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The Pretender
'A frontrunner for historical fiction book of the year' - The Times
The Pretender
'A frontrunner for historical fiction book of the year' - The Times
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Description
Kill the pretender. Do not let it be known that there was a pretender to kill.
The year is 1483 and England is in peril. The much-despised Richard III is not long for the throne, and the man who will become Henry VII stands poised to snatch the crown for himself. But for ten-year-old John Collan, living in a remote village with his widowed father, these matters seem far away.
But history has other plans for John.
Stolen from his family, exiled – first to Oxford, then to Burgundy, and then Ireland – and apprenticed to a series of unscrupulous political operators, he finds himself groomed for power; not as John Collan, but as Edward Plantagenet, 17th Earl of Warwick – and rightful heir to the throne.
Far from home at the Irish court, preparing for a war that will see him become king or die trying, John has just his wits – and the slippery counsel of his host's daughter, the unconventional Joan – to navigate the choppy waters ahead.
Seething with revenge and machination, sparkling with wit and humanity, and roaring with adventure and bravado, The Pretender is the captivating true story of a young man tossed into the chaos of history as it happens.
Product details
Published | 09 Apr 2026 |
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Format | Paperback |
Edition | 1st |
Extent | 464 |
ISBN | 9781526678362 |
Imprint | Bloomsbury Publishing |
Dimensions | 198 x 129 mm |
Publisher | Bloomsbury Publishing |
About the contributors
Reviews
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When a novel is described as Wolf Hall meets Demon Copperhead, you pay attention. Remarkably, The Pretender also lives up to that impossible comparison. This 15th century tale's rich yarn takes in the life of the ordinary young man who is groomed for power and ends up as heir to the throne
i news, The best new books to read in April 2025
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An absolute delight, at turns funny, moving, filthy and original. Simnel might not win the English crown, but this is a frontrunner for historical fiction book of the year
THE TIMES, The best historical fiction of 2025 - so far
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The Pretender is a vivid, transporting feat of imagination and storytelling, so alive I felt Jo Harkin might be a time traveller
MAGGIE SHIPSTEAD
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A brilliantly buoyant, funny, clever novel ... Takes us from rural Oxfordshire to the great palaces of Europe, showing us how history is shaped by strong characters and convincing lies, while Jo Harkin's writing is consistently original, vivid, and witty. It's Glorious Exploits meets Wolf Hall - and I completely loved it
JOANNA QUINN
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A brilliant piece of historical storytelling that's also gorgeously irreverent, contemporary and fun. Witty, poignant, wildly engaging, and with a huge heart - I loved it
SARAH WATERS
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I blazed through full of wonder and admiration ... the writing is searingly confident, the sense of time and place dizzyingly good, the dialogue ribald and the description elegant ... I loved every single page ... The Pretender has everything: history richly drawn, amazing characterisation, humour, wit, vigour and bravery. It's magnificent
EMMA STONEX