1350, County Durham, England. Newly-widowed Margaret Surteys takes over her husband’s brewery, seizing her only chance for independence. Someone wants to make sure she doesn’t succeed.
A winner in the 2025 Pacific Northwest Writers Association Unpublished Contest
The years following the Black Death were an age of uncertainty… and opportunity. Still, the village is shocked when Margaret Surteys takes on her dead husband’s brewery, despite her advanced age and opposition from the powerful Reeve. She also takes on her abandoned step-granddaughter, Agnes, who has plans of her own.
As the business grows, Margaret and Agnes battle official pressures, a string of mysterious mishaps at the brewery, and each other. Suspecting organized sabotage, possibly linked to more than one death, they hatch a scheme to catch the culprit. It ends in disaster. Now Margaret must risk her livelihood and newfound autonomy to save the child she has come to love.
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Praise for An Uncertain Age:
“…[A] richly realized medieval village, vivid descriptions of brewing and daily labour, and confident command of period law and custom… compelling, memorable protagonists, supported by a strong cast of characters…delivers a conclusion both satisfying and true to its historical world.”
— The Historical Novels Review
“A remarkable debut. Richly drawn and impeccably paced, Nolen’s novel centers women who fight to survive—and to be heard—in a world that is harsh, sometimes cruel, but finally alive with resilience.”
— Peter Mountford, author of Detonator and The Dismal Science
“Beautifully crafted with graceful prose, masterful world-building, and compelling characters, An Uncertain Age is an atmospheric, deeply moving historical mystery. Highly recommended.”
— Amy Maroney, author of the Sea and Stone Chronicles
AN UNCERTAIN AGE creates a vivid portrayal of a spirited and ambitious woman making her way in a man’s world. Rich in historical detail, Nolen’s debut offers a captivating blend of suspense and mystery in medieval England.
— Elise Hooper, author of The Library of Lost Dollhouses
In this interview with Lynn Slaughter, I discuss ways I created 3-dimensional characters in An Uncertain Age.
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