The Thief Taker by

It's mystery week here at Royal Reviews and to get things started is Cat.



Title: The Thief Taker
Author: Janet Gleeson
Genre: Historical Mystery
Publisher: Random House, 2004
Rating: 3 crowns

Murder and mystery in eighteenth-century London.

Agnes Meadowes is cook to the renowned silversmiths, Blanchards of Foster Lane. The death of her husband freed her from an abusive marriage and she values her new independence and the security of her position although she is unable to have her young son with her. But her quiet routine is about to change!

One night the Blanchards most expensive piece, a giant silver wine cooler, is stolen and the young apprentice on watch is found murdered. At the same time , a young maid, Rose, disappears. Is there a connection between the two happenings? Theodore Blanchard employs the services of a thief taker to recover the stolen silver and calls upon Agnes to act as an intermediary between them and also to use her position in the household to talk to the other servants in the hope of finding out what befell Rose.

Very soon Agnes finds herself caught in the underworld of shady dealings, hidden secrets and murderous intent and before she uncovers the truth her own life will be at considerable risk.

One of the things I enjoyed most about this book was the glimpse into eighteenth-century life 'downstairs', the different duties of the household staff and what each one involved. It was a world with a rigid social hierachy of its own and woe betide anyone who dared step out of their place.

Then there is the food! Accompanying Agnes to the market and watching her prepare the meals is fascinating but doesn't exactly leave one with an appetite............." fried tripe and boiled cauliflower, ragout of pig's ears, macaroni pie, roast mutton and cabbage"........that is one dinner menu!

Although it starts a little slowly the storyline is well written and the mystery develops skillfully with enough twists and turns to keep the reader guessing until it builds to an excellent, fast paced climax. While it may not be the most memorable reading it provides a solid and satisfying cozy mystery and I enjoyed it as such.



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The Confession of Katherine Howard by Suzannah Dunn

Title- The Confession of Katherine Howard

Author- Suzannah Dunn

Publisher- Harper Press a division of Harper Collins

Release Date- May 27, 2010

Format- Hardback

Pages- 307

Rating- 4.5 Crowns (Although It Should be a 5)





Cat Tilney (a poor relation to the Dowager Duchess) has high expectations of what life will be like growing up in the household of the Dowager Duchess of Norfolk’s household. For years her mother has instilled in her the qualities and graces on should possess when in the service of person of high standing, although all Cats previous notions are about to fly out the widow with the arrival of a young Katherine Howard. While Katherine is a Howard it is made known that, she is a lesser Howard, one that can be tossed aside and forgotten about. Katherine and Cat are as different as night and day, an immediately Cat becomes highly suspicious of this single-minded girl. Much to Cats dismay she finds that as the two girls grow up together the closer they become. Both girls embark on a summer romance, although Katherine is willing to further than what is deemed respectable, while Cat is more demure and guarded.

When Katherine turns seventeen, she is surprised to find that the Howard’s have regained favour with Henry VIII, and she is called to court to serve the new Queen Anne. Finding her rise to court life to exhilarating to refuse, she dismisses her lover Francis with the wave of her hand moving on to a more influential man, Thomas Culpepper. Not only did Katherine leave behind Francis she has left behind her good friend and confident Cat, and in Katherine’s absence, the two grow closer together.

Soon King Henry finds that his Queen is displeasing and sets his sights on young, attractive Katherine. A short annulment later and Katherine finds herself Queen of England. She immediately calls for Cat to be one of her ladies-in-waiting. When Cat comes to serve her Queen, she is uneasy about the fact Katherine is carrying on an affaire with the King’s favoured attendant, Thomas Culpepper. When the Queen’s past begins to resurface, Cat begins to pickup on the lies that Katherine is telling which have implicated Francis, the only man that Cat has loved. With her lover imprisoned in the Tower on London, and her Queen in jeopardy of losing everything what will Cat, the one person who knows each and every deep dark secret of Katherine’s life do?


This has to be one of my favourite books regarding Katherine Howard. I loved how she told the story through the eyes of an observer who has been with Katherine throughout her life both with the Duchess and then as Queen. By creating the story through the eyes of Cat Tilney, Suzannah Dunn has added a depth to the story that made it rich in both emotions and plot. I also thought the text and historical aspects were both rich and informative.





The book also had me thinking about the real Katherine Howard, and I do believe that she was very self-centered, and thought herself to be untouchable. She believed that the King’s love would save her no matter what trespasses she had committed. The one thing that I do not understand about Katherine is why she could not see the path that led her own cousin, Anne Boleyn, to the scaffold. Surely you would think that that would weigh on her mind while she was carrying on her affaire with Thomas Culpepper. Regardless of his love for Katherine, her betrayal was too much to the ageing King to accept and like her cousin and predecessor, Anne, Katherine wounded Henry’s vanity to the point of no return, he would have no other grand romance and in his eyes Katherine must pay the ultimate price.

I also wonder what Jane Boleyn, Lady Rochford, was thinking. She was more or less the author of her husbands demise, and she better than most was aware of how lethal the Kings wrath could be. During her imprisonment in the Tower she is recorded as being insane, whether her insanity was true or a cleaver ploy to avoid the executioners block no one will ever know, as the King passed a law allowing to the insane to executed.

Also I wanted to add that Cat Tilney was a real person she was taken prisoner in the Tower at the time of the inquiry into Katherine’s past

On the 10th of December both Francis Durham and Thomas Culpepper were executed at Tyburn. Queen Katherine along with Lady Rochford were executed on the 13th of February at the Tower Green.

My favourite lines from the book:

“England: firelight, and fireblush; wine-dark, winking gemstones and a frost of pearls. Wool as soft as silk, in leaf-green and moss; satins glossy like a midsummer midnight or opalescent like winter sunrise. To see us there, no one would have guessed that we were barely free of a decade of destruction: the stripping of the churches, and dismantling of monasteries, the chaining of monks to the walls to die, the smash of a sword blade into a queen’s bared neck. None of it had actually happened to us, though; it’d passed by us as we’d sat embroidering………..”


“If felt like to me the beginning of our future. I’d never had any reason to doubt it……………….. This is who we are: the perfect queen and her faithful retinue. Now, I wish I could go back, patter over the lavish carpets to tap us on the shoulders, whisper in our ears and get us out alive. Little did I know it, but, that night we were already ghosts in our own lives.”



If you enjoyed reading The Confessions of Katherine Howard by Suzannah Dunn then I recommend reading

The Queen of Subtleties by Suzannah Dunn
(This was the first book by Suzannah that I read and I loved the way she wrote about Anne Boleyn)

Also for another fictional account of Katherine Howard please check out The King’s Rose by Alisa M. Libby


My thanks to the publisher for sending me this copy to review.









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Innocent Traitor by Alison Weir

Title Innocent Traitor

Author- Alison Weir

Released November 6, 2007

Paperback: 432 pages

Publisher: Ballantine Books

ISBN-13: 978-0345495341

Appropriate for Young Adults to Adults


The “Nine Day Queen” as she is known in the history books…….I appreciate the author’s title better The Innocent Traitor for that is what Jane Grey was. I had no idea what I was getting into when I first started this book. I do not typically read historical fiction, but this book appealed to me for some reason. The author had written nine previous non-fiction historical accounts of Britain’s history so I knew she would have to be well-versed.

In The Innocent Traitor, Ms. Weir gives us a bird’s eye view of what is happening from many perspectives. I know that is what I loved about this book! I got to venture into the thoughts of Lady Jane Grey, her nasty mother Duchess Frances, the evil Northumbunderland and his whiney son Guilford, the sweet and kind Queen Katherine Parr and the oh so wonderful nurse who cares for Lady Jane Grey from her birth to her death. In researching the book afterward I found so much of it was completely accurate, right down to the actual words spoken by Lady Jane Grey. She was used as a pawn by her parents and Northumbunderland to be put on the throne in hopes that they could rule through her. Lady Jane thwarted their plans by being too smart for them, trying to refuse the crown and when realizing she could not, she did not bow down to their influence. Once crowned, Lady Jane took control. Unfortunately, her reign only lasted for nine days. Then Jane’s cousin and rightful heir, “Bloody Mary” was asserted to the throne.

This book is so many things. It is about the birth and life of a young girl who is exceptional in so many ways. Lady Jane stands for her Protestant beliefs and thrives on learning. If nothing else her parents do give her that, the ability and the tutors in which to learn from. The Innocent Traitor is a beautiful story about a girl who should be a tragic story but because of her beliefs, it’s not. After reading it I only hope that I can emulate the thoughts and beliefs of a precious 17 year old girl whose life has been used by so many. I cannot recommend this book highly enough. Read it…and let me know what you think would have happened in the history books had Mary NOT come to power and Jane stayed on the throne….hmmm, quite an interesting thought!

From Goodreads Description:

I am now a condemned traitor . . . I am to die when I have hardly begun to live.

Historical expertise marries page-turning fiction in Alison Weir’s enthralling debut novel, breathing new life into one of the most significant and tumultuous periods of the English monarchy. It is the story of Lady Jane Grey–“the Nine Days’ Queen”–a fifteen-year-old girl who unwittingly finds herself at the center of the religious and civil unrest that nearly toppled the fabled House of Tudor during the sixteenth century.

The child of a scheming father and a ruthless mother, for whom she is merely a pawn in a dynastic game with the highest stakes, Jane Grey was born during the harrowingly turbulent period between Anne Boleyn’s beheading and the demise of Jane’s infamous great-uncle, King Henry VIII. With the premature passing of Jane’s adolescent cousin, and Henry’s successor, King Edward VI, comes a struggle for supremacy fueled by political machinations and lethal religious fervor.

Unabashedly honest and exceptionally intelligent, Jane possesses a sound strength of character beyond her years that equips her to weather the vicious storm. And though she has no ambitions to rule, preferring to immerse herself in books and religious studies, she is forced to accept the crown, and by so doing sets off a firestorm of intrigue, betrayal, and tragedy.

Alison Weir uses her unmatched skills as a historian to enliven the many dynamic characters of this majestic drama. Along with Lady Jane Grey, Weir vividly renders her devious parents; her much-loved nanny; the benevolent Queen Katherine Parr; Jane’s ambitious cousins; the Catholic “Bloody” Mary, who will stop at nothing to seize the throne; and the protestant and future queen Elizabeth. Readers venture inside royal drawing rooms and bed chambers to witness the power-grabbing that swirls around Lady Jane Grey from the day of her birth to her unbearably poignant death. Innocent Traitor paints a complete and compelling portrait of this captivating young woman, a faithful servant of God whose short reign and brief life would make her a legend.






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The Virgin's Daughters by Jeane Westin

Title- The Virgin's Daughters

Auhtor- Jeane Westin

Release Date- August 4, 2009

Publisher-Penguin Publishing

Rating- 5 Crowns



The Virgin's Daughters is a unique story of Queen Elizabeth I, the daughter of Anne Boleyn and King Henry VIII. It is a story told by two different ladies in waiting to the Queen . It is also told in two different times in the Queens life. Elizabeth wanted to be a strong monarch and she was in love with Robert Dudley but would not give herself to him because she considered herself the Virgin Queen thus she did not want any of the ladies around her to have relationships either.




Lady Katherine Grey , cousin to Elizabeth, was by some considered to be the next in line for the throne. She did not want to be Queen and just wanted to serve Elizabeth. She was the younger sister to Lady Jane Grey who had been Queen for only 2 weeks. At this time she just wanted to serve the queen. She met and fell in love with Edward Seymour and secretly married him and had 2 children by him. Once the queen found out, she was very angry ,she had Katherine imprisoned as was Edward in the Tower of London. A sympathetic guard allowed Edward and Katherine to have visits which resulted in the second child. When Queen Elizabeth found out about this she ordered the children and Edward away and decreed that Edward and Katherine were never to meet again, which they never did. Their marriage was annulled and the children considered illegitimate.




Mistress Mary Rogers was the Queens lady in waiting in Elizabeth's later years. By this time Elizabeth is a bitter women and had never married and had no heir. Mary also met and fell in love and had to marry in secret also.




This story tells about the the men and women close to the Queen and how angry and bitter she could be and wanted to rule the lives of those around her. In her alter life she called herself The Virgin Queen and that she was married to her people and expected those around her to do as she wished.




This is a tale of court intrique, and sexual longings of a queen and her court, how the queen expected the ladies around her to be virtuous. She considered Lady Katherine and Mary to be her 'daughters'.




A very well researched and written, this is a book that I give 5 stars to. Another must...







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King’s Fool by Margaret Campbell Barnes

Title: King’s Fool: A Notorious King, His Six Wives and the One Man who knew all Their Secrets

Author: Margaret Campbell Barnes

Publisher: Source Books

Genre: Historical Fiction

Rating: 4.5

Synopsis: A young shy boy born in Shropshire , Will Somers soon leaves his home for the household of merchant Richard Fermor. Will soon becomes a well loved part of the household, and especially of Fermor’s daughter Joanna. As fate would have it, he accompanies Master Fermor to court and comes to the notice of King Henry VIII after mimicking one of his counselors during a sporting competition. Henry takes an immediate liking to Will and makes him his jester on the spot-an opportunity many would consider lucky. Will does not however as all he wants is to return with Master Fermor to be with Joanna.

Will soon learns though that ridiculous costume aside, his job has many perks including the ability to address the King informally and say whatever he wants in the name of entertainment. He soon becomes an accepted member of the royal family and as such is accorded a front row seat to history. Will gives a firsthand account of the tumultuous love life of Henry VIII and a person glimpse of the man behind the crown. Through it all he is also able to influence the King in his own way, pointing out injustices and suggesting the King extend kindnesses to those deserving through humor.


Review: I have one word for this book: brilliant! Margaret Campbell Barnes takes a man that has often played a secondary role in many a Tudor book I’ve read and really makes him shine. Through her portrayal we see Will Somers as an intelligent, kind human being, not just the Fool willing to do anything for a good laugh as his title suggests. She also does an admirable job of showing both sides of Henry VIII-the roaring tyrant and as time goes on the paranoid, weary man constantly trying to appease his conscience. Seeing the Tudor Court and its inner workings through Will’s eyes brings a refreshing perspective to a much told story. We see a vulnerable Princess Mary caught in the ever-changing political tides of the time, and the scheming Cromwell always looking for a way to bring more money to the crown as well as a peek at all six of those lovely ladies who had the misfortune to catch the eye of the King of England.

I honestly cannot find one bad thing to say about this book except that I wish it had been longer.

The author does a marvelous job of giving a voice to a man that had the King’s ear for 22 years and managed to keep his head and get the girl in the process. A must read for any Tudor fan.



Note: I gave this 4.5 crowns. I didn't give it 5 crowns because it said on the rating descriptions that it had to recieve 4.5 crowns from 3 reviewers before receiving a 5 but it is definitely a 5 crown read :)



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The King & His Court by Alison Weir

This week on Royal Reviews is the King & His Court week. Throughout the week our Royal Reviewers will be reviewing books pertaining to Henry VIII and his court. Join us this as we take a look into the world of Henry VIII.

-The Queen of the Quill




Title: Henry VIII: The King & His Court

Author: Alison Weir

Publisher: Ballantine Books

Genre: Historical Non-Fiction

Publishing Date: 2001

Rating: 4 Crowns

Synopsis: Henry VIII, renowned for his command of power and celebrated for his intellect, presided over one of the most magnificent - and dangerous - courts in Renaissance Europe. Never before has a detailed, personal biography of this charismatic monarch been set against the cultural, social, and political background of his glittering court.
Now Alison Weir, author of the finest royal chronicles of our time, brings to vibrant life the turbulent, complex figure of the King. Packed with colorful description, meticulous in historical detail, rich in pageantry, intrigue, passion, and luxury, Weir brilliantly renders King Henry VIII, his court, and the fascinating men and women who vied for its pleasures and rewards. The result is an absolutely spellbinding read.

My Review: I remember when I was younger and still in school, before the days of Google and Wikipedia, I found it so frustrating that great, yet interesting, historical biographies seemed difficult to find. It's too bad this book didn't exist back then!

Prior to reading this book, I had heard that Alison Weir managed to make a historical biography seem almost as easily read as a historical fiction novel, and she certainly does. Once you get past the initial chapters where the details of money and administration are mostly passed, the story is so lovely that you really do forget you're reading a biography rather than a fictional tale.

This book does a great job of reminding the reader of why so many people genuinely loved Henry VIII, describing his charm and intellect, and I even found myself wishing I could have known him. The majority of the historical fiction novels we read are from the perspective of the women, and Henry himself is very often portrayed as a crazed villain. While I'm still not convinced he made fair decisions in all circumstances, this book did a lot to win me over as far as he was concerned.

Aside from changing my mind about Henry VIII, this book provides a lot of facts that I never would have even thought to ask: how expensive the court was to feed, the number of women who actually existed at court, and even how much power Henry allowed his advisers to think they had. It's also easy to forget how difficult life was back then, but this book is a good reminder of what a life really must have been like. A life where everyone, even the King, doesn't really have it so easy.



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Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen

Title-Northanger Abbey
Author-Jane Austen
Rating 3.5 Crowns



I love reading Jane Austen's books and after seeing a version of this on Georgia Public Broadcasting a month or so ago I had to read it. This is a fairly short novel when compared to some of Austen's other works but it is an enjoyable and quick read in which the heroine has to learn the difference between reality and Gothic fantasy.

This is the story of Catherine Morland, a very un-heroine-like heroine, though a delightfully charming one. During a trip to Bath with the Allens she makes several new friends including Isabella and John Thorpe and Henry and Eleanor Tilney. As with most Austen heroines, her first impressions and naivety soon give way to misunderstandings and deceit. Her faith in her "dear" friend Isabella is shattered when her eyes are finally opened to the type of person Isabella really is. At the same time, Isabella's brother has set the scene for a serious misunderstanding that will cause Catherine much anxiety and trouble down the road. When she is invited by the Tilneys to stay with them at their home Northanger Abbey Catherine is thrilled, sure that the abbey will be as wonderfully haunted and mysterious as those in the Gothic novels she loves to read. Once under the abbey's roof, Catherine's very vivid imagination begins to run away with her and leads her to some extreme embarrassment and an estrangement from Henry Tilney. However, as we expect with Austen, there is a happy, sweet, feel-good ending.


This was one of Austen's earliest novels and while probably not quite up to the same standards as say Pride and Prejudice or Sense and Sensibility this is still a delightful read. Like most of her novels, this one is full of social commentary and it is very easy to imagine Bath and its inhabitants through Catherine's eyes. Austen really does a good job of describing life during this time period (though in this novel some of that description seems a bit tongue-in-cheek). Her spoof on the Gothic novel (which was all the rage at this time) really is hysterical to read. I had to laugh as Catherine searched in vain to find some evidence of spookiness and cobwebs in the abbey, only to be highly disappointed when she realizes that is is quite normal and there is no one locked away in a hidden room. Catherine herself is almost a spoof on the "typical" novel heroine of the day - she is a very average girl who just happens to have a very active imagination. Catherine's "hero" isn't your typical hero either; you won't see Henry showering Catherine with flowery love poems, though you will see him constantly teasing her, but he is quite charming and I couldn't help falling for him! I really enjoyed all the twists and turns throughout the novel and finished in only a couple of days. My only issue with it was the climatic scene between Catherine and Henry which really was quite anti-climatic. I really had hoped to see more concerning the fate of this couple (as they are really delightful and I loved their story) but it was only vaguely mentioned. Aside from that, this is a thoroughly enjoyable read for any true Austen lover. I would also recommend it to those readers that may feel a bit intimidated by Austen's larger, more well-known novels and would like a shorter introduction to her writing. I only gave it a 3.5 because it was a tad slow to get into and, as I have already read other Austen novels, I couldn't help comparing it to them (and I positively love Sense).


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The Lost Memoirs of Jane Austen by Syrie James

Title: The Lost Memoirs of Jane Austen

Author: Syrie James

Genre: Historical Fiction

Publisher: HarperCollins, 2008

298p

Rating 4/5




What, if, hidden in an old attic chest, Jane Austen's memoirs were discovered after hundreds of years? What if those pages revealed the untold story of a life-changing love affair? That's the premise behind this spellbinding novel, which delves into the secrets of Jane Austen's life, giving us untold insights into her mind and heart.

In her foreword Syrie James writes " I felt a great responsibility to remain true to Jane Austen's known history, and to accurately represent not only her, but her real-life friends and family members." and how beautifully she has succeeded in doing that. The love and respect she feels for her subject are evident in every paragraph as she writes , not only about Jane, but as Jane herself.

The memoir is being written in Jane's later years when she is ill and feels the need "to relate, in pen and ink, a relationship of the most personal nature".

It is while staying in Lyme in the early 1800's that Jane meets her true love, the well-read and charming Mr Ashford, a man who is her equal in intellect and temperament. Despite their love there would be no happy ending and their hopes for marriage must be sacrificed because of Mr Ashford's family obligations.At this time Jane had given up her writing and her dream of being a published author but Mr Ashford's faith in her work inspires her to begin revising Sense and Sensibility. There would be many changes as Jane transfers her now awakened feelings of love and passion into the hearts of her characters.It's not only a love story but also a picture of the daily and social world that Jane, her mother and sister moved in ,which vividly brings the Regency period to life. An era when it wasn't easy to be an unmarried woman , a woman with a dream of having her books published.

The novel is a blend of fiction and fact and the author has added many footnotes to the pages explaining the references to passages from Jane's books and her personal papers. There are also lots of extras to interest the reader- an Austen family tree, a study guide and Jane quotations, an author interview and a book list.

Meticulously researched and written in a style so like that of Jane Austen I was totally captivated from the beginning with this entrancing story despite the fact I'm not keen on spin-offs. I would wholeheartedly recommend it not only to Austen lovers but for those who may think Jane Austen is not for them as an ideal introduction to her world.



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Sense & Sensibility by Jane Austen

Title: Sense & Sensibility

Author: Jane Austen

Publisher: Barnes & Noble

Genre: Classic

Rating: 4 Crowns

Sense & Sensibility tells the story of the Dashwood sisters: Elinor-the level headed elder sister and Marianne the impulsive, emotional sister. When the girls’ father dies unexpectedly, they and their mother are obliged to move out of their house now occupied by their half brother John and his self centered wife Fanny. They are offered a cottage at Barton by a distant relative which while cozy, suits the Dashwood women well.

Elinor wonders if she saw more into the attachment she formed with Fanny’s brother Edward before they departed their old home. Marianne meets the dashing Willoughby and soon falls in love with him but suffers great heartache when he abandons her unexpectedly. The Dashwood sisters spend the next three months at numerous social engagements. Elinor discovers that Edward had a courtship with another woman while Marianne finds that Willoughby was not who she thought. She is so distraught at the turn of events that she rebuffs the affections of the kind Colonel Brandon.

Growing tired of the social scene in London , Elinor and Marianne agree to leave for Cleveland , the estate of one of their acquaintances. On the way Marianne falls gravely ill. Colonel Brandon confesses his true feeling for her but it remains to be seen if the girls will find a true happy ending or not.

My Review: Jane Austen can always be relied on for a good romance story with subtle nuances. I really enjoyed the characters of Elinor and Marianne as their personalities reminded me a lot of me and my older sister. The cast of characters are what you would expect for the time period and for a Jane Austen novel-the deserving girls who fall on multiple misfortunes in their lives, the snooty society people who refuse to accept them, the silly society girls, the handsome gentleman who is secretly a rogue and the dashing gentleman (or men) who come in at the end to sweep the much loved heroines off their feet.

I find the whole courtship rituals of this time period fascinating. This book also provided a few twists to keep it interesting. Even minor misunderstandings (such as Mrs. Jennings, the older woman the girls are travelling with mistaking some good news delivered to Elinor by Colonel Brandon as a marriage proposal) are well played. I don’t think this one was quite as good as Pride and Prejudice as that book and its irreplaceable Mr. Darcy will always hold a special place in my heart and on my bookshelf but I really enjoyed this one.

I give it 4 crowns and will now have to spend the rest of the week trying not to refer to everyone as “My Dear Mr. ________ when I answer the phone at work.

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My Dearest Mr. Darcy by Sharon Lathan

Title: My Dearest Mr. Darcy
Author: Sharon Lathan
Publisher: Sourcebooks
Publications Date: January 2010
Paperback: 352 Pages
ISBN: 9781402217425
Genre: Fiction/Historical/Romance
Ratings 4.5 Crowns


My Review:

Sharon Lathan takes up where Jane Austen left off and regales the reader with her third novel in The Darcy Saga. My Dearest Mr. Darcy is a brilliantly woven tale picking up were Pride and Prejudice left off, almost a year into the marriage of Elizabeth Bennet and Fitzwilliam Darcy. All the characters are present, those loveable and not so loveable, making the Darcy's first two years of marriage an intriguing affair. This novel stands quite well on its own merits, as I have not read the previous two Lathan novels, however a knowledge of Pride and Prejudice is required to understand the subtle undercurrents of the numerous relationships. The novel centers on the upcoming birth of the Darcy's first child adding in some delightful exploits and a few unexpected twists. Most noted is the deep-seated adoration and unflinching love Mr. Darcy and Lizzy have for each other. While the moments are touching I found the more subtle romance of Jane Austen's novel to be more comfortable for me. Placing my prejudices aside, Lathan's novel is exquisitely told with a brilliant flourish of language and so rich in detail, that one would be hard pressed to set this novel down. My Dear Mr. Darcy makes for a fabulous afternoon of reading.












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Jane Austen week

Hello Royal Readers,

How many of you have read a book by Jane Austen? If you are like me that book will have left an imprint on your heart and mind for all eternity. There is something about her writing although from a different era remains fresh and new as though it transcends time. Over the past few years Jane Austen’s books have received more notoriety than ever thanks not only to the film industry, but to the talented authors who have created spin-offs, add-ons, and rewrites of Austen’s work. So join us here at Royal Reviews as we take a look into the world of Jane Austen.

Also don’t forget to leave your thoughts and comments, our lovely reviews love to hear what you are thinking. So do you remember your first encounter with Jane Austen and her witty characters?



A fun fact about Jane Austen

- Jane Austen never wrote a scene in which men are left alone, she said that she could not write a scene with only men because she did not know what they talked about when left alone.

Here are a few of my favorite spin-off authors

Abigail Reynolds
Monica Fairview
Sharon Lathan
Marsha Altman

Also for those who like a bit of gore don’t forget to check out
Emma & the Vampires by Jane Austen & Wayne Josephson
Pride & Prejudice with the Zombies by Steve Hockensmith
Sense & Sensibility & Sea Monsters by Jane Austen & Ben H. Winters



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The Kings Daughter, A Novel of the First Tudor Queen

Title- The King’s Daughter, A Novel of the First Tudor Queen

Author: Sandra Worth

Publisher: Berkley Books

Genre: Historical Fiction

Publishing Date: December 2, 2008

Rating: 5 Crowns





Fiercely devoted to her beloved father and King, seventeen-year-old Elizabeth of York trusts that his dying wish has left England in the hands of a just and deserving ruler. With a young successor not ready to reign, the power is passed to Elizabeth’s uncle, Richard of Gloucester—a man her mother has never trusted. It isn’t long before Elizabeth fears that her own faith was misplaced. Upon Richard’s rise, her family experiences one devastation after another: her late father is exposed as a bigamist, she and her siblings are branded bastards, and her brothers are taken into the new king’s custody, then reportedly killed. How could her father have believed in a man capable of such treachery?

But one fateful night shakes Elizabeth to the core and leads her to question all of her prejudices. Through the eyes of Richard’s ailing queen she sees a man worthy of respect and undying adoration. His dedication to his people inspires a forbidden love and ultimately gives her the courage to accept her destiny, marry Henry Tudor and become Queen. While her soul may always secretly belong to another, her heart forever belongs to England . . .


My Review:

Elizabeth of York, daughter of King Edward IV, lived the life of a true princess of England. A beloved princess to her father, she finds that upon his death she is to be used as a political pawn by her ruthless mother. After her father’s death, the world she was accustomed to no longer exist. Fleeing into the safety of the sanctuary with her mother and siblings after her father’s brother Richard claims the crown as his own. Too soon, they are forced to hand over the true heirs of the throne. King Richard soon comes to reveal the secret plans he made to save the lives of his young nephews. Welcoming Elizabeth to back to court, she soon finds that she is falling deeply in love with her uncle the King. With King Richard’s wife, Queen Anne dying, Elizabeth with the aid of the Queen, is pushed upon the King. Although a happy ending was not theirs to have. Rumors soon start circulating about Richard poising his wife to wed his niece, forcing Richard to deny them. Soon he must defend his kingdom against Henry Tudor. Struck by grief he rides into battle only to be slaughtered. Elizabeth has lost it all her father, and now the man she loves, she now knows that is her responsibility to protect those she loves. Marrying the new, King Henry Tudor she has ended the bloody wars know as The War of the Roses. Although the new Queen now finds that, she has no power with the King. She is more like a captive than a queen, constantly guarded by the King’s mother and spied on by the King’s spies. Unable to help those she loves and holding little sway over the King’s decision Elizabeth focuses on raising her son Arthur to be a goodly and just king. Little by little, Elizabeth finds that she has come to care for Henry. Soon their world is threatened by the uprising a man who claims to be one of the princes in the tower. Could this be Elizabeth’s brother coming to claim the crown that is rightfully his? Henry is quick to dispel any claims that this pretender may hold and executes all those associated with the previous Kings. Elizabeth will never know if he was indeed her brother. Upon her death, Elizabeth is finally reunited with the Richard, the king that she loves.

My Thoughts:

A once forgotten queen takes center stage in this gripping historical novel. Methodically researched and extremely well written, THE KING’S DAUGHTER, A NOVEL OF THE FIRST TUDOR QUEEN will pull on your heartstrings. Sandra Worth has a magical way of combing fiction and history so the reader is drawn into the heart of the book. Rich in detail, nothing has been overlooked in this breathtaking novel of love and loss. In THE KINGS DAUGHTER, A NOVEL OF THE FIRST TUDOR QUEEN Sandra Worth has included all the trappings and intrigues associated with court. On occasion you will read a book in which the story and characters have been so well defined that it will linger in your memory for all time, THE KING’S DAUGHTER, A NOVEL OF THE FIRST TUDOR QUEEN is indeed that book.


I do have to say that this has to be one of my favorite books that I have read for a long time. I enjoyed they way that Sandra Worth has humanized King Richard III instead of choosing to make him out as the villain. She has also shed a new light on the only woman to have been daughter, mother, wife, and niece to the Kings of England. I would highly recommend this book to those who like both history and a love story.

I have to say that this book should be read by every fan of Tudor literature, for me it was a book that I will not forget.



Visist Angela Renee @ Renee's Reads

The Devil's Queen by Jeanne Kalogridis

Title: The Devil’s Queen, A Novel of Catherine de Medici

Author: Jean Kalogridis

Publisher: St. Martin’s Griffin

Genre: Historical Fiction

Publishing Date: May 2010

Rating: 5 Crowns


Confidante of Nostradamus, scheming mother-in-law to Mary, Queen of Scots, and architect of the bloody St. Bartholomew’s Day Massacre, Catherine de Medici is brought to life by Jeanne Kalogridis, the bestselling author of, Mona Lisa and The Borgia Bride.

Born into one of Florence’s most powerful families, Catherine was soon left a fabulously rich orphan. Violent conflict tore apart the city state and she found herself imprisoned before finally being released and married off to the handsome Prince Henri of France.
Overshadowed by her husband’s mistress, the gorgeous, conniving Diane de Poitiers, and unable to bear children, Catherine resorted to the dark arts of sorcery to win Henri’s love and enhance her fertility—for which she would pay a price. Against the lavish and decadent backdrop of the French court, and Catherine’s blood-soaked visions of the future, Kalogridis reveals the great love and desire Catherine bore for her husband, Henri, and her stark determination to keep her sons on the throne.
(from the back cover)


My Review:

When the story opens we see that Florence has fallen into a turbulent time, the Palazzo Medici is surrounded by rebels calling for a new form of government, and Pope Clement (born Giulio de Medici), is now a prisoner of the Holy Roman Emperor Charles. It was truly a horrible time for the Medici’s and we see the effects that it has upon Catherine who is only eight at the time. After her father’s death Catherine is left in the care of her Aunt Clarice, who is a very ruthless woman, and her only intentions is keep the powers of the Medici’s strong, so Catherine begins to take on the actions of her Aunt. Not only with her goal of keeping the Medici’s strong, but we see Catherine take on her Aunts fascination with the occult. After Catherine’s escape from the Palazzo Medici, she then endures several years of imprisonment, where her belief and friendship with Cosimo Ruggieri grows stronger. Cosimo is sort of like her sorcerer/confident in a way, and she becomes devoted him and he to her. After her years of captivity, she reunited with what remains of her family, and as the heirs to Florence compete to reign Catherine finds that her life has taken a different turn from what she imagined, she is now the Cardinals political pawn, and he married her off to the second son of the King of France, Henri. After the death of the Henri’s brother and father, Catherine is now the Queen Consort of France, and she is surprised to find that she has actually fallen in love with her husband. Although things change when Henri takes a mistress, and he tells Catherine that he cannot love her back, we see Catherine’s connection to the dark arts growing deeper and deeper, and she could never imagine the ramifications it could hold for her children and her country. After the death of her husband we see that Catherine places herself as Queen ruling more-or-less for her crazed and incompetent son Charles. As the war between the Huguenots and the Catholics heat up Catherine realizes that the bloodshed is the payment required for her pact with the devil. Will Catherine do what is required to save her country?


My thoughts:

I have read several historical fiction novels based upon the live of Catherine de Medici, and The Devil’s Queen by Jeanne Kalogridis is by far my favorite. Her portrayal of Catherine gave me goosebumps, she has taken this woman who in her time and even in ours has been thought of as dark, self-serving, and purely evil, and has made her seem more humanized. This is first time that I have read a book that made Catherine remorseful, so I enjoyed seeing a different side to this Machiavellian woman. The author also showed the circumstance from which Catherine came, and not only focused on her actions, but also the actions of those around her, which added a depth to the story.

I highly recommend this book.





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Murder Most Royal by Jean Plaidy

Hello Royal Readers,

This week on Royal Reviews is Queenly Reads Week. Do you have a favorite Queen? Stop by this week to see what our Royal Reviewers think. Once again feel free to leave your comments or questions.

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Title: Murder Most Royal

Author: Jean Plaidy

Publisher: Three Rivers Press

Genre: Historical Fiction

Publishing Date: 2006 (Originally published 1949)

Rating: 4.5 Crowns

Synopsis: In the court of Henry VIII, it was dangerous for a woman to catch the king's eye. Anne Boleyn and Catherine Howard were cousins. Both were beautiful women, though very different in temperament. They each learned that Henry's passion was all-consuming - and fickle.
Sophisticated Anne Boleyn, raised in the decadent court of France, was in love with another man when King Henry claimed her as his own. Being his mistress gave her a position of power; being his queen put her life in jeopardy. Her younger cousin, Catherine Howard, was only fifteen when she was swept into the circle of King Henry. Her innocence attracted him, but a past mistake was destined to haunt her.

Painted in the rich colors of Tudor England, Murder Most Royal is a page turning journey into the lives of two of the wives of the tempestuous Henry VIII.

My Review: Jean Plaidy once again works her magic in this lovely tale of the two most ill fated queens married to Henry VIII. If you are a Tudor fan, and have never read anything by Plaidy, this is definitely a great one to start with. I dreaded the times when I was forced to put it down, I would have happily read the book in one sitting if I had the chance.

I loved the way Plaidy mixed the lives of Anne and Catherine, making potential guesses as to their interaction and what they may have thought of each other, especially with them not knowing until the end that they would share the same fate.

I will never cease to be fascinated with Anne Boleyn, and no matter how many times I read something about her, I always hope her story will end differently. I feel so much for this woman, and imagine how horrible it would have been to be torn away from your love, swept up in the extravagance of the Tudor Court.

Even Catherine is painted in a more sympathetic life than I've seen her in previously - you get to see her whole life, from being a young child of a year or so to her death. I found myself feeling how unfair her life must have been - she wanted nothing more than to be happy, and simply had the misfortune of marrying a mad man.

Knowing what happens in the end for both of these women gives an interesting light to peripheral characters, especially Jane Rochford, who played such a crucial role in the fate of them all. For me, history is filled with "what if's", and Jane's actions have perhaps more what if's than that of any other.

I cannot say enough good about this story, and I strongly encourage everyone to read it at they're first chance!


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31 Bond Street by Ellen Horan

Title: 31 Bond Street

Author: Ellen Horan

Publisher: Harpercollins

Genre: Historical Mystery



It is a cold January day in 1857 New York when dentist Dr. Harvey Burdell is found viciously murdered in his home at 31 Bond Street . The brutality of the crime in which Dr. Burdell was repeatedly stabbed and nearly decapitated shocks all of New York . As there is no sign of entry from outside the home, suspicion immediately falls on Emma Cunningham, the beautiful house mistress who occupies rooms in the home with her two daughters Helen and Augusta. Emma and her daughters are placed under house arrest on the orders of the city coroner and not allowed legal counsel. Henry Clinton, a prominent lawyer in the city hears of her plight and when it becomes obvious that powerful figures are deliberately setting up Emma to take the fall for the crime without looking for other suspects, he decides to take her case.



What unfolds is a novel of suspense and many unanswered questions-Was Harvey Burdell the upstanding citizen prosecutor Abraham Oakey Hall makes him out to be or was he a devious man with many enemies? Was Emma Cunningham merely the hired house mistress or was she Dr. Burdell’s wife? What has happened to Samuel, Dr. Burdell’s servant and driver who was the last person to see him alive the night he was murdered? We follow Emma’s story as the novel switches back and forth between the days of the trial and the year proceeding the night of the crime.



This novel which starts right off with the gruesome murder of Dr. Burdell, grabbed me from the very beginning. At first the crime is painted as one of passion but when we learn of the circumstances of Emma and her daughters it is hard not to feel sorry for her and to dislike Dr. Burdell. The author does an excellent job of keeping the reader guessing about the true nature of the characters. Throughout the entire book I could not figure out if Emma was really a distraught widow or a greedy gold digger. The subtle political undertones of the book added additional motives for Dr. Burdell’s murder. The abundance of historical detail with descriptions of the rabid tabloid reporters, the homes, the city, and the societal customs of the time that added to the richness of the story. I also appreciated that the author did not try to make Henry Clinton into hero intent on finding the real killer but instead had him focusing on evidence as the way to prove Emma did not commit the crime. I really got a feel for 1850’s New York and the ending was not what I expected.



I only had one qualm with the entire story and that was the portrayal of Emma towards the end of the book. That she would be shaken by the murder, the trial, and the unjust treatment throughout was understandable, but that she would go half mad and live in a dilapidated house as a shadow of her former self? I just didn’t see that given how determined she was to preserve her interests earlier in the book.



Other than that one small inconsistency I found this book to be an engaging read that I finished in one sitting, something I rarely do.

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Prima Donna by Megan Chance

Hello Readers,

This week on Royal Reviews is Anything Goes week. Our Royal Reviewers will be selecting their own genre of book to share with you. Once gain we would love to hear what our Royal Readers think so please feel free to leave a comment or two. Also please feel free to share what you would like to see featured on Royal Reviews. Is there a genre were leaving out? Or perhaps a great author we have not discovered? Maybe there’s a book that you just have to tell us about. We would love to know what our Royal Readers would like to see.

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Here to kick things off is one of our Ladies in Waiting Jenny Girl.



Title: Prima Donna
Author: Megan Chance
Publisher: Three Rivers Press (Crown Publishing)
Genre: Fiction, Historical
Publishing Date: 2009
Rating: 4/5 crowns


Synposis:
Prima Donna is the story of a woman on the run from her own dark past. As a girl, Sabine Conrad discovered that she had a great gift: a voice like an angel. She also had enough naive ambition to believe the promises made to her. Before she realizes the gravity of her mistake, she is caught up in a decadent, glittering world, feted by Knickerbocker New York’s high society, in demand at concert halls throughout the country–and ensnared by a man who both loves and controls her. Their fates become as entwined as their desire for each other, until at the peak of her fame, Sabine risks everything to break free from his Svengali-like hold.

But her plan backfires, and by the end of the night, she is a criminal, scarred and alone, with nowhere to hide. Changing her appearance and her name, she flees as far from cultured society as she can: to the gritty frontier town of Seattle. There, hidden among the prostitutes, drunks and miners, she must put aside the prima donna she once was, and learn how to survive on her own... until someone from her past returns with a terrifying proposition.

Now, Sabine must answer the question she’s been running from: Can she escape herself to once again find the voice that defines her?

In this dual narrative, told in turn by a young, naive Sabine and her older, wiser counterpart, Megan Chance has written a compelling and complex portrait of a woman who is a stranger to herself, who must find the strength and courage to delve into the truth of her past and remake her life–on her own terms.
My Thoughts:
This is a story about journeys and self-discovery. Sabine Conrad is running from a crime she committed. She is also running from herself and the person she has become. In Seattle she changes her name to Marguerite and tries to become a different person; tries to forget who she is. But you can never change who you really are, especially Marguerite. In her past as Sabine, music and singing were everything to her. They were woven into every fiber of her being. Music was her soul.
Every so often, the chapters are entries from Sabine's journal, written during her early days as she tried to build her singing career. Sabine traveled the country with her brother Barrett and her teacher Gideon. Sabine and Gideon fell in love during this time, and maintained a secret relationship. Both Sabine and Gideon did things they regretted, but most of it was to further Sabine's career. There were no innocent parties, just two people who loved each other, but yet never really communicated with each other. You know, say one thing but mean something else. Good things never come from this type of behavior. As the story unfolds Marguerite likes to think of herself as a victim, but she was just as responsible for her actions as Gideon was for encouraging her. Both of them were at fault.
A leopard can only hide her spots for so long, before they pop out again. So it was for Marguerite and music. She was a sad, empty, shell of a person without her singing. Marguerite tries to ease her pain on a daily basis until she befriends Charlotte. Charlotte starts to coax things out of Marguerite, and the walls she built begin to fall. Marguerite begins to face certain truths, and the story moves forward from there. I don't want to give you any spoilers, but I will tell you that Marguerite eventually comes to terms with Sabine. Her actions, her sense of being, who she is. At least now Sabine can now live her life on her own terms with no more secrets.
With respect to 1880s Seattle frontier, Chance's writing certainly brought that time and place to life for me. It was a rough and tumble place, and women did what they had to to survive. Overall I enjoyed the story, however it did drag a bit in the 3rd quarter of the book. I was also a little tired of Sabine's journal entries because she was acting like a child, not growing up. She was a Prima Donna in the truest sense, whereas Marguerite was growing up and realizing herself, who she was. That probably also comes from what she had to do to survive. Towards the end, the story picks up the pace and ends quite well.







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