The Second Portcullis

About the Book

Meet the author!

On August 31, 2014, K.L. Butters will be signing "The Second Portcullis: A Medieval Tale". Through its pages, charge with Sir Malcolm Drummond into mystery, murder, and medieval conflict of conscience. A fun venue just blocks from the beach, come by, meet and chat, get some freebies, and buy a great read with personalized signing! Apostrophe Bookstore, 5229 E 2nd St., Belmont Shore, CA. Please see Book Page for description or visit http://www.thesecondportcullis.com

“Except you be gifted with some divine insight I utterly lack, I shall be executed six days hence. In the days between, I am prisoner of Tanglewick and his sport. Unless your alchemist father can bring a corpse to life with greater success than he can change lead to gold... cannot be your man... Whatever you ask within my power, if it be honorable, I am for you.”

In the late summer of 1352,Sir Malcolm Drummond, knight of Scotland, stands in place of his lord against charges of murder and theft of treasure. Though innocent, to save his lord and friends, he surrenders to imprisonment, torture, and promised execution to an enemy who has long had a taste for his blood. Only one person might help — peculiar lady with arcane knowledge. The favorite of his captor, her meddling could greatly worsen the knight´s treatment. More murders follow, and Drummond must unmask treason, quell rebellion, recover treasure, and save the woman he loves. With fourteenth-century vocabulary and period details, this easy read will quicken your pulse and leave you gasping for more.

The Earl challenged in amazement and reproof, “You mean to depart without even learning the fate of your own man?”... Tanglewick ... trembled with the effort to restrain himself from violence upon his departing guest... Tanglewick growled, “Get you gone from here in all haste. Long have you over stayed your welcome. Fly, for as your man’s blood soils my hands, every drop shall I extract from your own hide if I find you on my land by nightfall!”

About the Author

K. L. Butters’s writing vibrates with believability from personal experience as rich and exciting as the tales told. Butters learned to spin a yarn from a grandfather who spent his life at sea and in logging camps. Strong interest in maritime and medieval history, defines the author’s eclectic studies, adventurous pursuits, skills, and life experiences that assure intimate understanding of many aspects of medieval life. K. L. enjoyed years of working with a destrier, a great horse trained to carry armoured knights for jousting and swordplay. Butters’s unique perspective gives stories of medieval life vivid realism that pulls you irresistibly into the tales.