"Your book, Catherine, entirely escapes the mould" —Stephen O’Shea, on "Montségur a novel"

Comment from Stephen O’Shea, author of The Perfect Heresy

‘For some reason (doubtless because I wrote The Perfect Heresy), I have received quite a few Cathar-themed manuscripts over the years, both non-fiction and fiction. The latter usually involve the tried-and-true medieval histo-device of employing non-consensual sex whenever there is a lull in the action. And when you throw in the Cathars, this is usually accompanied by woolly (and utterly boring) post-naughty pages devoted to theology and the like.

‘Your book, Catherine, entirely escapes the mould. Congratulations. I read it in one sitting, so pleased was I by the inexorable forward movement of the plot and by the clever framing of the narrative. Deathbed Esme and William Belibaste was an inspired idea, perhaps only truly understood by Cathar lore initiates, but who cares? Also inspired: the story-stones possessed by Esme and her pals. It was a wholly believable slice of the supernatural and one, incidentally, that spared you awkward transitioning to important side-stories.

‘I wondered how you were going to deal with Montsegur, March 1244 – after all, we all know what happened. Imagine my surprise when presented with a bravura plot pretzel of impersonation at the edge of the pyre... and, the biggest kicker of all, the revelation concerning Guilhem's lineage. Truly very good, novelistic stuff. You escaped retelling and made the story your own. I salute you.

‘And the writing. Dead on. Smooth and possessed of just the right amount of lyricism, without drifting off into New Age-y self-indulgence or pseudo-medieval blather. So, congratulations!

Great work, CdC!'