The Good Man’s Daughter

1244. Why would two hundred men and women walk joyfully towards the flames that will consume them? And what was the treasure they left behind..? Set in medieval France after the bloody persecution of the Cathars by the Catholic church, The Good Man’s Daughter is the story of Elouise and her love for the three men in her life; her father, Jean, a Cathar preacher; Michel, a shepherd and life long friend; and Guillaume, the young knight who becomes her lover. The story unfolds a generation after the destroying army has left the region and the few remaining Cathars are living in peace amongst the hills and valleys of the Languedoc. But their lives change when an corrupt priest begins a new campaign of persecution against the heretics. Jean is captured and imprisoned and Elouise must seek sanctuary at the Chateau Roc. Torn between her faith and her feelings she must decide whether survival is reason enough for living. As events lead to a dramatic climax at the Chateau the secret of the Cathar treasure is revealed. This debut novel by Roger Stokes is a masterful blend of authentic history and human drama, and will appeal to fans of historical fiction, who enjoy a great human story set against a background of dramatic and accurate historical events.