When nobleman Thomas Boleyn, lord of Hever Castle, is called to London in 1509 to present himself to a newly-anointed King Henry VIII, he sets in train events that ensure the Boleyn name will never be forgotten. Years later, as Henry VIII relentlessly pursues Thomas’s daughter Anne Boleyn to be his queen, Hever Castle becomes […]
Faith and love in fiction
Emma Darwin examines the importance of faith during a turbulent period of European history, and how difficult it is to convey the “visceral” quality and power of religious belief when writing historical fiction. Evoking love comes more easily to us, yet love and faith have often been in conflict, as in her latest novel, The […]
The Boleyn Curse by Alexandra Walsh
The court of young King Henry VIII seethes with secrets and scandals, but every ambition has its price. Elizabeth Boleyn, loyal wife to Thomas Boleyn and devoted mother to Anne, Mary and George, believes she can navigate the shifting tides of court life. But when she catches the eye of the lascivious king, Elizabeth is […]
Elizabeth Boleyn, a woman overshadowed by famous relatives
If we remember Elizabeth Boleyn, Countess of Wiltshire, it’s as the mother of Anne, Mary and George, and the wife of Thomas. Yet, as Alexandra Walsh discovered, she was a significant woman in her own right — but one who has disappeared under the shadows of her more famous relatives. Here Alexandra aims to put […]
Tyranny of Indulgence by Richard Kurti
It’s 1517, and in Rome progress on St Peter’s Basilica has been slow, but stone by stone the walls are rising. The stress has taken its toll on Cristina Falchoni, who is struggling with failing health. She keeps it a secret from everyone, especially her brother, but deep down she fears it is more serious […]
Book of Forbidden Words by Louise Fein
In 1552, the printing press is quickly spreading new ideas across Europe, threatening the power of church and state and unleashing a wave of book burning and heretic hunting. When frightened ex-nun Lysbette Angiers arrives at Charlotte Guillard’s famous Paris printing shop with her manuscript, neither woman knows just how far the powerful elite will […]
The Blood Countess by Shelley Puhak
There have long been whispers, coming from the castle; from the village square; from the dark woods.The great lady-a countess, from one of Europe’s oldest families-is a vicious killer. Some even say she bathes in the blood of her victims. When the king’s men force their way into her manor house, she has blood on […]
The Cardinal by Alison Weir
It begins with young Tom Wolsey, the bright and brilliant son of a Suffolk tradesman, sent to study at Oxford at just 11 years old. It ends with a disgraced cardinal, cast from the King’s side and estranged from the woman he loves. The years in between tell the story of a scholar and a […]