2 Books Like Rags of Time

This year, I've been reading books set in 17th century England (around the time of the English civil war), as background to my potential new series. I was having doubts about taking this time period because I thought it may be rather dour, but boy was I wrong!
This book had everything. Set at the time of the restoration of the monarchy, it's a thriller / murder mystery based on the conspiracies and political manoeuvring of the time. What was even better was that there was a strong female lead character (Lady Anne Winter) and her fearsome maid, who were at the centre of the controversies.
The book is technically number six in The Seeker series, but can be read as a standalone. After reading this, I went back and read book one. It was almost on a par with this, but I decided I shouldn't put two books from… show more.

This is another book set at the time of the English civil war and one I nearly didn't read!
I didn't think I'd enjoy reading about witchcraft and the ways of the English country folk, but the plot and writing style meant that in the end, I couldn't put it down.
At its heart, it's another murder mystery, but the beliefs at the time caused the local magistrate to determine there had to be a witch behind the deaths.
The story is more than just a whodunit, however. Interwoven with the mystery is a powerful story involving the lives of the main character, John Carne and his wife. In some ways, it could be said to be a romance, but it is so much more than that. In the end, you really find yourself rooting for the two of them.
Again, this was a thoroughly enjoyable read and has made… show more.