th century; Ms Whitehead has that knack of making you feel as though you are sitting within the king's great hall in the kingdom of Wessex, as you are reading. I also very much liked All Those Tangled Webs by Anna Belfrage, which covers the time in 1330 just after Edward II had died, and Road to The Tower by Elizabeth St. John, about the lead up to the imprisonment of Princes Edward and Richard, who famously disappeared from the Tower of London.

    I bow with respect to all involved. Highly recommended.
  • april
    3.0 out of 5 stars Good price!
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on December 4, 2020
    Some stories, as always in anthologies, better than others...some failed to engage me at all, others have led me to look for more texts by their authors...so, a mixed bag, with a bit of something for everyone (?)...exasperating, annoying, irrelevant, cool, uninteresting, as well as fun, exciting, and amusing...try it, see what you think....
  • Lisa
    5.0 out of 5 stars A great collection of stories from some of the best historical fiction writers around.
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on March 24, 2021
    I enjoyed this anthology very much. It would serve as an introduction to some of the best contemporary historic authors around and the stories were all entertaining and well written. I especially liked the way they progressed chronologically from Britain in the dark ages, though Anglo Saxons, Plantagenets, Tudors and pirates to an alt history modern Roman State. All the blood thirsty intrigues I vaguely remembered from school were beautifully brought to life with living breathing characters.
  • BarbaraL
    4.0 out of 5 stars Well-written collection of historical short stories
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on January 3, 2021
    Inevitably, in a collection of short stories by different writers set in a wide range of historical periods, I found some more interesting than others. Many of the authors publish independently and I was familiar with a number of them and so was interested to see what they made of the short story format. On the whole they were well-written, although in some cases the endings were abrupt and unsatisfactory. Nevertheless this was an enjoyable collection and I'll be looking out for more writing from some of the authors.

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