The Knot – Jane Borodale

An extraordinarily evocative story of obsession, love and secrets, THE KNOT holds at its heart the struggle of one man: Henry Lyte. Spanning twelve years, 1565-1578, Henry struggles with his life’s work, the translation of a Herbal which lists, for the first time, every herb, against the backdrop of his heart’s desire, the creation of a perfect, beautiful garden at the heart of which lies the Knot.After the tragic death of his much-loved first wife Anys, Henry falls in love again and brings Frances home to Lytes Cary. She struggles to come to terms with life in the remote rural setting of the Levels in Somerset, and feels the threat of the watery landscape despite Henry’s efforts to show her how the landscape he loves can bring her happiness. Henry’s father is not happy about his second marriage however, and the tensions within the family grow.Just as Henry finds a precarious equilibrium, in his intellectual and emotional lives, this sense of balance is shattered by his father’s unexpected death and the unleashed malevolence of Henry’s step-mother, Joan Young, begins.