What do you think?
Rate this book
Lady Grace Mysteries #2
Betrayal
Lady Grace, youngest Maid to Queen Elizabeth I and secret “Lady Pursuivant” narrates in her daybook life as a stowaway. Lady Sarah, lady-in-waiting known for fancy clothes and hoity-toity attitude, is feared kidnapped by dashing Captain Drake. Despite her hard feelings, Grace and pal Masou dare the high seas.
197 pages, Hardcover
First published May 1, 2004
16 people are currently reading
513 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 77 reviews
February 12, 2024
5 stars just for the nostalgia this brought about
April 9, 2017
A nice quick-read...
June 25, 2013
It was Awesome!!!!!! I love the time era and how it fits into the mysteries
April 28, 2025
I hope someone named the cat and her kittens, they’re very important characters to me
February 21, 2015
I'm hooked. Grace has fun. Her diary "Dayebooks" go the extra mile in smaller size with scratchy quill font phrases. Titles are single word plot summaries.
Since I was mistaken for a boy even as a long-haired blonde teen, I enjoy stories where such mis-identification is sought on purpose, and leads to adventure. One, rather long and complicated, is Terry Pratchett's Monstrous Regiment https://www.goodreads.com/review/show... . Scott Westerfeld's steampunk Leviathan series may be preferable https://www.goodreads.com/review/show.... Or your choice may be undisguised Camicaze, master escapist, heir to the Bog-burglar clan in Cressida Cowell's http://www.howtotrainyourdragonbooks.com series https://www.goodreads.com/review/show... .
4-11 May 1569 Greenwich England. In only a week, Grace Cavendish, youngest Maid of Honor to Queen Elizabeth I, narrates accidentally setting to sea and back, trying to avoid court scandal. Grace and acrobat pal Masou get locked in while searching ship of Captain Francis Drake for eloping Maid Sarah.
The pair: get clouted "swollen ear" p 86 for being "stowaways again, bloody little rats!" p 85, fight cook's boy, cuddle new kittens, battle against Spanish privateer, find Lady Sarah Bartelmy and her maid Olwen. Meanwhile, "giggly plump" p 44 Maid Mary Shelton nurses sick laundry maid Ellie (best friend of Grace and Masou) behind bed curtains, claims both Grace and Sarah have come down with quinsy -- I couldn't guess tonsillitis. Some words are easy guesses: bumroll, stays.
Needed Glossary for farthingale - bell-shape petticoat (over whalebone ?), popinjay - parrot, posset - hot sweet spiced milk curdled with wine or ale, samite - heavy silk, more. Most historical detail slips easily in or past.
Captain Hugh Derby "tall with fair hair and a slightly receding chin" is best friend of Drake "shorter and broader, with a cheerful round face and disarmingly bright blue eyes" p 18. Drake jumps into polluted Thames, rescues drowning Sarah, presents her with pearl bracelet. The heiress flirts back, safe, knows her parents forbid penniless suitors.
Few surprises. Cook's boy Tom takes scraps of trod-on "bits of bacon" and bread "for herself" p 104. Nevertheless, tensions build to dangerous defense. Grace and Masou fight Tom, then Spaniards. Up high, Grace pretends she is walks atop usual garden fence, does not look down. Thrilling when Grace tries to follow acrobat Masou across sail lines -- waaayyy up high. Her archery skills come in handy.
Grace going "to the jakes" p 97 could be thought amusing, "sitting on a plank with my bum bare like the other two" p 98. Embarrassed, she cannot go in company, her face "burning red" p 98 aflame, while her "privy parts getting colder and colder" p 99.
Drake recognizes Grace "I've seen you before, but I cannot place you" p 133 -- almost. I thought he guessed her secret. Masou criticizes her walk and posture from the first. I like when Drake is sorry for old pal Derby "By his own fault and sinfulness he has lost the finest thing a man can have" p 157 "By God, when we have Maids of Honour such as these in England, no wonder all the world is in awe of us!" p 169.
Since I was mistaken for a boy even as a long-haired blonde teen, I enjoy stories where such mis-identification is sought on purpose, and leads to adventure. One, rather long and complicated, is Terry Pratchett's Monstrous Regiment https://www.goodreads.com/review/show... . Scott Westerfeld's steampunk Leviathan series may be preferable https://www.goodreads.com/review/show.... Or your choice may be undisguised Camicaze, master escapist, heir to the Bog-burglar clan in Cressida Cowell's http://www.howtotrainyourdragonbooks.com series https://www.goodreads.com/review/show... .
4-11 May 1569 Greenwich England. In only a week, Grace Cavendish, youngest Maid of Honor to Queen Elizabeth I, narrates accidentally setting to sea and back, trying to avoid court scandal. Grace and acrobat pal Masou get locked in while searching ship of Captain Francis Drake for eloping Maid Sarah.
The pair: get clouted "swollen ear" p 86 for being "stowaways again, bloody little rats!" p 85, fight cook's boy, cuddle new kittens, battle against Spanish privateer, find Lady Sarah Bartelmy and her maid Olwen. Meanwhile, "giggly plump" p 44 Maid Mary Shelton nurses sick laundry maid Ellie (best friend of Grace and Masou) behind bed curtains, claims both Grace and Sarah have come down with quinsy -- I couldn't guess tonsillitis. Some words are easy guesses: bumroll, stays.
Needed Glossary for farthingale - bell-shape petticoat (over whalebone ?), popinjay - parrot, posset - hot sweet spiced milk curdled with wine or ale, samite - heavy silk, more. Most historical detail slips easily in or past.
Captain Hugh Derby "tall with fair hair and a slightly receding chin" is best friend of Drake "shorter and broader, with a cheerful round face and disarmingly bright blue eyes" p 18. Drake jumps into polluted Thames, rescues drowning Sarah, presents her with pearl bracelet. The heiress flirts back, safe, knows her parents forbid penniless suitors.
Few surprises. Cook's boy Tom takes scraps of trod-on "bits of bacon" and bread "for herself" p 104. Nevertheless, tensions build to dangerous defense. Grace and Masou fight Tom, then Spaniards. Up high, Grace pretends she is walks atop usual garden fence, does not look down. Thrilling when Grace tries to follow acrobat Masou across sail lines -- waaayyy up high. Her archery skills come in handy.
Grace going "to the jakes" p 97 could be thought amusing, "sitting on a plank with my bum bare like the other two" p 98. Embarrassed, she cannot go in company, her face "burning red" p 98 aflame, while her "privy parts getting colder and colder" p 99.
Drake recognizes Grace "I've seen you before, but I cannot place you" p 133 -- almost. I thought he guessed her secret. Masou criticizes her walk and posture from the first. I like when Drake is sorry for old pal Derby "By his own fault and sinfulness he has lost the finest thing a man can have" p 157 "By God, when we have Maids of Honour such as these in England, no wonder all the world is in awe of us!" p 169.
September 25, 2014
1. I decided to read it because it was a mystery book and it was related to England history, and I don’t know much about history so I thought it might tell me a bit.
2. I found the character Queen Elizabeth interesting. Queen Elizabeth is the queen of England and she is quite close with Grace (the main character). I found her interesting because even though she was the queen and everyone assumed that she acted like a normal royal person, she knew that Grace was sneaking out and she didn’t tell anyone, which created a trust bond between both of them and I was surprised because usually the queens and royal people are portrayed as following rules and everyone has to be in order, so in this book the queen interested me because she wasn’t like the others in the royal family.
3. I didn’t find a quote to use so I’m using an action instead. An interesting action that appealed to me was when Grace cut her hair shorter just so she could disguise herself as a boy to save Sarah from the pirates. I found this interesting because even though Grace didn’t like Sarah that much, she still cut her hair and risked her life to save her and that shows how caring Grace was to other people, even if she doesn’t even like them that much.
4. This book made me think deeply about how people in the olden days in England lived so differently to how we do now. Especially the royalty because Grace had to adapt to living in a royal environment with rules and expectations, but she didn’t and the Queen kept her secret. Also how the slaves and workers were treated is much different and stricter to how it is today.
By Lucy Harding
2. I found the character Queen Elizabeth interesting. Queen Elizabeth is the queen of England and she is quite close with Grace (the main character). I found her interesting because even though she was the queen and everyone assumed that she acted like a normal royal person, she knew that Grace was sneaking out and she didn’t tell anyone, which created a trust bond between both of them and I was surprised because usually the queens and royal people are portrayed as following rules and everyone has to be in order, so in this book the queen interested me because she wasn’t like the others in the royal family.
3. I didn’t find a quote to use so I’m using an action instead. An interesting action that appealed to me was when Grace cut her hair shorter just so she could disguise herself as a boy to save Sarah from the pirates. I found this interesting because even though Grace didn’t like Sarah that much, she still cut her hair and risked her life to save her and that shows how caring Grace was to other people, even if she doesn’t even like them that much.
4. This book made me think deeply about how people in the olden days in England lived so differently to how we do now. Especially the royalty because Grace had to adapt to living in a royal environment with rules and expectations, but she didn’t and the Queen kept her secret. Also how the slaves and workers were treated is much different and stricter to how it is today.
By Lucy Harding
March 1, 2010
This is the second book in the Lady Grace Mysteries series, about Lady Grace Cavendish, a thirteen-year-old Maid of Honour at the court of Queen Elizabeth I.
When Lady Sarah, a fellow Maid of Honor to Queen Elizabeth I, disappears, apparently having eloped with the dashing young Captain Drake, thirteen-year-old Lady Grace Cavendish takes it upon herself to discover the truth of Lady Sarah's whereabouts. Her discoveries lead her to believe that rather than leaving of her own free will, Lady Sarah may have been kidnapped. Grace decides to disguise herself as a boy, and along with her friend Masou, a tumbler at the court, stows away aboard Captain Drake's ship in the hope of rescuing her, and finds herself facing a dangerous adventure.
I highly recommend this book to readers who enjoyed the first Lady Grace Mystery, as well as to new readers who enjoy reading a blend of historical fiction and mystery. I also really love the historical setting. I look forward to reading more of Grace's adventures in upcoming books in this series.
When Lady Sarah, a fellow Maid of Honor to Queen Elizabeth I, disappears, apparently having eloped with the dashing young Captain Drake, thirteen-year-old Lady Grace Cavendish takes it upon herself to discover the truth of Lady Sarah's whereabouts. Her discoveries lead her to believe that rather than leaving of her own free will, Lady Sarah may have been kidnapped. Grace decides to disguise herself as a boy, and along with her friend Masou, a tumbler at the court, stows away aboard Captain Drake's ship in the hope of rescuing her, and finds herself facing a dangerous adventure.
I highly recommend this book to readers who enjoyed the first Lady Grace Mystery, as well as to new readers who enjoy reading a blend of historical fiction and mystery. I also really love the historical setting. I look forward to reading more of Grace's adventures in upcoming books in this series.
June 13, 2016
It's a fun second mystery, if even more unbelievable when Grace ends up posing as a boy on Francis Drake's privateer ship in order to rescue another Maid of Honour from a kidnapping. I liked her character development.
The historical note was awesome, as Queen Elizabeth really did keep intelligent females as companions in her court as she used potential marriage as a political chip without ever committing. It is also sad as it very quickly details the deaths and intrigues of Henry VIII's wives and successors.
The historical note was awesome, as Queen Elizabeth really did keep intelligent females as companions in her court as she used potential marriage as a political chip without ever committing. It is also sad as it very quickly details the deaths and intrigues of Henry VIII's wives and successors.
October 14, 2008
The 2nd in the Grace Cavendish mysteries for kids. This time, Grace, a lady in waiting to Queen Elizabeth attempts to rescue the kidnapped Sarah, another lady in waiting. She ends up on Francis Drake's vessel as a boy. Exciting, full of historical detail. Resourceful 13 year old.
July 5, 2015
Read pretty young, took a while to get going, and the big problem was pretty simple. Great for MG target age group.
January 13, 2022
This is the second of the Lady Grace mysteries, actually written by Patricia Finney ("writing as Grace Cavendish," as they say). I found it well written and entertaining, even better than the first.
This is a MG book that does an admirable job with creating a realistic and believable story. The setting is nicely realized, with the characters mostly behaving as they would have in that time. The MC has adventures that would be very unlikely for one of Queen Elizabeth's maids of honor, but the action is still plausible enough and the literary devices managed well enough that the plot works. Making the usual allowances for fiction, one can read this without finding fault with the author for taking excessive license with reality.
Put simply--the story seems realistic enough to have happened, and that makes the action that much more fun.
I like the character of Grace (who reminds me of Enola Holmes in a good way) and she carries the story well. The other characters are also well developed, especially for a novel of this length.
So--good stuff. Recommended especially for younger readers, but also for those older readers who enjoy this sort of thing. Like me.
This is a MG book that does an admirable job with creating a realistic and believable story. The setting is nicely realized, with the characters mostly behaving as they would have in that time. The MC has adventures that would be very unlikely for one of Queen Elizabeth's maids of honor, but the action is still plausible enough and the literary devices managed well enough that the plot works. Making the usual allowances for fiction, one can read this without finding fault with the author for taking excessive license with reality.
Put simply--the story seems realistic enough to have happened, and that makes the action that much more fun.
I like the character of Grace (who reminds me of Enola Holmes in a good way) and she carries the story well. The other characters are also well developed, especially for a novel of this length.
So--good stuff. Recommended especially for younger readers, but also for those older readers who enjoy this sort of thing. Like me.
July 17, 2018
This story wasn't as a plain mystery as the others it was more of figuring out whether her friend, Sarah, ran away with a sea captain. When Grace investigates, she learns that Sarah was actually kidnapped and has to disguise herself as a man to get on the crew and free Sarah. She cuts her hair really short and I find it funny how the female characters are so shocked by it. Grace didn't even really like Sarah that much anyway and she risked her life for her so inspirational book character maybe.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 21, 2022
This book is just as well planned and thought out as the first one. It would be hard to incorporate the fact that someone betrayed someone but it was really cool to read about a betrayal of friends. The villain is very esteemed and smart and had a good plan; they just got unlucky because Grace has plot armor.
August 19, 2017
Fun children's book. Not really my genre.
December 17, 2019
I liked this one. The story is interesting. A female character that has some interesting adventure in a royal court.
Read
March 14, 2021Reread of a childhood favourite, leaving unrated
July 13, 2021
This book shows that it was possible for a girl to have a adventure in a man’s world.
July 18, 2023
This was ok. Just a bit silly and unbelievable though. This book came as part of a two book set on kindle.
Read
September 3, 2025man I love this series, so nostalgic
April 17, 2025
Replonger dans l’un de mes trésors d’enfance a été un vrai délice : le charme du style épistolaire reste intact, chaque lettre nous fait vibrer au rythme des découvertes de l'intrépide héroïne. Lady Grace, avec son flair et sa curiosité, nous entraîne dans une aventure pleine de rebondissements où mystères et faux-semblants se répondent jusque dans les moindres détails. J’ai adoré redécouvrir ce monde que je croyais familier, et constater combien, même des années plus tard, l’émotion et l’excitation du premier mystère restent toujours aussi savoureuses.
October 9, 2007
The book Betrayal by Grace Cavendish is one book in the Lady Grace Mysteries. The main characters in the book are Grace, Sarah, and Mary. They are all Maid of Honors to the Queen Elizabeth, and stay in the palace with the queen. The story is written as Graces day booke, in 1569, in Greenwich, England. It starts off a little boring, but then when Lady Sarah meets Captain Drake, they start to flirt and like each other. When Captain Drake is going to take off, everyone realizes that Sarah isn’t around. Grace and Mary think that they have eloped, but soon find out that is not the case. She has been kidnapped, and they think that it is by Drake, but then when Grace and her friend Masou, start to investigate, they find no sign of her on his ship. Then when they ended up getting locked on the ship, they find out who really took her. The things that they have to do to find her are crazy. They go through a lot adventures and even fights, just to find her.
The author’s purpose for writing this book was to make the reader think about what friendship. I say this, because Grace and Sarah aren’t even that good of friends, and she risked a lot to save her. Also, about doing the right thing, Grace and Mary helped another friend of Graces, Ellie to get better when she was sick, and Grace didn’t have to go after her, but she did. Just because someone isn’t nice to you, or doesn’t always help you, is no reason to do the same to them. This book would help people who don’t understand the saying, “Two wrongs don’t make a right.” because there is so much bravery, and courtesy through out this book. I really liked this book, and would recommend it to anyone, but I don’t think that grown ups, For very mature teenagers, would find it intresting.
The author’s purpose for writing this book was to make the reader think about what friendship. I say this, because Grace and Sarah aren’t even that good of friends, and she risked a lot to save her. Also, about doing the right thing, Grace and Mary helped another friend of Graces, Ellie to get better when she was sick, and Grace didn’t have to go after her, but she did. Just because someone isn’t nice to you, or doesn’t always help you, is no reason to do the same to them. This book would help people who don’t understand the saying, “Two wrongs don’t make a right.” because there is so much bravery, and courtesy through out this book. I really liked this book, and would recommend it to anyone, but I don’t think that grown ups, For very mature teenagers, would find it intresting.
September 2, 2009
If you need a historical novel that teaches about the court and times of Queen Elizabeth I, this series will provide you with delightful reading, purportedly from the “daybook” of Lady Grace Cavendish, 13-year-old (at the beginning of the series) maid of honor to the queen. This plucky modern-seeming heiress, orphaned and raised in the court, along with her friends, a young court acrobat/juggler and one of the laundry girls, investigate mysteries to aid their monarch, reveal the villains, and aid the victims. The mysteries are plotted engagingly, but the best part of the series is that it allows readers to learn details and sweeps of Renaissance English life painlessly. Positive and fun.
This novel answers the question, has Lady Grace’s competitor, a fellow maid of honor, been kidnapped by the legendary and gallant Sir Francis Drake? Like a Shakespearean heroine, Lady Grace disguises herself as a boy and works on a galleon to find out the solution to the mystery. .
This novel answers the question, has Lady Grace’s competitor, a fellow maid of honor, been kidnapped by the legendary and gallant Sir Francis Drake? Like a Shakespearean heroine, Lady Grace disguises herself as a boy and works on a galleon to find out the solution to the mystery. .
August 8, 2007
Lady Sarah has run off and eloped with a sea captain! But when Lady Grace looks at the letter Sarah left behind, she knows it isn’t in Sarah’s handwriting. Maybe she really didn’t run away. Maybe she was kidnaped. Maybe she was kidnaped by pirates! In order to rescue her, Grace cuts off all her hair and dresses like a boy to explore Francis Drake’s ship with Massou. But then, the boat launches and Grace and Massou are trapped at sea and their ship is going into battle! Will Grace ever get back to England? Will she have to fight in a battle? Will she ever find Sarah? Was Sarah really kidnaped by pirates? And what will the Queen say when she finds out?
An excellent look at the Queen's navy and Elizabethan warfare and piracy!
An excellent look at the Queen's navy and Elizabethan warfare and piracy!
June 8, 2009
This series of books is very cleverly constructed. The titles progress by the letters of the alphabet as well as by theme. Another feature i found fantastic and have noted in a few other books is the glossary at the end of each book. I think this is a great way for a book to be educational and entertaining. I cannot recall how many times I question what a word means and then never get around to looking it up. Whereas, these books are classified as children's literature, I found them to be very entertaining and well written. The plots are original, the writing clever and concise, and the characters well developed.
June 10, 2013
"This is the second book in the excellent young adult, historical fiction, mystery series that is really written by Patricia Finney. Finney puts together the excellent historical research she uses for her adult books and makes a wonderful entry-level series for young readers interested in historical fiction. The heroine is great, the plot entertains, and there is some lovely humor sprinkled throughout. I enjoyed these as an adult reader as a quick read, and I think others would too. Highly recommended."
June 26, 2010
I love the Grace Cavendish mysteries! They may be children's books, but they are well written, have likeable characters, and decent plots. I would highly recommend them to any child fan of mysteries or even those older who aren't too proud to be caught reading a children's book!
Grace is quite happy being a maid of honour to Elizabeth I, but she longs to fulfill her role as Lady Pursuivant! So when it appears that Lady Sarah has gotten herself kidnapped by the dastardly Captain Drake, she and Masou are in for a wild ride on the high seas!
Grace is quite happy being a maid of honour to Elizabeth I, but she longs to fulfill her role as Lady Pursuivant! So when it appears that Lady Sarah has gotten herself kidnapped by the dastardly Captain Drake, she and Masou are in for a wild ride on the high seas!
August 12, 2013
The second book in the Lady Grace mysteries. In this book Lady Sarah is kidnapped by a dashing sea captin and Grace has to save her and her reputation.
I remembered this book better than I remembered Assasin. Probably because the twists and story were very creative. It sets the tone for the rest of the Lady Grace mysteries in that not all of them would be the same. I loved the setting and the clues to how Grace figures out the culpret.
Still an awsome series and I will continue to reread them.
I remembered this book better than I remembered Assasin. Probably because the twists and story were very creative. It sets the tone for the rest of the Lady Grace mysteries in that not all of them would be the same. I loved the setting and the clues to how Grace figures out the culpret.
Still an awsome series and I will continue to reread them.
March 24, 2015
Again, I felt fairly neutral over this book. I felt the story-line was better in the previous book, yet found this one better written and included more.
The mystery was a fun follow, especially as it turns from elopment to abduction! It just lacked the energy and was a bit of a tedious read. I loved the characters and their relationships, and that was what kept me going in this series.
I felt it was a bit of a lame story and that Grace was quite crazy to cut of all her hair just to search for a fellow Lady whom she didn't really like that much anyway!
On to number 3...
The mystery was a fun follow, especially as it turns from elopment to abduction! It just lacked the energy and was a bit of a tedious read. I loved the characters and their relationships, and that was what kept me going in this series.
I felt it was a bit of a lame story and that Grace was quite crazy to cut of all her hair just to search for a fellow Lady whom she didn't really like that much anyway!
On to number 3...
June 14, 2015
The mystery this time around wasn't as interesting as the previous, but seeing I read the third book already, I know the author gets better and better at it, so I look forward to the next volumes.
This time around, they're on a ship, trying to find what happened to Lady Sarah. It ends up being less a mystery and more an adventure, but I still liked the care and work that went into crafting both the adventures and giving information about Francis Drake and life aboard a ship.
Still, I think I can read the next book today...
This time around, they're on a ship, trying to find what happened to Lady Sarah. It ends up being less a mystery and more an adventure, but I still liked the care and work that went into crafting both the adventures and giving information about Francis Drake and life aboard a ship.
Still, I think I can read the next book today...
April 22, 2016
A thrilling adventure set in the Elizabethan Court, with Lady Grace Cavendish, one of the Queen's Maids of Honour, caught up in a turbulent episode when one of her fellow Ladies becomes inappropriately involved with a certain Captain Drake, and then vanishes. Can Grace rescue the missing girl with her honour intact without getting blown up at sea or, worse, rising the wrath of the Queen? Fast-paced and inventive, this packs a lot into its short length. Finney is utterly at home in the world of Elizabethan intrigue and makes the whole thing come alive.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 77 reviews