Hist Fic Saturday ~ The Queen's Lady by Joanna Hickson

 

On Hist Fic Saturday

Let's go back to...1502

Harper Collins
20 January 2022

My thanks to the publisher for my copy of this book

Raven-haired and fiercely independent, Joan Guildford has always remained true to herself. As lady-in-waiting and confidante to Queen Elizabeth, wife of Henry VII, Joan understands royal patronage is vital if she and her husband, Sir Richard, are to thrive in the volatile atmosphere of court life.

But Tudor England is in mourning following the death of the Prince of Wales, and within a year, the queen herself. With Prince Henry now heir to the throne, the court murmurs with the sound of conspiracy. Is the entire Tudor project now at stake or can young Henry secure the dynasty?

Drawn into the heart of the crisis, Joan’s own life is in turmoil, and her future far from secure. She faces a stark choice – be true to her heart and risk everything, or play the dutiful servant and watch her dreams wither and die. For Joan, and for Henry’s Kingdom, everything is at stake

My Review..

As lady-in-waiting to Queen Elizabeth, and a trusted member of Henry VII's court, Lady Jane Guildford has privileged access to the events which occur in April 1502. With the royal court in mourning following the untimely death of Prince Arthur Joan has to be both a comforter and supporter to the royal couple but with their devastating grief comes anger and despair, and Joan soon finds, to her cost, that her time at court is far from settled. I have enjoyed spending time with Joan, getting to know more about her independent nature and her thoughtfulness towards those in her care. Her life in this book is far from easy with many personal challenges to overcome before she can find a sense of contentment, and dare I say it, happiness.

Spanning the momentous years between 1502 to 1520 there is much to discover about the Tudor court and the way that the Tudor dynasty started to take shape under both Henry VII and Henry VIII. With impeccable research and a fine eye for even the smallest historical detail the early Tudor court comes to life making it easy to imagine the intrigue, danger and unease which lingers in shadowy corners, especially as Henry VII becomes more and more paranoid as he grows increasingly frail towards the end of his reign. 

Whilst The Queen's Lady follows on from the first book in the series it is possible to pick up the story without having read first the The Lady of the Ravens, however, to get a better insight into Joan's independent character, and to enjoy the way that this talented author brings Tudor England alive, I would recommend starting with the first book.

Best Read with ..a bowl of sugared figs and a goblet of rich, red Bordeaux wine

About the Author

Joanna Hickson spent twenty-five years presenting and producing News and Arts programmes for the BBC. Her first published book was a children’s historical novel Rebellion at Orford Castle but more recently she has turned to adult fiction, concentrating on bringing fifteenth century English history and some of its fascinating principal characters to life. She is married with a large family and gets inspiration from her Wiltshire farmhouse home, which dates back to her chosen period.

Twitter@joannahickson #TheQueensLady

@HarperFiction