Everand Logo

Welcome to Everand!

  • Discover millions of ebooks, audiobooks, and so much more with a free trial

    Only $11.99/month after trial. Cancel anytime.

    Unavailable
    The Tudor Conspiracy: A Novel
    Unavailable
    The Tudor Conspiracy: A Novel
    Unavailable
    The Tudor Conspiracy: A Novel
    Ebook355 pages6 hours

    The Tudor Conspiracy: A Novel

    By C. W. Gortner

    4/5

    ()

    Currently unavailable

    Currently unavailable

    About this ebook

    Hunted by a shadowy foe in Bloody Mary's court, Brendan Prescott plunges into London's treacherous underworld to unravel a dark conspiracy that could make Elizabeth queen—or send her to her death in C.W. Gortner's The Tudor Conspiracy, the second book in The Elizabeth I Spymaster Chronicles.

    England, 1553: Harsh winter encroaches upon the realm. Mary Tudor has become queen to popular acclaim and her enemies are imprisoned in the Tower. But when she's betrothed to Philip, Catholic prince of Spain, putting her Protestant subjects in peril, rumors of a plot to depose her swirl around the one person whom many consider to be England's heir and only hope—the queen's half-sister, Princess Elizabeth.

    Haunted by his past, Brendan Prescott lives far from the intrigues of court. But his time of refuge comes to an end when his foe and mentor, the spymaster Cecil, brings him disquieting news that sends him on a dangerous mission. Elizabeth is held captive at court, the target of the Spanish ambassador, who seeks her demise. Obliged to return to the palace where he almost lost his life, Brendan finds himself working as a double-agent for Queen Mary herself, who orders Brendan to secure proof that will be his cherished Elizabeth's undoing.
    Plunged into a deadly game of cat-and-mouse with a mysterious opponent who hides a terrifying secret, Brendan races against time to retrieve a cache of the princess's private letters, even as he begins to realize that in this dark world of betrayal and deceit, where power is supreme and sister can turn against sister, nothing—and no one—is what it seems.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherMacmillan Publishers
    Release dateJul 16, 2013
    ISBN9781250010957
    Unavailable
    The Tudor Conspiracy: A Novel
    Author

    C. W. Gortner

    C. W. Gortner is the author of many bestselling historical novels—including Mademoiselle Chanel—which have been published in more than twenty countries. He lives in San Francisco.

    Related to The Tudor Conspiracy

    Related ebooks

    Historical Fiction For You

    View More
    View More

    Related podcast episodes

    Related articles

    • Article

      The Boleyns

      Jul 18, 2019

      The Boleyns
      11 min read

    • Article

      The White Rose & The Tudors

      Mar 19, 2018

      The White Rose & The Tudors
      3 min read

    • Article

      Two Houses Divided

      Mar 27, 2020

      1390-1411 The mother of Richard Plantagenet and grandmother of King Edward IV and King Richard III, Anne de Mortimer was descended from royalty through her mother and grandparents. She died during childbirth. 1375-1415 The father of Richard Plantagen

      3 min read

    • Article

      Wives’ Tales

      Nov 30, 2018

      Wives’ Tales
      4 min read

    • Article

      Richard III Struggled Against His Two Brothers For The Crown

      Dec 1, 2020

      English history recounts many tales of bloody battles, but the infighting among “The Brothers York” was legendary for its ferocity.

      3 min read

    • Article

      He Could Have Been Saved

      Jun 24, 2021

      He Could Have Been Saved
      3 min read

    • Article

      The Windsor Saga: Two Peerless Books On The British Royal Family

      Jan 21, 2021

      The British monarchy survived an abdication crisis in the 1930s, but will the institution last beyond Queen Elizabeth II’s reign?

      3 min read

    • Article

      The Dutiful King: George VI

      May 2, 2019

      The Dutiful King: George VI
      8 min read

    • Article

      The Inventions of Witches

      Oct 30, 2017

      The Inventions of Witches
      7 min read

    • Article

      The Courage To Be Happy

      Feb 1, 2023

      MARRIAGE and columns have this in common: you tend to repeat yourself. More than once in these pages, I have quoted the New Yorker’s legendary film critic Pauline Kael. After President Nixon’s landslide victory in 1972 she wrote: ‘I live in a rather

      3 min read

    • Article

      Happy And Glorious

      Jun 1, 2022

      ICAN’T remember when I last used my 12 Fabergé after-dinner coffee cups. Americans call these little cups ‘demitasse’, which is about as bi-lingual as we get. Mine come in five colours and I treasure them, although I’ve reached the age where my guest

      4 min read

    • Article

      Dawn Neesom Mind Of My Own

      Apr 5, 2022

      Dawn Neesom Mind Of My Own
      4 min read

    • Article

      TOWN & COUNTRY

      May 5, 2022

      TOWN & COUNTRY
      2 min read

    • Article

      Ancestor envy ANYONE?

      Aug 31, 2023

      Ancestor envy ANYONE?
      4 min read

    • Article

      Caught Out

      Oct 2, 2022

      Caught Out
      9 min read

    • Article

      Cast Out

      Jul 10, 2021

      Verity pushed back the quilts, rolled off her straw mattress onto the floor, felt for the poker, and stirred the ashes. The embers glowed. She wouldn’t have to go fire-borrowing again. Her chilled hands were clumsy. One glowing bit of wood rolled fro

      21 min read

    • Article

      The King Of NOTHING

      May 14, 2023

      Reflections from a stand-up guy If I was king for just one day... It would be a day too long. When you’re a youngster, it’s aspirational to be a king, a prince, a princess or a corgi. It’s something to be dreamed of. Not so much as you age, and grow

      2 min read

    • Article

      Dead Reckoning

      Sep 9, 2020

      Dead Reckoning
      6 min read

    • Article

      Camilla The Down To Earth Duchess

      Jul 13, 2022

      Camilla The Down To Earth Duchess
      14 min read

    • Article

      The Invitation

      Aug 21, 2023

      York, October 1644 Before I’ve even mustered the courage to knock, the door to the townhouse flings open. I drop my hand. “It is me, John Falmouth,” I say and wince at how loud my voice carries into the night. My greeting falters when I look up and n

      6 min read

    • Article

      Camilla The Down To Earth Duchess

      Jul 13, 2022

      Camilla The Down To Earth Duchess
      14 min read

    • Article

      Winning Letter

      Sep 30, 2022

      I’m a single mother who struggles financially to get through each month. When my washing machine broke I had no funds to repair it, so I asked my neighbours if I could do my washing at their place. On a Wednesday afternoon my bell rang. At the door w

      5 min read

    Reviews for The Tudor Conspiracy

    4/5

    41 ratings8 reviews

    What did you think?

    Tap to rate

    Review must be at least 10 words

    • 2/5
      Young Brendan is recruited by spymaster William Cecil to travel to Queen Mary's court to try to protect the young Princess Elizabeth. I found this historical novel to be short on history and plodding in plot.
    • 3/5


      Is the winter of 1553; reign of Bloody Mary who is hiding her betrothal to Philip of Spain. It is also the time of the disastrous Wyatt rebellion.... with the Dudleys in the tower, Jane Grey & Guilford Dudley about to be executed, and Elizabeth playing now you see me/now you don't at court.

      The Spanish ambassador, Don Renard, is plotting against Elizabeth, hoping to catch her in an act of high treason against Mary and there is one plotting against him..... Spies and murderers abound. Enter Brendan Prescott (aka Master Beecham), Loyal to the Tudors, illegitimate son of Henry's sister Margaret, champion of Elizabeth, spy for Cecil.

      It was an interesting book, a bit overlong and written in a not-so-masculine voice. This is not the first time I've noted this about Gortner's writing. His: "The Last Queen: Catherine de Medici" definitely had the feminine air of writing, so much so that I was surprised to learn the author was male!

      I'm not sure if I'll read more of this series or not, it depends on how prominent a place Elizabeth plays, she was mostly absent from this story.
    • 3/5
      Brendan Prescott finds himself plunged into the dangerous Tudor court yet again in this follow-up to The Tudor Secret. Prescott is called to investigate plots against Queen Mary I's throne - first by Princess Elizabeth's servant Cecil and then by Queen Mary herself. Brendan must navigate between these divided loyalties and divergent interests while attempting to uncover a dangerous plot. The novel makes for fun reading, but there are better novels written about this infamous era.
    • 5/5
      The book starts with Elizabeth as a young girl. The time period is the 1550s. Mary, her half- sister is Queen and is betrothed to Philip of Spain. This has everyone in an uproar, because of fear of Spanish influence. Not everyone is a supporter of this marriage. Mary is a devout Catholic and is imposing her religion on the court and her sister Elizabeth.The book is mainly about the Wyatt rebellion. Wyatt was a Protestant and plotting to put Elizabeth on the throne. The Protestants feared that if Mary had a child with Philip that Elizabeth would lose her rights to the crown. Wyatt was tortured and beheaded when caught. Mary attempted to obtain a confession from Wyatt implicating Elizabeth. If he would have implicated Elizabeth in the rebellion, Mary would have beheaded her, her own sister for treason.Now enters Brendan into the picture. He is spying for Mary on Elizabeth, but his loyalties remain with Elizabeth and her supporters. He is walking a dangerous path between two powerful sisters as a double agent. Brendan’s mission for Mary is to obtain incriminating letters that Elizabeth had written. What will Brendan do? Will he be able to save Elizabeth from Mary? Will he find the letters? What will he do if he does find the letters? Will he come out of this whole thing alive or will his head wind up on the chopping block?I thought that this was a great book. The plot was good, the characters were believable and the book was eventful and full of action. I felt I was transported back in time. Brendan narrates the story for us. I liked him as a character and he gives us an interesting perspective on things. If you like the Tudors or Historical Fiction you will enjoy this one. I give it 5/5 stars.
    • 5/5
      This is the second of three books in the Spymaster series featuring Brendan Prescott. I enjoyed the first and I must write that The Tudor Conspiracy is even better. Brendan is coming into his own as a character and he learns the truth of his parentage so by the end of the story he at least has a better sense of his place in the world - although he is still and will always be Elizabeth's fervent follower. It is, I suppose, difficult for a writer to take well trodden material and write what many will see as just "another Tudor book." But I have to note that Mr. Gortner has made the oft told tale of the Wyatt Rebellion seem fresh by telling the story from his fictional character's point of view and making the Rebellion a minor part of the book.Brendan is fictional but he mixes easily with many well documented historical figures from Queen Mary to Elizabeth to Cecil. It all rings true due to the seamless way that Mr. Gortner brings together that which is known with that which he draws from his imagination. He creates a well drawn world where his characters are comfortable and his readers can enjoy their adventures.In this book Brendan walks a fine line as he ostensibly works for Mary while spying for Elizabeth while trying to stay alive with various factions trying to kill him. He does have an astounding capability for staying alive in the most dangerous of situations - but he is a HERO. If you are looking for a page turning foray into a Tudor spy novel The Tudor Conspiracy will satisfy with beach read sensibility and a leading man that you can't help but love.
    • 5/5
      The Tudor Conspiracy by C.W.Gortner is the second novel in The Elizabeth I Spymaster Chronicles. It is basically about Queen Mary and her desire to marry and keep her sister Elizabeth from inheriting the throne. She decides to marry Prince Phillip of Spain and hopes for a child that will inherit. There are plots underway during this time to usurp Mary and put Elizabeth in her place which resulted in the ill fated Wyatt Rebellion where the nine day Queen, Jane Grey,the Dudley's, father and son's are imprisoned and later executed for their supposed part in the plot. Robert Dudley is not executed, but still has aspirations to have Elizabeth on the throne so he can be her consort. We all know what happened with that.. Brendan Prescott is the major character in this story, and under the guidance of his mentor Cecil, it is up to him to protect Elizabeth from Mary at all costs because if Mary does have a child, it is feared that Elizabeth would be imprisoned in the Tower for the rest of her days or worse killed. There are all sorts of people who are working against Brendan as he is tasked with finding the letters that were written by Elizabeth, which if found would lead Queen Mary to believe that Elizabeth is out to do her harm and take the throne. I found Brendan to be a likable, caring and loyal man who puts his life at risk on numerous occasions to protect his beliefs.Mr.Gortner brings his knowledge of the Tudor era's turbulent times to the pages of this wonderful story. It is fiction of course based on fact and his research is impeccable. I love reading C.W.Gortner's books and eagerly await the third in this series. Full of mystery, intrigue,emotional heartbreak and secrets to keep the reader turning the pages. If you are a historical fiction fan and fan of the Tudor era, then this series needs to be on your book shelves.I received the book for review and was not monetarily compensated for my review.
    • 5/5
      a colourful, taut Tudor mystery, captivating from beginning to end!The Tudor court of Queen Mary springs to life in this new novel by Gortner. Descriptions of courtly life, the surrounding city of London, the conspiracies, the danger of being close to the throne, all dance off the page with realistic imagery. People and their actions come alive. The personalities of Mary and Elizabeth, the tightrope of life and death that accompanies these powerful women, the murky underbelly of courtly intrigue, are fearfully rendered and brought to life through the eyes of Brendan Prescott via Gortner's pen.When thrones are at stake all men are suspect and power can shift in a flash. Combatants jockey for positions and plots and counter plots swirl around the English court like sparks taking to dry tinder.It's 1544 and William Cecil brings news that the Princess Elizabeth is in danger from a plot hatched by the spanish advisor Simon Renard. He seeks to have Elizabeth eliminated as heir to the throne, protecting the interests of any child Mary and Philip of Spain might have, and ultimately those of the Hapsburg Empire. Cecil convinces Brendan Prescott that 'The Spanish ambassador Simon Renard had sowed fear in the queen regarding Elizabeth's ultimate loyalty to her, using the princess's faith' as the key to her downfall. Prescott is to insinuate himself into Mary's court to foil Renard's machinations. Imprisoned Robert Dudley is once again in the thick of things and could bring about Elizabeth's downfall. Prescott must protect the princess at all costs. But Prescott has his own secrets to protect. An exciting Elizabethan thriller with just the right blend of truth and imagination. A virtuoso performance!A NetGalley ARC
    • 4/5
      Being a huge fan of historical fiction and the Tudors in particular, I found this book to be an engrossing and compelling story. Brendan Prescott, who cherishes Princess Elizabeth, disdains the Court and is trying to live a quiet life in sanctuary. He finds himself thrust not only into Bloody Mary's royal machinations, but among London's suffering masses as well. The characters and time period were well researched and accomplished. I thoroughly enjoyed The Tudor Conspiracy and hope to read more of Brendon's adventures.