Rookwood

"Rookwood" by William Harrison Ainsworth is a gripping historical novel that plunges into a world of secrets, legends, and eerie ancestral curses. The story follows Luke, who unearths shocking truths about his family's history, including a connection to the infamous highwayman Dick Turpin and an ominous curse tied to the Rookwood family’s mystical lime tree. Beginning with a chilling midnight encounter in a burial vault, Luke finds his mother’s corpse, fueling themes of revenge as he confronts his heritage and the alleged murder of his mother, all while grappling with the dark legacy of Sir Piers Rookwood, his father, which will propel him on a quest for truth.