The Tenth Gift by Jane Johnson
In an exclusive London restaurant, Julia Lovat is given a gift that will change her life. The antique book of Jacobean embroidery delights her, but when she looks more closely, she discovers within its faded pages the extraordinary diary of a young Cornish girl, calling to her from across the centuries.
On a Sunday morning in July 1625, Barbary pirates sail into a quiet Cornish bay and storm the church. Their loot: sixty men, women and children, bound for northern Morocco where they will be sold as slaves. Amongst them is Cat Tregenna, a talented young embroiderer. But as her diary reveals, Cat is anything but the compliant slave her captors were expecting...
Praise for The Tenth Gift:'An engrossing romance of clashing cultures and wonderful characters' Diana Gabaldon
'Beautifully written, first-class escapism' Mail on Sunday
'Revivifies the guilty pleasure of historical romance' Independent