Escape from Loch Leven

A-Levels killed any interest I had in History -coming to this book the sum total of my knowledge about Mary, Queen of Scots was that she was dead and most decidedly not Scottish! I began reading anticipating the standard mixture of historical research and sentimentality designed to woo lost causes - like me. By the end of the third chapter I was hooked. The book tells the story of the Queen's first imprisonment - in Loch Leven Castle - and her escape, largely orchestrated by the Keeper's illegitimate son and page. Will Douglas. And it's good third-years would agree -a male hero allied with Mary's power and allure should ensure the interest of both sexes: the cross-curricular appeal is obvious, too.