The Poison Bed is a slight change of direction for Elizabeth Fremantle. She has previously written four conventional historical fiction novels set in the Tudor and Elizabethan periods, telling the stories of Katherine Parr (Queen’s Gambit), Katherine and Mary Grey (Sisters of Treason), Penelope Devereux (Watch the Lady) and Arbella Stuart and Aemilia Lanyer (The Girl in the Glass Tower). This, her latest novel, also features the story of a strong and fascinating woman, but includes additional elements of mystery and suspense which give the book the feel of a psychological thriller at times. It’s not entirely different from her other books, but different enough that she obviously felt a slight change in name was appropriate.

The novel opens in 1615 with Frances Howard and her husband Robert Carr imprisoned in the Tower of London, accused of the murder of Thomas Overbury. Overbury had been a friend of Robert’s, but was opposed to his marriage to Frances – is this why he had to die, or could there be another reason? There is certainly plenty of evidence to link both Frances and Robert with his poisoning, but in order to discover the truth, we must go back to the beginning of their relationship and follow the chain of events that led to Overbury’s death.

Robert and Frances take turns to tell their side of the story in alternating chapters headed ‘Him’ and ‘Her’. Robert’s is written as a straightforward first person narrative, while Frances relates her story to a young wet nurse who is sharing her room in the Tower to help take care of her newborn baby. In this way we get to know both main characters, as well as their friends, family members and rivals – but it’s important to remember that at the court of King James I, nobody is ever exactly as they seem.

As one of the ambitious and powerful Howard family, Frances could be seen as a pawn, pushed into making one advantageous marriage after another – first to Robert Devereux, Earl of Essex, and then to Robert Carr. Yet Frances is an intelligent young woman with a mind of her own; she is prepared to do what is necessary to take control of her destiny…but would this include murder?

Robert Carr is the king’s favourite – some would say the king’s lover – and this has enabled him to rise to a much higher position at court than he could otherwise have hoped to achieve. Robert (at least as he is depicted by Fremantle) does not really have the strength of character to take advantage of this, but others, such as Frances’s scheming great-uncle, see getting close to Robert as a way of wielding influence over the king. Robert denies any involvement in Thomas Overbury’s murder, but is he telling the truth?

While Robert and Frances, as our narrators and protagonists, are always at the heart of the novel, there are other interesting characters to get to know too. I particularly liked the portrayal of James I and his relationship with Robert, but I also enjoyed the elements of black magic in the story and the roles played by the astrologer Simon Forman and the physician’s widow Anne Turner. There’s a lot going on in this novel, which makes it quite a gripping read. I found the first half more enjoyable than the second, which is when the thriller aspect becomes more dominant, but that’s just my personal preference.

The Poison Bed, in case you’re wondering, is based on a true story – you can find plenty of information on the Overbury Scandal online – but the interpretation of the characters and their motives is Fremantle’s own. If all of this is new to you, I would recommend not looking up any of the facts until after you’ve finished the novel as it’s a story packed with twists, turns and surprises. I have read about the same events before, in Marjorie Bowen’s The King’s Favourite from 1938, but this is a very different book, with a fresh and different approach. I love the cover too!

It seems that the author is currently writing another historical crime novel under the E.C. Fremantle name called The Honey and the Sting. I’m curious to see what it is about.

Absolutely loved this book! A really well written, atmospheric tale of love, lust, greed and deception - and murder of course! The setting was fabulous, the characters devilishly wicked and the plot fantastic.

Thank you to netgalley.co.uk for sending me a free copy of this novel in exchange for my honest review.

This novel is based on a true crime story during the 16th century, I remember my history teacher telling our class about it when we studied the Jacobean court, a topic I found extremely interesting. I remember looking at my history teacher thinking this story was not true, fast forward a few years later when I was watching a history programme to find out it was all true.

Apart from a brief description of the crime, I never dug deep to find out about the history of the crime. All I knew was a quick overview and what happened to everyone involved. I understand with historical fiction, the timelines and events of the offence can be twisted to suit the writer's point of view, but I enjoyed reading it and getting to know a little bit more about it as it did feel like the author had put some serious time into researching this and what happened. I like how the chapters were spilt into the two different point of views from the two main characters: 'Him' and 'Her'. I felt like I got to know a lot about them and I felt like the writer had played the whole event out like it was a mind game and the two main characters were just pawns stuck in the middle of everything, I even started to feel bad for them. It took me a while to get into the novel, but I enjoyed how instance this novel and it was worthy of its description of a physiological thriller as I felt it messed with my head at times.

The poison bed is based on a true history and its story hooked me on.

Robert Carr is a favorite of king of England in the 17 century. Even he has king’s affection, he fell in love with one of the Howard, Frances. Robert’s friend, Thomas Overbury adamantly opposed to their marriage, but Frances’s uncle cleverly use the political situation to maneuver their marriage. When Thomas was found dead by poison, people who involved in this poisoning get to locked in the tower and start to executed. What was happening? Who is telling lie? Who is innocent?

This was very interesting read. The story is well written and the political situation around the King James is fascinating. This is a crime reading and simultaneously this is a light politic read as some people are trying to win promotion at the expense of Robert.

I didn’t know about the history of Frances and Robert but I knew who is the murder before its ending. However, it was still interesting to know how the trial goes and what king is gonna do to this matter.

I marked this 4.0 stars out of 5.0

Historical fiction is not my usual genre but I really enjoyed reading this tale of passion, murder, intrigue, lies and mysteries. The characters were well drawn out and the plot held my attention throughout. I did find the jumping between several timelines a little confusing at the beginning but got used to it and it didn't spoil the story for me.
Many thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for the ARC.

Perfect for fans of historical fiction, this doesn’t disappoint! I loved how well-researched it was, and the author did an excellent job of evoking the period.

Nothing is ever as it seems in this tale of misdeeds and egos aplenty.

I'm glad I didn't read anything other than the book's cover before diving in as all the twists and turns came as joyous surprises and the book is expertly crafted. The time shifts keep the reader on their toes and your mind fully engaged while the cleverness of character depiction and revelation is a triumph.

It is hard not to give too much away so best just to highly recommend the story, the author's immense hard work in researching and fictionalising the gaps in history and the easy way in which it is told. Some novels based on historical facts can be hard-going, this just floats into your head and Frances, for one will stay there for some time.

Read the acknowledgements and background too. I love the tribute to the cover design.

I had high expectations of this novel which were partly met.It took quite a while for the story to gain momentum,as the plot didn't speed up till half way through.The structure was quite confusing as the story,based on true events,was told from the viewpoint of the two protagonists,but jumped from first to third person,and each chapter alternated to being told told from his and her point of view.
The novel gave an interesting portrayal of life at the court of James the Sixth and First,with all the intrigue that went on and the power grabbing that was so much part of life then.
I did go and read the true story of the events described in the book when I had finished reading it,and found it all very fascinating.Worth a read if you like the darker side of history.

The Poison Bed is based on true events from the early seventeenth century and tells the story of Frances Howard and Robert Carr, the Count and Countess of Somerset, and the accusation of murder against them. Each chapter is simply titled Him or Her as we read their differing stories from how they met until the murder accusation and the consequences from that event.

The Jacobean Court of James I has so much intrigue and machinations that lends itself to brilliant historical fiction. The Poison Bed has it all; politics, intrigue, love, secrets, lies, witchcraft and murder that weave together to make a rich tapestry of historical fiction. The characters are all flawed and have too many vices to mention, which makes for a wonderful read. Frances Howard, from one of the big political families of the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, is a pawn in the political machinations of her family, however, she is not to be underestimated. Frances is obviously well educated, confident, beautiful and has a mind of her own; she knows what she wants and will use her womanly wiles to get it and to control others. Considering women were seen as second class citizens, and only used to make political alliances, Frances has a strength of character and a confidence that was unusual in her day. Having her first marriage to the Earl of Essex annulled after it was no longer proving useful to her family, it was decided she should marry Robert Carr, the favourite of the King and one whose star was rising at the court. Robert Carr came from nothing, he was an orphan but had caught the King’s eye, and it is said, as in this novel, that he became the James I lover. It is a very strange affair, a Howard girl to an non titled homosexual lover of the King, but it makes for a brilliant novel. The man they allegedly murdered, Sir Thomas Overbury, a friend of Carr who tried to stop the marriage with blackmail, he was apparently in love with Carr himself. This was a time with warring families and changes in alliance that meant those who were favourites also had many enemies, who were willing to spread rumours and kill to try to bring those people down.

E.C.Fremantle puts a lot of detail and research into her books, and focuses on strong women of the period; I reviewed The Girl in the Glass Tower last year about Arbella Stuart. She has a wonderful way of bringing the period and it’s character’s to life, immersing the reader in the Jacobean court, with all its intrigue, scandal and secrets. There are times it easy to forget that this is based on fact, and was one of the nails in the coffin of the Stuart dynasty.

The Poison Bed is a wonderfully engaging and thrilling read with love, intrigue, secrets and lies at its heart. Enter the scandalous world of the Jacobean Court, and loose yourself in the wonderful characters, the political intrigue and the life and loves of Frances and Robert, Count and Countess of Somerset. Simply a stunning read.

E.C. Fremantle previous work includes a trilogy of books set during the Tudor period, a time renowned for court intrigue, Machiavellian politics and the dominance of powerful families in the body politic. In her new engrossing novel these themes are continued within the subsequent Stuart Reign. The author makes clear in her notes that this is a work of fiction but the characters portrayed here are real and the main events stated did take place. The book begins with the imprisonment in the Tower of London on suspicion of murder of Frances Carr, Countess of Somerset who born Frances Howard was a member of that illustrious and powerful family whose great uncle Henry Howard, 1st Earl of Northampton was the consummate political insider, ruthless and cunning with the family mantra that "the Howards always win".

The tale is told from two perspectives "His and Her" being that of Francis and that of her second husband Robert Carr who being the King's lover is obviously an influential figure for the Howard family to cultivate and employ. As the story unfolds in the present and past we slowly begin to realise which of the two characters is naive and honest and which is manipulative and without any scruples or morality. By the end of the book we begin to understand that past assertions of fact were in reality deceit and deception. Like I guess a lot of readers I began my own research into the factual story and it is clear that although this work contains a degree of assumption and poetic licence by the author there is a good degree of truth contained here. You may ask how Robert Carr could become so infatuated and mislead by Frances but perhaps a viewing of her portrait from the studio of William Larkin (On display in Room 5 at the National Portrait Gallery) may explain this.

For those who enjoy good historical fiction and the machinations of the political process (which still has a relevance today) then I believe you may well enjoy this book. Also mention needs to be made of the wonderful cover that aptly captures both the period and the contents within the book.

Tension builds in this fascinating historical novel where the concept of whodunnit is taken to a new level.

This is quite the story of love, lust and the foolishness of men. It seems that in a time when women were considered no more than servants and playthings, a woman with a sharp mind could wield considerable power. And if that woman is a sociopath...look out anybody who gets in her way!

This story builds the tension step by step, consistently and almost unbearably, until the reader's assumptions on what really happened are proven...or not! Using this particular historical setting wasn't absolutely necessary, as this is a tale that could be set in any era, but the merciless brutality of that time, when kings lived in fear of being usurped and men of standing fought to achieve wealth and power through machinations straight and twisted, means that the consequences of any criminal action are utterly final.

Our leading lady is both admirable and terrifying; she has found a way to own power in the royal court, unstable as that is. She knows who to charm, who she can manipulate and who she should avoid. Our leading man starts as a wanton charmer, the lover of the king himself, yet descends into a state of pathetic, abject misery. What can i say - girls rule, until they're caught.

A thoroughly enjoyable read and highly recommended.

I was drawn to the book by its beautiful front cover and was definitely not disappointed by the pages inside. The Poison Bed is a story of murder and betrayal. I loved the way the chapters were written in Him and Her alternating, this kept me hooked to the book. Look forward to reading more by this author, fantastic!!!

Lively and not-for-the- faint-of-heart, this is a slightly askew telling of the murderous Frances Howard in king James court. The Howard family were big players and the sexual under linings of politics at the time (especially when you focus on the women involved) makes this a robust story. It feels v. contemporary. The trading back and forth between 'him' and 'her' sort of. confused me, but this is really well done and hard to put down .. unusual for historical fiction, it is not sanctimonious at all, and tampers with history to good dramatic effect. Great stuff.

Set in 1615, a time of intrigue and scandal at the court of King James I, The Poison Bed is narrated alternately by Frances and her husband, Robert, who are both in prison awaiting trial for murder.

We learn of Frances' life before, of how she was born into a high-ranking family, how she had no choice in her marriage of convenience to the unlikeable Earl of Essex, and how she met the charming and beautiful Robert Carr. She was clever, well-bred, and had no shortage of admirers.

They are both looking back to see how they had arrived at this precarious situation.

Robert Carr is an intriguing and infamous character, he was a 'favourite' of King James and also became quite powerful having the king's ear and his trust. He was obsessed with Frances from the moment he saw her reading the young Prince's palm at court.

The Poison Bed is a compelling historical mystery of a real life scandal of the time - the suspicious death of Robert's former lover, Thomas Overbury.

Full of treachery, betrayal, obsessive love and deadly secrets, The Poison Bed is a wonderfully written and well researched mystery.

An enjoyable balance of true crime/historical fiction, The Poison Bed deals with the trial Robert Carr, favourite of King James I, and his wife, Frances Howard, as well as bringing to life some of the intrigues of the Jacobean court.

It was initially confusing to jump between tenses in the 'Him' and 'Her' chapters of the book, but by the halfway point, you understood a lot more about the characters, their motivations and how they played off each other. The whole story itself is like a Jacobean 'Gone Girl' - each character tells their 'truth', until the true story comes out.

A satisfying amount of intrigue and obsessional love; both characters appear more like pawns, at beginning, before revealing their true nature.

In the past I’ve declared my love of unreliable narrators; however, I feel that this should come with a caveat of ‘when there’s some early clue as to their unreliability’ – or at least a clue that I can spot. Having your entire opinion of a character turned on its head once the story is well underway can be somewhat disconcerting, especially when that revelation also casts doubts on the personalities and motivations of all the other characters involved. On the other hand, I love a historical mystery with its roots sunk firmly in the background to an actual set of events, so having the rug pulled from beneath my feet isn’t going to make me fall completely out of love with a book or its plot.

We first meet Frances and Robert Carr when they have been imprisoned separately in the Tower of London: Frances with their newborn baby and her wet-nurse, Robert mostly alone with his thoughts. The pair stand accused of the murder of Robert’s friend, mentor and former lover, Sir Thomas Overbury, but both declare their innocence, while reliving the events that led to Overbury’s death and their eventual imprisonment. Robert has risen from obscurity, aided by Overbury, to eventually become advisor and lover to King James I of England (James VI of Scotland), even after his marriage to Frances. When Overbury catches the pair together, they fear blackmail and plans are made to have Overbury imprisoned and then exiled – as Ambassador to Russia. Overbury turns down the role he’s been offered, and eventually dies in the Tower. Poisoning is suspected, and suspicion falls first on members of the Carrs’ household, and then on the Carrs themselves.

By her own admission, Frances is no friend of Overbury, in spite of sending pastries to him while he is imprisoned, and her paid companion consorts with alchemists and cunning women with Frances’ full knowledge. Frances presents herself as an innocent victim of her family’s political ambitions, married young to a powerful man who is unable to consummate their marriage, although he has sexual relationships with other women of the court. After falling for Robert Carr, Frances works with her uncle and parents to have her first marriage annulled – against Overbury’s advice to anyone who will listen to him – and that wish is granted shortly after Overbury’s death.

Frances and Robert marry as soon as they are able, but it soon becomes apparent that various factions at court are opposed to their increasing degree of power at court, and the influence it confers on Frances’ family. At last, evidence emerges, linking one or both of them to the alleged murder of Overbury and they are separated and ultimately imprisoned.

I wanted to like this book, in spite of the Big Reveal about a third of the way through that one of the main characters had been lying to us. Sadly, though, I found it difficult to warm to any of them, particularly after my initial opinions of them had been shattered. I found the historical background to the story fascinating, having known little of it beforehand, and I’m tempted to seek out one of the author’s earlier books, to see if a different set of characters in a slightly different era might appeal to me better.

Intrigue and treachery at the court of James I is rife, as it's a community built on lies and subterfuge, particularly amongst those who the King calls his 'favourites'. Robert Carr is one such favourite who holds a special place in the King's affection, that is, until Robert becomes besotted by the wily, and very beautiful, Frances Howard. Throughout the sixteenth century, the Howard family have never been far from scandal and controversy, and at the beginning of James I's reign, in the early seventeenth century, they are, once again, firmly ensconced at the very heart of court politics.

What then follows is the fictional account of the infamous scandal in which both Robert Carr and, by now, his wife, Frances Howard are implicated in the murder of Sir Thomas Overbury, a contemporary of Carr's, and a man with whom he shares many deadly secrets. The background to the events, which begin in 1615, with Carr and Howard’s imprisonment in the Tower of London, is told in their two very distinct voices, in which we get a fascinating interpretation, not just of the events which have led to the death of Thomas Overbury, but also of Frances’ early, and scandalous, marriage to Robert Devereux, 3rd Earl of Essex.

Walking in the footsteps of this infamous couple takes us into a deadly world of poisoners and their poisons, to shadowy places where dark spells and enchantments prosper, and to those hidden corners where unscrupulous people scheme and plot until get what they want.

Beautifully written and meticulously researched The Poison Bed is a fascinating story of murder, passion and politics at the very heart of the Jacobean court of King James I.

Told in alternating chapters entitled ‘Him’ and ‘Her’, the book opens with the imprisonment in the Tower of the two main characters. What follows is a series of flashbacks starting with the beginning of their relationship to their arrest and imprisonment. It’s a story of friendship, betrayal, secrets, lies and, more than anything, obsessive love. Based on a true event and featuring the actual historical figures, it is nevertheless a work of fiction and speculation on the part of the author as far as the feelings and motivation of the main characters is concerned.

Initially, both characters come across as pawns in a power game played by those seeking influence at the very top of the court of King James I. ‘The court’s divisions were laid bare, each faction seeking a way to score points against the other, as if our lives were a game of chess.’ However, at around two thirds of the way through the book, the author throws a completely unexpected and absolutely brilliant curve ball which certainly made this reader rethink everything I’d read so far and question where my sympathies lay.

The Poison Bed is an intense and compelling historical mystery full of authentic period detail but which reads like a modern day psychological thriller. I thought it was fabulous. It’s definitely a book where the content lives up to the promise of its gorgeous cover.

I received an advance review copy courtesy of publishers, Michael Joseph, and NetGalley in return for an honest and unbiased review.

The period of history this book takes place and the events are interesting and in scandalous nature- I found out later after reading the book. I didn"t know British history so went into the book completely blind- and it was rather difficult to understand who is who- I felt like there were no introductions to the characters as if the writer assumed we should know who they are. So not surprisingly it became very confusing for me and I opened up Wikipedia and started reading and then things made sense!

Most of the novel is made of by people meeting and speaking, there isn't much storytelling despite the first person narration.

I usually like historical novels but unfortunately this one didn't really work for me.

Finally I must add, one of the most gorgeous book covers I have seen this year.

I read 20% of this book and although I really wanted to keep going to learn the story, I couldn't because of the writing style.
This is a story of the events that took place in court during King James I's reign. If you read the real history, it's really interesting and could be a good plot for a historical novel.
Sadly, I spent my time trying to decipher who's talking to whom, what happened to which character. All the narrative is like someone talking to another, but it's not clear. It might be done to add suspense to it, but it really makes it unpleasant.
I found it very confusing. Although the writer has selected a promising plot, and created some mystery around it, I think she overdid the complexity brought with narrative,
All in all, the story could be very interesting, but the way it's written didn't deliver a good experience. I had to DNF it.
Thanks a lot to NetGalley and the publisher for granting a free copy in exchange for an honest review.