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The Queenmaker
On a cold winter’s day in the year 1532, a twelve-year-old girl leaves her run-down home in the country and travels south to London.
Her name is Bess Hardwick — and this is only the beginning of an astonishing foray into the glittering world of royalty and politics.
Married young to her beloved, but sickly, Robert Barlow, Bess learns at the age of twelve what it is to be a widow and alone in the world.
She would not take another husband for fourteen years — and he would not be her last.
Enriched and advanced by her successive marriages, Bess finds herself increasingly part of exalted company.
When she asks the disgraced Lady Elizabeth Tudor to act as godmother to her firstborn son, those around her question the wisdom of her decision.
However, Bess knows that Elizabeth is bound for greatness and one day she will remember this act of kindness.
As she moves from obscurity to fame and fortune, Bess counts the Queen of England and the Queen of Scots as her closest acquaintances.
But having such powerful friends can be dangerous.
Her actions are subject to intense scrutiny, and more than once innocent decisions lead to suspicions of treason and the ever looming threat of execution.
In spite of this, Bess prevails time and time again, turning her hand and accumulating wealth to rebuilding estates across England.
But with her granddaughter descended from royal blood on both sides, Bess’s ambitions have reached new heights and she seeks to have her officially named as the successor to Elizabeth I’s throne.
In times to come, she dreams, they will call her the Queenmaker…
Maureen Peters was born in Caernarvon, North Wales. She was educated at grammar school and attended the University College of North Wales, Bangor, where she obtained a Bachelor of Arts degree and a diploma of Education. She taught disabled children before taking up writing under her own name and many pseudonyms. Peters has produced many books and contributed short stories to many magazines and her writing normally focuses on royalty, the War of the Roses and the Tudor period. Apart from biographical fiction on royalty she also wrote Gothic romances, family sagas, Mills & Boon series titles and contemporary mysteries.
Her name is Bess Hardwick — and this is only the beginning of an astonishing foray into the glittering world of royalty and politics.
Married young to her beloved, but sickly, Robert Barlow, Bess learns at the age of twelve what it is to be a widow and alone in the world.
She would not take another husband for fourteen years — and he would not be her last.
Enriched and advanced by her successive marriages, Bess finds herself increasingly part of exalted company.
When she asks the disgraced Lady Elizabeth Tudor to act as godmother to her firstborn son, those around her question the wisdom of her decision.
However, Bess knows that Elizabeth is bound for greatness and one day she will remember this act of kindness.
As she moves from obscurity to fame and fortune, Bess counts the Queen of England and the Queen of Scots as her closest acquaintances.
But having such powerful friends can be dangerous.
Her actions are subject to intense scrutiny, and more than once innocent decisions lead to suspicions of treason and the ever looming threat of execution.
In spite of this, Bess prevails time and time again, turning her hand and accumulating wealth to rebuilding estates across England.
But with her granddaughter descended from royal blood on both sides, Bess’s ambitions have reached new heights and she seeks to have her officially named as the successor to Elizabeth I’s throne.
In times to come, she dreams, they will call her the Queenmaker…
Maureen Peters was born in Caernarvon, North Wales. She was educated at grammar school and attended the University College of North Wales, Bangor, where she obtained a Bachelor of Arts degree and a diploma of Education. She taught disabled children before taking up writing under her own name and many pseudonyms. Peters has produced many books and contributed short stories to many magazines and her writing normally focuses on royalty, the War of the Roses and the Tudor period. Apart from biographical fiction on royalty she also wrote Gothic romances, family sagas, Mills & Boon series titles and contemporary mysteries.
- GenresHistorical Fiction
ebook
First published March 6, 1975
17 people are currently reading
74 people want to read
About the author
Maureen Peters
90 books25 followersMaureen Peters was born in Caernarvon, Wales, on March 3, 1935, and was married and divorced twice; she has two sons and two daughters. In addition to biographical fiction, historical romances, and mystery novels written under her own name, other noms de plume include Veronica Black, Catherine Darby, Levanah Lloyd, Belinda Grey, Elizabeth Law, Judith Rothman, and Sharon Whitby.
She was educated at grammar school and attended the University College of North Wales, Bangor, where she obtained a Bachelor of Arts degree and a diploma of Education. For some time she taught disabled children, and then took up writing. She has produced many books and contributed short stories to many magazines. Peters is also known as a Bronte scholar.
Her novels, which easily number over one hundred, have often focused on royalty, mostly the War of the Roses and Tudor period, and cover the lives of Elizabeth I of England, Anne Boleyn, Catherine Howard, Mary Tudor, Queen of France, as well as of other famous and less famous historical figures such as Edward II of England, the many Queen consorts of various Kings of England. Apart from biographical fiction on royalty (written under her own name), she also wrote Gothic romances, family sagas, Mills & Boon series titles, and contemporary mysteries.
She was educated at grammar school and attended the University College of North Wales, Bangor, where she obtained a Bachelor of Arts degree and a diploma of Education. For some time she taught disabled children, and then took up writing. She has produced many books and contributed short stories to many magazines. Peters is also known as a Bronte scholar.
Her novels, which easily number over one hundred, have often focused on royalty, mostly the War of the Roses and Tudor period, and cover the lives of Elizabeth I of England, Anne Boleyn, Catherine Howard, Mary Tudor, Queen of France, as well as of other famous and less famous historical figures such as Edward II of England, the many Queen consorts of various Kings of England. Apart from biographical fiction on royalty (written under her own name), she also wrote Gothic romances, family sagas, Mills & Boon series titles, and contemporary mysteries.
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
May 4, 2016
The story of Bess Hardwick, born 1527, and her marriages, and friendship with Elizabeth Tudor, custodian of Mary Stuart and her attempt at placing her granddaughter Arbelle as heir to the English throne.
Not a lot of detail in the book and would have liked the year place in the chapters.
A NetGalley book
Not a lot of detail in the book and would have liked the year place in the chapters.
A NetGalley book
May 7, 2016
The Queenmaker is a fast moving and well told tale of Bess of Hardwick. Peters deftly mixes the romance, trials, and political intrigue that was Bess’s life into a neat story of less than 200 pages. Such ambition caused some unevenness and rather jolting transitions between chapters. Although not the best book I’ve read on Bess, I enjoyed reading The Queenmaker.
February 22, 2017
Very little dialogue, plastic characters. This did nothing to enhance the historical characters, and skipped wide swaths of time. Very poorly written.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 13, 2016
In The Queenmaker, Maureen Peters writes the historical romance of Bess Hardwick following her rise from her home in the country to one of the richest women in England. Advancing by each of her four marriages and finding herself a part of the politics of England, she accumulates her wealth along the way. She becomes close friends with Elizabeth Tudor and Mary Stuart spending time in the court of Elizabeth I and at times guarding Mary Queen of Scots within her home. She inadvertently becomes caught up in suspicions of treason and spends some time in the Tower of London. All the while, she continues to increase her wealth by being a shrewd businesswoman and rebuilding her estates. That is until she has dreams of her granddaughter, Arbella, becoming heir to the thrown.
This is a rather short book of about 200 pages or so and as a result it is choppy as it skips through the long life of Bess Hardwick. Historically well researched, it is interesting that she was such a smart, strong woman during the 16th century Elizabethan Society. She lived well into her 80’s and outlived both Mary Stuart and Elizabeth Tudor.
In the ends she remembers a lesson from long ago
“It was a mistake to love people…Better to love bricks and stone and mortar for the could not betray nor display ingratitude”
I received a copy of this book from NetGalley and Endeavor press in return for a fair and honest review.
This is a rather short book of about 200 pages or so and as a result it is choppy as it skips through the long life of Bess Hardwick. Historically well researched, it is interesting that she was such a smart, strong woman during the 16th century Elizabethan Society. She lived well into her 80’s and outlived both Mary Stuart and Elizabeth Tudor.
In the ends she remembers a lesson from long ago
“It was a mistake to love people…Better to love bricks and stone and mortar for the could not betray nor display ingratitude”
I received a copy of this book from NetGalley and Endeavor press in return for a fair and honest review.
June 15, 2016
I am a massive fan of historical fiction, with a passion for the Tudors and their period in history. I count myself fairly lucky in that I have been able to visit a fair few of the sites mentioned and described in the book and the descriptive nature used really does bring the scenes to life. I know the story of Bess of Hardwick very well and this book really does do it justice in my view - she was a fascinating woman and one I think anyone interested in the Tudors, or British history should know more about. A very enjoyable read
June 16, 2016
I received this as an ARC from NetGalley.com. Again this is a very fast read, it skims the life of Bess of Hardwick but it was enjoyable. I did not know much about this woman so seeing the span of her life and the trials in it were nice. Maureen Peter's books are written nicely and are great for introductions into a piece of history.
May 11, 2016
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Bess Hardwick, friend of Queen Elizabeth Tudor, guardian to Mary, Queen of Scotts and a formidable woman in her own right, is the subject of this well-researched historical novel. I have not read much about this strong woman and Ms. Peters offers a comprehensive, if short, picture of her life and times.
Recommended.
Bess Hardwick, friend of Queen Elizabeth Tudor, guardian to Mary, Queen of Scotts and a formidable woman in her own right, is the subject of this well-researched historical novel. I have not read much about this strong woman and Ms. Peters offers a comprehensive, if short, picture of her life and times.
Recommended.
May 6, 2016
Choppy and unfulfilling
I adore any Tudor era fiction. I have read about Bess in books focusing on the queen of Scots. But this book was choppy. Jumped ahead way too often leaving gaps. I was disappointed.
I adore any Tudor era fiction. I have read about Bess in books focusing on the queen of Scots. But this book was choppy. Jumped ahead way too often leaving gaps. I was disappointed.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews