Review: The Queen’s Captive by Barbara Kyle

First line: They came for her at dawn.

From the back cover: England, 1554. In the wake of the failed Wyatt Rebellion, a vengeful Queen Mary has ordered all conspirators captured and executed. Among the imprisoned is her own sister, twenty-one-year-old Princess Elizabeth. Though she protests her innocence, Elizabeth’s brave stand only angers Mary more.

Elizabeth longs to gain her liberty – and her sister’s crown. In Honor and Richard Thornleigh and their son, Adam, the young princess has loyal allies. Disgusted by Queen Mary’s proclaimed intent to burn heretics, Honor visits Elizabeth in the Tower and they quickly become friends. And when Adam foils a would-be assassin, Elizabeth’s gratitude swells into a powerful – and mutual – attraction. But while Honor is willing to risk her own safety for her future queen, aiding in a new rebellion against the wrathful Mary will soon lead her to an impossible choice…

Riveting, masterfully written, and rich in intricate details, The Queen’s Captive brings one of history’s most fascinating and treacherous periods to vibrant, passionate life.

My thoughts: This is the third book in Barbara Kyle’s Thornleigh series and it was captivating! I had a hard time putting this one down.

The Queen’s Captive begins with Princess Elizabeth in captivity. Under suspicion of supporting the failed Wyatt Rebellion, Sir William Cecil is afraid the young princess will break from the constant harassment and questioning by Queen Mary’s councilors, which will then give the queen the excuse she needs to execute her. Not knowing where to turn, Cecil contacts Honor Thornleigh, devising a plan that would place Honor as Princess Elizabeth’s advisor. When Honor’s son, Adam, meets the young princess, sparks fly and when Adam foils an assassination attempt on the young princess, he is handsomely rewarded. At the same time, young Frances Grenville has declared her love for Adam and so begins a complicated, blackmailing relationship that only contributes to the animosity between the Thornleighs and the Grenvilles. Both Adam and Frances are guilty of using the other, but at what cost to each of their families? Will this feud between the families ever be put to rest?

Barbara Kyle does a masterful job of weaving intrigue, suspense, loyalty, treachery and betrayal into a novel that you can’t put down. Filled with the fictional characters we’ve come to love and in some cases dislike, as well as historical figures from this time period, it is a well-written account of life from a non-royal perspective – and even more than that, it shows just how far people are willing to go for their own beliefs of right and wrong, regardless of the danger.

(I purchased this book.)