The Sound of Diamonds

If I didn't know this was a debut, I certainly wouldn't suspect it from the writing. She's packed in plenty of action and characters that fairly spring off the pages. The happenings are set in a solid history, and each event is interesting. I've read of William of Orange before and knew vaguely about the Iconoclastic fury, but I really enjoyed this fictional perspective on the times.

The plotting is excellent. Dirk is accused of murdering Gwyneth's parents in cold blood, and has fled, becoming an outlaw for the crime, after Gwyneth stated she saw him with the murder weapon. She has been sent to a convent in The Netherlands to stay safe after her parents' murders, but Dirk comes to her rescue as the Iconoclasts break into the convent.

Gwyneth can hardly believe her worst enemy has just saved her life and her friends' lives. As they travel back to England, she cannot understand why he would treat her well after killing her parents.

Dirk knows he didn't kill them...but who did?

The book is very deeply Christian, and easily takes its place at the top of its type.

I only noticed one oops: the porridge is said to have a maple flavor, but maple was not generally introduced in Europe until the days of Capt. John Smith, about a hundred years later.