Elizabeth rose from her stool and stood, swaying for a moment, glaring at me. Then I saw her arm rise and I blinked. Something flew through the air and struck me on the forehead. I staggered backwards, my hand automatically rising to touch my brow. I saw black spots before my eyes. I looked down at the floor by my feet. Elizabethβs book lay there, open, its pages bent back beneath the cover. England in the sixteenth century is a country in turmoil.
King Henry VIII's Reformation has left England divided between Catholics and Protestants. Most of the those who cling to the Old Faith are content to conform to the laws of the land. But there are some Catholics who wonder where their allegiance lies - to England's heretic queen or to the Pope?
Francis Walsingham has no such doubts. As French ambassador, he witnesses the savagery of the St Bartholomew's Eve massacre, when Catholics slaughtered Protestants in their thousands, and he is determined England will never suffer the same fate.
He begins to create an elaborate network of spies who will keep him informed of Catholic plots against Elizabeth, especially those that have Mary Stuart, Queen of Scots at their heart. Walsinghamβs mission is clear: to protect Elizabeth I from her enemies by whatever means necessary! If you enjoy the Tudor historical fiction novels of Philippa Gregory and Alison Weir, you'll love this intimate portrayal of the father of spies, Sir Francis Walsingham.
What Amazon readers are saying: * I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Took me a bit to get into it, then I couldn't put it down! I learned a lot about Sir Francis Walsingham, and I felt he was human, not just this secretive man. I know he started the spy service, which helped a lot in gaining information and not all by torture either. If you like Tudor books, particularly Queen Elizabeth, give this a go. You won't be disappointed. Good narrative with historical events explained well. Obviously well researched and communicated acceessibly. Walsingham appears to have been a very focused character. **** Very readable with lots of fact. I love a bit of historical fiction, and this was a thoroughly enjoyable read about a lesser known character in the court of Elizabeth I. Am looking forward to reading Lauraβs other books. * A great read. The author writes in such a style that you can imagine yourself being part of that period in history. Enjoyable and a real page turner I know a fair amount of this history but this was a really enjoyable insight and i felt as if I was genuinely listening to Walsingham. The detail was very convincing. * * * Book 3 in The Tudor Court series. Available in paperback and eBook.