First published 1889
The Duries of Durrisdeer face an impossible choice when Bonnie Prince Charlie raises his standard in 1745. The family splits their allegiances between king and pretender, sending the Master of Ballantrae to fight with the Jacobites while his younger brother Henry remains loyal to the Crown. This calculated hedge destroys both men. The Master returns from apparent death at Culloden changed and vengeful, tormenting Henry with cruel manipulations that poison their shared inheritance. Henry, once dutiful and steady, grows bitter under his brother's relentless persecution. Their rivalry spans continents as the Master flees to America, then India, always returning to wound his family anew. Set against the wild Scottish Highlands and colonial frontiers, their conflict reveals how easily good men can be corrupted and how hatred can consume entire generations.
Genres: historical-fiction, 20th-century, adventure, 19th-century
Vibes: atmospheric, emotional, suspenseful
Tropes: enemies-to-lovers, sibling-rivalry
Setting: Scotland, America, India
Period: 1745, Culloden
288 pages · Paperback · Penguin Classics