The Traitor's Daughter

Thornleigh #7

by Barbara Kyle

In 1582, England is gripped by the fear of traitors. Kate Lyon, tainted by her exiled mother's past treason, has been disowned by her father, Baron Thornleigh. But in truth, Kate and her husband Owen are only posing as Catholic sympathizers to gain information for Queen Elizabeth's spymaster. Kate is an expert decoder. The deception pains her, but she takes heart in the return to England of her long estranged brother Robert. If only she could be sure where his loyalties lie...

Kate and Owen’s spying yields valuable intelligence: English Catholics abroad are spearheading an invasion that would see Elizabeth deposed—or worse—in favor of Mary, Queen of Scots. Kate takes on the dangerous role of double agent, decoding and delivering letters the exiles send Mary. But when lives and fortunes hang by the thinnest threads, betrayal is only a whisper away...

A brilliant blend of Tudor history and lush storytelling, The Traitor's Daughter is a riveting, passionate novel of loyalty, heartbreak, and one woman's undaunted courage.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction, Historical, 16th Century, Tudor Period

448 pages, Paperback

First published May 26, 2015

About the author

Thanks for visiting!

Here’s a little about me. Before becoming an author, I enjoyed a twenty-year acting career playing Shakespearean heroines on stage, leading roles in daytime TV dramas, and characters in Disney made-for-TV movies. It felt like a natural extension of my acting to create characters for fiction, and I hope you'll enjoy my novels. Over half a million copies have been sold worldwide.

My seven-book Thornleigh Saga series is set in 16th-century England and follows a middle-class family’s rise through three generations and three tumultuous Tudor reigns. ("Riveting Tudor drama" - USA Today). I’m also the author of acclaimed thrillers.

My new novel, THE DEADLY TRADE, is a murder mystery. I hope you’ll love it!

As a writing mentor I’ve launched many writers on the path to published success. My video course YOUR PATH TO WRITING A PAGE-TURNER shows how to craft a book that excites publishers and thrills readers. It's a Udemy Bestseller! See: https://www.udemy.com/course/your-pat...

My husband and I live in Guelph, a university city in southern Ontario where we enjoy its riverside walks, vibrant arts community, and good-neighborliness.

Happy reading!

Barbara Kyle

P.S. Follow me on Instagram @BarbaraKyleAuthor

Reviews

[Lori Elliott · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was one of those novels that draws you in and makes you not want to put it down until your finished. I lost several hours of sleep by reading 'just one more chapter'. Don't shy away from this if you haven't read the others in the series. This is only the second that I have read and I have throughly enjoyed them both. Highly recommend!

[Margaret · Rating 5 out of 5]

The 7th book in the Thornleigh Series is out! It is no secret that this is a favorite series of mine. I started out with the audio version and the last 3 in book format. Both are great and though they can be read alone I highly recommend starting at the beginning with The Queen's Lady.

This series is rich in historical detail, true to the time period and centers around real historical figures, though the Thornleighs are fictional. This book isn't as action packed as previous ones, but it was still hard to put done. Barbara Kyle has a way of making me care about this family, they live in a era of uncertainty, the conflict between Queen Elizabeth and Mary Queen of Scots plays center stage here.

What always strikes me with this series is not the always outward battles but the inner struggles the key players have. With The Traitor's Daughter Kate Lyon, daughter of Adam Thornleigh has been disowned, she married someone supposedly opposed to Queen Elizabeth. Her long lost brother makes his appearance on English soil and Kate is in turmoil. Who can blame her, the guilt of their separation, he father's rejection when he doesn't know all the facts and equally as important is can she trust Robert? I like Kate, she is strong and determined, courageous but also confused and alone, living in the Tudor era was hard enough without the full support of family.

In the past I have found series tend to get a little stale and dull when it gets too long. That is not the case here, each book has its own story line, the characters intertwine with fresh glimpses at Tudor England. I have not heard that this is the final book in series, so looking forward to the next installment.

[nikkia neil · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thanks Kensington Books and netgalley for arc.

This series is new to me, but it was very fresh and exciting. I checked out some of the other books which look great for a long weekend to catch up.

[Colleen Turner · Rating 4 out of 5]

Find my full review at http://aliteraryvacation.blogspot.com.

I absolutely love this book series! I actually began with the fifth book in the series (Blood Between Queens) and have since continued on, reading The Queen's Exiles before going back and starting at the beginning with The Queen's Lady. This is a must-read historical fiction series for those that love seeing the events of the Tudor era unfold through the eyes of fictional characters that are always very close to the danger and conspiracies surrounding the throne. The Traitor's Daughter, the newest installment, does not disappoint and continues the tradition of exhilarating storylines and captivating and multifaceted characters.

The Traitor's Daughter focuses the spotlight on Kate Lyon (nee Thornleigh). When we last saw Kate in The Queen's Exiles, her father, Baron Thornleigh, was rescuing her from her horrid Catholic mother's clutches while having to leave behind Kate's brother, Robert, during the rescue. A number of years have past while Kate grows up in England and, when the novel opens, she is meeting up with her husband, Owen, as he is released from prison. Her father has disowned her, believing Owen is a Catholic working against Queen Elizabeth's rule (which was actually quite upsetting to me after the lengths he went to to rescue Kate and bring her home). What Baron Thornleigh doesn't know is that Owen and Kate are actually double agents, pretending to be working with the Catholics in their cause to bring down Elizabeth and rescue and put on the throne the imprisoned Scottish Queen Mary, all while delivering this valuable information to Elizabeth's spymasters. This double dealing keeps the tension tight from the beginning of the novel until its tragic end and means that danger and heartache are never far behind these two. This becomes even worse when Kate's long lost brother, Robert, is discovered in England and Kate has to wrestle with whether or not Robert is who he says he is. Is he really glad to be home in England and at service to its queen? Or did their Catholic mother and her traitorous comrades influence him to come to England and help bring down Elizabeth? This becomes the crux of the novel and I was completely transfixed watching the action unfold.

The author, Barbara Kyle, is the narrator of this audiobook and I have to say she is perfect at it. You can tell when listening to her spin the tale that her background is in acting as she knows exactly when and how to build drama and tension, draw the reader into the passions of the characters and even break their hearts a little when the characters' lives come crashing down around them. Every single man in Kate's life seemed to hurt her in one way or another and I especially felt drawn to Kate and Robert's storyline as I loved their connection and relationship in The Queen's Exiles. Somehow Barbara Kyle was able to make me feel that connection as well as the others, and I was taken aback at how emotional listening to the story became. I actually felt quite disappointed in some of their actions too, which usually doesn't happen to me unless I become as invested in the story as I did here.

Tudor history is well covered in novels and therefore can sometimes come across as same-old-same-old. When reading or listening to a Thornleigh saga story I never feel like that, always knowing I am in for an emotional treat that will give a new light to the history already well known. While anyone can pick up the story at any point in the series I do recommend starting at the beginning, and listening to the audiobooks if that's an option for you. In the author's deft hands you will surely have hours upon hours of worthy entertainment, and, for those not familiar with the drama surrounding the Tudors, maybe learn a little something at the same time.

[Stevie Carroll · Rating 5 out of 5]

Previously reviewed on The Good, The Bad, and The Unread:

Having been entranced by the previous book in the Thornleigh saga, I’m sorry to say that house renovations, amongst other things, have prevented me from going back and reading all the books from the beginning. However, seeing the next in the series waiting to be snapped up for review was too good an opportunity to be missed, and, once again, I was swept up into an Elizabethan adventure with a group of characters who all feel very fresh in spite of this being book number seven.

Ten years on from the events of the previous book, Kate – the daughter of one of Queen Elizabeth’s most trusted men and his traitorous Catholic former wife – is waiting for her husband to be released from prison. His crime – to be caught taking part in an illegal Catholic Mass. All is not how it seems, however; Kate and Owen are spies for the Queen, a secret so deep that even Kate’s father doesn’t know and has disowned her for marrying a penniless playwright who follows the wrong religion.

Meanwhile, Kate’s younger brother, Robert – who was left behind when their father snatched Kate away from their mother – has returned to England with plans to join the Catholic insurgents, some of whom are still in contact with his mother and her friends.

Kate, Robert, and Owen soon find themselves positions in the households of their respective enemies, although for a long time Kate has no idea which side her brother is really on. Owen is forced to choose between his wedding vows to Kate and his duty to protect the Queen, and even Kate’s father is endangered by the plots that are unfolding.

This is a thrilling adventure from beginning to end, and I genuinely believed that characters were in danger for their lives, unlike in many romantic suspense stories where it’s accepted that, no matter what threats they face, the main couple will emerge unscathed at the end. I’m greatly looking forward to more of this series and hope to be able to read all of it, as soon as my life calms down a little. Highly recommended even to those completely new to the books – as this takes place ten years after the previous one, all the characters have developed enough in that time to need reintroduction even to seasoned readers.

[Annemarie Macken · Rating 4 out of 5]

With endless twists in the plot and intrigue running throughout the novel, The Traitor's Daughter is a book that will have you on the edge of your seat constantly. The mixture of fictional characters living their lives amongst historical ones creates a very credible sense of reality and it is easy to lose oneself in the very detailed and heart-stopping story. It reads very much like a historical action film and would make great viewing with the incredibly dramatic storylines and fully developed characters. It is impossible not to engage with these characters, both heroes and villains, as they are so very well crafted that you cannot tell the difference between those based on real people from the past and those that have been created by the author.
The wealth of detail included about this particular historical period has been handled with care, attention to detail and a great deal of love of this era and this shines through from beginning to end. The beginning of the novel is a little slow at first, but it soon speeds up and then it is almost impossible to put the book down and deal with your ordinary day to day life. It is particularly poignant in parts and the surprises never stop right to the end - you think you know what is coming, but often find you have been misdirected and the plot takes another path from the expected one, which is a clear sign of the author's weaving of magic and skill in sleight of hand with regard to literary prowess.
If you are a lover of historical fiction, particularly in terms of the Tudor Period with its conspiracies and intrigue, you have no choice but to read this book...

[Debbi · Rating 4 out of 5]

(thank you Netgalley for an early reader copy)

This was the first book I've read by Barbara Kyle, and I am now going to correct that and read her previous 6 books!

The traitor's daughter is Kate Thornleigh, daughter of Lord Thornleigh, a staunch supporter of Queen Elizabeth. Kate is married to Owen, a Catholic, and her mother (the traitor of the title) is in exile in France, a support of Mary Stuart, who believes she, not Elizabeth, is the real Queen of England. But Owen is not really a Catholic, but a spy in the service of Elizabeth, trying to get proof that Mary is plotting with the other heads of Europe to bring an army to England and overthrow Elizabeth, returning England to Catholicism and the Pope's control. And Kate is a codebreaker, retrieving and decoding letters from Mary Stuart and other plotters, trying to find the evidence to bring her to justice.

Enter Robert, Kate's brother. When Kate around 9 and her brother around 6, her mother fled to France taking Robert with her. Kate hadn't seen him since, and the guilt weighed on her. Then Robert appears in England...but why now? And is he in England in the service of his mother (and therefore Mary Stuart) or because he longs for England, ruled by Elizabeth? He says all the right things, but is he what he seems to be?

Traitor's Daughter is a tale of conflicting stories and loyalties, and people who may not be what they appear to be. The characters are well written, there's a bit of romance between Kate and Owen for those who require that, and the story is set in a rare time where the key actors are women (Mary and Elizabeth). Traitor's Daughter will keep you reading to the very end!

[Diane Moyle · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a very interesting story about a fictional attempt on Queen Elizabeth’s life in 1582 by the supporters of her cousin Mary Stuart, Queen of Scotland. It is chocked full of intrigue and suspense. Kate Lyon is the daughter of Baron Adam Thornleigh, a staunch supporter of Queen Elizabeth. She is estranged from him because she has married a poor playwright, who appears to be a supporter of Mary Stuart, but things are not as they seem to be and they are actually working behind the scenes to break up a plot to overthrow the Queen. After Kate’s brother mysteriously appears from France where he was living in exile with their mother. Loyalties are even more confused and torn. The stage is set for an action packed, thrilling story that you can’t put down.

The author does a good job of filling in the details for the characters and giving them depth. The plot flows and is believable. Although the characters in the story are fictional, the era and events it is placed in is real and Ms. Kyle imparts enough historical background to give the story complexity. My only criticism of the story is there are two love scenes in the story that are described in very blatant language. In my opinion, the scenes could have been conveyed without being so graphic because it doesn’t add anything to the story and limits greatly who I would recommend this book to.

To reiterate, this was a very exciting thriller set in the late 1500’s in England. The story is page turning and enthralling. Don’t pick this up though, if you are easily offended or give to younger readers.

[Judy Lesley · Rating 3 out of 5]

Set in England in 1582 this novel gives readers a good example of how dangerous the political scene was during the struggles between Queen Elizabeth and her cousin Mary Stuart, Queen of the Scots, over the question of England declaring its freedom from Rome and the Catholic church. This novel will give readers unfamiliar with the events of that time period a good view of what was happening when families were torn apart over the question of religion. Barbara Kyle writes well within the time period so readers get a good perspective of what life was like for the privileged class. The plot involving Kate Lyon and her husband Owen serves to emphasize how families divided along the lines of religion. However, Kate and Owen are actually living double lives in their effort to protect Queen Elizabeth.

I read a lot of historical mystery novels, many of them set during this time period. I tend to enjoy most those which have a deeper, more intense feeling than this novel had. It was a pleasant reading experience and if you enjoy this one you will be pleased to know that there are more books in the Thornleigh series.

I received an e-ARC of this novel through NetGalley.

[Jane Irish Nelson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kate has been separated from her traitorous mother for nearly half her life; but her younger brother Robert remained in his mother's care. Now Robert has returned to England and claims to be a loyal subject of Elizabeth. Can Kate trust him?

Meantime Kate is estranged from her father since her marriage to Owen Lyon, a playwright who had been arrested for attending a secret Catholic service. Now Owen is about to be released and the two reunited, to continue their secret work for Elizabeth's spymaster.

This book is extremely hard to put down; but beware, there is a very startling surprise ending!

[Diane · Rating 5 out of 5]

I recently received an ARC from the author. That has not influenced my review in any way.
This is by far my favourite book in the Thornleigh Series. It took me 2 days to read it. I could not put it down.
Loved the interplay between the characters. The storyline was full of surprises. I was sad when the book ended because I wanted more!!!
Hoping there will be more books added to the Thornleigh Saga. Wish there was an ongoing television series. Thank you once again Barbara Kyle for taking me on yet another exciting adventure!

[Gaile · Rating 4 out of 5]

Again Barbara Kyle treats us to another suspense thriller set in the time of Queen Elizabeth I. Kate, a spy decoder gets herself deeply involved in an intrigue by Mary, Queen Of Scots. Unfortunately for her, she trusts the wrong person and although some matters come right right, some don't. This book ends with a cliff hanger leaving us poor readers to wait for the next one which hopefully will come out in a year's time.

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Traitor's Daughter is the seventh installment of the Thornleigh series. It was full of history and full of action. There were many events I did not see coming, that kept me continue reading and turning page after page. I hope to see more in the Thornleigh series. As I am still not ready to let this family go.
5+ stars

[Linda Graham · Rating 4 out of 5]

I purchased the audio edition and thoroughly enjoyed it. It had everything—compelling characters, interesting and intricate plot, and a vivid setting. The little I’ve previously read of the time period was sympathetic to Mary, so this added additional insight.

[Jenni Schell · Rating 5 out of 5]

I admit that this is the first book that I have read in this series. Now I am hooked. This book had all of the elements that I love about a good read. Great job.

[Louise · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love this series. My only disappointment was not having the little "history lesson" at the end.

[Judy D · Rating 5 out of 5]

I could not put this book down! Barbara has the reader riveted from the first chapter.
CBC needs to turn this into a miniseries!

[Sara G · Rating 3 out of 5]

not one of her best... found it kind of dull and I usually like historical fiction

[Abby · Rating 5 out of 5]

My rating 4-1/4 stars

[Jeanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

She could not pry the truth about her brother from her heart. It had taken refuge there like a criminal claiming the sanctuary of a church. If only she knew which was worse, truth or lies! Which duty bound her the most-family or country.

I love historical fiction rich in the tension of the time. With the power struggle of the Catholic Church with the monarchy and the rise of the Protestant Church, the passion of that time comes out in Kate Thornleigh’s family. With different allegiances, there is bound to be tension in any family. Her father’s allegiance to Queen Elizabeth has set the stage for this family turmoil. Kate’s mother a traitor to Queen Elizabeth is in exile with her younger brother Robert, his allegiance to Elizabeth’s cousin Mary whose allegiance is to the Catholic church and in those times was more like a mob than a place of worship. (I will not digress.) Kate is now married to Owen, an actor that is now in the service of Queen Elizabeth as a double agent along with Kate. Their real allegiances are unknown to everyone. When Kate’s long lost brother comes back from exile, where does his allegiance lie and why has he come back?

So much tension but very informative. You heart aches as families are torn apart and loyalties are broken.

A Special Thank You to Kensington Books and Netgalley for ARC and the opportunity to post an honest review.

[Robert Dunn · Rating 3 out of 5]

I had trouble with the characters. Kate is a strong person, willing to take extreme risk and then is unreasonably weak when it comes to her brother. Robert is a caring doctor that is a religious fanatic, so much that he tries to kill his sister. Roberts background is not explained. He is away from his mother for years yet is I greatly influenced by her? This a short book that could have been better if the main individuals has been better developed. Looks like Kate and Matthew together in the next one.

[Angela Porter · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was given a free copy of this book for an honest review. I have always loved books based in the Tudor Era. This was a really well written book. The only qualms I had was off and on there would be a spot that would not quite keep my attention. Those moments were few and far between though so not a big worry. I have been hooked into this series and eager to read more in it.

[Maxime · Rating 2 out of 5]

I struggled with this book to be honest i liked it but didn't love it it is my era & genre but found that although i read it until the end my mind wandered whilst reading the book
(received via Net Galley)

[Lezley · Rating 3 out of 5]

The final chapter in the lives of the Thornleighs. I thoroughly enjoyed this page-turning series, but must admit I am ready to move on. I certainly hope to see the movie one day.

[Jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

It took me a while, half the book, to really get into this book.
Once it got going, it pulled me in. The end left me hanging...have to wait for the next one.

[Therese]

$.99