Inheritance — forthcoming

New book publishing on May 6, 2021

My latest exploration into the history of 17th Century London is due out this May.

It is the exciting,and unexpected story of a young woman and the plot of land that came to determine her life. It is a history of inheritance, madness, forced marriages, religious conspiracy, court cases and urban planning.

In June 1701, a young widow, Mary Grosvenor wakes up in a hotel room in Paris and finds a man in her bed. Within hours they are married. Yet three weeks later, Mary fled to London and swore that she had never agreed to the wedding. So begins one of the most intriguing stories of madness, tragic passions and the curse of inheritance.

Inheritance charts the forgotten life of Mary Grosvenor, born in London during the Great Plague of 1665, and the land that she inherited as a baby. This estate would determine the course of her tragic life. Hollis restores this history of child brides, mad heiresses, religious controversy and shady dealing. The drama culminated in a court case that determined not just the state of Mary’s legacy, but the future of London itself. Today, Mary’s inheritance is some of the most valuable real estate in the world.

Over the next few months I will start adding details to this and giving excerpts and insights into the book. You can preorder here.