Set on the Isle of Cumbrae and inspired by true events off the Ayrshire coast in the 1760s, Jamie Stuart's father has been captured by the captain of the Royal George Revenue Cutter and held in a dungeon below the island's Harbour Inn. Can Jamie outwit King George's officers and spare his father from being sent to the Colonies or facing the hangman's noose?
The book explores a time in Scotland following the Jacobite defeat at Culloden when King George III pressed his advantage by 'hyper-taxing' everyday goods on local people. The novel also uncovers the true story of Scipio, one of Scotland's first freed slaves, who worked at Culzean Castle Estate until his 80s. It is aimed at confident readers aged 10 plus, with adult appeal. It is beautifully illustrated by Joe Lyward, Assistant Curator of the Tate Museum in St Ives. |
