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Ursula Blanchard #3
Queen's Ransom
Ursula Blanchard is the essence of iron cloaked in velvet -- a heroine to reckon with, said Kirkus Reviews of Fiona Buckley's intrepid sleuth. And the sharp-witted Lady of the Presence Chamber will need every ounce of her courage if she is to carry out her latest mission on behalf of Queen Elizabeth I without betraying her own heart.Eager for a respite from intrigue and moral ambiguities, Ursula agrees to travel to France to help her first husband's father bring his young ward home to England. But duty soon calls. Fearing that the pro-Catholic forces threatening to tear France asunder will spread to Protestant England, the Queen instructs Ursula to personally deliver a secret letter to Catherine de Medicis, offering to mediate the crisis.Not only will the perilous journey separate her from her young daughter, it will bring Ursula closer to a man she can neither trust nor forget -- her estranged second husband, Matthew de la Roche, avowed Catholic and enemy of Elizabeth.As it becomes clear that someone seeks to thwart her mission, she realizes she can trust no one but herself, and that only she can uncover the truth hidden in the shadows of treason, greed, and desire that darken her way.
336 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 11, 2000
17 people are currently reading
436 people want to read
About the author
Fiona Buckley
48 books188 followersValerie Anand is a British author of historical fiction. Under the pen name Fiona Buckley she writes the series of historical mysteries, set in the reign of Elizabeth I of England, featuring "Ursula Blanchard" (whose full name is Ursula Faldene Blanchard de la Roche Stannard). Under her own name she writes historical fiction based on the royalty of England and the Bridges over Time series which follows a family from the eleventh century through the nineteenth century.
Series:
* Ursula Blanchard
Series:
* Ursula Blanchard
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 55 reviews
March 4, 2012
Elizabethan sleuth Ursula Blanchard crosses the Channel in her third adventure, braving war-torn France to carry a private letter from Elizabeth to Catherine de'Medici. Religious hysteria, an accusation of murder, and a malicious priest land Ursula's faithful maid Dale in prison and Ursula scrambles to rescue her, struggling at the same time to rescue her own future with her estranged husband Matthew. Ursula might love Matthew, but his Catholic faith keeps leading him into plots against the Queen; and Ursula must decide once and for all if she will choose love and war-torn France, or duty and peaceful England. Her choices are sometimes bleak - and I love a heroine who can struggle with the eternal head-or-heart dilemma, and go with her head. The ending of this one may surprise you.
January 28, 2021
France during Elizabethan times... and a civil war between the protestants and the catholics.
Ursula is growing as a strong character... taking on the tasks alloted her by Queen Elizabeth... and becoming a formidable woman to cross.
Ursula is growing as a strong character... taking on the tasks alloted her by Queen Elizabeth... and becoming a formidable woman to cross.
December 2, 2021
En utmärkt liten deckarhistoria. Bortsett från de fem sista sidorna var den ett rent nöje att läsa.
May 21, 2013
The plot was a bit far fetched and the pace somewhat tedious. I enjoyed it less than Ms. Buckley's previous offerings in this series.
September 8, 2025
Queen's Ransom is my absolute favorite so far from the Ursula Blanchard mystery series set during the reign of Elizabeth I. It has one powerful element which I have seen in few if ANY mysteries out there, to be honest - and that is an epic journey rooted at the center of the mystery itself. As Ursula embarks upon a perilous trek across the English Channel and through war-torn Europe, the stakes couldn't be higher. She must assist her father-in-law in his quest while carrying a secret message from her queen for the Queen of France.
If you're thinking that this seems like it would have all the essential trappings for high drama and plenty of twists and turns, you'd be right! With really only her two servants Brockley and Dale as people she can truly trust, our heroine Ursula must navigate a dizzying array of political and religious intrigue, all while trying to see a girl betrothed to one of her cousins back in England safely through a France on the verge of religious civil war.
This book has a beautiful array of subplots which weave in and out, not least of which is Ursula's own husband, Matthew de la Roche, a man wanted back in England for treason. As Ursula must face her divided loyalties between Queen Elizabeth and her own husband, the personal stakes and the nationwide stakes each take on meaning and significance.
At the end of this book, a resolution of sorts is reached which *could* if one wished make for a tidy wrap-up to the first 3 books in the series. If the reader wished to stop there, it would provide a decent stopping point. That said, I plan on plunging right onto the next book, To Ruin a Queen. Ursula is simply too plucky and fascinating, and Elizabethan England too enchanting, for me to leave.
If you're thinking that this seems like it would have all the essential trappings for high drama and plenty of twists and turns, you'd be right! With really only her two servants Brockley and Dale as people she can truly trust, our heroine Ursula must navigate a dizzying array of political and religious intrigue, all while trying to see a girl betrothed to one of her cousins back in England safely through a France on the verge of religious civil war.
This book has a beautiful array of subplots which weave in and out, not least of which is Ursula's own husband, Matthew de la Roche, a man wanted back in England for treason. As Ursula must face her divided loyalties between Queen Elizabeth and her own husband, the personal stakes and the nationwide stakes each take on meaning and significance.
At the end of this book, a resolution of sorts is reached which *could* if one wished make for a tidy wrap-up to the first 3 books in the series. If the reader wished to stop there, it would provide a decent stopping point. That said, I plan on plunging right onto the next book, To Ruin a Queen. Ursula is simply too plucky and fascinating, and Elizabethan England too enchanting, for me to leave.
October 27, 2020
The third book in the Ursula Blanchard mystery series has not won me over. After the second book, I decided that I would read one or two more before deciding whether to quit the series. The last chapter in this book takes place two years after the rest of the book and it consists only of a brief summation of events that occurred in the interim. Therefore, it makes for a nice smooth departure point.
There are three storylines, possibly four, that are interwoven in Queen's Ransom. One of them is so preposterous and contrived that I felt no tension or suspense as it unfolded.
There is again a great deal of violence as well as hatred. The Catholics are portrayed as a terrible, murderous, intolerant group which is of course historically accurate. It is just too realistic and particularly unsettling, as five-hundred years later religious intolerance is still so prevalent in many parts of the world.
These books are depressing and not at all entertaining to me. I liked the first book in the series, but I think I was just caught up in the Elizabethan times that I had enjoyed reading about in Philippa Gregory's book (which, by the way, are much better if you like Tudor period historical fiction) .
There are three storylines, possibly four, that are interwoven in Queen's Ransom. One of them is so preposterous and contrived that I felt no tension or suspense as it unfolded.
There is again a great deal of violence as well as hatred. The Catholics are portrayed as a terrible, murderous, intolerant group which is of course historically accurate. It is just too realistic and particularly unsettling, as five-hundred years later religious intolerance is still so prevalent in many parts of the world.
These books are depressing and not at all entertaining to me. I liked the first book in the series, but I think I was just caught up in the Elizabethan times that I had enjoyed reading about in Philippa Gregory's book (which, by the way, are much better if you like Tudor period historical fiction) .
July 14, 2022
What a perilous tightrope Ursula Blanchard has to walk. Catholics & Protestants at odds & the danger of being burned alive, acting as spy for unpredictable QE1, not-so-secretly married to a Catholic herself, a daughter to provide for... These are certainly those cursed interesting times for Ursula to be sent on a mission to France. Not everything goes as planned & not everything as it seems - there is sculduggery afoot in both lands.
A bit too much historical information & it dragged on too long but I'd give another of these a try if it came my way.
A bit too much historical information & it dragged on too long but I'd give another of these a try if it came my way.
February 15, 2025
It's been so long since I read the first two in this series, I have forgotten the plot details. This one had lots of adventure with details about daily life in Elizabethan times. Those who survived traveling must have been superior physical specimens. I liked this enough to look forward to the fourth entry.
July 30, 2025
In theory it was a good story but it wasn’t executed well. It started off pretty tedious and then when it actually got to the excitement it’s like the author rushed to cram it into the last 30 pages. Calling it a mystery is also a bit of a stretch in my opinion, yes there was some unknowns but it was pretty predictable and not an edge of your seat mystery.
June 9, 2017
The plot of this book was nothing I would ever have thought of. Lots of twists and turns, and interesting sub-plots. Good suspense, but not too much. I will continue listening to this series.
May 9, 2021
I enjoy this series a great deal. They don’t have the depth that CJ Sansom’s Matthew Shardlake series has but they have been researched as to the times and move along briskly.
December 8, 2021
I enjoyed the book, partly. I was only able to find this one (#3), so I think I'm missing some of the context of the story...
January 1, 2023
the end was somewhat soppy, but still a solid read
May 25, 2024
Très bon roman d'époque
August 13, 2024
2.5 Slower than the first two. Seemed like the main goal was squeeze in more history which dragged down the plot.
January 1, 2025
Another well narrated audio book in the series. Did not disappoint.
February 2, 2025
READING BINGE CHECK OUT MY REVIEW ON THE DELUISEBOOKSERIES YOU TUBE CHANNEL
December 13, 2025
it seemed to me that the character, Ursula, was telling the story like she was born and raised in the 2000s. it ruined the historical fiction for me.
March 11, 2017
Ursula Blanchard, what a clever woman she is and yet all threaded through with trying to comprehend the truths that govern her--those without and those within. Espionage is more easily managed than than deciphering truth.
October 3, 2014
This was a nice change in the series. Ursula is getting tired of intrigue and the fact that her spy work is not only keeping her from her husband, but also eroding her belief in her own goodness. At the end of the last book (and really, why are you reading this one if you didn't read that one), she gave yew poison to a condemned man to allow him to die at his own hand rather than be hanged. This is understandably weighing on her mind, so that she doesn't want to let herself even visit her daughter, for fear that she's becoming corrupted and it will rub off.
Meg is so often relegated to nothing but a plot device or a strong inconvenience that can be used by Ursula's enemies, that sometimes I really wish there just wasn't a daughter at all. An ailing parent would do the same trick. But to fix this retroactively would require her death or estrangement, which would definitely send Ursula into a BSOD of depression, which would not make for good reading. So... stuck with this absentee daughter.
Summarising the plot is actually hard if you've read the whole book. Spoiler-free, Ursula's father-in-law from her first marriage (is there any shorthand for such a relative?) Blanchard, needs to travel to France to collect and ferry home his ward, a girl who is to marry Ursula's cousin, Edward Faldene. He asks Ursula to come along as a female chaperon for the girl. As further encouragement, the Queen gives Ursula a letter that must be delivered to France's queen mother.
Along the way, Ursula can't help but ask after the welfare of her husband, which brings her into contact with him, but And that was the biggest disappointment of the book for me. That is the entire reason they went. The girl was a side errand.
The rest of the book's major drama rests on Dale basically being an idiot. She makes rude remarks about "papists" in FRANCE, and There's a perfectly good explanation for it, but it gets them into a lot of trouble. This was necessary because of the previous plot point being so incredibly weak. This isn't so much a journey story as it is a Fixing Dumb Mistake story.
I liked Jenkins and it was nice to see that Ursula finally found her way to making up her dang mind over this whole Matthew business. I would have been happy whatever she had decided. I just wanted to see some definite action on her part.
Meg is so often relegated to nothing but a plot device or a strong inconvenience that can be used by Ursula's enemies, that sometimes I really wish there just wasn't a daughter at all. An ailing parent would do the same trick. But to fix this retroactively would require her death or estrangement, which would definitely send Ursula into a BSOD of depression, which would not make for good reading. So... stuck with this absentee daughter.
Summarising the plot is actually hard if you've read the whole book. Spoiler-free, Ursula's father-in-law from her first marriage (is there any shorthand for such a relative?) Blanchard, needs to travel to France to collect and ferry home his ward, a girl who is to marry Ursula's cousin, Edward Faldene. He asks Ursula to come along as a female chaperon for the girl. As further encouragement, the Queen gives Ursula a letter that must be delivered to France's queen mother.
Along the way, Ursula can't help but ask after the welfare of her husband, which brings her into contact with him, but And that was the biggest disappointment of the book for me. That is the entire reason they went. The girl was a side errand.
The rest of the book's major drama rests on Dale basically being an idiot. She makes rude remarks about "papists" in FRANCE, and There's a perfectly good explanation for it, but it gets them into a lot of trouble. This was necessary because of the previous plot point being so incredibly weak. This isn't so much a journey story as it is a Fixing Dumb Mistake story.
I liked Jenkins and it was nice to see that Ursula finally found her way to making up her dang mind over this whole Matthew business. I would have been happy whatever she had decided. I just wanted to see some definite action on her part.
December 28, 2019
Queen's Ransom by Fiona Buckley is the third book of the Ursula Blanchard historical mystery series set in 1562 France. Ursula Blanchard is on a mission for Queen Elizabeth I, carrying a secret letter to Queen Catherine de Medici to offer support negotiating with Huguenots. As a cover for her mission, Ursula is traveling with her late husband's father to bring his daughter Helene back to England for an arranged marriage. Little does Ursula know, but the men in her entourage that she trusts to guard her are hoping she will lead them to her husband Matthew de la Roche. Double-cross, delays and betrayal abound. Ursula has her trusty maid Dale along, which provides comfort - until Dale's fervent beliefs endanger her life. Seemingly for purely evil entertainment, Catherine de Medici sets an impossible ransom. But Ursula knows where treasure is hidden in Antwerp; she helped to hide it years ago. Ursula needs all her wits to survive the double-dealing and hidden agendas of her fellow travelers as she struggles to reach the treasure, then return to save Dale. Strangers are in pursuit; who are they working for? All the while in France, she's torn by proximity to Matthew vs. longing for her daughter Meg in England, and reluctance to continue espionage. A grueling trek for Ursula; an exciting armchair adventure for a reader, with an interesting French history lesson. Recommend read this series in order for best understanding of the characters, relationships and loyalties.
May 21, 2013
(3.5 stars) The third book in the Ursula Blanchard series sends Ursula off to France on two missions: to act as companion to the ward of her first husband's father after they retrieve her from a convent, and to convey a secret letter to Queen Catherine de Medici offering Queen Elizabeth's support in negotiating with the Huguenots. Before she leaves, Ursula is part of the entourage for Elizabeth who is working to support her political position by showing a display of her wealth to the Spanish ambassador. Ursula is keenly aware of some of this treasure, as her first husband was deeply involved in its procurement. She is surprised to find that part of the last shipment is missing and is likely still in the Netherlands, hidden in a warehouse. Ursula's journey is not without incident, and an innocent inquiry about her estranged husband leads to some dire consequences. Ursula meets an old nemesis, and also becomes entangled in a trade dispute that has deadly consequence for an agent of England. When she finally reaches Paris, a betrayal lands them all in peril and Ursula must put on a brave face to go on a risky venture. If she survives, Ursula must decide where her loyalties lie, with her husband or with her queen.
July 3, 2015
Ursula Blanchard is off to France on a mission for Queen Elizabeth I in 1562. Unbeknownst to her she is accompanied by three servants of Sir Will1am Cecil Secretary of State whose secret mission is to capture Ursula's French husband Matthew de la Roche. Ostensibly the mission is to collect 16 year old Helene Blanchard and bring her back to England to marry Ursula's cousin Edward Faldene. Ursula also is bringing a message from Queen Elizabeth to Queen Regent Catherine de Médicis of France. She is also accompanied by her ex-father-in-law Luke Blanchard and five of his servants.
Meanwhile there is a battle going on between the Roman Catholics and The Protestant Huguenots under the Prince of Condé. Along the way Matthew de la Roche is encountered. There are various assaults and killings in the early part of the journey and when they finally get to Paris Ursula's servant Fran Dale is arrested by the French. In order to free her Ursula and company have to go to Amsterdam to secure a treasure hidden by Ursula's late husband there. While doing this they are hindered by an old adversary Dr. Ignatius Wilkins.
There is a surprising postscript from January 1564.
Meanwhile there is a battle going on between the Roman Catholics and The Protestant Huguenots under the Prince of Condé. Along the way Matthew de la Roche is encountered. There are various assaults and killings in the early part of the journey and when they finally get to Paris Ursula's servant Fran Dale is arrested by the French. In order to free her Ursula and company have to go to Amsterdam to secure a treasure hidden by Ursula's late husband there. While doing this they are hindered by an old adversary Dr. Ignatius Wilkins.
There is a surprising postscript from January 1564.
June 26, 2011
Book #3 in the Elizabeth I mystery novels by Fiona Buckley (her pen name). This plot wandered a bit and wasn't as sharp as books #1 and #2. A year has gone by and our heroine (Ursula Blanchard) is sent to France by the queen with a letter offering to "mediate" between the Catholics and Protestants (called Huguenots) of France. The queen wants Ursula to give this letter to the Queen Mother of France--Catherine de Medici. But France has exploded in violent religious war and Ursula is placing her life on the line to fulfill this task. There is a Huguenot massacre in a small French town while Ursula and her party is spending the night at an inn. Not much detail is given by the author (probably to keep the "gore" away from junior readers) but it doesn't grip the reader with enough terror in my opinion. And the never-ending pull of Ursula's estranged husband, Matthew, is starting to wear a little think by book #3. Going to continue reading the series because I want to see where this plucky little woman goes, though!
January 10, 2016
This has the least plausible plot of any Elizabethan mystery I have yet read, and yes, that includes the Lady Grace mystery where she ran away and became a pirate with Drake dressed as a boy, and singlehandedly saved the battle from the crows nest. Still more plausible than this.
I'm not sure at this point what I am getting out of these novels. They are scant on historical detail, the invocation of the terror of this period is well done, but undermined at all turns by the ridiculous plot's need to have characters care deeply about it one moment and not at all the next. Ditto the characterisation, which seems good enough, until a character (and they all do this at some point in the book) makes an inexplicably out-of-character decision, usually to help the main character who is just furious with everyone at all times.
And yet, somehow, they seem to remain readable.
I'm not sure at this point what I am getting out of these novels. They are scant on historical detail, the invocation of the terror of this period is well done, but undermined at all turns by the ridiculous plot's need to have characters care deeply about it one moment and not at all the next. Ditto the characterisation, which seems good enough, until a character (and they all do this at some point in the book) makes an inexplicably out-of-character decision, usually to help the main character who is just furious with everyone at all times.
And yet, somehow, they seem to remain readable.
September 14, 2014
This is the third in the Ursula Blanchard series, but the first of the books for me and I have to say that I enjoyed the story very much, although how realistic it was considering that we are talking about the1500s ...
What I can believe is the palace intrigue and the intolerance of Catholic vs. Lutheran religions. Both made a good counterpoint to the main story and the conflict Ursula has when her servant is falsely accused and has to rely on a ransom to do justice. I also can believe a woman being conflicted between her country and her husband. In fact, I can't wait to read the first two in the series to find out how she married a French Catholic! It should prove to be quite good reading as I'm sure the other books following will do as well.
What I can believe is the palace intrigue and the intolerance of Catholic vs. Lutheran religions. Both made a good counterpoint to the main story and the conflict Ursula has when her servant is falsely accused and has to rely on a ransom to do justice. I also can believe a woman being conflicted between her country and her husband. In fact, I can't wait to read the first two in the series to find out how she married a French Catholic! It should prove to be quite good reading as I'm sure the other books following will do as well.
September 7, 2010
I read this book in preparation for an interview with Fiona Buckley, which is the pen name for British novelist Valerie Anand. The entire interview can be read at my website or a series of posts at my blog.
I enjoyed the book, but found it a bit predictable.
I enjoyed the book, but found it a bit predictable.
May 23, 2013
I am not reading these "A Mystery at Queen Elizabeth's Court" books in order, but Buckley has written them such that one can do this and not confuse events. I enjoyed Ursula Blanchard's adventures once again. This book took her into Queen Catherine de Medicis' pro-Catholic France. I learned a lot about this pro-Catholic war that threatened to tear France apart and spread to Protestant England. Lots of twists and turns in this one. Also more insights in to both Queen Elizabeth's and Queen Catherine's personalities.
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April 20, 2013This is an exciting story in this series featuring Ursula Blanchard. She is traveling during dangerous times in France on an errand for Queen Elizabeth. Along the way, the reader learns of the religious unrest in France at this time and share Ursula's need to free her serving woman by using hidden treasures in that her deceased husband told her of in Antwerp. The end is surprising so will not share it.
June 22, 2008
This was a fun little mystery with a historical setting. I had hoped there would be more about life at court than what was included, plus I had not read the first book or two with Ursula Blanchard as the main character, so I was somewhat disappointed. But, if you like easy to read mysteries with a female lead character, this is a series for you!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 55 reviews