The Boleyn Secret: A Novel

by Alison Weir

The New York Times bestselling author of the Six Tudor Queens series explores the dramatic, mysterious life of Katherine Carey, niece of Anne Boleyn, in this surprising novel that delves into one of the deepest secrets of Henry VIII's court.

At twelve years old, Katherine Carey attends her aunt, Queen Anne Boleyn, to the scaffold. Horrified by what she witnesses, Kate is convinced that King Henry VIII is a murderer and has sent an innocent woman to a terrible death.

Although the Boleyn family, once so influential at Court, has now fallen from favor, Katherine still manages to secure a coveted role as companion to her now motherless cousin, the young Lady Elizabeth. Bound by Boleyn blood, the two girls grow as close as sisters, though Katherine has trouble ignoring the sly looks thrown her way and continual whispers behind her back. Only when her mother lies dying does Katherine learn the life-shattering truth that the Boleyns have been hiding for years.

It is a secret that follows Katherine throughout her life, as she flees religious persecution with her husband and lives abroad in fear, returning home only when Elizabeth becomes queen. But the bond between the Boleyn cousins will never be the same again…

With her usual entertaining and authoritative style beloved by readers, renowned historian Alison Weir exposes a dramatic, little-known Tudor mystery in this fascinating, revelatory novel.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Historical, Fiction, Tudor Period

545 pages, Kindle Edition

Expected publication May 26, 2026

About the author

Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name.

Alison Weir is an English writer of history books for the general public, mostly in the form of biographies about British kings and queens, and of historical fiction. Before becoming an author, Weir worked as a teacher of children with special needs. She received her formal training in history at teacher training college. She currently lives in Surrey, England, with her two children.

Reviews

[Jessica · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you, NetGalley, for providing me with a free digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I'm always excited to jump into the newest Alison Weir book. Having written fictional accounts of Henry VIII, all six of his wives, his mother and daughters, and even his closest advisor, Weir is now delving into uncharted territory with a book about the Tudor king’s likely-illegitimate daughter, Katherine Carey. The eldest child of Henry’s former mistress, Mary Boleyn, and niece to Anne Boleyn, we come upon Kate at the tender age of twelve, when she is called to wait upon the disgraced queen during her imprisonment in the Tower. As Weir herself later admits, this may be more myth than history, but it forms the basis of Kate's hatred for the poisonous king who, unbeknownst to her, is also her biological father.

Alison Weir’s novels have a cozy vibe to them, and they always start strong. The irony of Kate despising Henry, only to one day learn their true connection, is set up well, although the moment of the big reveal doesn’t quite pack the punch that it should, and is dropped not long thereafter. Through Kate, we get to experience the reigns of four English monarchs, and see Elizabeth (who, the more I read about her, the more she comes across like a sociopath) through the eyes of one of her closest confidantes. Less is known about Kate’s life than those of Weir’s other subjects, giving her room to be more creative in how she crafts the story. Unfortunately, this is an opportunity that Weir does not seize, instead falling back on her habit of narrativized history over historical storytelling. Kate has many, many children, all of whose births are relayed to us, but none of whom become dynamic characters in their own right. There is a deep love between Kate and her husband, Francis, which is intended as the focal point of the book, but their romance is fairly bland and unremarkable.

More compelling is Kate’s close twenty-year bond with her stepfather, William Stafford, whom we learn was much more involved in court affairs than previously known (he even got remarried to a granddaughter of Margaret Pole, cousin of Elizabeth of York) as well as a devout Protestant convert. I would have liked to know if this was borne out of Weir’s research or if she decided to emphasize their relationship for the purpose of the story. Kate’s brother, Henry, by contrast, is rarely ever mentioned (in one unintentionally funny scene, Kate learns that Henry has had five kids since the last time she spoke to him). Weir may also be the one Tudor historian still stubbornly aboard the Jane-Boleyn-was-evil train. Despite many other historians conceding that the primary evidence for Jane’s treachery simply isn’t there, Weir makes it plain that she believes Jane betrayed the Boleyn siblings to their deaths, which she implies was spurred by years of sexual abuse at her husband’s hands (why Jane receives so little sympathy for being subjected to George's cruelty, however, is beyond me).

Unfortunately, The Boleyn Secret is worn down by the same issues as most of Alison Weir’s fictional novels: telling instead of showing, and length. This book is way, way too long. Even with a merciful time skip during Edward VI’s reign, the print book (I read the e-book) comes in at over 550 pages long. Not enough happens to justify the size beyond not wanting to cut a single detail. In that case, Weir should have opted for a traditional biography instead of a novel. Huge swaths of this book were plodding and uneventful, and it greatly weakened what could have been a much stronger novel.

[HalKid2 · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm as big a Tudor fan as anyone. So, of course, I admire Alison Weir, a recognized scholar and bestselling author of all things Tudor. Unlike most other Tudor authors, Weir writes both fiction and non-fiction. But THE BOLEYN SECRET felt less like fiction to me than other Weir novels I've read. I wouldn't call it a clunker but I only gave it three stars.

This book's protagonist is Katherine Carey*, daughter of Mary Boleyn and friend-cousin-lady-in-waiting to Queen Elizabeth I. Katherine is usually an invisible historical figure. So, I was looking forward to Weir fleshing her out and learning more about her life living so close to the dysfunctional Tudor royal family. I did learn some. But, for me, the Katherine of this book remained two-dimensional. She observed a lot of history, but always remained somewhat removed.

The story begins with Katherine (age 12) witnessing the execution of her aunt, Queen Anne Boleyn. She becomes a playmate for young Princess Elizabeth which allows us, through second hand gossip, to learn about King Henry VIII's four subsequent marriages. Eventually, Katherine goes to court as a lady-in-waiting to two queens and, at the age of 16, marries Francis Knollys. Their marriage is a happy one, peppered with many pregnancies (16!). Along the way, readers glean information about multiple monarchs [Henry VIII, Edward VI, Lady Jane Grey (if you count her), Mary I, and Elizabeth I].

As I progressed through this novel, I increasingly felt Weir wasn't clear about whose story she was telling. It's not really about a Boleyn secret - because that gets revealed about 1/3 of the way in and turns out to be more well-known conjecture than big surprise. The book contains way too much extraneous detail to simply be a story about the life of Katherine Carey. And while Katherine's life was certainly impacted by this era's contention around religion, the novel is more than a story about the tension between Catholics and Protestants.

In addition, the book felt too heavily weighted toward narration instead of dialogue. Weir explains so much, rather than allowing the characters to show us. For example, there are explanations about some of the differences between the two religions. There's horrible detail about the many Protestants burned by Queen Mary. There's extensive discussion about Queen Elizabeth not wanting to marry. Even a lot of attention to the mysterious death of Amy Robsart Dudley, wife of royal favorite Robert Dudley. And even when context IS shared through back and forth conversations between characters - I simply didn't find the dialogue the least bit believable.

The result is that THE BOLEYN SECRET felt tediously long (560 pages) and slow. While I'm generally a fan of including period detail to increase authenticity, I felt too much was heavy-handed and only tangentially related to Katherine's life. Perhaps the book would have been stronger if it had been written in Katherine's first person, voice. Instead, she was mostly a witness in the room.

Or, perhaps, as a historian, Weir just knows so much about this period, it's hard for her to not include everything. It may also be that I'm a reader who already knows too much about the Tudors. I bet the book will be more engaging to those who were new to the Tudor world.

Overall, I still recommend THE BOLEYN SECRET. But I certainly wouldn't describe it as a page-turner and I've found other novels by Weir much more skillfully written. Be sure to read the Author's Note at the end where Weir reveals what is actually known about Katherine Carey and what is made up.

[grace mary · Rating 2 out of 5]

At first, I was really interested in the story, but as the chapters went by I think it dragged on. There was a lot of repetition and I don't believe it needed to be so dragged out to 500 pages. The secret was also a let down? It makes barely any impact on the story. I understand that that is probably true to the nature of the real story, although I confess I don't know this much about history and the personal lives of past monarchs, but what brought me to keep reading after the secret was revealed was how it serves the narrative. I appreciate the amount of work and research that must have gone into this, but for me the repetition took me out of the story a lot, and I believe some parts weren't necessary. It reads like Kate's diary.
The writing is good, and the characters are interesting, but a little lackluster in my opinion. The mother I didn't care for, the father I wish I knew more about so that I could feel something about him and the whole situation, and Elizabeth... she's the most fleshed out character of all of them (including Kate) and I did appreciate seeing that, but I also didn't like her. Fair, maybe I'm not meant to. Kate's character felt a little all over the place. Going back to her parents and the backstory, I think it would have made a nice understanding of how/ why Kate is the way she is. She had no identity, no views, nothing, and is easily pushed by her husband. Except from the end where she had a litter of kids (again, going back to how it reads like a diary, I don't believe I needed to read about each of her children, which served nothing to the story, except to show that yes people had a lot of kids in that time.) I did, however, feel very sorry for Kate for being surrounded by selfish people. At first, I was disappointed in the ending, but I do think it suits the theme of the story.
However, I do appreciate the author writing about a person and part of history that isn't widely known (or at least, I didn't know!)
Thank you NetGalley for the arc.

[Adrienne Dillard]

The Boleyn Secret is very much standard fare for Alison Weir: competently written, atmospherically Tudor, and firmly situated within the interpretive universe she has built across her historical novels. Longtime readers will recognize the familiar rhythms of her characterization and thematic interests, but they may also find little here that feels new or revelatory.

The greatest weakness lies in the portrayal of Catherine Carey. Despite the historical record suggesting a marriage of intellectual and emotional equality, Catherine is given remarkably little agency. I kept waiting for her to demonstrate the qualities that would justify her husband’s evident regard, but those moments never truly arrived, leaving her frustratingly underdeveloped.

Weir’s Elizabeth I, by contrast, is vividly drawn, if unevenly so. I appreciated the willingness to explore Elizabeth’s full spectrum of cruelty, and I spent much of the novel genuinely furious with her, a reaction that speaks to the power of the portrayal. At times, however, that cruelty tips into something more simplistic, edging toward a villainous caricature rather than a complex ruler shaped by fear, politics, and survival. In the end, The Boleyn Secret is readable and familiar, but unlikely to surprise or deeply satisfy readers hoping for fresh insight.

[Fiona]

Tudor novels excite me. Especially ones set around Anne Boleyn. Katherine Carey is right at the heart of the Anne Boleyn’s execution which is traumatising for her as she was only a teenager.
Katherine then goes onto play a part in the fringes of the Tudor Court, through Henry’s next two wives, and the next three monarchy’s.

This is the first novel that I have read that has included Mary Tudor’s reign and I found this quite traumatic.

I guessed the secret straight away – the fact that Henry had liaisons with Anne Boleyn’s sister is quite a well-known Tudor fact so it could be that the her child could be Henry’s. Katherine is not granted access to the King’s thoughts, and once she made up her mind that Henry was a monster she repeated this ad nauseum until his death.

I found Kate to be a woman of her time. 12 Children and a husband who just seemed to like making babies and being at Court. Katherine has no real opinion of her own and whilst showing herself to be capable of running the manor she doesn’t really stand up for herself; or frame any view other than that of her her husband.

I think maybe the length of the novel and the time periods it skimmed over put me off. Maybe if it had spent more time in one period rather than Henry, Mary and Elizabeth’s rein I would have enjoyed it more. But for me it was to long and tom detailed with events that didn’t need the tine spent on it.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for an advance copy in return for an honest review. This one is for hardcore Tudor lovers.

[Peggy · Rating 2 out of 5]

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

For an author so well-known and liked, this book is extremely disappointing. I have heard so many great things about the author and really wanted to like it, but I didn't. Although this book was clearly well researched and covers a great deal of Tudor history, I had to stop reading at 12% despite loving many books set in this era.

For me, the biggest issues were the quality of the writing and a lack of believability.

Settings, clothing, and characters are described in only the briefest detail, and the details that are mentioned don't add much to the feel of the book or immersion in the time period.

Transitions feel off, the sentence-level writing is often clunky, and the book is very unnecessarily repetitive. Though I stopped early, there are already numerous times when Kate would think something or the narrator would mention it, and suddenly a different character would repeat that same thing a few lines later.

Kate feels very flat. Readers have no sense of who she is or how she feels other than when we are told she cries, clenches her hands, or is angry without giving any detail or nuance in the depiction of her emotions. So far, she also hasn't done much of anything.

She has rarely spoken more than a few words at a time, but other characters speak for pages. For example, in the segment that made me give up, a character spends eight straight Kindle pages telling Kate back story they would never tell a twelve year old. During this, Kate only interjects a single sentence. This whole scene is a massive info dump to give the reader context rather than weaving the information in naturally.

This long one-sided conversation is also entirely unbelievable because the character talks about a time and place, describing things they nor anyone else in this era would ever be able to know, even with the flimsy excuse given for why she knows it in the book. It is entirely unnecessary, and all it does is pull the reader out of the story.

This book was not for me, and I cannot recommend it for readers who are are easily frustrated by bland, repetitive prose or who have difficulty suspending disbelief when characters, descriptions, or dialogue do not fit the time period.

I do, however, think the concept is interesting, and the book can be a fun and enlightening read for those who want to learn more about the Boleyn/Carey family in a digestible fiction format.

[Tzia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Katherine (Kate) Carey, niece to Anne Boleyn, lives a life intrinsically linked to the Tudor court. Serving Queen Anne through her execution and then the young Princess Elizabeth, Kate is highly aware of the fact that rumour and scandal follow her family. She meets and marries Francis Knollys with whom she enjoys the joys and many trials of life, but is never far from the family secret.

I love a good historical fiction, and the Tudor Age is my favourite period of UK history - so this should have been the perfect book for me. Unfortunately, it turned out to be something of nothing. This book was very bloated - it absolutely didn't need to be 500+ pages - and as a result very repetitive. I was captivated during the first third of the book but sadly it wasn't able to keep my attention, and if I'm honest I pretty much skimmed the final third because I just wanted to finish.

I think the biggest issues this book had were a lack of a main, strong focal character and also that it tried to cover far too much in terms of time. Kate is a sympathetic character throughout but at points she comes off as simpering and childish. She is very much a woman of her time in that she defers to her husband in most matters, bears a large number of children, and learns to be mistress of a great household at a young age - and I respect that those things were accurately represented. However there was no real narrative for her to follow and any character development ended up being overlooked. The timeline is a long one - 30 years or so - and follows Kate through the reign of Henry VIII, Edward VI, Mary I, and Elizabeth I. There are so many names, families and Acts of Parliament that it's impossible to keep up. And a personal thought - this book contains one of the worst descriptions of female pleasure I have ever read. You'll know it when you get there.

There are selling points to this book. It is painstakingly, meticulously researched - as are all of Alison Weir's works. She paints a vivid picture of life at court, religious uncertainty and persecution in the reign of Mary, and the famous vanity and selfishness of Elizabeth. She invites you to wonder what it might have been like to live in the aftermath of a Queen being executed and to look at the bold ambition some of the leading families of the day had.

Overall not one I'll be returning to or adding to my bookshelf - Alison Weir is an excellent historian and her non-fiction work is generally stellar; but this falls short for me.

- Thanks to NetGalley for granting me this ARC in exchange for an honest review -

[Leanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Alison Weir returns with a richly woven Tudor tale that feels both intimate and sweeping, offering a fresh vantage point on one of history’s most mythologised families. The Boleyn Secret follows Kate Carey—niece to Anne Boleyn and cousin to Elizabeth Tudor—whose life is shaped by the shadows of ambition, loyalty, and a truth buried deep within her family’s past.

From the opening pages, Weir captures the emotional shock of Anne Boleyn’s fall through the eyes of a twelve‑year‑old girl who witnesses far more than any child should. Kate’s horror, confusion, and fierce loyalty form the emotional spine of the novel, grounding the political tumult in something deeply human. As the Boleyns scatter and the court shifts its allegiances, Kate’s bond with the young Elizabeth becomes a tender, complicated thread—sisterly, competitive, and ultimately strained by choices neither girl fully understands.

Weir excels at exploring the private spaces behind public history. The whispers that follow Kate through court, the jealousies that simmer beneath Elizabeth’s brilliance, and the devastating revelation delivered on Mary Carey’s deathbed all combine to create a narrative that feels both historically resonant and emotionally gripping. The secret at the heart of the novel is handled with delicacy, shaping Kate’s life in ways that feel tragically inevitable.

What stands out most is the novel’s sense of atmosphere: the quiet dread of Tudor politics, the fragility of female survival, and the lingering ache of a family marked by both scandal and love. Weir’s meticulous research is present, but never heavy; instead, she allows her characters to breathe, to falter, and to shine in ways that make this story feel startlingly alive.

The Boleyn Secret is a captivating exploration of identity, loyalty, and the cost of truth. Fans of Weir’s Tudor novels will find much to love here, but so will readers drawn to stories of complicated women navigating impossible worlds. A beautifully crafted, emotionally resonant addition to the Tudor canon.

With thanks to Alison Weir, the publisher and netgalley for the ARC.

[Stacey · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an engaging and well researched retelling of a familiar Tudor period, made more interesting by its unusually wide chronological range. Going beyond Henry VIII’s death and into the reigns of his children was a real strength.

As you would expect from Alison Weir, the language feels authentic, with no distracting anachronisms. There are some familiar frustrations of the genre, particularly that much of the political action happens offstage and is relayed second hand rather than shown.

We do not know a great deal about Katherine Carey, just as we do not know much about her mother, Mary Boleyn. She must have been a remarkable woman to give birth to sixteen children and to hold such a place in the heart of one of England’s greatest monarchs, and Weir makes her a largely sympathetic character, if at times slightly naive.

Kate’s resentment at having to serve the Queen grated on me at first, especially given how close she had recently come to execution. That said, my view shifted toward the end of the novel, when her enforced separation from her family began to feel less like inconvenience and more like deliberate cruelty. It also raised an uncomfortable question about Elizabeth herself, suggesting that despite her reputation, she could be capable of emotional harshness reminiscent of her father.

One area I would have liked to see explored further was Elizabeth’s determination to remain unmarried. The novel hints at certain motivations, but given how much of this remains conjecture, it would have been interesting to see alternative interpretations considered or more clearly articulated.

The final section is slower and occasionally repetitive, but the ending is poignant and lingering, and ultimately shaped my overall impression. I have little doubt that Katherine Carey was Henry VIII’s daughter, and Weir’s musing that the Tudor line lived on through Katherine, when others believed it had died out, is thought provoking.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for an ARC of the book in exchange for an honest review.

[Daphne Sharpe · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mary Boleyn was the lucky sister. She survived the disgrace of her brother George and sister, Queen Anne , when they were jointly accused of treason and executed. Mary had a daughter, Catherine, and son Harry, with her husband Will Carey, but there were always rumours about Catherine’s parentage as Mary was a Royal mistress.
The Boleyn secret suggests that King Henry the Eighth was the father of Catherine, and that would have made her of royal blood. Never publicly acknowledged, Catherine still managed to gain posts at court, she became companion to Princess Elizabeth, her cousin and possibly half- sister, and the two ladies remained close friends right up until Catherine’s death.
Catherine married into a prominent family, the Knollys. She and her husband Francis had sixteen children, with fourteen surviving into adulthood.
What is the evidence for this Boleyn secret?. There is a portrait of Catherine Carey, Lady Knollys, showing a lady with auburn hair and facial features of King Henry and Queen Elizabeth. Red hair is a dominant gene, and Will Carey was dark haired. . Mary Boleyn was in a relationship with the King in the 1520’s when Catherine was born. Not absolute proof but still very convincing, it is up to the reader to draw their own conclusions.
There has been an extensive amount of research for this book, but too much detail and repetition really interrupted the flow of this read, it did seem to drag over the many chapters. There is an art in knowing what to leave out, perhaps tighter editing would have improved this novel?
My favourite has always been Mary Boleyn, a true survivor, but who lies in an unknown grave. My ambition has been over the last ten plus years to find out where she rests, but she is as elusive in death as the many secrets she kept when alive.
I gave a four star rating, a very intense and complicated read. My thanks to Netgalley and the publishers,Headline Review, for my advance copy, freely given in exchange for my honest review. I will copy and post to Goodreads and Amazon UK later.

[Bookish Travels]

I have spent many an hour reading and listening to the fiction and non fiction books of Alison Weir, so thank you Publishers and Netgalley for giving me the opportunity to read this one prior to publication, always excited when i see that she has a new book out.

I have often wondered what book Alison Weir would write next, and a novel about Katherine Carey, is what i think the Tudor fiction world needs.

The story starts with Katherine or 'Kate' being called to the Tower of London to help with the final days of her aunt Anne Boleyn, we have all heard and read about Anne Boleyn and her death, but this book tells that part of the book through Katherines eyes as a young girl, she went onto the scaffold with Anne and saw the blow that took her head off, what a sight for a young girl, but in the Tudor world, they are grown and ready for marriage at a tender age.

This book is around the same length as a lot of her novels and amongst those pages we encompass many years and sovereigns, namely Henry VIII of course, Mary I and Elizabeth I and we follow Katherine through these times, we grow up with Katherine through these times, tumultuous on occasion, as was the tudor court she survived the religious upheavals, marriage, excile, many children and reconcilement with England when Elizabeth come to power. I really liked the fact that Weir picked Katherine, a lesser known 'charecter' in this world that we read in, knowing that Katherine was a real person and the she actually lived through all this makes her more remarkable.

The secret that is on the cover is one that, you will have to find out for yourself, but if you know your history and / or read theories, then i think you can guess it..

I never skip a Weir Tudor novel and even though they are a tad long ( a slower reader that i used to be ) it enjoyed my time between the pages.

I really hope that we continue to get more and more!
Thank you so much to the publishers and to Netgalley for giving me the opportunity to sink myself into this book and enjoy it.

[Pippa Elliott · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Boleyn Secret is the life story of a lesser known Boleyn: Katherine Carey, daughter of Mary Boleyn and cousin to Anne Boleyn.
The story follows the girl, Katherine Carey, as she grows into a young woman, becomes a mother, and then attendant to Queen Elizabeth. We experience the highs and lows of life, as she falls in love and marries her soul mate, Francis, and eventually becomes Lady Knollys.
But as Katherine gains status and respectability, as the monarchs change and religious winds shift, her family face persecution which causes them to flee into exile. And then when Elizabeth ascends to the throne and it is safe to return, Katherine finds her life is not her own in a whole new way.
I greatly enjoyed this book which is a satisfying, immersive read. The evocation of life at the Tudor court is skillfully done and one can only imagine the depth of research that has gone in to crafting this world.
The author’s notes explain little was known about Katherine’s life, and this book is blend of fact and fiction. Some creative licence is used to the benefit of the narrative, but it is never outrageously out of place. For example, in the story the young girl Katherine accompanies her aunt, Anne Boleyn, to the Tower of London and witnesses the disgraced queen’s beheading. Apparently, there is no evidence this happened, and yet the scenario is a plausible given their family relationship. Another example is that Katherine regularly visits her cousin, the infant Elizabeth, hence part of the reason for their close relationship.
As for the secret of the title, no spoilers so I won’t tell you what it is…but don’t expect any earth shattering revelation and it’s not hard to guess. However, I do wonder (and this is me being pedantic) if the book title is a slight misnomer, as it’s not really a ‘Boleyn’ secret (looking at it from Elizabeth’s perspective, as she has more at stake)…but you’ll have to read the book to see if you agree.

[Faith Lavezoli · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

The Boleyn Secret tells the story of Kate Carey, the niece of Anne Boleyn, and the secret that follows her throughout her life. The idea of having this secret permeate the story could have been very compelling, but it ended up falling flat. I'm a big history nerd, so I already knew what the secret was and I was anticipating the revealing of the secret. Kate learns the secret about a third of the way through and while it has some pretty interesting implications and potential, the knowledge has very little impact on Kate's life. In that way, the story was a little bit more grounded and realistic, but I was hoping for a little bit more intrigue and suspense because it was marketed around the secret and the Boleyn family. It was still a good story that I kept wanting to return to, it was just a little slow.

Aside from the disappointment around the secret, the other main complaint I had was that this book was so repetitive! The characters had the same conversations over and over. There were some big decisions that needed a lot of talking over, but some of the conversations were exactly the same, fully written out, and ended with the same conclusion, when they could have just been mentioned. A lot of these repeated conversations were Kate letting Francis walk all over her, which I understand was expected of her at the time, but I was waiting for her to put her foot down about something! That definitely does provide juxtaposition Elizabeth, as she goes against norms to remain unmarried, but still I wished Kate had a little bit more agency in her life. There was a also a lot of repetition of the differences between Catholicism and Protestantism, which might be helpful for those who are unaware of those differences and want a better understanding, but a lot of those details didn't feel super necessary for the plot.

[Karen Morgan · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Boleyn Secret Alison Weir

5 stars

A brilliant insight into the Elizabethan reign

I have read a few Alison Weir books years ago and always thought she was one of the best historical fiction writers around. Therefore when I saw her new book on Netgalley I was excited to read another of her books and they are still so good . She writes as though she was actually in the places that she is describing and paints such vivid pictures.

Like many people I have always been fascinated by The Tudors and obviously know a lot about their history. However this story's main character is Kate Carey whose mother is Mary Boleyn, the sister of the ill-fated Anne and her story really starts when she is forced to be present at Anne's execution at the age of 12.

This is what triggers her hatred of Henry V111 and yet she has been appointed as one of Princess Elizabeth's ladies so has to have contact with him from time to time. The story portrays all the different characters who are all trying to advance themselves and curry favour with whoever is the current favourite of the King. It covers an expanse of almost 30 years including the reign of Mary and Elizabeth. Kate marries Francis Knollys and has an exceptionally happy marriage producing 16 children. However as a cousin to Elizabeth she is made to spend most of her time attending to the Queen and only rarely spends time with her husband and children.

Throughout the book Kate and her husband are granted great privileges and Kate realises why when she discovers The Boleyn Secret. I would imagine that most readers will know what this is but I will not reveal it here.

This book is very long but I thoroughly enjoyed it and am just pleased to have re-discovered Ms Weir's books.


Karen Deborah
Net Galley

[Sarah Pitcher-hoffman · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you say it is a Tudor novel, I am ready to read it, and then add in Alison Weir, and that makes it even better. This book did not disappoint in the way it brought the reader into the Tudor Courts of both Henry VIII and Elizabeth I. It also gave a clear account with detail about the lives of Kate Carey Knollys, her husband, and children. I think what struck me most in this reading was how little control Kate had over her own life. First, she was positioned around the court by her family, and then later, when she was married with 16 children, she was completely under the control of the Queen. It was fascinating to see how their lives revolved around the whims of the monarch, and if they disappointed her, they could lose lands, lose money, lose property, or lose their heads. It was sad to see that even when Kate just wanted to spend time with her infant children or when she was dying at the end, she had absolutely no control over her life.

The details of court and machinations around religion and who the Queen would marry do take up a lot of the plot, and to a point, it was interesting. It did get somewhat repetitive around the issue of her marriage. The other reason this book gets 3.5 stars, rounded up to 4, is that the secret - the title of the book - is not really important in the book. It plays a background role, especially since for the first half of the book, Kate does not even know what it is. And, when she does, she does not do much with the knowledge. Perhaps that is just staying true to history, as no one really knows if the secret is true, but maybe then it needed an alternate title.

Good read though, and I thank NetGalley and Ballantine for the e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

[Lynda · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m a big fan of Tudor fact and fiction so I was always going to enjoy this book, which follows Katherine ‘Kate’ Carey from the age of twelve as she moves within noble circles and in the courts of five Tudor Kings and Queens. Kate was the daughter of Anne Boleyn’s older sister Mary who was mistress to Henry VIII before her sister married him. As always with this author it has clearly been extensively researched and there is some fascinating detail.

Briefly, at the tender age of twelve Kate is called to wait on her Aunt Anne when she is awaiting her execution in the Tower of London, and is forced to witness Anne’s beheading. Throughout her life Kate remains convinced that Anne was innocent of the charges laid before her. Kate spent much of her life in the service of the crown, most notably to her young cousin, lady Elizabeth, later Queen Elizabeth, the daughter of Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn.

The secret of the title isn’t really a big secret. If you read a lot of Tudor books as I do this is often mentioned and quite early on in the book Kate raises the question herself. Elizabeth comes across as selfish and self obsessed although she loves Kate but her jealousy is terrible and when Kate marries Elizabeth takes pleasure in keeping her away from her husband and later her many children. Conversely Kate seems gentle, kind and caring and had she not been born into the nobility would have enjoyed a married life with her husband and children, but sadly that was not to be. It’s a chunky read, as normal with this author, but I really enjoyed it. An interesting and enjoyable historical fiction novel.

[Lara happy_spinster_reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a massive Alison Weir fan, I was beyond delighted to receive this book as an arc. A huge thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for this honor!

Because I am an Alison Weir fan, I already knew the BIG secret and maybe you do as well, however as to not give any spoilers, I won't be discussing said secret.

The novel follows Catherine Carey, daughter of Mary Boleyn and niece of the infamous Anne Boleyn. Catherine was there through all the major moments in Tudor history: Anne's execution, Henry VIII's awkward marriage to Anne of Cleves, her cousin Katherine Howard's rise and fall....all leading up to her cousin Elizabeth I's reign of England. And we get to see these events through Catherine's eyes.

There were pieces of Tudor history that I didn't know much about, mainly the religious persecution leading many to flee England and live in exile during Mary I's reign. (She is known as Bloody Mary for a reason.)

Weir takes some liberty with history but not much, only some details may or may not be true. (Can you tell I am a believer of the BIG secret?) She takes you through Kate's life starting from attending her aunt in the Tower, attending Anne of Cleves, through marriage and many, many children, living abroad in exile, all the way to her attending her cousin, Queen Elizabeth. The two were very devoted and close through their lives, almost an obsession on Elizabeth's part to be honest. In fact, the book gave me new insight into Elizabeth and Mary, Queen of Scots that I wasn't expecting.

Catherine Carey deserves her own story and considering the members of the British Royal Family today are her descendants, this book has been a long time coming.

[*TUDOR^QUEEN* · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 Stars

As a British Royal History buff, it's too tempting to ignore the latest writings of Alison Weir, one of the premier royal history authors. However, if you're well-read on the subject it can become tiresome re-visiting the same topics again and again. With this offering Weir taps into a somewhat obscure character from the Tudor Court- one Katherine (Carey) Knollys. The title of the book purports a Boleyn Secret, but if you watched the movie "The Other Boleyn Girl" the secret isn't very hard to figure out. The book is uplifted by the essential goodness of the main character, and her struggles to survive the challenges of The Tudor Court- while enjoying a very beautiful and fruitful marriage. As the book begins, she is traumatized by the beheading of her aunt, Anne Boleyn. From that point on she fears and despises King Henry VIII, yet is continually recruited into high positions at Court. Over the course of the book Katherine witnesses The King's four other marriages, and watches three of his children become England's next monarch. (As usual) the book is way too long, clocking in at 560 pages. However, Weir fleshed out the main character of Katherine (Carey) Knollys very well, with a healthy dose of Queen Elizabeth I in a supporting role. Queen Elizabeth greatly loved and relied upon Katherine and provided a grand funeral / entombment for her at Westminster Abbey. It was much too long of a read for me, but am glad to have learned so much about a pleasant and interesting character from The Tudor Era.

Thank you to the publisher Ballantine Books for providing an advance reader copy via NetGalley.

[Seriesbooklover · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an ecopy for a free and unbiased opinion.
I enjoy historical fiction especially from the point of view of the lesser-known men and women. The Boleyn Secret is the story of King Henry the Eighth’s turbulent reign and after from the point of view of Kate Carey, his niece by Anne Boleyn.
King Henry’s various wives and their fates are well known but this story from Kate’s point of view shows how horrific this man perhaps was to the woman in his court. Catherine or Kate is Anne Boleyn’s sister’s Mary who has a few books written from her point of view notably The Other Boleyn Girl.
The author acknowledges that she are many fictional elements to her story in her afterword but gives her evidence as well as to the Secret about Kate that the Boleyn family have been hiding. Kate finds herself in her cousin’s court including when Elizabeth is a Princess, then demoted to a lady and then when she becomes Queen.
The book is interesting and while filled with facts is never boring- I had no idea that rich protestants fled the country during Queen Mary’s reign and there were plots to bring them back. The Queens’s court filled with powerful women for the first time is also intriguing. The Queen Elizabeth in this book is an imperious mix of strength, selfishness and cynical pragmatism. Kate’s marriage to Francis Knollys is a significant part of the book and the love between them is heartwarming given the times.
Anyone who loves historical fiction will enjoy Kate Carey’s story and her place in history.

[Rachel N · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Tudors seem to be the stars of an inexhaustible supply of historical novels and Catherine Carey offers particularly interesting possibilities. She was the daughter of Mary Boleyn, sister of Anne and one time mistress of Henry VIII, and rumours have always abounded that Catherine was the illegitimate daughter of the King. The novel follows her from her place beside Anne Boleyn at her execution, through her time as a companion for the young Elizabeth and at court, and through her own marriage and large family with Francis Knollys as they try to navigate the religious wars of the 16th century.

Alison Weir makes it very clear which parts of the novel are based on her always in-depth research and which parts are invented (although she also gives good explanations for why these may be plausible) and the result is an excellent portrayal of life for those within the royal court. She does a superb job of showing how stifling life could be for those who are favoured and the threat for those who are not, what little choice there was for those close to the centre and the impact this had on their own lives. The danger for both Catholics and Protestants under different monarchs is especially well handled.

It’s not easy to find anything original to say about such a well covered period but I really enjoyed this book, particularly its balance of history and imagination, and its excellent sense of time and place.

Thanks to Netgalley, the author and publisher for an advance copy in return for an honest review.

[Nichole Renee · Rating 3 out of 5]

(ARC provided by NetGalley)

I have been fascinated with the royal Tudor court since high school, and I have a great affection for historical fiction set in that era. Weir has long been a favorite writer in this area (along with one or two others), and I was excited to see a new book from her that was based on the Boleyn family (a personal favorite).

This novel focused on Katherine Carey, the daughter of Anne Boleyn’s older sister, Mary. Once one of Henry VIII’s mistresses, Mary fell from favor during her sister’s reign as queen. When Elizabeth I became queen, though, Mary’s daughter Katherine was one of her attendants.

How does the daughter of a woman sent away from court become a close confidante of a queen?

This novel addresses that as it follows Katherine from her youthful beginnings as a bright girl who becomes a beloved playmate to a royal toddler to a young woman falling in love to an emerging Protestant during a Catholic queen’s deadly reign and to an adult woman trying to navigate her noble station as it conflicts with the desires of her heart.

I wanted to love this novel. However, I found that much of the story felt overly familiar. This could have been my fault in having read so many fictions based on the Tudors that I knew too much. The sections of the book solely focused on Katherine were interesting; there just seemed to be too much time spent on telling the story of Henry VIII and his wives and daughters. For someone not well versed in that time, this would be fresh and interesting. For me? It felt overly familiar and like a book read before.

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

Firstly I'd like to thank Alison Weir, NetGalley and the publisher for an eARC in exchange for my honest review!

This started out so strong for me, Kate was summoned to be by her Aunt's side during her stay in the tower and her subsequent execution. Anne Boleyn is shamed and Kate must be by her side.

It follows the love story and life of Kate and her husband, but for me, this book went on for far too long. I found the timeline jumped a lot, suddenly Kate had more kids that had been named and died, but we'd had no mention of them? I personally struggled to bond with the main character, aside from her love for her husband. Kate didn't have much substance and I found she was easily swayed and molded by the people around her.

The secret didn't change anything in the story, it felt very... hyped up and for nothing really.

One thing I can say for sure, is that Alison Weir does have a very good knack for writing around the Tudor period. Her knowledge of the time did lend itself well to the pages, the political strife around that time and the thoughts and feelings of English people during such a tumultuous time was refreshing.

Sadly for me, this felt very long and repetitive, so by about 50%, I was unfortunately having to drag myself through the book. However I do feel 3 stars is deserved because Weir has done her research and her writing is good, it just fell flat for me.

[Marie · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 ⭐️

Thank you NetGalley for a copy of this arc in exchange for an honest review!!

I won’t lie, this book was really hard for me to get into and I struggled getting through this, it took me so long and I couldn’t understand the *why* of what I was reading. It didn’t feel there was much purpose, if any, to the narrative. It read overwhelmingly like a diary of Kate, and her experience at court.

I cannot dispute how immensely researched this was and how accurate the information and language was presented to the reader. Not once was I brought out of the narrative due to a word not fitting, or something being mentioned that would be extremely out of place.

It just felt like not really much was happening, and wasn’t a clear progression point for the narrative, no clear plot to follow.
I typically love historical fiction, and I’m really sad this didn’t grip me like I hoped. But I can’t deny it was interesting, and I did like the look into some of history’s less known figures and the idea of a secret tying them to one of the most well known kings of England. It would have been interesting had more come of the secret as it felt a little like it was a shock factor element, and then just brushed aside to follow the rest of Kate’s life, which didn’t really have any connection to the giant secret her mother reveals to Kate on her death bed. I wish the secret was more explored as it is obviously a massive selling point in relation to the novel.

[Sara Cantalupo · Rating 2 out of 5]

ARC Review

This one was difficult. I love Historical Fiction books and Alison Weir is generally a go to author for me. I was overjoyed to receive notification that I was chosen to receive an ARC of her newest book and couldn't wait to dive in. I'm disappointed to say that this book just didn't hit home for me and I found myself having to force myself to pick up this book, taking a full month to complete it.

I found this book to be extremely slow and repetitive. The author's distaste for Queen Elizabeth was very clear, easily coming off of the pages, although she did seem to have a soft spot for Queen Anne. Elizabeth is portrayed even from a very young age as spoiled, and lacking any care for those around her.

This story mainly revolves around young Katherine Carey, cousin to Elizabeth. We follow her from early teenage years through full adulthood and the trials and tribulations that followed through the 4 rulers of her lifetime. She went from quiet, countryside bliss as a new bride, to having to escape England when it wasn't safe, and finally being pulled back to London to serve Elizabeth in her regency when it was the opposite of what she desired.

Although most of this book just wasn't for me, I did adore reading about Kate and her husband Francis, as well as Kate and the relationship that she had with her stepfather, Will. For me, those were the best parts of the book and showed the best parts of Kate's personality.

[Kathleen Hoffman · Rating 2 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine for the ARC of this book. I was so excited to see it pop up on my shelf as the premise of this one sounded very intriguing. Unfortunately, it was a bit of a let down and I really believe it has to do with the length.

This book is extremely long….like 500 pages long. I’m all for long books but they really have to hold my attention. I kept putting this book to the side because it was so repetitive and just felt like it was going on and on about the same thing.

If you know any of Tudor history, it doesn’t take long to figure out the “secret” in “The Boleyn Secret”. I guess in this aspect, I was hoping for bigger. This book is fiction, it could have been a bigger secret. Maybe I’m being unfair as this is all based on true events….to a point anyway….but the liberties the author took were not necessarily important ones. If you’re taking liberties, take some big ones to make the content a bit more interesting.

In the beginning, I thought I’d really enjoy this one. The author is apparently a historian and that’s evident. It was well written and I was very engaged in the beginning. As it went on, it just dragged.

Would I recommend this? Surprisingly, there are some people I would recommend this to. People who are very into King Henry VIII history, Elizabethan history, even people who are very into religion. There is some great content here. Unfortunately for me though, it just didn’t hit.

2 stars.

[Joyce · Rating 5 out of 5]

560 pages

5 stars

This is an absolutely wonderful novel. Brilliantly written with wonderful characters it is the story of Katherine “Kate” Carey. She was the niece of Anne Boleyn. Her mother was Mary Boleyn, Anne’s elder sister. We meet Kate at about age eleven when she was chosen to attend Anne during her incarceration in the Tower of London. She attends her trial for treason and subsequent execution.

Following Anne’s execution, she is sent to attend to Anne's three-year-old daughter Elizabeth. Throughout the years, they form a very close bond.

Ms. Weir writes Kate’ story based on verifiable historical facts, but imagines some of the dialogue and interludes between people and so on. It imagines Kate’s relationship with figures such as Kate's husband Francis Knollys, her children, her mother Mary and her stepfather Will, Henry VIII, the ladies at the court, Mary I, and Elizabeth I.

Kate’s story is remarkable.

I strongly recommend this book to anyone who loves a darn good historical novel. It is, of course, set in the time of Henry VIII and Elizabeth I. I cannot say enough about this novel, or Ms. Weir’s talent as a writer. I loved it.

I want to thank NetGalley and Ballantine - Ballantine Books for forwarding to me a copy of this wonderful book. The opinions expressed in this review are solely my own.

[Kate · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love any books about Tudor history and The Boleyn Secret gave me a chance to learn about a Tudor who I was unfamiliar with - Katherine Carey. What I enjoyed about this book, was the opportunity to learn more about an unfamiliar Tudor through the backdrop of the familiar and (in)famous events of the time - from Anne Boleyn’s execution to the Queen Elizabeth’s time on the throne.
It’s a difficult book to assign a rating too. It’s a very long book, which I can understand given all that happened within Kate’s life - but when I got to the 50% mark, I felt like I had been reading the book for forever. It kept me interested and even inspired to read up further on events within the book (though in terms of the heresy burnings, I wish I hadn’t!) but around the 70% mark, my interest wained and I skim read to the end. I really struggled with many of the characters in her life (Francis and Elizabeth, I am looking at you!) who were rage bait as my teenagers would say. I did enjoy the writing and the way the author framed the tension at Anne Boleyn’s execution and during Mary’s reign was so effective.
In short, I liked a lot about the book but it could have been more effective had it been more succinct.

Thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for a chance to review an advanced copy of the book in exchange for an honest review

[Gail · Rating 5 out of 5]

A new Alison Weir novel is to me what marchpane was to Queen Elizabeth I: delightful.
Our foremost female historian applies her expert knowledge and storytelling ability to bring to life a largely unknown Tudor: Kate, daughter of Mary Carey (nee Boleyn), sister of Anne.
Kate is a witness to the execution of her aunt, chosen at age 12 t9 be one of her handmaidens at the gallows. This hardens her hatred of Henry VIII.
Kate serves the young Lady Elizabeth, who is devoted to her.
At court rumours circulate about Kate and about her mother, who moved to France with her second husband William Stamford after censure for marrying a commoner.
Elizabeth is jealous when Kate marries and rarely mentions her husband Francis or the many children Kate will bear.
The rule of Mary drives ardent Protestants Kate and Francis to flee to Europe. They return once Elizabeth is on the throne. She welcomes them back with key roles at court, but rarely allows Kate to see either her husband or her children. The drama builds when her husband is sent to the north to guard Mary Queen of Scots. It's the last time Kate sees him, despite many entreaties to Elizabeth.
I won't reveal the Boleyn secret here. Tudorphiles will probably have guessed.
Another spellbinding book from Alison Weir.

[Nicola Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again - no one can bring history to life like Alison Weir! Every new book of hers is an auto-read for me and even though they are pure chunks, I read every page with relish and they disappear into nothing in no time.

I’m still making my way through the six wives series but they’re all standalone enough to chop and change (which I do regularly)! This one I really enjoyed (as I have with all of her others) and the perspective of this one was so novel.

We’ve all heard about the beheading of Anne and Elizabeth’s stint as Queen but how would that have been experienced from the life of one so close to them both - and none closer than a niece and beloved cousin, Kate Carey. Her position through the courts changes as she gets older, and it was great seeing her progress and her life unfold through the pages. I think this honestly has to go down as one of my favourites of all time.

I’ve never met an Alison Weir book I didn’t like and this one is added to my long list of historical fiction favs.
TLDR; Alison weir. Favourite author. She takes you on a JOURNEY. I can’t find better!

Thank you to the author and publisher for this book on NetGalley in return for my honest thoughts and opinions.

[Casey · Rating 3 out of 5]

ARC was provided by NetGalley and Ballantine Books in exchange for an honest review.

Katherine Carey is a member of the notorious Boleyn family, but has managed to secure favor in the household of her cousin, the young Lady Elizabeth and the two girls grow as close as sisters. However, on her mother's deathbed, she imparts a secret to Katherine that changes everything about the life she has known.

First and foremost, Alison Weir knows how to construct a story and she does her research thoroughly. I also loved seeing a character that we normally don't see books about get a story of her own. Having said that, I felt Katherine was a little weak as a character and while I did like her love story, her husband Francis was also was a bit problematic. I think that it really boils down to seeing these characters through modern eyes, and it's just really hard when you have a husband acting so condescending to his wife any time she has an opposing opinion. When he wasn't acting like a chauvinistic jerk, I was able to enjoy them as a couple. The book probably could have been shorter because I felt like there was a lot of repetitive parts that made the story drag. Overall, it's still a good book.