First published 1996
In 1605, a group of English Catholics plot to blow up Parliament and King James I, seeking to restore Catholicism as the state religion. Though charismatic leader Robert Catesby masterminds the scheme, it's the devout Guy Fawkes who's captured with the gunpowder—and who reveals his co-conspirators under torture. In the aftermath, conditions worsen for England's Catholics as public sentiment turns rabidly intolerant. Acclaimed historian Antonia Fraser untangles the web of religion, politics, and personalities behind this shocking moment, finding chilling echoes of modern-day terrorism.
Genres: biography, historical, historical-fiction, non-fiction
Vibes: atmospheric, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: based-on-true-events, political-conspiracy
Setting: Great Britain
Period: James I, 1603-1625
347 pages · Hardcover · Nan A. Talese
Content warnings: torture, violence