‘Carew’ is the story of the siege of Plymouth, and of its Member of Parliament, Alexander Carew, who was sent down from Westminster after the outbreak of the war to ensure that Plymouth stayed loyal to parliament, when the rest of England’s West Country was going over to King Charles. Alexander was a fiery, idealistic supporter of the rights of Parliament, but when first the great city of Bristol, and then Exeter fall to the King’s armies, he realises that he and Plymouth are isolated and alone. He begins a dangerous love affair with Lucy, the young second wife of Plymouth’s mayor, and starts to negotiate with the King’s General in secret to see if it might be possible to save the city and himself from the consequences of a bloody sack. Betrayed, he is taken to the Tower of London and put on trial for treason. ‘Carew’ is a very exciting’page-turner’, and also a deeply moving story of the realities of Civil War, when it was necessary to choose a side and to live – or die – with the consequences

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