The Heirs of Owain Glyndwr

By Peter Murphy

1 July 1969. The Investiture of the new Prince of Wales. When Arianwen Hughes is arrested driving with a homemade bomb near Caernarfon Castle, her case seems hopeless. Her brother Caradog, her husband Trevor, and their friend Dafydd are implicated in the plot, the evidence against them damning. Ben Schroeder's reputation as a barrister is riding high after the cases of Billy Cottage (A Matter for the Jury) and Sir James Digby (And is There Honey Still for Tea?). But defending Arianwen will be his greatest challenge yet. Trevor may hold the only key to her defense, but he is nowhere to be found.

• Language: English
• Publisher: No Exit
• Release date: Aug 25, 2016
• ISBN: 9781843447870

Peter Murphy

PETER MURPHY, a writer and journalist, has written for Rolling Stone, the Sunday Business Post, and others. He has written liner notes for albums and anthologies, including for the remastered edition of the Anthology of American Folk Music, which features the Blind Willie Johnson recording of the song “John the Revelator.”

Reviews for The Heirs of Owain Glyndwr

[northern_light-1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

July 1st 1969 and the Investiture of Prince Charles as Prince of Wales provides the backdrop to this story. It starts in the court room and then goes back to show the reader how we got there.

In 1961 Trevor Hughes takes over a bookshop in Caernarfon which is well known for its Nationalist leanings. He soon gets to know Arianwen, her brother Caradog and their friend Dafydd and joins them against the 'English' government. Just how far are they prepared to go and are they all equally committed?

Although book four in the series its very much a stand alone novel with only a brief mention of a previous storyline.

This book has many facets, friendship and loyalty, national pride, a courtroom drama and some Welsh history so should appeal to a wide audience.

I have visited the area and found the descriptions very accurate and made the story come to life and the inclusion of some Welsh added to the authenticity of the story.

I particularly liked the developing relationsip between Trevor and Arianwen which blossoms with serious consequences which have a huge impact on the way things develop.

Howver this is supposedy a series of stories about the barrister Ben Schroeder and it didn't feel like that at all. He seemed only to be there because the story results in a court case and not a central character but that in no way detracts from the story at all.

The way the story develops and changes direction towards the end of the book took me by complete syrprise although it did answer a niggling question I'd had before that.

Some of the scenes where Caradog refuses to speak English and gets a translator are very funny and add to the sense of frustration felt by him. The anguish of Arianwen leaps off there page at times and as a reader you really feel for her plight which she is powerless to change

A good easy read which I can recommend