‘An enthralling story of love and tyranny, Sisters of Treason brings the Tudor Courts to life again, in all their romance and horror.’ – Leanda de Lisle
(c) Penguin
‘Sisters of Treason’ by Elizabeth Fremantle is published in the UK on 22nd May by Michael Joseph (Penguin Random House).
The second in Elizabeth Fremantle’s Tudor trilogy, ‘Sisters of Treason’ tells the story of Katherine and Mary Grey. I’ve read it and it is a must read!
‘Two young girls tread dangerously close to the throne after their sister, the deposed queen, Lady Jane Grey, is executed.
Lady Catherine and Lady Mary are reeling after their elder sister, the seventeen-year-old Lady Jane Grey, is brutally executed. Their Tudor blood is now more a curse than a blessing. Queen Mary’s succession is by no means stable; many covet the crown, and some say the Grey sisters have a better claim to the throne than the queen.
Neither sister is well suited to a dangerous life at court. Flirtatious Lady Catherine, thought to be the true heir, cannot control her compulsion to love and be loved, and clever Lady Mary has a crooked spine and a tiny stature when physical attributes are thought to reflect moral character. For either girl to marry without royal permission would be a potentially fatal political act, perceived as a treasonous grab for the throne.
It is the royal portrait painter, Levina Teerlinc, who helps the girls survive these troubled times. She becomes their mentor and confidante; with her painter’s observation she is able to see more at court than the sisters, who are watched closely. But when the hot-headed Elizabeth inherits the crown, life at court becomes increasingly treacherous for the Grey sisters. Ultimately each young woman must decide how far she dares to go to defy her Queen and risk her life for love.’ © Elizabeth Fremantle.com
Competition
To celebrate, The Lady Jane Grey Reference Guide offers UK readers the chance to win a copy of this fascinating book and to ask the author any burning questions you have about the Grey sisters, the Tudors, historical fiction, life at the Tudor court, Queen’s Gambit (Elizabeth’s first novel about Katherine Parr)or anything else you want to ask!
Elizabeth will choose some questions to answer and the Q&A will appear at this blog.
Thanks to Michael Joseph (Penguin Random House) you can win one of five copies in a UK giveaway!
To enter:
Submit a question to Elizabeth by emailing me at ljgcompetition at yahoo.co.uk and leaving your name and country. Replace at with @.
The competition ends at midnight (UK time) on Friday 30th May.
I will post the questions on this page.
You can submit the same question as someone else, as all names will be entered into the draw.
The five winners will be selected at random.
If you live outside the UK you can still submit a question to be answered but it will not be entered into the draw.
Good luck!
Follow Elizabeth Fremantle on Social Media:
Elizabeth’s website: www.elizabethfremantle.com
Twitter: @lizfremantle
Facebook: Elizabeth Fremantle
If you don’t win a copy, you can buy it from:
Amazon.co.uk
Questions
Barry
Not so much a questions as a request. Having read Queens Gambit and thinking it was excellent, have thought about writing a book myself, I already have the core of the story but want to set it in the Elizabethan era. Do you have any recommendations of the best places I should look (bibliography etc) for some historical social history to make it much more sure footed?
Kathryn
There isn’t that much written about Lady Mary Grey (fiction and non fiction) why is this and do you think her other sisters had a good relationship with her?
Helene
What do you think about history being fictionalised and how far is it okay to change the facts to suit an end?
Patricia
Did Lady Mary and Lady Catherine grow up at Bradgate in Leicestershire?
Hamish
Why do you think Elizabeth never had her mother’s marriage legalised thus wiping away her illegitimacy and do you think she really was concerned about Katherine Grey’s claim to the throne or was she merely using this as a pretext to rid herself of a person who was seen by some to have a more legitimate claim?
Tracie
When writing about a historical character of which not much is known, how do you decide what to do in order to “flesh them out”? Is there a certain reference method you use, or is it mostly author creative licensing?
Catherine
I’d be interested in your view of Frances Gray & her relationship with the girls, do you agree with Leanda De Lisle that she’s a much maligned character?
Zoe
I am interested to know your thoughts on Henry’s true feelings towards Anne of Cleeves. Do you believe he regretted his disregard of her considering their later friendship? And would things have been different for them had the young Catherine Howard not caught his eye?
Eliza
Do you think that Lady Jane Grey wanted to become Queen? Did she see this as her mission in life or she was just doing her parents’ bid?
Alex
Which book did you most enjoy writing, ‘Queen’s Gambit’ or ‘Sisters of Treason?’
Ellie
Do you think that Philip of Spain would have married Mary I, if Jane Grey had not been executed?
Suzanne
Have you visited any places connected with the Grey sisters?
Kat
Which of the Grey sisters did you enjoy writing about the most?
Rachel
Do you think Edward Seymour really loved Katherine or loved the idea of the throne more?
Dominique
After what happened to Katherine, why do you think Mary risked marrying?
Marie
As a child I was force fed a diet of Georgette Heyer, which I think of as historical fiction junk food! But which authors did you read growing up that inspired you to choose this particular fiction genre?
