Firebrand

FIREBRAND IS NOW A MAJOR MOTION PICTURE STARRING ALICIA VIKANDER AND JUDE LAW 
 
For fans of Wolf Hall and the BBC's The White Queen 
 
Dive into Elizabeth Fremantle's vivid Tudor England and meet the woman who survived Henry VIII 
--- 
 
My name is Katherine Parr. 
 
I’m thirty-one years old – already twice widowed. 
I love a man I can’t have. 
I’m to wed a man no one would want. 
 
He has cast aside two wives and watched another die in childbirth. 
Two more have had their heads struck from their bodies, on his order. 
 
What will become of me as Henry VIII’s sixth wife? 
 
I will have the king’s ear. With that comes power. 
But power means danger in the Tudor court. 
 
Many have fallen.Will I fall too?--- 
 
PRAISE FOR ELIZABETH FREMANTLE‘Electric’ Good Housekeeping‘Rich in atmosphere and period detail . . . An enticing read’ Stylist 
 
'An unforgettable, moving and important story told with great skill and care' Jennifer Saint 
 
'Outstanding. A powerful novel about women who are shamed and silenced, and how they learn to survive. A literary knockout' Anna Mazzola, author of The Clockwork Girl

‘Beautifully written and finely observed, this suspenseful tale of Henry the Eighth's last wife expertly conveys all the dangerous intensity and passion of the Tudor court’

RACHEL HORE, author of A PLACE OF SECRETS

‘Rich in atmosphere and period detail . . . An enticing read’

‘With a painter's eye for detail, Fremantle brings the dazzling, dangerous Tudor court to life and sheds an intriguing new light on Katherine Parr, one of history's great survivors. An enthralling tale of power and passion, loyalty and betrayal’

‘Breathes vibrant life into Henry VIII's most intriguing, intelligent and least known wife, Katherine Parr’

‘A major new voice in historical fiction’

‘Wildly entertaining . . . One of the best historical novels I've read’

Elizabeth Fremantle is the critically acclaimed author of four Tudor historical novels: Firebrand (formerly Queen’s Gambit), Sisters of Treason, Watch the Lady and The Girl in the Glass Tower. As E.C. Fremantle she has written two historical thrillers: The Poison Bed and The Honey and the Sting. Her most recent novel, Disobedient, is a feminist retelling of the life of seventeenth-century Italian painter Artemisia Gentileschi. She lives in London.

Meet the woman who survived Henry VIII. 
 
My name is Katherine Parr. 
 
I'm 31 years old and already twice widowed. 
 
I'm in love with a man I can't have, and am about to wed a man no-one would want. 
 
My husband-to-be is none other than Henry VIII, who has already beheaded two wives, cast aside two more, and watched one die in childbirth. 
 
What will become of me once I'm wearing his ring and become Queen of England? 
 
They say that the sharpest blades are sheathed in the softest pouches. 
 
Only time will tell what I am really made of...

The gripping feminist retelling of a seventeenth century heroine forging her own destiny

Disobedient

WINNER OF THE HWA GOLD CROWN AWARD 2024 
 
I'll show you what a woman can do . . . 
 
‘I was swept away by lush, evocative prose. An unforgettable, moving and important story told with great skill and care' JENNIFER SAINT 
 
'An exhilarating read. Gripping, captivating, and consistently enlightening' KATY HESSEL 
'Outstanding. A powerful novel about women who are shamed and silenced, and how they learn to survive. A literary knockout' ANNA MAZZOLA, author of The Clockwork Girl 
 
__________ 
 
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. But her future is not her own - she belongs to her father and will belong to her husband. 
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. 
__________ 
 
'An unputdownable story of revenge, ambition and how women overcome adversity. A heartbreaking and empowering read' COSTANZA CASATI, author of Clytemnestra 
 
'An unforgettable book - visceral and lush and fierce. The last few pages left me gasping. An absolute triumph' EVE CHASE 
'Brilliantly researched, rich in detail, grippingly written, Disobedient is the novel Elizabeth Fremantle was born to write' ELIZABETH BUCHAN 
 
'I could not put this book down. Every woman - and man - should read it. Shocking, gripping, splendid!' ALISON WEIR 
 
‘Historical fiction at its absolute best' GILL PAUL, author of The Secret Wife 
 
'The colourful, brutal world of Baroque Italy is superbly evoked in this gripping novel. The challenges faced by a dauntless woman in this man's world leave a deep impression on the reader' LINDA PORTER

Magical, thrilling, wonderful, excellent. Heartpoundingly tense and absolutely engrossing. Clever, amazing and inspiring

I could not put this book down. Every woman - and man - should read it. 
Shocking, gripping, Fremantle has crafted a tale that vividly evokes Baroque Italy 
by portraying a strong, assertive women. Splendid!

Vivid, unflinching, justly furious. Fremantle's best work

The Times, Historical Fiction of the Month

Dazzling. Taut, fast-paced, powerful and painterly as Artemisia's canvases

A great female artist struggling for her voiceand for justice is brought to powerful life. Brilliantly researched, rich in detail, grippingly written, Disobedient is the novel Elizabeth Fremantle was born to write

A searing, gripping account of the early life of baroque prodigy Artemisia Gentileschi

A WONDERFUL HERO: creative, passionate and true to herself

An exhilarating read. Through effervescent prose, Elizabeth Fremantle brings the story of artist Artemisia Gentieschi to life. Gripping, captivating, and consistently enlightening, Disobedient firmly places Gentileschi as one of the greatest female heroines in history

You'll be gripped by this fictionalised account of the life of the remarkable Italian Renaissance painter Artemisia Gentileschi. The author brings 17th-century Italy to life

Artemisia's life was extraordinary, and so is this book. I was swept away 
by lush, evocative prose that transported me to a painter's studio in Rome in the 1600s. 
Through the eyes of a defiant and determined young woman, Fremantle weaves 
Artemisia's paintings into events, endowing Artemisia with the dignity, courage and honour she deserves. An unforgettable, moving and important story told with great skill and care

Outstanding. A powerful novel about women who are shamed and silenced, and how they learn to survive. A literary knockout

An unforgettable book - visceral and lushand fierce. You root for Artemisia. Hurt with her. Roar with her. And you simply cannot look away. The last few pages left me gasping. An absolute triumph

The colourful, brutal world of Baroque Italy is superbly evoked in this gripping novel of Artemisia Gentileschi, one of the era's greatest artists. The challenges faced by a dauntless woman in this man's world leave a deep impression on the reader

If you don't already know the story of 17th-century artist Artemisia Gentilleschi, I urge you not to google it but let this phenomenal novel describe her for you. If you already know what happened, let yourself be immersed in 17th-century Rome as the action unfolds in the hands of a master storyteller. The characters are nuanced and relatable; the writing is colourful and moreish; the pace and plotting are pitch perfect. She is a writer at the top of her game, and this is historical fiction at its absolute best.

Just finished reading this gem - an unputdownable story of revenge, ambition, and how women overcome adversity. A heartbreaking and empowering read that places Artemisia as one of the greatest painters in history

To produce the best work a writer must "dig deep"' In Disobedient, Elizabeth Fremantle pierces the reader's soul, drawing tears, blood, and rage for the injustices and pain inflicted on the painter, Artemisia Gentileschi ~ until she rises through the force of her character and art. Through vivid depictions of the paintings in the story, and the art of her own writing, Liz has bared her soul and produced this stunning portrait of a courageous genius who refuses to accept the abuse or petty jealousies of men who would oppress her. Brava Artemisa . . . and Liz!

Absolutely stunning...Exquisitely written, powerful, gripping, devastating, and timely. I loved it so much. Everyone should read it

Disobedient is often beautiful, sometimes shocking and always propulsive. A remarkable book I'm unlikely to forget

A rich and dark portrait of an extraordinary woman

Rome 1611. A jewel-bright place of change. 
 
Artemisia Gentileschi dreams of becoming a great artist. Motherless, she grows up among a family of painters - men and boys. She belongs to her father and will belong to a husband. 
 
As Artemisia perfects her craft, a mysterious tutor enters her life. But then the unthinkable happens. A violent act that threatens Artemisia's honour, and her virtue. 
 
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.

The Honey and the Sting

'A lush, thrilling page-turner humming with its own exquisite dark beauty. I loved it!' Eve Chase, author of The Glass House 
'Fremantle builds the tension with delicious skill in this page-turning thriller' Times 
 
The compelling, transfixing novel about the bond between three sisters from the author of The Poison Bed 
 
**PRE-ORDER DISOBEDIENT, THE GRIPPING NEW NOVEL FROM ELIZABETH FREMANTLE** 
_______ 
 
Three sisters. 
Three secrets. 
Three ways to fall . . . 
 
George Villiers is rich, powerful and has the King's ear. Doctor's daughter Hester is a mere servant - to be cast aside when he has done with her, especially since she is pregnant. 
 
Returning to her family, Hester vows that Villiers will never lay eyes on their son. She and her sisters Melis and Hope will protect the boy. 
 
But Villiers is a man who will not be defied. He will claim his son - and the secret letters he believes Hester has stolen. 
 
What can three defenceless women do against one very powerful man? 
 
Yet secret letters are a weakness - and, in the right hands, a weapon . . . 
_______ 
 
'Rich and fascinating' Guardian 
 
'Wonderfully inventive and darkly satisfying, this story of three sisters resonates with myth and mystery' Andrew Taylor, bestselling author of The Ashes of London 
 
 'Gripping and page-turning. Propels a trio of vivid women towards their complex destinies . . . Hugely enjoyable' V.B. Grey, author of the forthcoming Tell Me How It Ends

Fremantle builds the tension with delicious skill in this page-turning thriller. She is excellent on the precariousness of life for history's powerless women

A powerful reimagining of the most dramatic murder of Stuart England. Wonderfully inventive and darkly satisfying, this story of three sisters resonates with myth

bestselling author of The Ashes of London

A lush, thrilling page-turner humming with its own exquisite dark beauty. I loved it!

Gripping and page-turning. Propels a trio of vivid women towards their complex destinies, while making their world as fresh and immediate as our own. Hugely enjoyable

A pacey plot, tension, and occasional flirts with the supernatural make this historical fiction engaging . . . It leaves you wanting more of Melis, who has eerie and often accurate visions of the future

We follow three sisters in a maze of twists and turns in 1628 England. Grabs your attention

Pacey, immersive, and beautifully written. Takes women at the margins of history and makes us care about their stories

bestselling author of Anatomy of a Scandal

One of Britain's foremost writers of historical fiction . . . a masterful Hitchcockian thriller

A tense, pacey cat-and-mouse game set against a rich historical background

Three sisters. 
Three secrets. 
Three ways to fall . . . 
 
Forcibly seduced by George Villiers, Duke of Buckingham and King's favourite, doctor's daughter Hester was cast aside to raise her illegitimate son, Rafe, alone and in secret. She hopes never to see his father again. 
 
Melis's visions cause disquiet and talk. She sees what others can't - and what has yet to be. She'd be denounced as a witch if Hester wasn't so carefully protective. 
 
Young Hope's beauty marks her out, drawing unwelcome attention to the family. Yet she cannot always resist others' advances. And her sisters cannot always be on their guard. 
 
So when the powerful Duke decides to claim his son against Hester's wishes, the sisters find themselves almost friendless and at his mercy. But are their secrets their undoing or their salvation? 
 
Because in the right hands a secret is the deadliest weapon of all . . .

'Gone Girl meets The Miniaturist'

The Poison Bed

'A gripping psychological thriller. Readers will be awake deep into the night, trying to untangle the truth' The Times 'Books of the Year' 
 
A marriage. A murder. One of them will hang for it. 
 
**PRE-ORDER DISOBEDIENT, THE GRIPPING NEW NOVEL FROM ELIZABETH FREMANTLE** 
________ 
 
Autumn, 1615. 
 
Frances Carr is imprisoned in a cold, lightless room. 
 
She is accused of murder. 
 
In a cell nearby is her co-accused - her husband Robert. 
 
Kept apart, Frances can only tell her side of the story. 
 
How did she come to be here? 
 
Can she somehow prove her innocence? 
 
And what lengths will she go to to save herself? 
__________ 
 
'Engaging, vivid and revelling in historical detail' Sarah Perry, bestselling author of The Essex Serpent 
 
'The Miniaturist meets Gone Girl. Gripping and full of surprises' BBC History 'Books of the Year' 
 
'A tale of intrigue and ambition, this is a rich and fascinating book' Guardian 
 
'Immaculately detailed, dark, clever and compulsive' Daily Mail

Engaging, vivid and revelling in historical detail, this thriller delves into a notorious murder. The reversal comes in a double blow, the first of which is so cunningly done I found myself pausing, frowning and riffling back through the pages to confirm that I had, indeed, been thoroughly stitched up

Sarah Perry, bestselling author of The Essex Serpent

A twisting psychological thriller based on a real Jacobean murder. Unputdownable

A gripping historical thriller. Think Gone Girl with bodices. Brilliant

A tale of intrigue and ambition, this is a rich and fascinating book

A gripping page-turner that will have you awake long into the night. Ingenious

An intoxicating blend of intrigue, seduction, witchcraft and murder. The Poison Bed is beautifully told and impossible to put down

An electrifying, brilliantly executed thriller

Gripping and fascinating. Fremantle is a master

Who is to blame? And will they get away with it? A rollicking read

Immaculately detailed and atmospheric, this Jacobean mystery borrows from both the revenge tragedies and contemporary noir thriller to manipulate the reader. It is dark, clever and compulsive

A novel set in the court of James I that reopens the case of Robert and Frances Carr, aristocrats charged with killing a man who opposed their marriage. With skill and delicacy, Fremantle presents the period as a cabinet of curiosities

Exquisite. The reveal is terrifying

A Jacobean Gone Girl! Dark and deeply satisfying, The Poison Bed is a tale of monstrous intrigue and murder

A riveting tale that kept me reading into the night. Beautifully written and realised

A thoroughly compelling tale of sexually-charged intrigue and murder. Once started, impossible to put down

A twisting tale of power, poison and intrigue. Historical fiction with the pull of a psychological thriller

Flawless. A sharp, well-constructed thriller, this is a book that will keep you on your toes

A toxic blend of glamour, intrigue and ambition

A seductive historical thriller. The Jacobean world leaps off the page in all its vivid, visceral glory

Brilliant. Gripping and sexy and wholly transporting. Highly recommended.

A riveting tale. I cannot recommend this highly enough

A great summer read. Fremantle weaves together documented fact with sensitively imagined fiction to create a novel that helps us understand a time and place better

A creepy and powerfully immersive retelling of one of the greatest scandals of the Jacobean court . . . The Poison Bed is unerringly addictive. Fremantle's writing has a dynamic quality and an immediacy that draws readers in, whether or not they're familiar with the material of the story

Engaging, vivid and cleverly constructed. One expects the reversal, but it comes in a double blow, the first of which is so cunningly done I found myself pausing, frowning and riffling back through the pages to confirm that I had, indeed, been thoroughly stitched up

In the autumn of 1615 scandal rocks the country. A celebrity couple are imprisoned on suspicion of murder. She is young, captivating and from a notorious family. He is rich and powerful. 
 
Some believe she is innocent; others think her wicked or insane. He claims no knowledge of the crime. 
 
Who is telling the truth? Who has the most to lose? 
 
Who is willing to commit murder?

The Girl in the Glass Tower

Lost in history . . . losing her self. Uncover Tudor heroine Arbella Stuart's incredible story, reimagined by Elizabeth Fremantle in this tense, historical thriller. 
 
Hardwick Hall, sixteenth-century England. 
Formerly a beacon of wealth and power. 
Now a gilded prison. 
 
Hidden away, forgotten, one young woman seeks escape. 
 
But to do so she must trust those on the outside. 
Those who have their own motives... 
 
Discovery means death. But what choice has any woman trapped in a man's world? 
 
Imprisoned by circumstance, Arbella Stuart is an unwilling contender for the throne. In a world where women are silenced, what chance does she have to take control of her destiny? 
 
Praise for The Girl in the Glass Tower: 
 
 'A top-notch literary thriller' Daily Telegraph 
 
'Thrilling, clever and beautifully written' The Times, 'Books of the Year' 
 
'Filled with dense, dark political and social intrigue' Daily Mail 
 
'Shots are fired, troths are plighted, sea voyages taken, escapes dared and mysteries solved' Daily Telegraph 
 
'Beautifully written, completely engrossing and a book that stays with you after the pages are closed' Historia

Elizabeth Fremantle's The Girl in the Glass Tower is a stunning historical thriller set in the chaos leading up to the death of Elizabeth I.

Filled with dense, dark political and social intrigue, this is five-star historical fiction

If you read one Tudor tome this summer, make it this one. Fascinating and vividly drawn, the ending is heartbreaking

A top-notch literary thriller. Shots are fired, troths are plighted, sea voyages taken, escapes dared and mysteries solved

An eloquent novel, steeped in Tudor literary culture

Beautifully written, completely engrossing and a book that stays with you after the pages areclosed. Highly recommended

Arbella Stuart was a pawn, at the mercy of the powerful people around her. Hers is a sad and moving tale, and Fremantle tells it beautifully

Fremantle shows how dangerous it was being closely related to Elizabeth I. A cracking read

A gorgeously readable and oh so captivating slice of historical fiction. Haunting, emotional and thought-provoking, The Girl in the Glass Tower is a beautiful foray into the past

Elizabeth Fremantle is a skilful and beguiling writer. A master of her craft. She perfectly captures a sense of time and place and draws her characters with skill and sensitivity, capturing the reader's attention and holding it right to the end

Arbella Stuart is confined behind the towering windows of Hardwick Hall. Niece to Mary, Queen of Scots, and presumed successor to Elizabeth I, she is held here for her protection. But those in the crown's shadow are never safe. 
 
Fearing a fate she has no power to avoid, Arbella seeks a means of escape. Yet to do so she must rust in others - a young poet, an aristocrat willing to risk everything to free her. Each knows that discovery will lead to accusations of treason. 
 
A woman trapped in a man's world, Arbella is about to learn that even the smallest choices we make may save - or destroy - us . . .

Watch the Lady

THE QUEEN'S GODDAUGHTER. 
HER MOST TRUSTED MAID. 
ADULTRESS. 
ENEMY OF THE STATE. 
 
WHO IS THE REAL PENELOPE DEVEREUX? 
 
Penelope Devereux is a legendary beauty in the court of Elizabeth I, with a smile that would light up the shadows of hell. But it's not just her looks which have won her favour with the Queen wing; her canny instinct for being in the right place at the right time, and her skilled political manoeuvrings under the guise of diplomacy, have rendered her a formidable adversary to anyone who stands in her path. Including Elizabeth. 
 
For Penelope must secure the future of the Devereux dynasty at whatever cost. Even treason. And the Queen, a woman she holds responsible for the death of her father, the exile of her mother and her failure to marry the one man she ever truly loved, is just one more pawn in a deadly game. 
 
Walking the knife-edge of court, whilst ensuring that her reckless brother Essex remains the only star in the Queen's firmament - and out of the Tower - Penelope must plan for the inevitable succession of an ailing monarch. 
 
But her secret letters of friendship to a foreign King - one who has a strong claim to the English throne - could see her illustrious family in the gutter and her own head on the block. It would only take a single mistake, a slip of the tongue, an intercepted message for Penelope to become the architect of her downfall. 
 
In a world where sister is turned against brother, husband against wife, courtier against queen, the rules of the game are forever changing. 
 
 
Discover the truth in Elizabeth Fremantle's stunning new novel about an extraordinary woman who helped change the course of England's history forever. 
 
 
This sumptuous historical drama is perfect for fans of Philippa Gregory, Hilary Mantel and Jessie Burton. 
 
 
Praise for Watch the Lady 
'The research and historical detail are impeccable . . . and fans will enjoy this evocation of Elizabeth's tumultuous court' Times 
'A glamourous tale peopled by warrior poets, flamboyant courtiers and shameless loves, it is also sharp, perceptive and dramatic' Sunday Express 
'Be transported to the court of Elizabeth I, where Penelope Devereux is prepared to do anything in the scramble for power. Watch The Lady by Elizabeth Fremantle combines fast-paced storytelling with rich period detail' Good Housekeeping 
'If you want an immersive read then this is it. The remarkable story of the beautiful Penelope Devereux comes vividly alive, bursting with colour and detail. The reader is transported to the perilous Elizabethan court, with all its plots, treachery and heartbreak, and gains fascinating insights into some of the most important figures of the time. Yet again Elizabeth Fremantle has produced a pacey, powerful narrative that kept this reader riveted throughout' Jane Thynne 
'Penelope Devereux, perspicacious, beautiful and muse of Sir Philip Sidney, will stop at nothing for the sake of her family. I was gripped by the tale of risky political and sexual shenanigans in the court of Elizabeth l' Woman and Home 
'Penelope is a fascinating character and beautifully drawn in this enthralling, moving and immaculately written novel... Fremantle handles the intriguing with aplomb and it's impossible to read the books without feeling you are living events alongside the characters' Imogen Robertson, Historia 
 'Fascinating . . . it's a delight to keep Penelope company as she plunges into the intrigues of Elizabeth's court' The History Girls 
'Ever since Queen's Gambit took the world of historical fiction by storm 3 years ago, Liz Fremantle's books have been the ones to watch in the world of Tudor fiction. The combination of depth, intelligence and real historical imagination that she brings to bear on the lesser-known (but immensely powerful) women of the Tudor era is unmatched in contemporary writing and gets better with each book. Not that either of the previous ones were sub par - far from it, they were exceptional - but, as with all good writers, the apprenticeship of each book sees its realisation in the one that comes after it and there's a steady rise in the textures and depths and many-layered plot threads. The Lady we watch here is Penelope, sister of the notorious Essex, wife of a man who doesn't want to bed her, lover of those who do - though never the most important one: that love is unrequited and all the more powerful for it. The machinations of Elizabeth's court were never easy, but became positively frenetic as she edged towards death and refused to name a successor and the way the ageing monarch plays Cecil against Essex, as seen through the eyes of the woman who has to navigate a clear path through the chaos is brilliant. In fact, the shift of viewpoint from Penelope to Cecil and back again is the core strength of this book. Neither is an entirely reliable narrator, even to themselves, but taken together, they mesh to make a hologram of a time in history that is endlessly fascinating, but never fully understood. This book is glorious. It will delight fans of Hilary Mantel and Philippa Gregory alike, but will also garner a whole new audience from those who just love good writing, whatever the genre, whatever the era' Manda Scott 
'A wonderful, totally transporting novel that folds you into its world, word by word, page by page, and remains with you long after the last. I absolutely loved this book. Fremantle is a brilliant novelist' Eve Chase, author of Black Rabbit Hall

The research and historical detail are impeccable . . . and fans will enjoy this evocation of Elizabeth's tumultuous court

A glamourous tale peopled by warrior poets, flamboyant courtiers and shameless loves, it is also sharp, perceptive and dramatic

Be transported to the court of Elizabeth I, where Penelope Devereux is prepared to do anything in the scramble for power. Watch The Lady by Elizabeth Fremantle combines fast-paced storytelling with rich period detail

If you want an immersive read then this is it. The remarkable story of the beautiful Penelope Devereux comes vividly alive, bursting with colour and detail. The reader is transported to  the perilous Elizabethan court, with all its plots, treachery and heartbreak, and gains fascinating insights into some of the most important figures of the time. Yet again Elizabeth Fremantle has produced a pacey, powerful narrative that kept this reader riveted throughout

Penelope Devereux, perspicacious, beautiful and muse of Sir Philip Sidney, will stop at nothing for the sake of her family. I was gripped by the tale of risky political and sexual shenanigans in the court of Elizabeth l

Penelope is a fascinating character and beautifully drawn in this enthralling, moving and immaculately written novel... Fremantle handles the intriguing with aplomb and it's impossible to read the books without feeling you are living events alongside the characters

An endlessly fascinating era, and Fremantle manages to combine pacey storytelling with superb background. . . it's terrifically entertaining.

Fremantle is surely a major new voice in historical fiction (...) what Hilary Mantel fans should read while waiting for the final part of her trilogy

Telling the story of the Elizabethan court, with all it's plots and intrigues

Fascinating . . . it's a delight to keep Penelope company as she plunges into the intrigues of Elizabeth's court

Ever since Queen's Gambit took the world of historical fiction by storm 3 years ago, Liz Fremantle's books have been the ones to watch in the world of Tudor fiction. The combination of depth, intelligence and real historical imagination that she brings to bear on the lesser-known (but immensely powerful) women of the Tudor era is unmatched in contemporary writing and gets better with each book. Not that either of the previous ones were sub par - far from it, they were exceptional - but, as with all good writers, the apprenticeship of each book sees its realisation in the one that comes after it and there's a steady rise in the textures and depths and many-layered plot threads. 
 The Lady we watch here is Penelope, sister of the notorious Essex, wife of a man who doesn't want to bed her, lover of those who do - though never the most important one: that love is unrequited and all the more powerful for it. The machinations of Elizabeth's court were never easy, but became positively frenetic as she edged towards death and refused to name a successor and the way the ageing monarch plays Cecil against Essex, as seen through the eyes of the woman who has to navigate a clear path through the chaos is brilliant. In fact, the shift of viewpoint from Penelope to Cecil and back again is the core strength of this book. Neither is an entirely reliable narrator, even to themselves, but taken together, they mesh to make a hologram of a time in history that is endlessly fascinating, but never fully understood. 
 This book is glorious. It will delight fans of Hilary Mantel and Philippa Gregory alike, but will also garner a whole new audience from those who just love good writing, whatever the genre, whatever the era

A wonderful, totally transporting novel that folds you into its world, word by word, page by page, and remains with you long after the last. I absolutely loved this book. Fremantle is a brilliant novelist

Penelope Devereux is a legendary beauty in the court of Elizabeth, but it's not just her looks which mark her apart. 
 
With her canny instinct for being in the right place at the right time and her skilled political manipulation, she has become a formidable adversary to anyone who stands in her path. 
 
And now, Penelope must secure the future of the Devereux dynasty at whatever cost. Even treason. For the Queen is just one more pawn in a deadly game.

Elizabeth Fremantle

An evocative tale of misplaced love and lust at a time when, saint or sinner, no one wins. A gripping read which gallops to a crescendo of an ending

A sensationally powerful novel with a rollercoaster of a story that has the dark logic of Greek tragedy. It confronts head-on the moral ambiguities and psychological conflict of a woman driven to patricide and it brings to life the brutal and luxurious world in which the murder takes place

Andrew Taylor, bestselling author of The Ashes of London

I was spellbound by this wonderful book and had to neglect everything else to finish it. Truly, it's one of the best historical novels I have read in a long time. Elizabeth Fremantle evokes so beautifully and convincingly the Italy of the late sixteenth century; her characters are compellingly drawn and her prose is magnificent. I cannot recommend this novel highly enough

Alison Weir, acclaimed historian and novelist

A dark and brilliant historical novel that reads like a cross between a murder mystery, a true crime drama, and a Jacobean tragedy. You can almost feel the heat and the horror of the sixteenth century. One of the best historical novels I have read in a very long time

Garth Russell, acclaimed historian of Queen James

A transporting historical thriller – 16th century Rome, a heroine (kind-of) and a murder trial

Erin Kelly, bestselling author of He Said, She Said

Elizabeth Fremantle never misses. Sinners is a fierce and searing feminist retelling of Beatrice Cenci’s life and murder trial. Fremantle’s writing cuts through to the quick

I devoured this book, carried along on the wave of our heroine’s rage. This is a masterclass in writing feminist historical fiction. Absolutely brilliant

Louise Hare, bestselling author of This Lovely City

Rome, 1599. 
 
A young noblewoman accused of murder, awaits execution. Imprisoned in the Corte Savella, she has captured the hearts and sympathy of all Rome... 
 
This is the true and tragic tale of Beatrice Cenci. 
 
History has sold her short. She is no doe-eyed victim of her father’s brutality, nor the cunning murderer who plotted her father’s demise. No, this Beatrice - a woman pregnant by her lover, incarcerated in a remote castle by her father, and brim-full of white-hot rage - is both innocent and guilty, saint and sinner. 
 
And she will stand tall in the face of the violence of men, no matter the cost.

Elizabeth Fremantle

Praise for Sinners

An evocative tale of misplaced love and lust at a time when, saint or sinner, no one wins. A gripping read which gallops to a crescendo of an ending

A sensationally powerful novel with a rollercoaster of a story that has the dark logic of Greek tragedy. It confronts head-on the moral ambiguities and psychological conflict of a woman driven to patricide and it br ...

I was spellbound by this wonderful book and had to neglect everything else to finish it. Truly, it's one of the best historical novels I have read in a long time. Elizabeth Fremantle evokes so beautifully and convin ...

An evocative tale of misplaced love and lust at a time when, saint or sinner, no one wins. A gripping read which gallops to a crescendo of an ending

A sensationally powerful novel with a rollercoaster of a story that has the dark logic of Greek tragedy. It confronts head-on the moral ambiguities and psychological conflict of a woman driven to patricide and it br ...

I was spellbound by this wonderful book and had to neglect everything else to finish it. Truly, it's one of the best historical novels I have read in a long time. Elizabeth Fremantle evokes so beautifully and convin ...

An evocative tale of misplaced love and lust at a time when, saint or sinner, no one wins. A gripping read which gallops to a crescendo of an ending

A sensationally powerful novel with a rollercoaster of a story that has the dark logic of Greek tragedy. It confronts head-on the moral ambiguities and psychological conflict of a woman driven to patricide and it br ...

I was spellbound by this wonderful book and had to neglect everything else to finish it. Truly, it's one of the best historical novels I have read in a long time. Elizabeth Fremantle evokes so beautifully and convin ...

Books by Elizabeth Fremantle

Series by Elizabeth Fremantle

The Tudor Trilogy

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