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To Kill a Queen
1535.
London.
Thomas More has been executed and his head rests on a spike on London Bridge.
Will Patten, hoping to return to a normal life after his part in Thomas More’s downfall, and his wife Phoebe have settled in the capital. But tragedy strikes. Phoebe and their unborn child die during childbirth, leaving Will devastated.
Reeling from unimaginable grief, Will then loses his position working for Bishop Stephen Gardiner. Forlorn, he encounters Richard Rich, a politic associate of Will’s who works in the shadows of Henry VIII’s court, who draws him into a plot to ruin the reputation of Queen Anne Boleyn.
Working as a spy in Greenwich Palace, Will uncovers information that will not only condemn Anne Boleyn, but the courtiers associated with her.
Yet with each piece of intelligence Will discovers, the threat to those he loves grows. When he witnesses the torture of court musician Mark Smeaton and the trial of the men surrounding the queen, the spy realizes that he could suffer a similar fate.
As Will watches the fallout from the trials, his family suffers another painful loss when his brother John goes missing.
Will must extricate himself from King Henry VIII’s court and the machinations of Cromwell and Richard Rich.
With Anne Boleyn’s body still warm on the scaffold, Will knows he must escape London. But can he leave all he knows, and all he loves, behind?
W. J. Smal l is an avid historian, focusing on late medieval Britain. She is also the author of A Knight's Duty .
London.
Thomas More has been executed and his head rests on a spike on London Bridge.
Will Patten, hoping to return to a normal life after his part in Thomas More’s downfall, and his wife Phoebe have settled in the capital. But tragedy strikes. Phoebe and their unborn child die during childbirth, leaving Will devastated.
Reeling from unimaginable grief, Will then loses his position working for Bishop Stephen Gardiner. Forlorn, he encounters Richard Rich, a politic associate of Will’s who works in the shadows of Henry VIII’s court, who draws him into a plot to ruin the reputation of Queen Anne Boleyn.
Working as a spy in Greenwich Palace, Will uncovers information that will not only condemn Anne Boleyn, but the courtiers associated with her.
Yet with each piece of intelligence Will discovers, the threat to those he loves grows. When he witnesses the torture of court musician Mark Smeaton and the trial of the men surrounding the queen, the spy realizes that he could suffer a similar fate.
As Will watches the fallout from the trials, his family suffers another painful loss when his brother John goes missing.
Will must extricate himself from King Henry VIII’s court and the machinations of Cromwell and Richard Rich.
With Anne Boleyn’s body still warm on the scaffold, Will knows he must escape London. But can he leave all he knows, and all he loves, behind?
W. J. Smal l is an avid historian, focusing on late medieval Britain. She is also the author of A Knight's Duty .
238 pages, Kindle Edition
Published July 11, 2023
3 people are currently reading
13 people want to read
About the author
W.J. Small
5 books20 followersNew release! THE HAG STONE, set in the tumultuous 14th century, is the story of one woman's resilience as the Bubonic Plague ravages England.
W.J. Small's debut novel, A KNIGHT'S DUTY, follows real-life knight Thomas Gray as he grapples with fighting in the Border Wars and managing a chaotic family life..
WJ Small's second novel, THE FAILED APPRENTICE, is set in Henry VIII's England. It is the story of an unassuming man who becomes embroiled in a plot to take down Sir Thomas More.
TO KILL A QUEEN is the second in the Will Patten series and involves Will Patten's involvement in the plot to take down Queen Anne Boleyn.
The final novel in the Will Patten trilogy, A SHAFT OF LIGHT, was released in January 2024. In this third installment, Will travels to Yorkshire to escape the tentacles of the Tudor court, only to become embroiiled in the Pilgrimage of Grace, a treasonous uprising.
WJ Small splits her time between New York and South Carolina with her husband, son, and Jack Russell terriers. When not writing, she is reading, running, golfing, or simply enjoying a glass of single malt.
W.J. Small's debut novel, A KNIGHT'S DUTY, follows real-life knight Thomas Gray as he grapples with fighting in the Border Wars and managing a chaotic family life..
WJ Small's second novel, THE FAILED APPRENTICE, is set in Henry VIII's England. It is the story of an unassuming man who becomes embroiled in a plot to take down Sir Thomas More.
TO KILL A QUEEN is the second in the Will Patten series and involves Will Patten's involvement in the plot to take down Queen Anne Boleyn.
The final novel in the Will Patten trilogy, A SHAFT OF LIGHT, was released in January 2024. In this third installment, Will travels to Yorkshire to escape the tentacles of the Tudor court, only to become embroiiled in the Pilgrimage of Grace, a treasonous uprising.
WJ Small splits her time between New York and South Carolina with her husband, son, and Jack Russell terriers. When not writing, she is reading, running, golfing, or simply enjoying a glass of single malt.
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
July 24, 2023
Excellent read!!
I absolutely loved the second book in this series! I found myself once again cheering for Will Patten and hoping that he makes the right decisions not only for himself but for his family. The author gives such wonderful detail about every day life during that era. I loved reading about the food, the medicinal cures and the clothing. Another excellent read and I highly recommend this series!! Looking forward to the next book!!
I absolutely loved the second book in this series! I found myself once again cheering for Will Patten and hoping that he makes the right decisions not only for himself but for his family. The author gives such wonderful detail about every day life during that era. I loved reading about the food, the medicinal cures and the clothing. Another excellent read and I highly recommend this series!! Looking forward to the next book!!
August 1, 2024
I really enjoyed this 2nd book in the series. Looking forward to reading the 3rd book.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews