Reviews
‘It comes as no surprise to discover that parts of THE SALT ROAD are based on the author’s own experience of ditching her fast-paced London life to settle in Morocco. In fact, Johnson’s descriptions are so evocative, it’s hard to believe that some of the book is actually fiction… Unputdownable.’
5-star review in September 2010 SHE magazine
TENTH GIFT reviews:
4-page feature in YOU magazine, The Mail on Sunday http://www.dailymail.co.uk/home/you/article-541289/From-Publishing-Boss-Berber-Bride.html
‘An unashamedly escapist page-turner that will be enjoyed by fans of Kate Mosse and Philippa Gregory’ DAILY MAIL
‘The Tenth Gift is wildly yet convincingly romantic… Johnson weaves together the two women’s lives, exploring issues–love, desire, ambition and guilt–that transcend time. Beautifully narrated, the result is both a sensitive portrayal of Muslim culture and a delectable adventure of the heart.’ USA Today
‘Johnson’s extremely clever linkage between the present search for the truth and medieval heritage never wanes. Her historical research gives the novel a desperate edge, embroidered with classic needlework which is also at the heart of a story of entrapment and slavery.’ Oxford Times
‘Beautifully written, first-class escapism… a meticulously researched epic story. You come to care about the pirates who kidnap Cat and the tensions between Islam and the West are well explored.’ Louise Bagshawe, Mail on Sunday
‘Jane Johnson (better known as the genre writer Jude Fisher) takes a break from warrior princesses and wizards to explore a fantastical story plucked from the pages of real life. In 1625, a group of Barbary corsairs landed in Cornwall, taking captive 60 locals. Re-imagining this historical event, Johnson follows the fate of Cat Tregenna, a spirited lady’s maid who surrenders herself to her new destiny, and into the arms of the infidel. Back in the present day, Julia Lovat, fresh from an affair with a married man, comes across Cat’s diary entries in a needlework book. Written with charm and gusto Johnson revivifies the guilty pleasures of historical romance.’ Independent
‘Echoes of Jamaica Inn make this a cracker.’ Alex Heminsley on The Weekender, Radio 2
‘The Tenth Gift explores love, forgiveness, work, captivity in its various forms and the meaning of life. Characters strive to build their faith whether they understand everything that happens to them or not. A based-on-true-life plot makes for a riveting tale, all the way to the improbable if emotionally satisfying ending.’ BOOK PAGE
‘Johnson’s innovative style and tone (informed by her own Moroccan vision-quest) transforms what could have been a conventional swashbuckler into a witty page-turner.’ KIRKUS
‘Captivating energy and momentum.’ PUBLISHER’S WEEKLY
‘The Tenth Gift is an enchanting, addictive novel’ CHICK SPEAK
‘An atmospheric and hugely romantic adventure story’ Marie Claire 5 star review by Eithne Farry
‘A remarkable view of Barbary pirates and their times, and an engrossing romance of clashing cultures and wonderful characters’ –Diana Gabaldon
‘I took it to read in the bath and was still reading when the water had gone cold! I really couldn’t put it down. Exciting and romantic (oh so romantic!) and there is so much suspense. The descriptions are fabulous, too. It deserves to be a huge success’ — Barbara Erskine
‘I was enthralled from the first page to the last by this dramatic, exotic, and passionate tale that slips seamlessly through time. Jane Johnson’s wonderfully researched book leaves the fragrance of spices and the rustle of beautiful silks lingering in the mind with images of two exceptional women and the men in their lives’ –Rosalind Laker, author of The Golden Tulip
‘Exciting, intriguing, fascinating and also illuminating’ –Rosalind Miles, author of I, Elizabeth and Guenevere, Queen of the Summer Country
‘Brings to life a forgotten part of England’s past: the capture of inhabitants of the southern coast by Barbary corsairs in the early sixteen hundreds. Rich with detail, wonderfully researched, this is a novel that will surprise and delight’ –Gerri Brightwell, author of The Dark Lantern
And here are my other websites – www.janejohnson.eu for children’s books, and www.judefisher.co.uk for my fantasy novels and tie-in books for The Lord of the Rings movies: