The Ballad of the Five Marys

Donald Smith's third historical novel investigates where Mary Queen of Scots' history ends and legend begins through the captivating use of contemporary prose ballad. Smith seeks a truthful narrative about not only Mary Carmichael but also Seton, Beaton, Livingston and Fleming by integrating firsthand accounts and dramatic testimony. It marks 500 years since Flodden and the Birth of John Knox.