"Mine is the Night" by Liz Curtis Higgs

"Scotland, spring, 1746 has proven to be a dangerous time for those with Jacobite leanings. Elizabeth Kerr knows only too well how deadly the world can be. Her husband, Lord Donald Kerr and his brother Andrew have perished in battle, fighting for the Jacobite cause. Lady Marjory Kerr, her widowed mother-in-law, has been stripped of title, land and income. Now Elizabeth and Marjory flee Edinburgh, seeking sanctuary with a distant cousin in Selkirk.

So opens “Mine is the Night,” Liz Curtis Higgs’ follow-up to “Here Burns My Candle.” The gripping story spins the story of the two women as they struggle to survive under the constant threat of exposure as traitors to the Crown. Such an event would lead to dire punishment, possibly even death. With no income and no trade, how can two gentlewomen make a way under such conditions?

Read more here.

Book Review-'Here Burns My Candle' by Liz Curtis Higgs

A candle offers illumination, and in the same way “Here Burns My Candle” illuminates subjects that might leave you a little uneasy in the short term. In the long-run, this thought provoking historical novel will shed light on Scottish history as well as Biblical truth.

Lady Elisabeth Kerr, a commoner married into nobility, keeps a secret. Although she attends church services with the family, she privately follows the ‘auld’ ways. The clash of beliefs within her heart is every bit as wrenching as the battles fought by the Jacobites and the English.

Her mother-in-law, dowager Lady Marjory, is very class-conscious, wondering at her older son’s choice of wife even as she clings to her younger son’s more ‘suitable’ spouse. Marjory has secrets and regrets which shape her life.

The Kerr sons, Lord Donald and Andrew, carry their own burdens. Donald’s serial infidelities seem to echo today’s headlines. Andrew is a spoiled young man, focused on his own pleasure.

Everything changes for the Kerrs when Bonnie Prince Charlie arrives to reclaim the Scottish throne. As their world fills with dissension and warfare, the family members must make choices and take actions with long-reaching consequences.

Higgs is a master of recasting Bible stories in another setting to share their truth from a different perspective. Here she tackles the story of Ruth and Naomi, moving the action to Edinburgh in the 1740’s. As in her previous novels, Higgs retells the story without simply rewording it – she has cultivated a fresh blossom from the familiar branch.

One of my favorite aspects of this book is the rich flavor of Scotland which permeates and seasons the story without obscuring it. There is a map of 1745 Edinburgh to help with geography. Scottish phrases are placed in an explanatory context without interrupting the flow. Higgs’ thorough research gives us descriptions and situations which ring true.

The subjects of faith, forgiveness, political allegiance, social status and familial bonds are some of the themes explored in depth through the Kerr family. “Here Burns My Candle” is an addictive book, so be warned. This is not a book to read on coffee breaks unless you are willing to risk being late back to work. Settle in with a cup of tea in a comfortable chair and lose yourself in Higgs’ latest book.  

“Here Burns My Candle” by Liz Curtis Higgs

Published 2010

WaterBrook Press

'Unveiling Mary Magdalene' by Liz Curtis Higgs

Mary Magdalene seems to be the “It” girl of the first decade of the 21st century. She has been variously portrayed as a slut, a prostitute, an adulteress, an epileptic, a business woman; she’s been labeled Jesus’ financial supporter, his lover, his wife and mother of his child(ren). Before Dan Brown made her a clue in his code, she was one of the Bad Girls of the Bible to author Liz Curtis Higgs.

Higgs excels at the practice of taking a well-known Bible story and setting it in a different locale, a different time period to remind us of the enduring truth underlying the familiar words. For her, Mary Magdalene is ripe for transporting to modern-day Chicago. Higgs does an admirable job of turning Magdalene into Mad Mary Margaret Delaney, an off-kilter woman roaming the streets of the north side. When Mary meets pastor Jake Stauros, her life takes a totally different tack.

Jake leads a barely surviving neighborhood church (across the street from a moving company’s warehouse, to give you an idea of the neighborhood) and specializes in helping those whom society has cast off. Mary fits the bill nicely. Through a series of events, we see Mary leave the tormented landscape of her mind and rejoin society.

Through Mary Delaney, Higgs sweeps away the centuries to bring us a portrait of a troubled woman who is redeemed by faith. The tone is gently conversational, as though Higgs is bringing you up-to-date on a mutual friend. While remaining faithful to known Biblical information, she fleshes out the character in a fresh setting to make us rethink the position of Mary Magdalene in the early days of the church.

The first half of the book relates Mary’s path; the second half is a study of the person behind the story and the basis of Higgs’ conclusions about her. It works on both levels. This book is imminently suitable for use as a study group subject and satisfying as a novel. Taken together, the book is a gem. Originally published as “Mad Mary,” the renamed “Unveiling Mary Magdalene” is a great read. It is available at most bookstores, as well as through Higgs online store. Visit her website at http://www.lizcurtishiggs.com/, if you have any difficulty finding it or would like to know more about this prolific author.

Copyright 2007 Mary Beth Magee