September 1513. Two armies faced each other. The Battle of Flodden would prove one of the bloodiest ever fought on British soil. The Scots, backed by European allies, superior numbers and the latest cannon, faced a depleted English force furious at being kept away from the real fighting in France. Five centuries on, and the slaughter still occupies a core position in Scottish mythology and in the pantheon of heroic failures. John Sadler brings this critical battle vividly to life through a handful of key characters. Sir Thomas Howard, shrewd but ancient, leads the English forces; Alexander, 3rd Lord Hume, bold but impetuous, leads the Scots. Isabella Hoppringle, Abbess of Coldstream, young and determined, hub of a web of influential women throughout the Scottish borders, struggles to keep her footing among the tides of violence. John Heron, Bastard of Ford, swaggering, violent and disreputable, the black sheep of a good English family, is confident of finding profit while men die. Blood Divide puts you in the heart of the action; the stink, sweat and fear, the curtain of red mist.
