The Queen's Witch

by Nancy Kress

From award-winning author Nancy Kress comes a lush historical fantasy that reimagines the life of Anne Boleyn from the lens of the witch who helps guide her in courtly rise—an enchanted tale of sisterhood, power, and a dangerous bid for the throne.

Alysoun Rowe descends from an ancient line of cunning women—healers and hedge witches whose full power only awakens when they bond with their destined Third. But after a spell goes frightfully wrong, she discovers her familiar is no ordinary object or animal. It’s a distant Anne Boleyn, a brilliant young lady on the rise in King Henry VIII’s luminous yet treacherous court.

Anne will do anything to wear the crown of England. And Alysoun will go just as far to unlock the wild magick spiraling inside her, even if it means breaking her coven’s age-old rules.

As the king’s desire morphs into a dangerous obsession and a ruthless witch hunt closes in, the two women form a reluctant truce. Bound by fate in a realm of lust, rivalry, and betrayal, they each face a choice. But how far will they go to seize power in a world that would gladly watch them burn?

Genres: Fantasy, Historical Fiction, Ebooks, Historical

324 pages, Kindle Edition

Expected publication November 1, 2026

About the author

Nancy Kress is the author of thirty novels, four story collections, three books on writing fiction, and over a hundred short stories. Her work has won six Nebulas, two Hugos, a Sturgeon, and the John W. Campbell Memorial Award. Her most recent novel, Observer, co-written with Dr. Robert Lanza, concerns the nature of consciousness, reality, and love. Forthcoming in 2026 is an historical fantasy, The Queen’s Witch, set in the court of Henry VIII. Nancy’s work has been translated into two dozen languages, none of which she can read. She has taught writing at various venues in the United States and abroad, including Leipzig, Beijing, both Clarions, and the annual SF-writing intensive workshop Taos Toolbox. Nancy lives in Seattle with her husband, writer Jack Skillingstead, and Pippin, the world’s cutest Chihuahua.