The Dark Mile by D.K. Broster was first published in 1929 and it’s the third part of a trilogy. The Flight of the Heron and The Gleam in the North should be read before this one.
The setting of The Dark Mile is nine years after the battle of Culloden. The inhabitants of the Highlands of Scotland are still very much under the rule of the Redcoats. They aren’t allowed to own guns for fear they would be used against the British army which is very much in control with hundreds of soldiers based at Fort William.
The disaster of Culloden isn’t far away, especially for Ewen Cameron who is still mourning the execution of his friend and relative Doctor Archibald Cameron at Tyburn, for High Treason. Ewen knows that someone had betrayed Archibald, probably giving information of his whereabouts to the English authorities – in return for gold.
Ewen’s cousin Ian Cameron is now his father’s heir as the eldest son had died at Culloden. Ian’s father is keen for him to get married and is beginning to negotiate with another family for their daughter’s hand, but Ian has fallen in love already, unfortunately his choice is a Campbell. It seems doomed from the beginning as Ian’s father will have nothing to do with Campbells as they were on King George’s side during the Jacobite Rebellion.
This book has more romance in it than the other two, but there’s still adventure, danger and drama. It’s a good read.
I remember this trilogy from years back…i’ll try to get it on Kindle….as books arent being delivered to Costa Rrica from the U.K.at the moment.
Helen Devries,
I hadn’t realised you are in Costa Rica. I hope you can get the books on Kindle, and that you will enjoy them. I like The Venomous Bead, and what a great blog name that is.
I liked this one but not quite as much as I loved the first two, I think because the focus had changed in terms of the main characters. But overall it’s an excellent trilogy – glad you enjoyed them!
FictionFan,
I agree with you, the focus was on the romance, I suppose that was inevitable given that the rebellion was long over.
Somewhere in this house, I have the trilogy which I started once but got distracted before I had read more than a few pages. I would like to get back to it at some point, although suspect I would need some uninterrupted time, which is hard to find.
It reminded me of Margaret Irwin’s book about Montrose (it is hard not to fall in love with him the way she writes about him).
Constance,
Aha – I know that ‘somewhere in this house’ feeling. I hope you enjoy the trilogy if you do get around to reading them.
I haven’t read the Margaret Irwin book about Montrose, but I have an unread John Buchan biography of Montrose – somewhere.