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The Marquess House Saga #2
The Elizabeth Tudor Conspiracy
A timeshift conspiracy thriller that will shock you to your core! Perfect for fans of Dan Brown, Philippa Gregory, Kate Mosse and Tom Harper.
Was Elizabeth I really the last Tudor princess…?
Nonsuch Palace, England, 1586
Elizabeth I has been queen for 28 years. She has survived hundreds of plots against her but now she faces the revelation of a secret she thought would remain hidden forever…
Elizabeth is not the last of the Tudor line — there are two more legitimate heirs to her crown.
Her sworn enemy, Philip II, King of Spain, has discovered the secret and thinks he can control the missing princess as his puppet queen.
Can Elizabeth maintain control over her throne? And what happened to the lost Tudor heirs?
Castle Jerusalem, Andorra, 2018
Dr Perdita Rivers and her twin sister Piper are safely hidden in Andorra.
Despite their narrow escape from those pursuing them, Perdita is determined to continue her grandmother’s legacy by uncovering her ground-breaking research into the English royal bloodline.
But she soon realises that nothing about the Tudor era was as it seemed. And now the national identity of Great Britain must be called into question.
With their enemies still tracking them and the lives of those they love in deadly risk, Perdita and Piper must succeed in exposing the secrets of history or there is no hope of them escaping alive...
THE ELIZABETH TUDOR CONSPIRACY is the second book in the Marquess House trilogy, a dual timeline conspiracy thriller with an ingenious twist on a well-known period of Tudor history.
Was Elizabeth I really the last Tudor princess…?
Nonsuch Palace, England, 1586
Elizabeth I has been queen for 28 years. She has survived hundreds of plots against her but now she faces the revelation of a secret she thought would remain hidden forever…
Elizabeth is not the last of the Tudor line — there are two more legitimate heirs to her crown.
Her sworn enemy, Philip II, King of Spain, has discovered the secret and thinks he can control the missing princess as his puppet queen.
Can Elizabeth maintain control over her throne? And what happened to the lost Tudor heirs?
Castle Jerusalem, Andorra, 2018
Dr Perdita Rivers and her twin sister Piper are safely hidden in Andorra.
Despite their narrow escape from those pursuing them, Perdita is determined to continue her grandmother’s legacy by uncovering her ground-breaking research into the English royal bloodline.
But she soon realises that nothing about the Tudor era was as it seemed. And now the national identity of Great Britain must be called into question.
With their enemies still tracking them and the lives of those they love in deadly risk, Perdita and Piper must succeed in exposing the secrets of history or there is no hope of them escaping alive...
THE ELIZABETH TUDOR CONSPIRACY is the second book in the Marquess House trilogy, a dual timeline conspiracy thriller with an ingenious twist on a well-known period of Tudor history.
434 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 2, 2019
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600 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 156 reviews
May 29, 2019
First and foremost, a large thank you to NetGalley, Alexandra Walsh, and Sapere Books for providing me with a copy of this publication, which allows me to provide you with an unbiased review.
After an explosive opening novel in her Tudor trilogy, Alexandra Walsh returns with another instalment, building on some of the mysteries revealed in the opening piece. Perdita Rivers and her sister, Piper, are still trying to wrap their heads around the fact that their grandmother left them a massive estate and countless pieces of her research. However, with that comes the fear of being hunted by an elusive part of the British Government. While away for a wedding, the sisters discover new mysteries tied to the knowledge that Catherine Howard—Henry VIII’s fifth wife—had twins by the king, but they were hidden away. Now, in a mystery that ties to the reign of Elizabeth I, Perdita and Piper learn what became of the twins and how Elizabeth contemplated the Tudor secession based on this information. In secret correspondence, Elizabeth and her closest ladies discussed the news, using jewels to pass the most important of all their news. However, with Philip II of Spain seeking to overthrow Elizabeth and trying to take over the English Throne, the Tudor line (and England herself) are in dire straits, particularly because news of the Howard twins has somehow made it to the continent. As Perdita learns more, she stumbles to discover how it was all revealed and what Elizabeth did to protect herself and the Crown from Spanish interference. Told in two timeline narratives, Walsh keeps the reader hooked until the final pages with this mystery that still has one final piece to tie it all together. Wonderful in its presentation, fans of Tudor history will enjoy this piece, as long as they can keep an open mind about fictional accounts. Recommended to those who love a good historical mystery, as well as those who love the life of the Tudors.
Having read a few other books by this publisher, I was offered an early copy of the first novel in the series. When I noticed a second book was ready for pre-release, I leapt at the opportunity, knowing that Alexandra Walsh would not disappoint. The detail found in this book forces the reader to decipher truth from fiction throughout, hoping the find the thread of the story and using newly unearthed pieces of the historical narrative to entertain the curious reader. Perdita’s character has less of a backstory in this novel, but her ability to piece together some more of the Tudor history keeps the reader enthralled throughout. Seeking to uncover some of the lesser known aspects of Tudor history and genealogy fuels a great narrative and allows the reader to feel fully involved in the process. Other characters in the novel, including Elizabeth I, provide an exciting flavour to the story, serving not only to propel the history of the story forward but also offering exciting plots for the reader to enjoy throughout. The premise of this book was as exciting as the first, building on some of the scandalous revelations. Walsh spins an effective and plausible version of events, which she substantiates in her author’s note at the end of the piece. So much to digest and some ideas that could offer Tudor fans much to consider as they rush to the history books to cross-reference some of the narrative’s most outlandish claims. All in all, a wonderful read and it has left me pining for the third book.
Kudos, Madam Walsh, for another wonderful novel. This series has me curious and I hope to learn more in short order.
Love/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/
A Book for All Seasons, a different sort of Book Challenge: https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/...
After an explosive opening novel in her Tudor trilogy, Alexandra Walsh returns with another instalment, building on some of the mysteries revealed in the opening piece. Perdita Rivers and her sister, Piper, are still trying to wrap their heads around the fact that their grandmother left them a massive estate and countless pieces of her research. However, with that comes the fear of being hunted by an elusive part of the British Government. While away for a wedding, the sisters discover new mysteries tied to the knowledge that Catherine Howard—Henry VIII’s fifth wife—had twins by the king, but they were hidden away. Now, in a mystery that ties to the reign of Elizabeth I, Perdita and Piper learn what became of the twins and how Elizabeth contemplated the Tudor secession based on this information. In secret correspondence, Elizabeth and her closest ladies discussed the news, using jewels to pass the most important of all their news. However, with Philip II of Spain seeking to overthrow Elizabeth and trying to take over the English Throne, the Tudor line (and England herself) are in dire straits, particularly because news of the Howard twins has somehow made it to the continent. As Perdita learns more, she stumbles to discover how it was all revealed and what Elizabeth did to protect herself and the Crown from Spanish interference. Told in two timeline narratives, Walsh keeps the reader hooked until the final pages with this mystery that still has one final piece to tie it all together. Wonderful in its presentation, fans of Tudor history will enjoy this piece, as long as they can keep an open mind about fictional accounts. Recommended to those who love a good historical mystery, as well as those who love the life of the Tudors.
Having read a few other books by this publisher, I was offered an early copy of the first novel in the series. When I noticed a second book was ready for pre-release, I leapt at the opportunity, knowing that Alexandra Walsh would not disappoint. The detail found in this book forces the reader to decipher truth from fiction throughout, hoping the find the thread of the story and using newly unearthed pieces of the historical narrative to entertain the curious reader. Perdita’s character has less of a backstory in this novel, but her ability to piece together some more of the Tudor history keeps the reader enthralled throughout. Seeking to uncover some of the lesser known aspects of Tudor history and genealogy fuels a great narrative and allows the reader to feel fully involved in the process. Other characters in the novel, including Elizabeth I, provide an exciting flavour to the story, serving not only to propel the history of the story forward but also offering exciting plots for the reader to enjoy throughout. The premise of this book was as exciting as the first, building on some of the scandalous revelations. Walsh spins an effective and plausible version of events, which she substantiates in her author’s note at the end of the piece. So much to digest and some ideas that could offer Tudor fans much to consider as they rush to the history books to cross-reference some of the narrative’s most outlandish claims. All in all, a wonderful read and it has left me pining for the third book.
Kudos, Madam Walsh, for another wonderful novel. This series has me curious and I hope to learn more in short order.
Love/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/
A Book for All Seasons, a different sort of Book Challenge: https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/...
April 2, 2020
This was a brilliant book, it carried straight on from the first book so it’s best you read them in order.
I loved the dual time line and it brought the characters to life from the Tudor era. There is a third one coming out at the end of this month (hopefully) and I hope to read that one too.
I loved the dual time line and it brought the characters to life from the Tudor era. There is a third one coming out at the end of this month (hopefully) and I hope to read that one too.
December 30, 2019
I was delighted to be able to read the second book of the series, having really enjoyed the first novel. Once again, the dual timeline narrative returns, with Perdita and Piper trying to discover the truth about Elizabeth I. The ending of this story was open-ended and there is clearly going to be a further novel in this intriguing and different take on history.
I found this novel tricky to get immersed into. I am not sure whether it was because it covers a slightly different period of history but, the vast number of characters were difficult to keep track of. That, coupled with some characters having “code names” meant that at first I found myself rather lost. I wish the author had provided a character list at the start of the novel and, particularly for the Tudor period, a sort of family tree that shows how characters are related. With this, I am certain I would have thoroughly enjoyed reading this novel a lot more.
The story follows straight on from its predecessor. Perdita and Piper have escaped England and are safely holed up in a castle in Andorra. Familiar faces return as the sisters are now trying to unravel the truth about Queen Elizabeth’s reign and the Tudor family line. I still found it difficult to trust the family friend, Alistair, as he comes across as so nice, that I felt he should have an ulterior motive! This is not revealed by Walsh so I am wondering if the writer is saving a “big reveal” for the next book of the series.
Queen Elizabeth is portrayed very differently to the Queen Elizabeth we know in text books. This, of course, is the entire premise of the series: that history is not as we know it and that manipulative, underhand Government forces are at work to ensure that the real truth remains hidden. It was interesting to see a different character and I enjoyed how Walsh created a persona so very unique. Coupled with Elizabeth’s difficulty reigning as a female, I liked watching how her inner circle of ladies knew so much more than her official male counterparts!
This book definitely requires concentration and attention – maybe this is what I suffered a lack of during this time! There is a lot of historical information and whilst the conspiracies run rife, it is down to readers and Perdita to establish the real truth. To totally appreciate the story, you certainly need to lose yourself in the narrative as, at times, I felt that Walsh was pushing the boundaries of realism just a little too far. The politics that Queen Elizabeth has to experience made the book more heavy-going than I anticipated. Set at the time of the Spanish Inquisition and the threat from Spain, I did not enjoy too much the politics and negotiations that Elizabeth has to resolve.
I am curious to see how Walsh develops the next story. I am intrigued by the historical element and the fate of our present day heroines. Having invested my time in the first two books, I am definitely eagerly awaiting what I assume will be the conclusion to this series. It is something a little different and I applaud Walsh’s attention to detail in this dual-narrative.
With thanks to Sapere books for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I found this novel tricky to get immersed into. I am not sure whether it was because it covers a slightly different period of history but, the vast number of characters were difficult to keep track of. That, coupled with some characters having “code names” meant that at first I found myself rather lost. I wish the author had provided a character list at the start of the novel and, particularly for the Tudor period, a sort of family tree that shows how characters are related. With this, I am certain I would have thoroughly enjoyed reading this novel a lot more.
The story follows straight on from its predecessor. Perdita and Piper have escaped England and are safely holed up in a castle in Andorra. Familiar faces return as the sisters are now trying to unravel the truth about Queen Elizabeth’s reign and the Tudor family line. I still found it difficult to trust the family friend, Alistair, as he comes across as so nice, that I felt he should have an ulterior motive! This is not revealed by Walsh so I am wondering if the writer is saving a “big reveal” for the next book of the series.
Queen Elizabeth is portrayed very differently to the Queen Elizabeth we know in text books. This, of course, is the entire premise of the series: that history is not as we know it and that manipulative, underhand Government forces are at work to ensure that the real truth remains hidden. It was interesting to see a different character and I enjoyed how Walsh created a persona so very unique. Coupled with Elizabeth’s difficulty reigning as a female, I liked watching how her inner circle of ladies knew so much more than her official male counterparts!
This book definitely requires concentration and attention – maybe this is what I suffered a lack of during this time! There is a lot of historical information and whilst the conspiracies run rife, it is down to readers and Perdita to establish the real truth. To totally appreciate the story, you certainly need to lose yourself in the narrative as, at times, I felt that Walsh was pushing the boundaries of realism just a little too far. The politics that Queen Elizabeth has to experience made the book more heavy-going than I anticipated. Set at the time of the Spanish Inquisition and the threat from Spain, I did not enjoy too much the politics and negotiations that Elizabeth has to resolve.
I am curious to see how Walsh develops the next story. I am intrigued by the historical element and the fate of our present day heroines. Having invested my time in the first two books, I am definitely eagerly awaiting what I assume will be the conclusion to this series. It is something a little different and I applaud Walsh’s attention to detail in this dual-narrative.
With thanks to Sapere books for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
July 28, 2020
I loved the first book in this trilogy, The Catherine Howard Conspiracy, so it was with great anticipation that I embarked on the second book. It did not disappoint. If you enjoyed the first, this book follows a similar style with chapters in the past and present with a mystery that continues to unravel. However, you most definitely need to have read book one before reading this latest instalment.
‘Would a woman be capable of reigning for so long without a man to guide her while creating a prosperous country and resolving so many of its political issues? Elizabeth worried most men of her era because she was strong, politically astute, clever and educated to a higher standard than most of her privy council’
Returning to this clever scenario set up by the author, I still thoroughly embraced and enjoyed the whole twist on the accepted thinking of the Tudor lineage. The dual narrative once again works well as the author has really done her research in an attempt to make the whole plot appear plausible! Love it! On the flip side however, I did not find this book to read at quite the same pace of the first but found it still to be a rollicking good tale. Also, for the Elizabethan chapters, you really had to be thinking straight with the large (and I mean large) assortment of characters (all real though - which is actually mind blowing when you think about it). However, sometimes it did read a little like a history text book of ‘who’s who’ and you had to look past the rather large information dumps. Similar to the first, you really have to suspend your logical thinking and just go with it, for given the combination of fact and fiction, it really makes you wonder just what could have been.
On the contemporary side of things, the story surrounding the MI1 Elite conspiracy is fun with all the characters returning from the first book and some loose ends tied up. It really is a wonderful trilogy and I can’t wait to read the final instalment. The author’s note at the end helps to explain exactly where her thinking was coming from and how she tried to substantiate her claims. If you are a Tudor fan, you simply cannot pass up this opportunity to read a most effective and plausible version of events. It is Tudor history at its best.
‘Contrary doesn’t even begin to cover it but if you filter in all that we’ve discovered, these strange decisions begin to make more sense.’
This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher and provided through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. The quoted material may have changed in the final release.
‘Would a woman be capable of reigning for so long without a man to guide her while creating a prosperous country and resolving so many of its political issues? Elizabeth worried most men of her era because she was strong, politically astute, clever and educated to a higher standard than most of her privy council’
Returning to this clever scenario set up by the author, I still thoroughly embraced and enjoyed the whole twist on the accepted thinking of the Tudor lineage. The dual narrative once again works well as the author has really done her research in an attempt to make the whole plot appear plausible! Love it! On the flip side however, I did not find this book to read at quite the same pace of the first but found it still to be a rollicking good tale. Also, for the Elizabethan chapters, you really had to be thinking straight with the large (and I mean large) assortment of characters (all real though - which is actually mind blowing when you think about it). However, sometimes it did read a little like a history text book of ‘who’s who’ and you had to look past the rather large information dumps. Similar to the first, you really have to suspend your logical thinking and just go with it, for given the combination of fact and fiction, it really makes you wonder just what could have been.
On the contemporary side of things, the story surrounding the MI1 Elite conspiracy is fun with all the characters returning from the first book and some loose ends tied up. It really is a wonderful trilogy and I can’t wait to read the final instalment. The author’s note at the end helps to explain exactly where her thinking was coming from and how she tried to substantiate her claims. If you are a Tudor fan, you simply cannot pass up this opportunity to read a most effective and plausible version of events. It is Tudor history at its best.
‘Contrary doesn’t even begin to cover it but if you filter in all that we’ve discovered, these strange decisions begin to make more sense.’
This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher and provided through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. The quoted material may have changed in the final release.
dnf
May 1, 2020Full disclosure: I was entertained by the first book in the series but not probably for the reasons the author intended. I found it extremely stupid...but somehow also captivating so I decided to give book two it a try and while I devoured The Catherine Howard Conspiracy in a day I kept pausing this book to read something different/do something else because...I guess it got too stupid. I mean it took a while till we got to "The Secret Service is trying to stop you from telling the public that a historic event few people care about happened differently" in book one. This one keeps reminding us of it from page one and...I just can't. And apart from silly conspiracies we also got lots of hetero relationship drama and honestly...I also can't.
Want to read
April 6, 2023ROYAL READS PROJECT
December 24, 2024
Okay listen. Listen. Is this book. Good.
No.
Do I care about the characters?
No.
Am I once again deeply irritated that in order to make women rulers real or fictional 'right' we must remove all 'bad' decisions or even decisions at all?
Oh absolutely.
Am I highkey genuinely angry about how the author keeps saying things like 'the accepted version' or 'traditional history' and then having the characters make vibes based decisions about What Really Happened in history, with literally every fact brought up that puts a kink in the 'theory' countered with 'oh The Scribe must have actually made that up' WHILE having conversations like this:
“The thing is, Perds, people have pieced the story together from official documents, so they find a way to make it fit, even if sometimes you have to twist the facts almost to breaking point to make it believable,” said Kit.
“This is too unbelievable, though,” said Perdita. “It’s a complete fabrication. Even other historians state that Walsingham invented and manipulated the plot to ensnare Mary.”
“Remember, Perds, with every discovery we make, we’re proving that the facts are wrong and when we have the second ring, we’ll be in an even stronger position to prove we are correct and history is a lie.”
Yes. Hi. Hello. This is bad. Genuinely, this is bad. And I know the author admitted somewhere that they made a bunch of documents up and the entire K Howard conspiracy is utterly from their own head. I appreciate that.
But this and the book before were advertised as 'a historical mystery.'
So it's bad.
Also the writing is extremely poor up to and including blatantly incorrect punctuation across the board. Who edited this, they should be ashamed or furious depending on whether they gave the author no feedback or gave the author feedback and were ignored.
BUT. All of that being said. These books have given entertainment in the form of screaming to my friends about how stupid the present day characters are, how nonsense the plot is, and how truly crackpot the 'historical' sections are. I'm probably going to read the next one to see who gets butchered next.
(That being said, if anybody mentions Atlantis that's a line too far)
(Why does the ring commissioned by Anne of Cleves for her to secretly communicate with K Howard have a miniature portrait of ANNE BOLEYN in it. Why. These are the kinds of things you will find yourself dwelling on late in the night, seething)
(Why is this author obsessed with mermaids)
No.
Do I care about the characters?
No.
Am I once again deeply irritated that in order to make women rulers real or fictional 'right' we must remove all 'bad' decisions or even decisions at all?
Oh absolutely.
Am I highkey genuinely angry about how the author keeps saying things like 'the accepted version' or 'traditional history' and then having the characters make vibes based decisions about What Really Happened in history, with literally every fact brought up that puts a kink in the 'theory' countered with 'oh The Scribe must have actually made that up' WHILE having conversations like this:
“The thing is, Perds, people have pieced the story together from official documents, so they find a way to make it fit, even if sometimes you have to twist the facts almost to breaking point to make it believable,” said Kit.
“This is too unbelievable, though,” said Perdita. “It’s a complete fabrication. Even other historians state that Walsingham invented and manipulated the plot to ensnare Mary.”
“Remember, Perds, with every discovery we make, we’re proving that the facts are wrong and when we have the second ring, we’ll be in an even stronger position to prove we are correct and history is a lie.”
Yes. Hi. Hello. This is bad. Genuinely, this is bad. And I know the author admitted somewhere that they made a bunch of documents up and the entire K Howard conspiracy is utterly from their own head. I appreciate that.
But this and the book before were advertised as 'a historical mystery.'
So it's bad.
Also the writing is extremely poor up to and including blatantly incorrect punctuation across the board. Who edited this, they should be ashamed or furious depending on whether they gave the author no feedback or gave the author feedback and were ignored.
BUT. All of that being said. These books have given entertainment in the form of screaming to my friends about how stupid the present day characters are, how nonsense the plot is, and how truly crackpot the 'historical' sections are. I'm probably going to read the next one to see who gets butchered next.
(That being said, if anybody mentions Atlantis that's a line too far)
(Why does the ring commissioned by Anne of Cleves for her to secretly communicate with K Howard have a miniature portrait of ANNE BOLEYN in it. Why. These are the kinds of things you will find yourself dwelling on late in the night, seething)
(Why is this author obsessed with mermaids)
June 29, 2019
After years on the throne of England, Elizabeth I, the daughter of Henry VIII, was the last of the Tudor monarchs. Or was she? With two more legitimate heirs, known only by a select few, the question of who will take control after Elizabeth’s death is a hotly-debated subject. Now Phillip II of Spain has discovered the secret and it is feared that he will use it to his advantage to claim the throne as his own.
Fast forward over 400 years, and Perdita Rivers and her twin sister, Piper, are ensconced in Castle Jerusalem in Andorra, after their research uncovered a new Tudor bloodline that certain agencies would kill to keep hidden. With their latest discoveries, the sisters are, once again, placed in danger. Is revealing the truth worth more than their own lives?
The Elizabeth Tudor Conspiracy is the second book in the Marquess House trilogy and follows on from The Catherine Howard Conspiracy. For this reason, it is advisable to read this series in sequence so you can fully understand the circumstances the Rivers sisters have found themselves in.
I really enjoyed the first in this series so was looking forward to reading the next installment. In this book, we spend more time in the past than The Catherine Howard Conspiracy, and this was understandable seeing as we already know Perdita and Piper and the reasons behind them being where they are. Both time frames are as intriguing as the other and I really enjoyed how the two parts were woven together.
As someone who is interested in Tudor history, I especially enjoyed the importance the author has placed on the women of the time, in particular the relationship between Elizabeth I and Mary Queen of Scots. At a time when the men in power were intent on war, I liked reading about the machinations of the Ladies of Melusine who were covertly discovering more about potential plots than those whose job it actually was! I think we have also been given a hint here as to something that may occur in the third book: Melusina, a female spirit of fresh water… Rivers… hmm…
In The Elizabeth Tudor Conspiracy, we read about an alternative take on the Tudors which, if true, would change the face of British history. The twist relating to the death of Elizabeth was definitely not one that I was expecting!
For fans of dual timeline stories, this is a great read. I am looking forward to reading the final part of the trilogy and seeing where Perdita and Piper’s research takes them next.
Fast forward over 400 years, and Perdita Rivers and her twin sister, Piper, are ensconced in Castle Jerusalem in Andorra, after their research uncovered a new Tudor bloodline that certain agencies would kill to keep hidden. With their latest discoveries, the sisters are, once again, placed in danger. Is revealing the truth worth more than their own lives?
The Elizabeth Tudor Conspiracy is the second book in the Marquess House trilogy and follows on from The Catherine Howard Conspiracy. For this reason, it is advisable to read this series in sequence so you can fully understand the circumstances the Rivers sisters have found themselves in.
I really enjoyed the first in this series so was looking forward to reading the next installment. In this book, we spend more time in the past than The Catherine Howard Conspiracy, and this was understandable seeing as we already know Perdita and Piper and the reasons behind them being where they are. Both time frames are as intriguing as the other and I really enjoyed how the two parts were woven together.
As someone who is interested in Tudor history, I especially enjoyed the importance the author has placed on the women of the time, in particular the relationship between Elizabeth I and Mary Queen of Scots. At a time when the men in power were intent on war, I liked reading about the machinations of the Ladies of Melusine who were covertly discovering more about potential plots than those whose job it actually was! I think we have also been given a hint here as to something that may occur in the third book: Melusina, a female spirit of fresh water… Rivers… hmm…
In The Elizabeth Tudor Conspiracy, we read about an alternative take on the Tudors which, if true, would change the face of British history. The twist relating to the death of Elizabeth was definitely not one that I was expecting!
For fans of dual timeline stories, this is a great read. I am looking forward to reading the final part of the trilogy and seeing where Perdita and Piper’s research takes them next.
January 12, 2025
Originally published on my blog: Nonstop Reader.
The Elizabeth Tudor Conspiracy is the second book in the Marquess House trilogy by Alexandra Walsh. Released 2nd June 2019 by Sapere, it's 475 pages and available in paperback and ebook formats.
This is a dual time line historical thriller with a parallel narrative. The plots intertwine between 1557-1586 and 2018. The stories are well labeled and aren't confusing to keep track of. The writing is consistent and the additional historical details are interesting. I'm a huge fan of the period, so it was exciting to see the stories intertwine with historical occurrences resonating profoundly down to the present day.
In some ways it reminded me a lot of The Da Vinci Code. Shadowy conspiracy history thugs, and a lone academic (with sidekicks) foiling all their nefarious plans. I have to admit that I really did enjoy the book most when I just silenced my suspension of disbelief's annoying whine and tossed it into to the closet. For readers who are looking for meticulous verisimilitude and realistic plot devices, this one might not fit the bill. On the other hand, for readers who (even secretly) love Dan Brown, and movies like National Treasure (with a dash of Indiana Jones on the side), this one could be a good selection.
For Kindle Unlimited subscribers; this title is available in the KU subscription to borrow and download for free. It's also worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links and references throughout. I've really become enamored of ebooks with interactive formats lately.
It was a bit too 'Mission Impossible' for me personally, but I've no doubt it'll be turned into an expensive movie soon. Three stars for me personally, four+ stars for fans of the historical thriller in the Dan Brown mold.
Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.
The Elizabeth Tudor Conspiracy is the second book in the Marquess House trilogy by Alexandra Walsh. Released 2nd June 2019 by Sapere, it's 475 pages and available in paperback and ebook formats.
This is a dual time line historical thriller with a parallel narrative. The plots intertwine between 1557-1586 and 2018. The stories are well labeled and aren't confusing to keep track of. The writing is consistent and the additional historical details are interesting. I'm a huge fan of the period, so it was exciting to see the stories intertwine with historical occurrences resonating profoundly down to the present day.
In some ways it reminded me a lot of The Da Vinci Code. Shadowy conspiracy history thugs, and a lone academic (with sidekicks) foiling all their nefarious plans. I have to admit that I really did enjoy the book most when I just silenced my suspension of disbelief's annoying whine and tossed it into to the closet. For readers who are looking for meticulous verisimilitude and realistic plot devices, this one might not fit the bill. On the other hand, for readers who (even secretly) love Dan Brown, and movies like National Treasure (with a dash of Indiana Jones on the side), this one could be a good selection.
For Kindle Unlimited subscribers; this title is available in the KU subscription to borrow and download for free. It's also worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links and references throughout. I've really become enamored of ebooks with interactive formats lately.
It was a bit too 'Mission Impossible' for me personally, but I've no doubt it'll be turned into an expensive movie soon. Three stars for me personally, four+ stars for fans of the historical thriller in the Dan Brown mold.
Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.
June 12, 2019
I loved the first book in this trilogy, The Catherine Howard Conspiracy, so I jumped at the opportunity to review the second. While it didn't disappoint, I didn't find it quite as good as the first. This book follows the same format as the first with several chapters in current time and several in the past. I did like the pace of the time shift better in this book.
The dual story line works well and I still love the "what if" aspect based on historical research. I liked that it didn't take the whole book to find out who the Howard twins are, even though it wasn't immediate for both. For the Elizabethan portion my main fault was keeping the characters straight. My knowledge of late Tudor historical figures is weaker than earlier ones so keeping up with who's who and how they were all related on top of their code names was slightly confusing. I also found the "twist" in this book much more far fetched, but that really doesn't affect my rating because it did make me wonder if it was actually possible, if extremely unlikely.
I was happy with the pace the present day followed. It wasn't as action packed in some ways, but I think it fit well with what was happening in the other portion. I liked how Walsh built onto to MI1 Elite/conspiracy part of the first book. Since this portion still focuses mainly on Perdita and her twin sister Piper and Kit Mackensie and a handful of minor characters it was easier to keep track of the characters and I feel invested in them at this point. That said, my main fault with this part was over clarifying who the characters were. They aren't difficult to keep track of, but it seemed like Walsh was frequently repeating how they are connected.
Overall, Walsh keeps the good aspects of the first book & the lead up to the conclusion is extremely promising. Everything that I enjoyed about the first book continued into this one. I'm looking forward to finding out the release date for the conclusion!
Thank you to NetGalley, Sapere Books, and Alexandra Walsh for an advanced electronic copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.
The dual story line works well and I still love the "what if" aspect based on historical research. I liked that it didn't take the whole book to find out who the Howard twins are, even though it wasn't immediate for both. For the Elizabethan portion my main fault was keeping the characters straight. My knowledge of late Tudor historical figures is weaker than earlier ones so keeping up with who's who and how they were all related on top of their code names was slightly confusing. I also found the "twist" in this book much more far fetched, but that really doesn't affect my rating because it did make me wonder if it was actually possible, if extremely unlikely.
I was happy with the pace the present day followed. It wasn't as action packed in some ways, but I think it fit well with what was happening in the other portion. I liked how Walsh built onto to MI1 Elite/conspiracy part of the first book. Since this portion still focuses mainly on Perdita and her twin sister Piper and Kit Mackensie and a handful of minor characters it was easier to keep track of the characters and I feel invested in them at this point. That said, my main fault with this part was over clarifying who the characters were. They aren't difficult to keep track of, but it seemed like Walsh was frequently repeating how they are connected.
Overall, Walsh keeps the good aspects of the first book & the lead up to the conclusion is extremely promising. Everything that I enjoyed about the first book continued into this one. I'm looking forward to finding out the release date for the conclusion!
Thank you to NetGalley, Sapere Books, and Alexandra Walsh for an advanced electronic copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.
September 4, 2021
This carried on from where the last book left off. We are once again with Perdita and Piper but this time they are in Andorra most of the time figuring out about the new line of enquiry on from the Catherine Howard’s revelation in the first book. Once again this book is a page turner, although i always prefer the historical parts to the modern parts. The author always paints a most vivid picture of the time and really gets into the heads of the characters whether they be the queen or her ladies of the court. i won’t go into too much detail here on the plot as others have already done that and also i believe that not being told what is going in this book is part of its fun.
i do agree with a few others that have mentioned it, that a family tree at the beginning would have been helpful as there are a lot of connections that you need to get your head around and being able to check back would have been useful.
I am looking forward to reading the next book in the trilogy. I’m sure i won’t be disappointed. If you still haven’t decided to read this set of books yet, i would say give them a go as it makes you question what history really is and maybe we should look deeper in to what and who has told it before. Question everything and don’t believe everything you read! Enjoy
i do agree with a few others that have mentioned it, that a family tree at the beginning would have been helpful as there are a lot of connections that you need to get your head around and being able to check back would have been useful.
I am looking forward to reading the next book in the trilogy. I’m sure i won’t be disappointed. If you still haven’t decided to read this set of books yet, i would say give them a go as it makes you question what history really is and maybe we should look deeper in to what and who has told it before. Question everything and don’t believe everything you read! Enjoy
June 1, 2019
I'm happy I requested this book even if I've got ton of books to review but as I read so many good reviews I wanted to read it.
The reviewers were right, this is a very good book, engaging and entertaining.
It can be read as a stand alone as there's plenty of details and it's a page turner that will keep you hooked till the last page.
I like stories set in the Tudor era and this was really good.
I liked the way the characters were developed, the great plot and the well researched historical setting.
I look forward to reading the next book by this author.
Highly recommended!
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.
The reviewers were right, this is a very good book, engaging and entertaining.
It can be read as a stand alone as there's plenty of details and it's a page turner that will keep you hooked till the last page.
I like stories set in the Tudor era and this was really good.
I liked the way the characters were developed, the great plot and the well researched historical setting.
I look forward to reading the next book by this author.
Highly recommended!
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.
July 4, 2019
Having read and quite enjoyed the Catherine Howard story (#1 of an apparent trilogy), I ordered this one for my kindle. At times I was totally confused ( and I'm a self-confessed history nut who could bore for England!) as to who was actually/supposed to be who. I felt that the Elizabethan 'flashbacks' could almost have been done without, especially as the whole story portrayed in those flashbacks bears no relation to history as we know it (always supposing that is correct!) and I had great difficulty keeping up with it. It's a 'rattling good yarn' but I did find myself laughing out loud at some of the story twists.
June 27, 2020
Way too far fetched? Yeah for the most part.
September 29, 2020
Another great read!
The second of the Marquess House trilogy keeps up the pace with as more of the overall story is uncovered
The second of the Marquess House trilogy keeps up the pace with as more of the overall story is uncovered
June 11, 2019
Like the first book in The Marquess House Trilogy, this sequel is a ‘timeshift thriller’ and takes place in two locations and times. The book is written in a way that you could read it as a standalone, but it’s more enjoyable as a sequel.
The first book focused on the “truth” behind Catherine Howard, Henry VII’s fifth wife. Now in book two, Dr. Perdita Rivers and her twin sister, Piper, are safely ensconced in Andorra, at the Mackensie home (I say home, but really, it’s a castle fortress!). As the twins continue tracing the history of the ring that Perdita found in the last book, they find themselves on a quest to discover what happened to Catherine’s twins – a boy and girl – and how these unknown heirs could have affected the Tudor monarchy.
I haven’t done the math yet, but I felt like the book focused a lot more on the Tudor time-period than the present-day storyline. Even when we were in the present-day, the characters were focused on reading Tudor-era letters or fact-checking timelines. This made the book feel unbalanced, but considering how much information was conveyed, I can understand the need to spend more time on the Tudors.
And trust me, there’s A LOT going on. If you thought the historical “twist” that the author revealed in Book One was a surprise, you are not going to believe what happens to the Tudor history we know and love in this one!
I had two small quibbles with this book (and really, more personal quirks than any problem with the book):
1. I didn’t feel that there was as much character building as there was in Book One, which was kind of disappointing since I was really looking forward to getting to know them better in this book. I’m quite fond of these characters which is why it probably didn’t feel like I spent enough time with them in this book.
2. I got a bit confused whenever I was in the Tudor era. Don’t get me wrong, I read quite a bit of historical fiction, and much of it is based in Tudor/Elizabethan England so I’m used to the dozens of Katherines, Marys and Thomases, but even I had trouble keeping up with all the similarly-named ladies, the titles AND the multiple codenames that were thrown about whenever this novel shifted to the Tudor storyline.
I read most of this book in one sitting, but I had to stop when I got near the end (darn “real life” responsibilities) and didn’t pick it up again until a day or so later. And that’s probably a good thing because the ending? Let me tell you, IT IS CRAZY. Aside from the gazillion huge twists to Tudor history (ok, probably not a gazillion, but at least 2-3 solid changes), Perdita and Piper have a heart-stopping adventure of the own.
And even when I got to the last sentence and the scene is quiet and calm, my mind was abuzz with SO. MANY. QUESTIONS.
Thank goodness this is a trilogy – I just hope I don’t have to wait too long for the third, and final, book. My personal quibbles aside, this was another great read. The story is incredible and the characters, both past and present are well-written.. I’m not sure what Alexandra can pull out of her hat to top the revised Tudor history twists that she threw at me in The Elizabeth Tudor Conspiracy, but I bet it will be a doozy.
*** Thank you to the publisher, Sapere Books, and NetGalley for providing me with an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an unbiased review. ***
You can read my full spoiler-free review on my blog: https://www.bookfrolic.com/book-revie...
The first book focused on the “truth” behind Catherine Howard, Henry VII’s fifth wife. Now in book two, Dr. Perdita Rivers and her twin sister, Piper, are safely ensconced in Andorra, at the Mackensie home (I say home, but really, it’s a castle fortress!). As the twins continue tracing the history of the ring that Perdita found in the last book, they find themselves on a quest to discover what happened to Catherine’s twins – a boy and girl – and how these unknown heirs could have affected the Tudor monarchy.
I haven’t done the math yet, but I felt like the book focused a lot more on the Tudor time-period than the present-day storyline. Even when we were in the present-day, the characters were focused on reading Tudor-era letters or fact-checking timelines. This made the book feel unbalanced, but considering how much information was conveyed, I can understand the need to spend more time on the Tudors.
And trust me, there’s A LOT going on. If you thought the historical “twist” that the author revealed in Book One was a surprise, you are not going to believe what happens to the Tudor history we know and love in this one!
I had two small quibbles with this book (and really, more personal quirks than any problem with the book):
1. I didn’t feel that there was as much character building as there was in Book One, which was kind of disappointing since I was really looking forward to getting to know them better in this book. I’m quite fond of these characters which is why it probably didn’t feel like I spent enough time with them in this book.
2. I got a bit confused whenever I was in the Tudor era. Don’t get me wrong, I read quite a bit of historical fiction, and much of it is based in Tudor/Elizabethan England so I’m used to the dozens of Katherines, Marys and Thomases, but even I had trouble keeping up with all the similarly-named ladies, the titles AND the multiple codenames that were thrown about whenever this novel shifted to the Tudor storyline.
I read most of this book in one sitting, but I had to stop when I got near the end (darn “real life” responsibilities) and didn’t pick it up again until a day or so later. And that’s probably a good thing because the ending? Let me tell you, IT IS CRAZY. Aside from the gazillion huge twists to Tudor history (ok, probably not a gazillion, but at least 2-3 solid changes), Perdita and Piper have a heart-stopping adventure of the own.
And even when I got to the last sentence and the scene is quiet and calm, my mind was abuzz with SO. MANY. QUESTIONS.
Thank goodness this is a trilogy – I just hope I don’t have to wait too long for the third, and final, book. My personal quibbles aside, this was another great read. The story is incredible and the characters, both past and present are well-written.. I’m not sure what Alexandra can pull out of her hat to top the revised Tudor history twists that she threw at me in The Elizabeth Tudor Conspiracy, but I bet it will be a doozy.
*** Thank you to the publisher, Sapere Books, and NetGalley for providing me with an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an unbiased review. ***
You can read my full spoiler-free review on my blog: https://www.bookfrolic.com/book-revie...
December 24, 2020
Too soon to rate, but I'm fond of adding to my review as I read.
A bit of a plot clunk, though: Perdita goes to change into some more comfortable shoes, and when she comes back, she ducks into an alcove when she sees Suki and Lara chatting. After a little bit of back-and-forth, it says Perdita loses the conversation because Suki and Lara went around the corner.
They must be on a sentient, wheeled couch then, because when Perdita first hid in the alcove, the author said that the women were on a couch, and there was no indication they ever got up--I went back and checked! 🤦🏼♀️
=====
Two Days Later
An update to my theory from the last book:
Anyway, the Infamous Wheelie Couch (as I've taken to calling it) is but the first of several reasons Mistress Walsh needs to fire her editor.
2. There are SO many characters that the book is all but bloated with them and it desperately needs a character list so that the reader can keep everyone straight.
3. A good editor should not only correct things like the Infamous Wheelie Couch, but misattributed relationships. Early on in the book, Lettice Knollys is referred to as Catherine's granddaughter. Mary Boleyn was the grandmother of Lettice Knollys--Catherine was her mother.
4. Excessive use of apostrophe-s to indicate plurals, when it's actually possessive. (I'm pretty sure that's not a British English thing.)
5. Spelling/word choice errors: before Elizabeth goes downstairs to meet the Spanish delegate, the book says she's confidant instead of confident. They're two different words!
Should be interesting to see what kind of random mindbender Mistress Walsh comes up with to finish out the series.
=====
The Day After
My parting thoughts aren't errors, they're just random curiosities.
• Reviving a dead historical figure to marry a fictional figure? Interesting.
• Why were the mottos/phrases rendered in Latin when it was more common to use French? Dieu et mon droit (God and my right - Royal British motto), foy pour devoir (faith for duty - Seymour motto, rendered on my Twitter profile in Spanish, as they're my cousins)...the only one I know off the top of my head that is in Latin belongs to the Lords Shaughnessy (amor fati), and that may be because the barony is only five generations old. In practice, then, it should've been "sœurs pour toujours", "lié par le sang" and "espoir et sirènes".
A bit of a plot clunk, though: Perdita goes to change into some more comfortable shoes, and when she comes back, she ducks into an alcove when she sees Suki and Lara chatting. After a little bit of back-and-forth, it says Perdita loses the conversation because Suki and Lara went around the corner.
They must be on a sentient, wheeled couch then, because when Perdita first hid in the alcove, the author said that the women were on a couch, and there was no indication they ever got up--I went back and checked! 🤦🏼♀️
=====
Two Days Later
An update to my theory from the last book:
Anyway, the Infamous Wheelie Couch (as I've taken to calling it) is but the first of several reasons Mistress Walsh needs to fire her editor.
2. There are SO many characters that the book is all but bloated with them and it desperately needs a character list so that the reader can keep everyone straight.
3. A good editor should not only correct things like the Infamous Wheelie Couch, but misattributed relationships. Early on in the book, Lettice Knollys is referred to as Catherine's granddaughter. Mary Boleyn was the grandmother of Lettice Knollys--Catherine was her mother.
4. Excessive use of apostrophe-s to indicate plurals, when it's actually possessive. (I'm pretty sure that's not a British English thing.)
5. Spelling/word choice errors: before Elizabeth goes downstairs to meet the Spanish delegate, the book says she's confidant instead of confident. They're two different words!
Should be interesting to see what kind of random mindbender Mistress Walsh comes up with to finish out the series.
=====
The Day After
My parting thoughts aren't errors, they're just random curiosities.
• Reviving a dead historical figure to marry a fictional figure? Interesting.
• Why were the mottos/phrases rendered in Latin when it was more common to use French? Dieu et mon droit (God and my right - Royal British motto), foy pour devoir (faith for duty - Seymour motto, rendered on my Twitter profile in Spanish, as they're my cousins)...the only one I know off the top of my head that is in Latin belongs to the Lords Shaughnessy (amor fati), and that may be because the barony is only five generations old. In practice, then, it should've been "sœurs pour toujours", "lié par le sang" and "espoir et sirènes".
January 28, 2020
I wanted to like these books - I’m a big fan of Tudor history - and the first book fell just on the good side of my judgment scales. I enjoyed the fiction set in the past and I very much enjoyed the parts where the present-day characters were researching, using source documents. I didn’t like the centuries-old conspiracy that butted in from time to time and I thought the writing a bit clumsy in parts - it would have benefited from another draft, I thought. But, at least, there was a self-contained story which came to a satisfying conclusion even if the longer story arc kept going through the end of the book, beckoning to a sequel.
Unfortunately for me, the second book moved onto the bad side of the scales. For a start, the writing, particularly the opening chapters were a bit heavy-handed, bringing the reader up to speed with the “previously on”. It starts OK with a rushed encounter of a young woman with an older woman on her death bed and then a really exciting moment as the key protagonist, Perdita, falls. After that there is a lot of back story told to us. Do we need it all right away? Can’t any of it be dramatised? Couldn't Perdita's fall knock her out and leave with dreams showing what had happened? Couldn't we have seen the distant cousin who might be an enemy, playing with his granddaughters and talking to his family or staff? Even just the writing seems to me to need another review to simplify and knock out unnecessary words.
The whole story can exist because of the gaps in the historical records for the Tudor period but it is difficult to see where fantasy starts and possible truth ends which frustrates and irritates me. I enjoyed seeing an alternate view where the women of the time are not powerless but create powerful networks tackling matters of national interest but then I thought if it isn't true, what's the point of using the Tudor setting? Just create a made-up world.
I'm becoming less and less of a fan of these great multi-generational conspiracies so I suppose this book isn't really for me. I don’t see where a secret branch of government would get its funding and motivation over the centuries, particularly at the times when Parliament was rifling through the heirs of royal blood and picking the one it most fancied and primogeniture go hang, so it is all faintly ludicrous.
Finally, the book doesn’t have a satisfying conclusion, it just leads onto the sequel, which I find really self-serving, whoever does it.
There is lots of potential here but I don't see it being achieved. I’m glad I was reading it for free. I’m not sure I’ll bother reading book three, especially if I am no longer subscribing to Kindle Unlimited.
Unfortunately for me, the second book moved onto the bad side of the scales. For a start, the writing, particularly the opening chapters were a bit heavy-handed, bringing the reader up to speed with the “previously on”. It starts OK with a rushed encounter of a young woman with an older woman on her death bed and then a really exciting moment as the key protagonist, Perdita, falls. After that there is a lot of back story told to us. Do we need it all right away? Can’t any of it be dramatised? Couldn't Perdita's fall knock her out and leave with dreams showing what had happened? Couldn't we have seen the distant cousin who might be an enemy, playing with his granddaughters and talking to his family or staff? Even just the writing seems to me to need another review to simplify and knock out unnecessary words.
The whole story can exist because of the gaps in the historical records for the Tudor period but it is difficult to see where fantasy starts and possible truth ends which frustrates and irritates me. I enjoyed seeing an alternate view where the women of the time are not powerless but create powerful networks tackling matters of national interest but then I thought if it isn't true, what's the point of using the Tudor setting? Just create a made-up world.
I'm becoming less and less of a fan of these great multi-generational conspiracies so I suppose this book isn't really for me. I don’t see where a secret branch of government would get its funding and motivation over the centuries, particularly at the times when Parliament was rifling through the heirs of royal blood and picking the one it most fancied and primogeniture go hang, so it is all faintly ludicrous.
Finally, the book doesn’t have a satisfying conclusion, it just leads onto the sequel, which I find really self-serving, whoever does it.
There is lots of potential here but I don't see it being achieved. I’m glad I was reading it for free. I’m not sure I’ll bother reading book three, especially if I am no longer subscribing to Kindle Unlimited.
June 2, 2019
Elizabethan History Turned on it’s Head.
I had high hopes for this book having recently read and enjoyed the first in the trilogy. However I found the conspiracy harder to swallow and the sheer volume of characters, in both time periods but particularly the Tudor one where there was also numerous codenames, meant I was constantly referring back to notes I had to make to remember who was who. The story was too convoluted for me but others may enjoy it. You don’t have to have read book one but equally this is not a true standalone.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book from NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
I had high hopes for this book having recently read and enjoyed the first in the trilogy. However I found the conspiracy harder to swallow and the sheer volume of characters, in both time periods but particularly the Tudor one where there was also numerous codenames, meant I was constantly referring back to notes I had to make to remember who was who. The story was too convoluted for me but others may enjoy it. You don’t have to have read book one but equally this is not a true standalone.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book from NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
January 28, 2020
Easily one of the best books I’ve ever read, the first book was amazing too. I totally got lost in the story and even jumping from Tudor England time and the present day was done with such ease. Roll on book 3
September 6, 2020
I liked the first book, enjoying the author's creativity in her alternate history of the Tudor era. This one is even more of the same, although told in a much less interesting, more didactic, style
June 5, 2019
The second book in the Marquess House trilogy picks up with Perdita and Piper safely in Andorra, having escaped their pursuers at the end of book 1. Having uncovered the secret of Catherine Howard, the girls are keen to continue their research and follow the trail of the missing ruby rings that have been passed down through the Howard line for generations.
Jumping back in time, in this book we're following Queen Elizabeth I as she faces threats from King Philip II of Spain.
The two timelines are inextricably linked, through the ruby rings that Perdita and Piper now have, and the girls are on a quest to unravel the secrets and determine the true version of history.
After a long book hangover, and a week or so of reading graphic novels for a change up, I saw this available on NetGalley and knew it was time to go back to novels. I really enjoyed the first book in the series, and it seems like it wasn't long ago that I read it so I was surprised this was coming out so soon afterwards.
The book follows the same format as book one, shifting between the present day and the late 1500s, spending several chapters in each time period. I found that worked well again, with us getting a decent stint in each time rather than jumping backwards and forwards too much.
The book jumps straight into the story, without really going over book 1 too much. I liked this, especially having read the first book only a few months ago. You could probably read this without having read the first one if you wanted to, although you would miss out on a lot of the character development and backstory. Much as those details aren't essential to the storyline, they add a richness to it that helps to make the book enjoyable and keep you engaged.
I did find it harder to follow what was going on this time, especially in the chapters set in the 1500s. There were so many characters to try keep track of, and they all had not only names and official titles this time, but many had codenames too. Add in to that Perdita and Kit going over both the accepted timeline and their theories on the secrets they are unravelling and I found things got quite confusing in this book.
The other issue I had with this book was that I didn't feel the adventure aspect during the present day held it's own as much. It felt like most of the present day chapters involved the reading of letters and recapping the new version of events that we are hearing about already from the chapters following Elizabeth I. My history isn't great, so in some ways it was good to have the differences pointed out between the accepted version of history and the version being uncovered in the book, but I felt this aspect took over a bit too much. I would have liked the book to focus more on the research and finding these discoveries rather than recapping what we had already been told.
Ultimately l I was hoping this book would step up the game a bit from book one, throwing in more danger, more adventure and more discovery, and I didn't feel it hit that mark.
I still enjoyed reading the book though, and I'm still intrigued by the plotline. I'll definitely be reading book three, I'm looking forward to finding out where Walsh takes the story and how the twins fit into this alternative history. If you are looking for something a bit different the series is worth a look.
Thanks to NetGalley and Sapere Books for an arc in exchange for an honest review.
Jumping back in time, in this book we're following Queen Elizabeth I as she faces threats from King Philip II of Spain.
The two timelines are inextricably linked, through the ruby rings that Perdita and Piper now have, and the girls are on a quest to unravel the secrets and determine the true version of history.
After a long book hangover, and a week or so of reading graphic novels for a change up, I saw this available on NetGalley and knew it was time to go back to novels. I really enjoyed the first book in the series, and it seems like it wasn't long ago that I read it so I was surprised this was coming out so soon afterwards.
The book follows the same format as book one, shifting between the present day and the late 1500s, spending several chapters in each time period. I found that worked well again, with us getting a decent stint in each time rather than jumping backwards and forwards too much.
The book jumps straight into the story, without really going over book 1 too much. I liked this, especially having read the first book only a few months ago. You could probably read this without having read the first one if you wanted to, although you would miss out on a lot of the character development and backstory. Much as those details aren't essential to the storyline, they add a richness to it that helps to make the book enjoyable and keep you engaged.
I did find it harder to follow what was going on this time, especially in the chapters set in the 1500s. There were so many characters to try keep track of, and they all had not only names and official titles this time, but many had codenames too. Add in to that Perdita and Kit going over both the accepted timeline and their theories on the secrets they are unravelling and I found things got quite confusing in this book.
The other issue I had with this book was that I didn't feel the adventure aspect during the present day held it's own as much. It felt like most of the present day chapters involved the reading of letters and recapping the new version of events that we are hearing about already from the chapters following Elizabeth I. My history isn't great, so in some ways it was good to have the differences pointed out between the accepted version of history and the version being uncovered in the book, but I felt this aspect took over a bit too much. I would have liked the book to focus more on the research and finding these discoveries rather than recapping what we had already been told.
Ultimately l I was hoping this book would step up the game a bit from book one, throwing in more danger, more adventure and more discovery, and I didn't feel it hit that mark.
I still enjoyed reading the book though, and I'm still intrigued by the plotline. I'll definitely be reading book three, I'm looking forward to finding out where Walsh takes the story and how the twins fit into this alternative history. If you are looking for something a bit different the series is worth a look.
Thanks to NetGalley and Sapere Books for an arc in exchange for an honest review.
May 28, 2019
Find this review and more on my blog at
Worlds Unlike Our Own
.
A huge thank you to NetGalley and Sapere Books for providing me with an ARC of this novel! I was so excited to see that this sequel was going to be published so soon after the first book, and even more so that it was made available on NetGalley.
In this what-if story of Tudor England, it has been more than four decades since the birth of the twin children of Catherine Howard - two unknown, legitimate heirs to the Tudor throne. And Queen Elizabeth I has kept this secret close ever since the Lady Anne of Cleves entrusted it to her on her deathbed. But the unforeseen has happened - Philip II of Spain has found out about this and sees in it his opportunity to oust Elizabeth from the English throne. Meanwhile, in present day, Perdita and her sister Piper have safely made it to the Mackensie family stronghold in Andorra where they are finally safe from MI1 Elite's hunters. But there is more of this conspiracy to uncover, starting with the fate of the Tudor twins, and as they delve deeper, they start to understand that nothing about Tudor history is as it seems.
The biggest improvement from the first book for me was that the mystery was maintained for much longer, and I definitely did not see it coming, mainly because I was very caught up with trying to figure out how history is going to be twisted this time around. Though there was significantly less action in the present day plotline this time around, the parallel timelines were much better written and the overall pacing was more balanced. The transitions between the timelines were also really well put together which helped the story flow better overall.
I found the Ladies of Melusine, Elizabeth's inner circle of trusted women (mostly her cousins), to be very intriguing. I wonder if that might have actually been a real thing, because, as Perdita points out, that was a time when the contributions of women were mostly overlooked, and who knows how much has been forgotten over the years. It was also very interesting to see Elizabeth handle her advisors, a court still made up of men who believe that a woman is too weak to rule, and their attempts to manipulate her. The only minor complaint I had with regards to this book was that the initial chapter went a little too much in depth into the previous book which in my opinion was not really necessary. But apart from that, plot wise, I really enjoyed the direction this book is taking, and the many surprising twists definitely kept me entertained throughout.
And now that the secret of Catherine Howard's daughter has been revealed, all that remains is for Perdita to uncover the identity of the secret Tudor prince - and how all of that relates back to Marquess House and her family, because I get the feeling there's a big reveal on that front too. This was an excellent sequel to The Catherine Howard Conspiracy and an exciting, fast-paced read. Alexandra Walsh yet again takes the historical facts we know today and manages to weave an incredibly believable alternate universe. I can't wait to see how this ends!
A huge thank you to NetGalley and Sapere Books for providing me with an ARC of this novel! I was so excited to see that this sequel was going to be published so soon after the first book, and even more so that it was made available on NetGalley.
In this what-if story of Tudor England, it has been more than four decades since the birth of the twin children of Catherine Howard - two unknown, legitimate heirs to the Tudor throne. And Queen Elizabeth I has kept this secret close ever since the Lady Anne of Cleves entrusted it to her on her deathbed. But the unforeseen has happened - Philip II of Spain has found out about this and sees in it his opportunity to oust Elizabeth from the English throne. Meanwhile, in present day, Perdita and her sister Piper have safely made it to the Mackensie family stronghold in Andorra where they are finally safe from MI1 Elite's hunters. But there is more of this conspiracy to uncover, starting with the fate of the Tudor twins, and as they delve deeper, they start to understand that nothing about Tudor history is as it seems.
The biggest improvement from the first book for me was that the mystery was maintained for much longer, and I definitely did not see it coming, mainly because I was very caught up with trying to figure out how history is going to be twisted this time around. Though there was significantly less action in the present day plotline this time around, the parallel timelines were much better written and the overall pacing was more balanced. The transitions between the timelines were also really well put together which helped the story flow better overall.
I found the Ladies of Melusine, Elizabeth's inner circle of trusted women (mostly her cousins), to be very intriguing. I wonder if that might have actually been a real thing, because, as Perdita points out, that was a time when the contributions of women were mostly overlooked, and who knows how much has been forgotten over the years. It was also very interesting to see Elizabeth handle her advisors, a court still made up of men who believe that a woman is too weak to rule, and their attempts to manipulate her. The only minor complaint I had with regards to this book was that the initial chapter went a little too much in depth into the previous book which in my opinion was not really necessary. But apart from that, plot wise, I really enjoyed the direction this book is taking, and the many surprising twists definitely kept me entertained throughout.
And now that the secret of Catherine Howard's daughter has been revealed, all that remains is for Perdita to uncover the identity of the secret Tudor prince - and how all of that relates back to Marquess House and her family, because I get the feeling there's a big reveal on that front too. This was an excellent sequel to The Catherine Howard Conspiracy and an exciting, fast-paced read. Alexandra Walsh yet again takes the historical facts we know today and manages to weave an incredibly believable alternate universe. I can't wait to see how this ends!
May 28, 2019
Alexandra Walsh's The Catherine Howard Conspiracy was a surprise hit for me back in March. I loved the author's portrayal of Henry VIII and her alternate history involving the life of his fifth wife, Catherine Howard. This second book in the Marquess House trilogy continues her feminist "revision" of history, this time with the redoubtable Elizabeth I.
In The Elizabeth Tudor Conspiracy, some of the threat against the Rivers sisters is taken care of, but other-- possibly even deadlier-- foes arise to take their place. Passed down to female heirs only, Marquess House is a wonderful centuries-old manor house that has been turned into a treasure trove of historical documents and research. The author uses this setting as well as holes in the historical record to create her alternate history. It has to be the feminist in me, but I really enjoyed Walsh's portrayal of Elizabeth I, who (more than once) laments, "It is a curse to be surrounded by idiot men." She and her trusted ladies-in-waiting are intelligent and brave-- more than a match for the "idiot men" of Elizabeth's cabinet.
After reading several biographies of Elizabeth I, I've often thought that she must've hated the fact that she constantly had to prove herself to the men in her cabinet, men who usually had their own interests and agendas they wanted to promote. It's no wonder that I enjoy Walsh's feminist interpretation of history. Who's to say that some of what Walsh postulates isn't true? After all, for centuries 99.9% of women have been thought to be too unimportant to be included in the historical record. But I digress.
For the most part, I've willingly suspended disbelief and "gone along for the ride" wherever Walsh wanted to take me, but I have to admit that my credulity was strained a couple of times in this latest book. For one thing-- the fact that all those secret coded messages between Elizabeth and her ladies still survive? The Tudor period was deadly, and not just to Henry VIII's wives. The nagging thought that those messages would have been destroyed almost immediately just wouldn't go away. The second strain involves something that happened to Elizabeth herself, but I can't go into detail because of spoilers.
However, my credulity was strained, not destroyed, and I look forward with a great deal of anticipation to the last book in this intriguing trilogy. I want to see how this all ends!
In The Elizabeth Tudor Conspiracy, some of the threat against the Rivers sisters is taken care of, but other-- possibly even deadlier-- foes arise to take their place. Passed down to female heirs only, Marquess House is a wonderful centuries-old manor house that has been turned into a treasure trove of historical documents and research. The author uses this setting as well as holes in the historical record to create her alternate history. It has to be the feminist in me, but I really enjoyed Walsh's portrayal of Elizabeth I, who (more than once) laments, "It is a curse to be surrounded by idiot men." She and her trusted ladies-in-waiting are intelligent and brave-- more than a match for the "idiot men" of Elizabeth's cabinet.
After reading several biographies of Elizabeth I, I've often thought that she must've hated the fact that she constantly had to prove herself to the men in her cabinet, men who usually had their own interests and agendas they wanted to promote. It's no wonder that I enjoy Walsh's feminist interpretation of history. Who's to say that some of what Walsh postulates isn't true? After all, for centuries 99.9% of women have been thought to be too unimportant to be included in the historical record. But I digress.
For the most part, I've willingly suspended disbelief and "gone along for the ride" wherever Walsh wanted to take me, but I have to admit that my credulity was strained a couple of times in this latest book. For one thing-- the fact that all those secret coded messages between Elizabeth and her ladies still survive? The Tudor period was deadly, and not just to Henry VIII's wives. The nagging thought that those messages would have been destroyed almost immediately just wouldn't go away. The second strain involves something that happened to Elizabeth herself, but I can't go into detail because of spoilers.
However, my credulity was strained, not destroyed, and I look forward with a great deal of anticipation to the last book in this intriguing trilogy. I want to see how this all ends!
June 6, 2019
This is a sequel to the Catherine Howard Conspiracy which I read and loved earlier this year. At the start of the book the twins, Perdita and Piper, who were rescued and secretly flown to safety in Andorra at the end of the first book, are still in Andorra, still researching their family history and still uncovering ideas that MI1 is trying to keep suppressed, with an added complication – it turns out that the “other woman” whose appearance in their lives destroyed the marriage of Piper and her husband, may have been in the pay of a distant family member of the twins who is trying to contest their grandmother’s will, so now their happiness and security is under threat from another angle.
Meanwhile in the historical part of the book, Queen Elizabeth I is facing increasing threats from King Philip of Spain and growing concern about the health of Mary Queen of Scots who is, according to who is referring to her, either a guest or a prisoner in one of Elizabeth’s Castles, but being moved around in order to deceive the Spanish who, it is feared, may attempt to kidnap her. Much of Elizabeth’s most reliable information comes from secret coded messages passed between a close knit group of her friends and ladies-in-waiting who refer to themselves as The Ladies of Melusine. Elizabeth has shared with them secrets unknown to most of her courtiers, including the fact that she has a secret half-brother and –sister, the twin children of Catherine Howard and therefore the most likely heirs to her throne, should she pre-decease either of them.
Coming forward to the 21st century, Piper and Perdita find out about some of these messages and conclude that some may have been passed using a pair of rings originally used by Anne of Cleves and Catherine Howard, the latter of which is in their possession, and make it a priority to track down and buy its partner.
Another intriguing historical tale, but although I enjoyed it, I didn’t like it as much as I did the first book in the series. I think this is because until close to the end, very little of the modern part of the book does much to move along the story of the twins and their inheritance, it is mostly about research, done with a view to painting a clearer picture of the historical part of the story. This leads to a lot of long conversations with people explaining chunks of history, ostensibly to each other but in reality to the reader, and at times it was more like reading a history text book than a novel. Perdtia, of course, over reacts to everything, her shock or elation sometimes seeming quite out of proportion to the matter in hand, but as I learned in the first book that’s just part of her character.
I’ve given this four stars, rather than the five I gave to the first book in the series, because although I found the alternative history proposed in it both fascinating and credible, I wanted rather more of the modern story and less of a history lesson. I’m looking forward to the final part of the trilogy, and hoping that in it she and Kit will finally get together properly and that the stability of a relationship will calm her down a bit!
Meanwhile in the historical part of the book, Queen Elizabeth I is facing increasing threats from King Philip of Spain and growing concern about the health of Mary Queen of Scots who is, according to who is referring to her, either a guest or a prisoner in one of Elizabeth’s Castles, but being moved around in order to deceive the Spanish who, it is feared, may attempt to kidnap her. Much of Elizabeth’s most reliable information comes from secret coded messages passed between a close knit group of her friends and ladies-in-waiting who refer to themselves as The Ladies of Melusine. Elizabeth has shared with them secrets unknown to most of her courtiers, including the fact that she has a secret half-brother and –sister, the twin children of Catherine Howard and therefore the most likely heirs to her throne, should she pre-decease either of them.
Coming forward to the 21st century, Piper and Perdita find out about some of these messages and conclude that some may have been passed using a pair of rings originally used by Anne of Cleves and Catherine Howard, the latter of which is in their possession, and make it a priority to track down and buy its partner.
Another intriguing historical tale, but although I enjoyed it, I didn’t like it as much as I did the first book in the series. I think this is because until close to the end, very little of the modern part of the book does much to move along the story of the twins and their inheritance, it is mostly about research, done with a view to painting a clearer picture of the historical part of the story. This leads to a lot of long conversations with people explaining chunks of history, ostensibly to each other but in reality to the reader, and at times it was more like reading a history text book than a novel. Perdtia, of course, over reacts to everything, her shock or elation sometimes seeming quite out of proportion to the matter in hand, but as I learned in the first book that’s just part of her character.
I’ve given this four stars, rather than the five I gave to the first book in the series, because although I found the alternative history proposed in it both fascinating and credible, I wanted rather more of the modern story and less of a history lesson. I’m looking forward to the final part of the trilogy, and hoping that in it she and Kit will finally get together properly and that the stability of a relationship will calm her down a bit!
June 2, 2019
I was very excited to see this book available on Netgalley. I had read and reviewed The Catherine Howard Conspiracy and loved it. The 2nd book in the planned trilogy continues the story of Perdita and Piper who in the 1st book received an interesting inheritance from their estranged Grandmother. Along with millions of pounds, a organization that investigates and documents historical finds, and an amazing house, they inherited the enemies that killed their mother and possibly their Grandmother. On the run in the second book they continue to investigate their history which is threaded through the history of the Tudors.
As the title of the book suggests, the 2nd book takes us from the court of Henry VIII to Elizabeth Tudor. Elizabeth has been on the throne for almost 30 years and is dealing with the plots of Phillip of Spain, The Catholic Faction and other sundry plots. Luckily she has her loyal Ladies of the Melusine who assist her. The ladies are some of Tudor time period’s most notorious, Bess of Hardwick, Lettice Knollys (that is a shocker for anyone who knows Tudor history) and other sundry ladies of the court. Oh and Mary Queen of Scots? Well that story may not be how we were taught it. They assist Elizabeth in counteracting the machinations of men like Walsingham, and Lord Burghley , and the Babington plot, but their main goal is to keep the children of Catherine Howard and England safe. The fascinating and fun part of these books for me is that it turns accepted Tudor history on it’s head. I would like there to be an index of characters though, as there are a lot to keep up with, even I as an amateur Tudor history buff was getting confused. There are a lot of Katherines, Kates and Elizabeths to keep up with. I really enjoyed the 2nd installment of this series and look forward to the next one. Probably not the books for serious Tudor purists, but an enjoyable romp through a very notorious time in history. Thanks to NetGalley and Sapere books for the opportunity to read and review this books.
As the title of the book suggests, the 2nd book takes us from the court of Henry VIII to Elizabeth Tudor. Elizabeth has been on the throne for almost 30 years and is dealing with the plots of Phillip of Spain, The Catholic Faction and other sundry plots. Luckily she has her loyal Ladies of the Melusine who assist her. The ladies are some of Tudor time period’s most notorious, Bess of Hardwick, Lettice Knollys (that is a shocker for anyone who knows Tudor history) and other sundry ladies of the court. Oh and Mary Queen of Scots? Well that story may not be how we were taught it. They assist Elizabeth in counteracting the machinations of men like Walsingham, and Lord Burghley , and the Babington plot, but their main goal is to keep the children of Catherine Howard and England safe. The fascinating and fun part of these books for me is that it turns accepted Tudor history on it’s head. I would like there to be an index of characters though, as there are a lot to keep up with, even I as an amateur Tudor history buff was getting confused. There are a lot of Katherines, Kates and Elizabeths to keep up with. I really enjoyed the 2nd installment of this series and look forward to the next one. Probably not the books for serious Tudor purists, but an enjoyable romp through a very notorious time in history. Thanks to NetGalley and Sapere books for the opportunity to read and review this books.
May 27, 2019
I received a copy of this title from the publisher for an honest review. If you have not read the first title in the trilogy (The Catherine Howard Conspiracy), what are you waiting for? Go buy it, read it,and then start on this title. Spoilers for the first book follow. The Elizabeth Tudor Conspiracy picks up shortly after the end of the first book; Piper and Perdita are still in Andorra trying to keep safe from MI1. Their research continues to determine what happened to the twins Catherine Howard secretly bore; the historical part picks up in the reign of Elizabeth the Great. Elizabeth has been queen for many years, and is facing turmoil with a war in the Netherlands and a possible invasion from the Spanish and King Philip. It quickly becomes apparent that the queen has a group of trusted women (many her cousins) who act as unofficial spies to keep her appraised of what is really going on in England instead of just what her privy council wants her to know in order to manipulate her into doing what they want. Called to the death bed of Anne of Cleaves many years ago, Elizabeth was made the keeper of the secret of the twins including their identities and the proof needed to establish them as legitimate Tudor heirs. Over the years, Elizabeth has established a close relationship with her younger sister, but her brother remains ignorant of his true identity (although Elizabeth knows and likes him). I don't want to go more into the story and give anything away, but I will say there were many twists and turns that kept me both entertained and guessing until the very end.
June 16, 2019
The second in this intriguing historical mystery trilogy
My thanks to Sapere Books for an eARC via NetGalley of Alexandra Walsh’s ‘The Elizabeth Tudor Conspiracy’ in exchange for an honest review. I have since bought my own Kindle edition.
This is the second in her Marquess House Trilogy and although some background is provided I would urge new readers to obtain the first book, ‘The Catherine Howard Conspiracy’ in order to understand the situation that twins, Perdita and Piper, find themselves in as well as the 16th Century conspiracy that underpins the trilogy.
The narrative moves between the present day and the Court of Elizabeth I in 1586 as she deals with various threats to her throne. I am not going to say anything further about the plot in order to avoid spoilers for this and the previous novel.
I will note that there are a great number of characters in the historical sections, which can be confusing. I feel that a list of characters, their titles and codenames (where appropriate) would have been of assistance.
Overall though I felt that Walsh has created an intriguing historical mystery/conspiracy thriller that while is a ‘what if’ also has a great deal of research into the Tudor period at its heart. I also appreciated the emphasis upon Elizabeth’s relationships with other women as confidants, advisors, and intelligencers (spies).
I found it very entertaining and certainly I am looking forward to the final book in the series.
My thanks to Sapere Books for an eARC via NetGalley of Alexandra Walsh’s ‘The Elizabeth Tudor Conspiracy’ in exchange for an honest review. I have since bought my own Kindle edition.
This is the second in her Marquess House Trilogy and although some background is provided I would urge new readers to obtain the first book, ‘The Catherine Howard Conspiracy’ in order to understand the situation that twins, Perdita and Piper, find themselves in as well as the 16th Century conspiracy that underpins the trilogy.
The narrative moves between the present day and the Court of Elizabeth I in 1586 as she deals with various threats to her throne. I am not going to say anything further about the plot in order to avoid spoilers for this and the previous novel.
I will note that there are a great number of characters in the historical sections, which can be confusing. I feel that a list of characters, their titles and codenames (where appropriate) would have been of assistance.
Overall though I felt that Walsh has created an intriguing historical mystery/conspiracy thriller that while is a ‘what if’ also has a great deal of research into the Tudor period at its heart. I also appreciated the emphasis upon Elizabeth’s relationships with other women as confidants, advisors, and intelligencers (spies).
I found it very entertaining and certainly I am looking forward to the final book in the series.
June 9, 2019
"It is a curse to be surrounded by idiot men." - Elizabeth I as quoted in this book.
This sequel to The Catherine Howard Conspiracy" continues the story with Elizabeth Tudor, the sixth wife of Henry VIII and the supposition that Catherine Howard survived and gave birth to twins, King Henry's progeny. It also has more of the present day trials of Perdita and Piper doing more research to try to uncover the truth about Catherine Howard.
In the historical part of this book, Anne of Cleaves passed on the secret of Catherine Howard and her children to Elizabeth, entrusting her to keep the proof of the twins' identities secret. With the help of her trusted Ladies of Melusine, Elizabeth has to deal with the threat of war from Philip II of Spain while the gentlemen of the court, the Privy Council, try to keep feed her only what they need feel she needs to know to benefit them.
Full of twists and turns, both in the past and present day storylines, this book entertains and makes you think. Once again, this author has me actually checking historical facts as we know them to see whether her conspiracy theory could fit into the history as written by the men of the day. I can't wait for the next book in this series and hope that it is coming to us soon.
I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy from Sapere.
This sequel to The Catherine Howard Conspiracy" continues the story with Elizabeth Tudor, the sixth wife of Henry VIII and the supposition that Catherine Howard survived and gave birth to twins, King Henry's progeny. It also has more of the present day trials of Perdita and Piper doing more research to try to uncover the truth about Catherine Howard.
In the historical part of this book, Anne of Cleaves passed on the secret of Catherine Howard and her children to Elizabeth, entrusting her to keep the proof of the twins' identities secret. With the help of her trusted Ladies of Melusine, Elizabeth has to deal with the threat of war from Philip II of Spain while the gentlemen of the court, the Privy Council, try to keep feed her only what they need feel she needs to know to benefit them.
Full of twists and turns, both in the past and present day storylines, this book entertains and makes you think. Once again, this author has me actually checking historical facts as we know them to see whether her conspiracy theory could fit into the history as written by the men of the day. I can't wait for the next book in this series and hope that it is coming to us soon.
I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy from Sapere.
January 13, 2022
I’m sad that I didn’t enjoy this book as much as the first as I love the whole concept of this series and think it’s incredibly clever. I simply found it to be too complicated for me in places and I often got lost with all the characters of Elizabeth’s court. It’s also been a year since I read the first book in the series and as this follows directly on, I think it may have been helpful to have a summary reminder at the beginning with everything that’s happened so far, in order to re-jig the reader’s memory, and not leave you starting off quite so confused (as there is a lot of detail and links from book 1 you need to remember in order to understand book 2). A family tree type page with all the ‘characters’ somewhere and their code names would also have been useful but maybe that’s just me!
Additionally, I felt it switched between very fast paced and being quite slow, especially in the present day timeline, so it took me longer than usual to read it.
Having said the above, I still enjoyed and will definitely be reading the subsequent books in the series as the skill with which Alexandra has concocted the story and linked the plots is amazing. I love how her passion for the Tudor period shines through in all her writing and particular the little question she teased at the end of the reader’s note has sucked me back in to the next book!
Additionally, I felt it switched between very fast paced and being quite slow, especially in the present day timeline, so it took me longer than usual to read it.
Having said the above, I still enjoyed and will definitely be reading the subsequent books in the series as the skill with which Alexandra has concocted the story and linked the plots is amazing. I love how her passion for the Tudor period shines through in all her writing and particular the little question she teased at the end of the reader’s note has sucked me back in to the next book!
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