England is in tumult under the rule of Queen Mary and her Spanish husband. Confined to house arrest at Hatfield House, young Princess Elizabeth is the country’s greatest hope. Far from court intrigues, Elizabeth finds solace in simple things: the quiet countryside and peaceful recreation, including the melodies of her chief musician and his daughter, Kate Haywood.
But Kate will prove herself most valuable when an envoy of the queen—sent to flush out heretics in the princess’s household—is found dead on the grounds of Hatfield. Acting as Elizabeth’s eyes and ears, Kate is sent out on the trail of a killer whose mission could destroy her family, friends—and the future of England.
A cozy that kept me guessing (or second guessing my guesses!) pretty much until the end! This borrows a number of historical figures, such as the future Elizabeth I, Queen Mary, Lady Jane Grey and others, but all are interwoven with the writer's own characters and this allows a plot (in more ways than one) to form.
Kate Haywood and her father Matthew are musicians for the Princess Elizabeth, currently under light house arrest at Hatfield House as her half sister is on the throne, the lives of all at the House are thrown into disarray when an envoy from the Queen arrives, and he arrives VERY unhappy as his servant was killed not far from the house, he promptly turns the house upside down to try and find something, anything, that will prove the household are not loyal Catholics, everyone is disconcerted but knows there is nothing to find. But then there is another death, and this one sets Lord Braceton on edge even more. We then add in a troupe of players, a lawyer's assistant, the arrest for heresy of Kate's father, and we discover that she will do anything to help her Princess and her ill father.
Well worth a read and I will continue the series!
Comments