England, 1685. In the wake of King Charles II's death, the crown passes to his Catholic brother, James, despite Protestant unrest. Hal Bartholomew, envoy with ties to both court and country, is dispatched to Holland to dissuade the exiled Duke of Monmouth - Charles's illegitimate son - from rebellion.

But Monmouth's plans are already in motion. Wounded and on the run after the disastrous battle at Sedgemoor, Hal finds an unlikely sanctuary with Penny Rossi: the childhood friend who has always loved him. For Hal, a man who never believed in love, Penny's devotion begins to reveal what he never thought he needed.

Their escape to Florence offers a fragile peace, but dangers from the past cast a long shadow. As letters from home carry grim news and long-buried secrets resurface, Hal and Penny must face the cost of loyalty.

A sweeping tale of rebellion, redemption and love, SON OF THE MORNING is the fourth book in Dodie Bishop's Silence And Shadows series of historical novels.