THE DEFINITIVE, CHARACTER-LED HISTORY OF THE MOST FAMOUS YEAR IN ENGLISH HISTORY – 1066

On 5 January 1066, Edward the Confessor’s death plunged England into a succession crisis that would change the kingdom forever. Mere hours after Edward’s remains had been laid to rest, his brother-in-law Harold II seized power, inciting the wrath of two formidable challengers: King Haraldr Sigurðarson of Norway and Edward’s ambitious cousin, William, Duke of Normandy.

In this startling new history, Dr Erin Goeres unveils the intense drama that unfolded, culminating in the tumultuous nineteen days between the battles of Stamford Bridge and Hastings in the autumn of 1066, and which led to the deaths of two monarchs and the end of Anglo-Scandinavian rule in England.

Drawing together sources from the three regions at the heart of the fray – England, Normandy and Scandinavia – Goeres uncovers the complex histories, characters and motivations that drove these conflicts. We discover the stories of Tostig Godwinson, Harold II’s estranged brother; of William the Conqueror’s enigmatic wife, Matilda of Flanders, alleged lover of Harold of England; and we meet the regular people swept up in events beyond their control, such as an English farmer beheaded for his unwillingness to give up his fur-lined coat to a Norwegian invader.

Nineteen Days in Autumn is a gripping tale of three nations entwined and the enthralling yet devastating consequences of their unravelling.

'A thrilling journey' ALICE LOXTON

'Dazzlingly creative' ANTHONY BALE

'Visceral, thrilling and unexpectedly gripping given we all know the outcome!' EMMA SOUTHON

'With more treachery, tragedy and cliffhangers than an episode of Game of Thrones, Nineteen Days in Autumn makes for an exhilarating read' HETTA HOWES

'Erin Goeres is a stunning new voice in medieval history' SUZANNAH LIPSCOMB

'Brilliant and compelling' TABITHA STANMORE

© Erin Goeres 2026 (P) Penguin Audio 2026