This incredible Tudor based Historical novel by susannah Dunn breaths new life (and perspective) into the reign of Britain’s first female Monarch, Queen Mary I and her rivalry with half-sister (The future Queen Elizabeth I).

Told from the perspective of Laundress, Alys Twist who has managed to work her way up to a position in the palace and her hard work rewarded with a placement in the Royal Wardrobe.

However tensions arise with the new Queen’s efforts for Catholic reformation with rebellious forces seeking to put her sister on the throne.Alys is pressed into service as a spy in the princess’s household- by order of the Queen.

With the Machinations and political intrigue of surrounding the crown- and the arrest of Princess Elizabeth, Alys who has startling secrets of her own must now make a dangerous choice.

Overall an enjoyable and well researched novel-weaving the lives of thecommon people with historical events that give us a glimpse into the upheaval (and often uncertainty) the Tudor era wrought on the majority of lives. Not the mention the rise and ultimately fall of the woman history now dubs ‘Bloody Mary’.

I loved that the narrative is based around a main character who isn’t a noble or a courtier (as most Tudor era novels tend to be) which to me felt incredibly refreshing. I’m also impressed with the level of accuracies in the details surrounding historical events-the tide letter being just one of many examples.

As it’s narrative driven, we see more of the everyday people- staff, servants, etc. than he eras ‘movers and shakers’. So if you prefer your Tudor fiction to resemble a Starz mini series, this book may not be for you.

However I definitely recommend this to Tudor History buffs or Historical fiction lovers.

A huge thanks you to Little,Brown Book Group UK and NetGalley for the ARC.