Books 2023 – on sale today a book that features Lady Jane….


(c) Hodder & Stoughton


‘The British monarchy is one of the oldest in the world – dating so far back that even its origins are the subject of debate. Was William the Conqueror the first king of England, or was it Alfred the Great? In this third instalment of the series that began with The Prime Ministers and The Presidents, Iain Dale charts this long history of the English and British monarchy, with 64 essays by journalists, historians and politicians on every individual to have sat on the throne, as well as some who didn’t.

From Alfred the Great to Charles III, each essay examines the monarch, their role and what they tell us about British history. Why has the British monarchy, unlike so many others, endured? Kings and Queens will attempt to answer this question, and many others, providing valuable insight into British history and how Britain is ruled today.’

From Amazon.co.uk

Further details – Amazon.co.uk



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My review of ‘The Tudors by Numbers’ by Carol Ann Lloyd….


(c) Pen and Sword


Any fan of the Tudors knows that Henry VIII had 6 wives and that Lady Jane Grey was the 9 day queen. But did you know that Henry VII spent 14 years in exile? Or out of 7 coronations, only one was a join coronation? Or that Mary I went on one royal progress while Elizabeth I went on 25? If not, you will after reading ‘Tudors by Numbers’ by Carol Ann Lloyd.

What was particularly interesting for me was the detailed look at what happened during the 13 days in July 1553 when there were 2 Queens of England. By ‘rolling the numbers’ in this educational and amusing book, Lloyd presents the Tudor period through a different lens and would make a wonderful addition to your Tudor bookshelf!


Thank you to NetGalley and Pen and Sword for my review copy.



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Books 2024 – Another book that features Jane to look forward to….


22 February – Young Elizabeth: Princess. Prisoner. Queen by Nicola Tallis


(c) Michael O’Mara


‘Elizabeth I is one of England’s most famous monarchs, whose story as the ‘Virgin Queen’ is well known. But queenship was by no means a certain path for Henry VIII’s younger daughter, who spent the majority of her early years as a girl with an uncertain future.

Before she was three years old Elizabeth had been both a princess, and then a bastard following the brutal execution of her mother, Anne Boleyn. After losing several stepmothers and then her father, the teenage Elizabeth was confronted with the predatory attentions of Sir Thomas Seymour. The result was devastating, causing a heartbreaking rift with her beloved stepmother Katherine Parr.

Elizabeth was placed in further jeopardy when she was implicated in the Wyatt Rebellion of 1554 – a plot to topple her half-sister, Mary, from her throne. Imprisoned in the Tower of London where her mother had lost her life, under intense pressure and interrogation Elizabeth adamantly protested her innocence. Though she was eventually liberated, she spent the remainder of Mary’s reign under a dark cloud. On 17 November 1558, however, the uncertainty of Elizabeth’s future came to an end when she succeeded to the throne at the age of twenty-five.

When Elizabeth became queen, she had already endured more tumult than many monarchs experienced in a lifetime. This colourful and immensely detailed biography charts Elizabeth’s turbulent and unstable upbringing, exploring the dangers and tragedies that plagued her early life. Nicola Tallis draws on primary sources written by Elizabeth herself and her contemporaries, providing an extensive and thorough study of an exceptionally resilient youngster whose early life would shape the queen she later became. The heart racing story of Elizabeth’s youth as she steered her way through perilous waters towards England’s throne is one of the most sensational of its time.’

From Amazon.co.uk

Further details – Michael O’Mara Books

Further details Amazon.co.uk



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Lady Katherine Grey: A Dynastic Tragedy by Conor Byrne added to the website….


(c) The History Press


‘Lady Katherine Grey: A Dynastic Tragedy’ by Conor Byrne added to the Other Biographies section of the bibliography.

Entries added to the following:

Primary Accounts – Aschan, Chapel, Spinola, Captivity, Trial,

Writings of Lady Jane Grey – Letters – Letter to Sir Thomas Seymour, Letters as Queen, Farewell Letters – Letters to Father, Letter to Katherine Grey, Speech from Scaffold.



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Books 2023 – on sale today – Disobedient by E C Fremantle


(c) Michael Joseph


‘Rome 1611.

A jewel-bright place of change, with sumptuous new palaces and lavish wealth on display. A city where women are seen but not heard.

Artemisia Gentileschi dreams of becoming a great artist. Motherless, she grows up among a family of painters – men and boys. She knows she is more talented than her brothers, but she cannot choose her own future. She wants to experience the world, but she belongs to her father and will belong to a husband.

As Artemisia patiently goes from lesson to lesson, perfecting her craft, she also paints in private, recreating the women who inspire her, away from her father’s eyes.

Until a mysterious tutor enters her life. Tassi is a dashing figure, handsome and worldly, and for a moment he represents everything that a life of freedom might offer. But then the unthinkable happens.

In the eyes of her family, Artemisia should accept her fate. In the eyes of the law, she is the villain.

But Artemisia is a survivor. And this is her story to tell.’

From Amazon.co.uk

Further details – Amazon.co.uk



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