The Beheading Game

by Rebecca Lehmann

Disgraced. Beheaded. And out for revenge . . .

We all know what happened to Henry VIII’s second wife, Anne Boleyn. But what if she woke up the day after her execution and took it upon herself to seek justice?

“Nobody was surprised at Anne’s conviction. The world loves to put a woman in her place.”

The Beheading Game begins in the hours after Anne Boleyn’s beheading, when she wakes to find herself unceremoniously in an arrow chest, her head wrapped in linen at her knees. Discarded by King Henry VIII for not being able to give him a male heir, reviled by Cromwell for being too smart for her own good, and executed based on trumped-up charges, Anne escapes the tower, sews her head back on, and sets out on a quest for vengeance.

Traveling in the guise of a commoner, with the help of a prostitute, Anne navigates the London streets she never before walked and soon realizes how little she knew about life in the real world. If Kelly Link had teamed up with Hilary Mantel, the result might be The Beheading Game. An epic journey through the wilds of British royal history and a prescient reminder that “mouthy” women have always been punished, The Beheading Game finally allows one of history’s most maligned women a chance to tell her side of the story.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fantasy, Fiction, Historical, Horror, Adult, Historical Fantasy

320 pages, Hardcover

First published March 24, 2026

About the author

Rebecca Lehmann is an award-winning poet and essayist. She has an MFA in poetry from the Iowa Writers’ Workshop, where she was a Maytag Fellow. She is the author of three collections of poetry: Between the Crackups; Ringer, winner of the AWP Donald Hall Prize (selected by Ross Gay); and The Sweating Sickness. Her writing has appeared in American Poetry Review, The Kenyon Review, NPR’s The Slowdown, and the Academy of American Poets’ Poem-a-Day. She lives in Indiana with her family, where she is an associate professor of English and Gender and Women’s Studies at Saint Mary’s College. The Beheading Game is her debut novel.

Reviews

[quillnqueer]

SHE SEWS HER OWN HEAD BACK ON?? Seated.

[Roman Clodia · Rating 2 out of 5]

It's unfortunate that this is being published at around the same time as the title story in Senaa Ahmad's The Age of Calamities as that also deals with an Anne Boleyn who comes back from the dead but, as a short story, has both a sharper attitude and plotline as well as moving more briskly. The Beheading Game felt stretched to me, as if it too had material for a short story but as a novel lacked depth and flounders a little finding narrative direction. The beginning introduces a secondary character who simply disappears and then Anne Boleyn moves to the court, almost like a whole different story. It's also a bit hard, I'd say, to be competing with Wolf Hall and the huge number of Tudor books, both fiction and non-fiction, which have done this episode from every angle we can think of.

While the story of Anne coming back to life to take revenge is innovative (even if belated to Ahmad), the characterisation needs of a novel are not the same as a short story: this Anne, Henry VIII and Thomas Cromwell all feel rather flat and one-note, not a great comparison after the superlative Wolf Hall trilogy.

It's always interesting to see a take which disrupts an existing narrative in the way this does but it just feels like the book doesn't have enough material or perspective to add much-needed depth to a novel of this length. It especially feels like a mis-step to have Anne forcing Cromwell to support Elizabeth to the throne given that we know she becomes queen after Cromwell's own death so is hardly dependent on him.

Nice idea but I wanted far more to support the core idea and give in weight and significance: 2.5 stars.

Thanks to Vintage for an ARC via NetGalley

[Hades ( Disney's version ) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you Netgalley and Crown Publishing for an ARC of this book!!


This was another absolutely phenomenal read for me. It had me hooked from the first page and I couldn't put it down. As I've mentioned in the past, having ADD sometimes makes things you genuinely love feel like the world's biggest bore & chore. I adore history, but you'd never know it. It's just one of those things I can only pay attention to, if I'm intrigued in the right ways. I love to learn, but it has to be fun/ entertaining in some way. This checked every single box for me. 


I really enjoyed the character development of Anne throughout this. 


I adored the unexpected love interest


I LOVED the seamless blend of history with original story telling 


The peppered in humourous one liners were superb !


I really hope this is far from the last book we get like this from Rebecca Lehmann!!



Until next time,
Hades
🩵

[Victoria ✮⋆˙ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Alt-history is such a magical genre and this was an incredible fantasy addition!

I already love Anne Boleyn and this period in history but this just UGH OBSESSED! Eventhough this was fantasy it was really clear how well it was researched and I enjoyed the conclusions the author came to about some of the ideas historically about what might have happened in this timeline.

Anne is my fav revenge MC hehe. This was just so good and wild and I just had no clue where it was going!!

I always do love an alt history, what if kind of story and this really did hit the spot! Especially with how wild and fantastical it became (plus gay I loved that.) Imma be thinking about this forever!

[Sasha · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a brilliant historical fiction! I LOVE Anne Boleyn so I was screaming when I got this ARC! Thank you NetGalley and Crown Publishing!

This book looks at an alternate history, where Anne somehow survives her execution and comes back with a vengeance and a purpose - to expose of her ex-husband Henry VIII and get her daughter Elizabeth on the throne.

This book is perfect for fans of Anne Boleyn and Tudor history. We get insights into Anne’s memories and her feelings and it’s cool to see what happens when she makes her way to the royal residence where the King resides - Whitehall and the chaos that ensues.

Honestly I love reading books where Anne lives after all and history is rewritten… and this was super fun, and the ending was kind of nice.. an ending Anne herself probably would have approved of. I won’t ruin it though, you must read it for yourself!

[Magdalena (magdal21) · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5. The idea of Anne Boleyn sewing her head back on and going on a revenge spree sounded amazing, but the way this book was put together didn’t quite work for me.

First of all, the pacing was off and at times a bit of a slog. A large chunk of the story is devoted to recounting Anne’s life before her execution. We get her childhood, her relationship with Henry, her family, and all the political intrigue laid out in careful historical detail. That’s fine if you’re new to the period, but with a premise like this, it didn’t really make sense. I mean, I’m not convinced a revenge story about Anne Boleyn is aimed at readers who don’t already know her history.

As for the revenge plot, it’s surprisingly simple and honestly not that engaging. What pulled me out the most were the constant convenient moments where things just seemed to fall into place for Anne without much explanation (what’s going on with all of the animals?!). The mix of real and fictional characters she encounters also felt underdeveloped. Alice, for instance, could’ve had a much stronger connection with Anne, and Cromwell never quite comes across as the mastermind he’s meant to be.

I kept wishing the focus stayed on building a more compelling revenge arc instead of repeatedly returning to Anne’s past. That said, I did finish it, so it wasn’t a total miss, and the audiobook definitely helped. Still, there are far better Tudor novels out there.

[The Pastel Bookshelf · Rating 2 out of 5]

Very underwhelming 😏

[Michael · Rating 3 out of 5]

Awww man, another of the books I was looking forward to the most this year is a DNF. It’s definitely not a bad book, it just wasn’t for me. I didn’t connect to Anne’s character. I wanted more revenge, more brutal, faster. It felt like she was on endless side quests.

I give a lot of credit to Lehmann . What writer is sitting around thinking, “hmmm, what if Anne Boleyn was able to sew her head back on and stroll around London getting her revenge?” The research here is also very evident and very good. Readers get a very good idea of what Tudor England was like, especially if your knowledge of Tudor England come from watching Masterpiece Theater or bawdy HBO TV shows.

[Dan Bassett · Rating 5 out of 5]

A gorgeously detailed and vulnerable analysis of Anne’s time as Queen and the fallout of her death where people were so quick to gossip, presume, and ultimately condemn a figure they knew next to nothing about.
Anne suffered as Henry’s latest trophy, his conquest, his disgrace: how dare she birth only a daughter, and shun him by miscarriage via his sons. How dare she have free thought and live amongst her friends and family.
Does she not know how she shames him so?
The answer is simple; he must be rid of her.
However, Anne awakens inside an arrow chest with her head beside her and it is here her tale begins of treachery, betrayal, forbidden love, and ultimately revenge….
Do not miss this amazing book!!! I was transfixed!!!

[Mai H.]

📖 Thank you to Goodreads and Crown

[Viola · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nedaudz no angļu vēstures lauciņa. Pat, ja vēsture diži neinteresē, gan jau ir dzirdēts par Henriju VIII un viņa 6 sievām. Slavenākā no viņām - Anna Boleina, kura zaudē galvu (burtiski) 1536.g. Tomēr drīz pēc šī notikuma, kā izrādās, Anna pamostas, piešuj galvu atpakaļ un dodas atriebties pāridarītājiem...

[Mimi · Rating 2 out of 5]

Here’s the set up: Anne Boleyn wakes up after her execution, sews her head back on, and heads out to revenge her murder. IKR? I am so there!
Unfortunately, this begins a lot of backstory, marginally interesting as Anne ponders the fact that she paid no attention to those who attended her. The actual action doesn’t begin until 50 pages from the end and is ultimately unsatisfying. So much promise, so little execution (pun intended.) 2.5

[Cori Samuel · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was agog to read this, the concept of an executed Anne Boleyn sewing her own head back on and going all out for revenge is truly fantastic.

Unfortunately, the vengeance wasn't anything like as sharp as I wanted, and the majority of this book is experiencing everyday life in Tudor England. If you're interested in that insight, as well as a reimagining of Anne's past via flashbacks, then this may work really well for you -- it is lovingly done and very readable.

I personally wanted more from either the revenge theme, or the resurrection aspect. I wouldn't put this under Alternate History either, because the story doesn't cover any significant impact from the historical divergence created, a core feature of alt histories in general.

All in all, a lovely story, just not what I'd hoped for based on the blurb / beginning.


This review is based upon a complimentary advance reading copy provided by the publisher.

[Josh]

This is really fierce.

An ingenious historical retelling of the execution of Anne Boleyn that seamlessly blends horror with the fantastical. Armed with a needle, thread, and a head freshly sewn back on, the reader is treated to a feminist Medieval reckoning of epic proportions. Smart insights, lovely prose, a fairytale-like plot, and sweet, sweet revenge make this novel something you do not want to miss.

[Maëlys]

not often a historical fiction reader but she sews her head back on?????

[Emily Garmon · Rating 4 out of 5]

4⭐️

The Beheading Game posits a world in which Queen Anne Boleyn, the ill-fated 2nd wife of King Henry VIII, survives her execution. Anne wakes in her own coffin (the infamous arrow wood coffin, cheaply made) to find her arms holding her own head. Using remarkable strength and tenacity, Anne gets herself out of her own tomb and alights through London. Using a stolen needle and thread, she sews her own head back on. Despite the supernatural circumstances of her undeath, she sets herself on the path of revenge: kill Henry no matter what it takes. Upon chance she meets a commoner named Alice, a woman who travels into the city to do prostitution when money is tight. Alice helps her secure lodging and agrees to go to the Tower of London with her. Although suspcious of Anne's impromptu explanations for how she's come to be finely dressed and yet lacking money, Alice takes her under her wing. With Alice's help, Anne makes the fantasical, dangerous journey from London to the countryside to secure the king's death, and her daughter Elizabeth's rightful place on the throne.

My thoughts:
Wow. Just wow. A beautiful homage to the famous, maligned Queen Anne Boleyn. Lehmann knows Anne inside and out. Not only does she give actual factual details of Anne's real life woven throughout this narrative of her undeath, but let's Anne remembrances (which give enough emotion to feel factual) drive the story forward. As somone who has read countless novels and non-fiction about Anne Boleyn and Tudor history, I devoured this. I found myself crying at moments that as an amateur Tudor historian I've read numerous times. Lehmann gives this novel so much depth. I also think that people who have never read a novel about Anne Boleyn will find this a fascinating read. And if, like me, you have read many Tudor works, you will also find this insightful.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and author for an advanced reader's copy to review. My opinion is my own.

[Heather B · Rating 4 out of 5]

A unique book! I found the Tudor period fascinating when learning about it at school, so of course I wanted to read a book about Anne Boleyn surviving her own beheading, and then her quest for revenge against Henry VIII!

What I loved about it: It starts with an absolute banger of a first chapter. Anne is an interesting character to get to know - She's strong headed, assertive, and her relationship with Alice was one of the highlights for me.

The deviations from the story when Anne was reminiscing about her old life were some of my favourite parts. A beautiful mixture of true history and the author's imagination. The author has clearly done her research, which added much depth to the tale.

The second half lost its momentum slightly, with a little too much hiding and running and less plot development than the first half. However, if you're a fan of historical fiction, the Tudors and want both of those those with a little sprinkle of magic, give it a go. I'll be thinking and talking about this book for a long time.

Thank you Random House UK, Vintage for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. This is my honest and unbiased review.

[Rebecca · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's crazy how little bloodshed there was in this book, with it being named The Beheading Game. I absolutely love the idea of Anne Boleyn coming back to life, sewing her back on and deciding to kill Henry before he can kill any other wives (only in fiction, though. Not in real life, obviously). I think my absolute favorite scene in the entire book is the conversation she has with Cromwell.

Definitely would recommend this book!

Thanks so much to NetGalley for the free Kindle book. My review is voluntarily given, and my opinions are my own.

[Peejay(Pamela) · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a fascinating mix of historical facts and fantasy! I really enjoyed the story: it kept me captivated from beginning to end. What if Anne Boleyn somehow came back after her execution seeking revenge? Seeking to protect her child Elizabeth? Well written and captivating. 4.5 stars. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the advance readers copy.

[Lydia Ralte · Rating 4 out of 5]

History has been most unkind to women.

Anne Boleyn has been branded over and over in so many unflattering ways. In this reconstruction / reimagining of her history, Anne is finally weaponized.

As a reader and as someone who think often of the Boleyn sisters and their brother as well, I feel some sort of closure. I understand that whatever revenge that can be planned for the leech King will never be enough, but a bit of satisfaction was had with this narrative's ending.

[Maureen Grigsby · Rating 4 out of 5]

An Anne Boleyn who survives her beheading and lives to take revenge on Henry. Fun.

[LX · Rating 2 out of 5]

Thank you for the e-proof!

I really wanted to like this!

I yearnnnnnnnn for stories where Anne would get revenge and was so ready for this.

I had so many things that I reacted to like "....really?"

The revenge felt wayyyyy far off and the whole time line felt all over the shop with me trying to read it and trying to shut out the historical events / time line I knew.

but what I really didn't like was Cromwell.

don't try and make out that man had anything to do with Elizabeth and her accession to the throne. it felt weird, it felt like it was trying to make a Cromwell redeem himself?????? like no.

[nyna · Rating 4 out of 5]

I would consider myself largely a historical layman. Time periods and eras are hard to discern, blurring together, details lost—and yet, I quite enjoyed The Beheading Game. There is always a mild aversion to historical fiction reading like a textbook, weighted down by its dense factual components, but this book did not suffer from this at all; it was still able to recount various events and interpersonal connections without being stuffy. Written with poise, Rebecca Lehmann pens a fresh, exciting take on one of the most disparaged women in history.

Second wife to King Henry VIII, Anne Boleyn has been falsely accused and publicly executed, her decapitated head stowed away not in a coffin, but an arrow chest, alongside her body. Rising from the dead, and thoroughly scorned, Anne clambers out of her entrapment, sews her head back onto her neck, and embarks on a journey for revenge. With aid from a street-smart prostitute, the motley pair make their way along.

The narrative follows an ambling, almost stream-of-consciousness style, seamlessly drifting between Anne’s memories and the present. Still, it was surprisingly suspenseful, almost taut at some parts, compelling readers to turn to the next page, and the next, and the next. I loved the magical realism elements, some portions of the novel kept you wondering what was real and what was not. Though fantastical, there were nevertheless profound meditations on gender and sexuality, nobility and class, friendship and motherhood.

Recommended to historical fiction fans, proponents of female rage, and those who simply enjoy a well-rounded, satisfying revenge story.

Thank you to NetGalley and Crown Publishing for the opportunity to read this book.

[Cassity · Rating 3 out of 5]

Wanted more adventure and less historical context

[Michelle Herzing · Rating 4 out of 5]

The premise of The Beheading Game, Anne Boleyn wakes in the crypt with her head between her knees then pops it back on and embarks on a quest for revenge, had me very excited to read this historical fantasy from the get-go. I loved Wolf Hall and The Other Boleyn Girl, and will read just about anything about Anne Boleyn. The Beheading Game is heavily based in historical fact, until she comes back to life of course, and for the most part felt like a well-researched historical fiction novel with a bit of magical realism mixed in. Boleyn is a fascinating character, intelligent and independent in a time where women were definitely not valued for those traits.

The plot dragged a bit as she traveled back to the castle, and there were a few events that felt somewhat unnecessary albeit fun to read. The story picked up pace again when she arrived back at the castle, though, and ended well.

[Angie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thanks to NetGalley and Crown Publishing for an Advanced Reader Copy - pub date 3/24/2026. So Anne Boleyn is 100% my favorite of Henry’s wives so, of course, I will grab anything that gives her a voice back. And she gets some justice, too? Sweet. Count me in. However, in the end, I am left not quite sure where I stand with The Beheading Game. The premise is amazing - Anne Boleyn wakes up after her execution in the infamous arrow-chest (Henry, you cheap-ass jerk) with her wrapped and noticeably not-attached head in her lap. In fact the entire first portion of how Anne deals with this problem is wonderful, a mixture of comic pragmatism and dogged WTF-ery. First step, unwrap head. Second step, get out of box. And so on until she manages to escape and, like a true bad-ass, sews her own head back on. Then she decides that Henry really should die because he’s a monster, bad for the country, a real jerk, plus Anne fears that he’ll threaten their daughter now in his search for a male heir.

Anne’s love for the toddler Elizabeth is one of the sweetest things in this book. It is deep and abiding and strong and a true north star for Anne. No matter what, she has to get to Elizabeth and protect her. Whatever else happens, that is the mission and it is born from all of the mother’s love an undead queen’s heart can hold.

Again the concept is stellar and the use of mythic elements from England’s folk and fairy tale history delight my inner nerd. Yes, please, give me more Mr Fox symbolism. The conflicts and tension and confusion of the time pervades everything. Plus it is clear that the author researched the time and world she created for the reader - part history, part myth, part wishful thinking.

Unfortunately, Anne suffers from time to time from a sort of authorial indecision, careening between love-struck and capable and shrewish and smart and stupid and kind of scarily zealot-y. At times, it is like reading 2-3 different characters sharing a body. Always allowing for the discombobulating stress of waking up beheaded and the effect that is going to have on one’s personality, Anne still runs at a lot of right angles to herself - actively working against her own better interests at times. Like, just be NICE to the woman helping you, okay? You dealt with nastier comments and sniping in the court. It comes across as far more petulant than various flashbacks and the character arc would want you to believe, for one thing. Because Anne does get to grow and learn and start thinking outside of the box until she has her own little feminist awakening of “you know, maybe HENRY aka men are the problem.” But it’s a scatty process to get there which is not helped by the intermittent flashbacks that really toss in some heavy history and scene-setting in a rather chonky way. Pacing is a sort of optional thing here, you see.

I still root for Anne all the way because, well, I can’t help it. She’s my girl. But I think this is a case of the concept and the execution being at odds for my personal taste. I enjoyed it, yes, but not as much as I hoped to enjoy it.

[LJ]

DNF at 15%

A bit trite and a bit repetitive. The author does a good job of integrating key moments in history in order to characterize Anne Boleyn, but does so in a way that gives a less-than-convincing personality to her figure.

This was given to me as an ARC from NetGalley.

[Melissa · Rating 3 out of 5]

The life of Anne from the perspective of her surviving her beheading and seeking revenge on Henry. Completely unbelievable but somehow it worked as a story.

[Barbara Joan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rebecca Lehmann's "The Beheading Game" is thoroughly researched, lyrically written, and fantastical. Without spoiling the plot, Anne Boylen rises from her death by beheading and exacts delicious, well-deserved revenge on the liars, frauds, nobles, and clergy who sullied her. God Save the Queen! Don't miss this gem.

[Ali G · Rating 1 out of 5]

3/29/2026- I got half way and I simply cannot. This is barely what was promised, and Anne is so unlikeable, and lame, and fcking annoying that I almost wish she didn’t sew her head back on.