9 July 2009

Lady of the Butterflies, by award-winning historical novelist Fiona Mountain, is based on the life of Lady Eleanor Glanville in 17th century Somerset and London.

Lady Glanville took a serious interest in butterflies at a time when this was still considered an extraordinary pursuit, especially for a woman. When she died her family had her will overturned on the grounds that anybody who was a fascinated by butterflies must be crazy.

Her name will be familiar to any butterfly lover as it was given to one of Britain's 57 native butterflies -the Glanville Fritillary, currently under severe threat and found only on the Isle of Wight.

In the aftermath of the English Civil War, a girl grows up on the ancient marshlands of Somerset. Raised by Puritan father, she longs for love, marriage and children, but alongside this desire, an altogether more reckless passion develops; an obsession with natural history and with butterflies in particular. Eleanor Glanville was destined to become a great scientific pioneer, but in a world that believed butterflies to be the souls of the dead, her passion would lead her into lethal danger even form those who most loved her - for society will always seek to destroy what it fears. Spanning the violent events of the Monmouth Rebellion, Lady of the Butterflies is the true story of a fascinating and terrible time in which the life and loves of one unusual woman are fatefully caught up.

Visitors to the Butterfly Conservation website can get their copy of Lady of the Butterflies at a special reduced price.

Simply place your order at Random House Books and enter the promotional code BUTTERFLIES at the checkout to receive 25% off and free postage and packing (UK only).

'This wonderful and enchanting story will be treasured as a read I shall never forget.' Emilia Fox, actress

'One of the best historical novels I have read in ages.' Alison Weir, author and historian

Offer valid until 31st October 2009.