Deryn Lake has published eight novels under the name Dinah Lampitt; these are currently out of print, but you should be able to order them through your local library. Three of them form a trilogy, linking together episodes from the true history of Sutton Place (near Guildford, in Surrey):
Sutton Place in an antique print from the stock of Richard Nicholson of Chester Reproduced with permission.
Read Deryn Lake's account of how she came to write Sutton Place.
A well is poisoned by a young queen's curse.
The beautiful mansion of Sutton Place was cursed by Queen Edith five centuries before its builder was born. Now Sir Richard Weston's family must pay the price of evil that is exacted from all the Tudor manor's owners.
Sir Richard's son will die beneath an executioner's blade, his death warrant signed by Henry VIII. Anne Boleyn too will feel the scourge of destiny as she struggles for the Queen's crown.
And centuries later, press baron Lord Northcliffe and oil millionaire Paul Getty will also succumb to the darkness that envelopes all those who own the doomed manor of Sutton...
Sutton Place is the first haunting volume of Dinah Lampitt's fascinating trilogy tracing the tortured destinies of those who dared to flout the young Queen's curse.
"Deliciously spook-ridden"
Daily Telegraph
Sutton Place was published in hardback by Frederick Muller Ltd in 1983. (ISBN: 0584311591). It was subsequently also published in paperback and audio versions.
One Amazon customer posted a glowing review, saying:
"The book itself is a marvellous insight into the life of the Weston family and the intrigue of their involvement with the crown of England and the beautiful Anne Boleyn, wife of Henry the Eighth. The superstition of their home place is a wonderful twist in the tale and totally fascinating ... I loved the book and wish I could find the other two in the series. What a wonderful writer!!! I couldn't put the book down until the last page was read."
From somewhere deep in the house a cry rang out - a cry so distressing, speaking as it did of terror and night-fright - that John Weston felt his blood chill and every hackle on his body rise. He was not a nervous man but that terrible sound brought back to his mind something that he had long ago dismissed - the legend of the curse of Sutton Place. But John Weston, the last male descendant of Sir Richard the builder, did not believe in the evil that had dogged his ancestors, and put all the ill-luck down to coincidence.
The Silver Swan tells not only his story but also that of his beautiful silverhaired daughter, Melior Mary, and her fatal desire for two men; one a strange orphan boy from Calais, the other Prince Charles Edward Stuart - the Young Pretender himself. The pages swarm with the great characters of history - Alexander Pope the deformed poet, Captain Charles Wogan the Jacobite spy, Princess Clementina Sobieski the bride of the Old Pretender and Joseph Gage the Rake Hell and dandy. All were destined to know and love Melior Mary but she was damned by the ancient spell of her mansion house.
In this colourful novel, the second in the SUTTON PLACE trilogy, Dinah Lampitt continues the story of the unfolding of the curse laid by Queen Edith of England in 1045 and how its power had grown stronger with the passing of the centuries; how Giles the Fool haunted the Long Gallery with his laughter and tears; and how the descendants of Dr. Zachary the astrologer are caught up once more into the web of wickedness spun by the doomed manor of Sutton.
"Fantastic entertainment... An island of pleasure, of magic and mystery"
Mollie Hardwick, Books and Bookmen
The Silver Swan was published in hardback by Frederick Muller Ltd in 1984 (ISBN: 0584311656). It was subsequently also published in paperback, large print and audio versions.
An Amazon.com reader review says:
"It involves many twists and turns to the story, and keeps the reader enthralled throughout. A definite must for History buffs as it is partly factual and nearly always realistic in terms of historical content. Many of Lampitt's novels stem from this trilogy with minor characters and their descendants becoming the stars of the show. They are a delight to read, and piece together - like a large puzzle. Therefore, if you find that you have enjoyed the trilogy, there is the added bonus that you can prolong the magic by reading her other books."
She was quite the most beautiful girl he had ever seen. "I want to marry you, Captain Webbe Weston," she said, falling on one knee before him. "Will you accept my proposal?" He laughed, cracking forward in a guffaw. "Get up at once," he said. "No, I will not. John Joseph, will you marry me?" "No, Lady Horatia," answered the owner of Sutton Place, "I most certainly will not."
She was quite the most beautiful girl he had ever seen.
"I want to marry you, Captain Webbe Weston," she said, falling on one knee before him. "Will you accept my proposal?"
He laughed, cracking forward in a guffaw. "Get up at once," he said.
"No, I will not. John Joseph, will you marry me?"
"No, Lady Horatia," answered the owner of Sutton Place, "I most certainly will not."
So began one of the greatest love stories of the nineteenth century: that of Lady Horatia Waldegrave, daughter of the sixth Earl Waldegrave, and Captain John Joseph Webbe Weston, soldier of fortune for the Austrian Emperor and heir to the curse of Sutton Place.
The last of the Westons, sad Melior Mary, has been dead for many years, but the curse laid by Queen Edith in 1048 is as strong as ever, drawing not only John Joseph and Horatia into its web, but also Major John Wardlaw - Jackdaw - the limping spy descended from the magic house of FitzHoward.
Fortune's Soldier combines mysticism, witchery and an incredible love story as the paths of three families cross.
Fortune's Soldier completes the SUTTON PLACE trilogy, a highly acclaimed history of the curse that was to hang over all those fated to own the doomed manor of Sutton.
Fortune's Soldier was published in hardback by Frederick Muller in 1985 (ISBN: 0584311699). The cover image shown is from the Grafton books paperback edition (ISBN: 0586071202). It has also been published in large print and audio versions.
More books by Deryn Lake writing as Dinah Lampitt
