At the height of its glory, Naples was one of the greatest kingdoms in Europe - but also one of the most deadly. With the death of the old King, Giovanna of Naples becomes Queen—but Queen to Andreas of Hungary’s king. Giovanna, blinded by ambition and determined to hold the throne of Naples as queen in her own right, will stop at nothing to keep her crown. She puts into motion a plot to rid herself of her husband and deliver her sister Maria into the hands of her most favoured confidante, Raymond de Cabane, as a reward for his help. But when Maria writes to her betrothed, Ludovic of Hungary, to inform him of his brother’s death, Giovanna finds herself caught in a tangled web of lies and political pressures that leads to armies clashing in the streets of Naples. Only one can emerge victorious—let the sword decide! ‘The Sword Decides’ is a thrilling historical romance filled with twists and political intrigue to entertain every reader. Born in 1885, Marjorie Bowen (pseudonym of Margaret Gabrielle Vere Campbell Long) was one of Britain’s most prolific authors of the twentieth century. Writing was more than just a her works were the primary source of financial support for her family. Between 1906 and her death in 1952, Bowen wrote over 150 books, garnering much acclaim for her popular histories and historical and gothic romances. Alongside masterful descriptions and concise, efficient prose, she deftly rendered larger-than-life subjects in the minds of her readers. To this day, aficionados of the genres covet Bowen’s work.
Author
Marjorie Bowen (pseudonym of Mrs Gabrielle Margaret V[ere] Long née Campbell), was a British author who wrote historical romances, supernatural horror stories, popular history and biography. Her total output numbers over 150 volumes with the bulk of her work under the 'Bowen' pseudonym. She also wrote under the names Joseph Shearing, George R. Preedy, John Winch, Robert Paye, and Margaret Campbell. As Joseph Shearing, she wrote several sinister gothic romances full of terror and mystery. Many of these stories were published as Berkley Medallion Books. Several of her books were adapted as films. Her books are much sought after by aficionados of gothic horror and received praise from critics. Bowen's alcoholic father left the family at an early age and was eventually found dead on a London street. After this, Bowen's prolific writings were the chief financial support for her family. She was married twice: first, from 1912-16, to a Sicilian named Zefferino Emilio Constanza, who died of tuberculosis, and then to one Arthur L. Long. Her first novel was The Viper of Milan (1906), after which she produced a steady stream of writings until the day of her death on 23rd December 1952. Her last, posthumous, novel was The Man with the Scales (1954).
