The Virgin's Spy - A Tudor Legacy Novel

Zusatztext “[Laura] Andersen delivers another dramatic thriller complete with spies! battles! ruthless villains and twists on historical events that draw the reader deeply into the lives of her characters. There is magic here! and Andersen’s fantastic storytelling will keep readers coming back for more.” — RT Book Reviews (4 1/2 stars! Top Pick!) Informationen zum Autor Laura Andersen Klappentext Perfect for fans of Philippa Gregory and Alison Weir! The Virgin's Spy is award-winning author Laura Andersen's second novel about the next generation of Tudor royals-a mesmerizing historical novel filled with rich period detail! vividly drawn characters! and all the glamour and seduction of the fabled Tudor court. Queen Elizabeth I remains sovereign of England and Ireland. For the moment! at least. An Irish rebellion is growing and Catholic Spain! led by the Queen's former husband! King Philip! plans to seize advantage of the turmoil. Stephen Courtenay! eldest son of Dominic and Minuette! Elizabeth's most trusted confidantes! has accepted a command in Ireland to quell the unrest. But the task will prove dangerous in more ways than one. The Princess of Wales! Elizabeth's daughter! Anabel! looks to play a greater role in her nation! ever mindful that there is only one Queen of England. But how is Anabel to one day rule a country when she cannot even govern her own heart? Praise for The Virgin's Spy "Andersen delivers another dramatic thriller complete with spies! battles! ruthless villains and twists on historical events that draw the reader deeply into the lives of her characters. There is magic here! and Andersen's fantastic storytelling will keep readers coming back for more."-RT Book Reviews (4 1/2 stars! Top Pick!) Find your next book club pick! read special features! and more. Join the Random House Reader's Circle. CHAPTER ONE June 1581 Elizabeth loved weddings. At least those weddings in which she could appear the benign good fairy, generously bestowing her favour upon a couple and, as always, claiming the spotlight for herself. Most families fortunate enough to draw the queen’s attention to such an occasion fell over themselves to get out of her way and let her run things in the manner she wanted them. Not the Courtenay family. At this wedding, Elizabeth was little more than a guest. For one thing, she had wanted the wedding to take place in London. As the bride was both the eldest daughter of the Duke of Exeter and Elizabeth’s own goddaughter, the queen had graciously offered any number of royal chapels for the ceremony, from private ones such as Hampton Court to more public parishes like St. Margaret’s at Westminster. But Lucette Courtenay had her mother’s stubbornness when her own wishes were at stake, and so Elizabeth herself had to travel northwest to participate in the wedding of the En­glish lady and her French Catholic spy. Elizabeth did not stay at Wynfield Mote with the Courtenay family, but in Warwick Castle ten miles northeast. After the castle’s forfeit to the crown upon the Duke of Northumberland’s death, Elizabeth had bestowed it upon one of the duke’s surviving sons, Ambrose Dudley. In gratitude for the queen’s generosity, Ambrose gave her the run of the castle whenever she wished. A queen had no release from ruling, so Elizabeth filled hours of each day with letters and papers and in meeting with the men who rode back and forth between the monarch and Walsingham in London. Though her Lord Secretary (and chief spymaster) had once used both the bride and groom in his intelligence web, Walsingham had not been invited to the wedding. The ceremony itself went off beautifully. Conducted at Holy Trinity Church in Stratford-­upon-­Avon—­and in the language of the Prayer Book issued by Elizabeth’s government in the first year of her reign—­Lucette Courtenay and Julie...

Product details

• Authors: Laura Andersen
• Publisher: Ballantine
• Languages: English
• Product format: Paperback / Softback
• Released: 30.11.2015
• EAN: 9780804179386
• ISBN: 978-0-8041-7938-6
• No. of pages: 368
• Dimensions: 132 mm x 203 mm x 23 mm
• Series: Tudor Legacy; Tudor Legacy
• Subject: Fiction > Narrative literature