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Published in USA
Feb 2011
352 pages
Genre: Historical Fiction
Publication Information
The era of the Tudors was one of danger, intrigue, conspiracy, and, above all, spies.
Summer 1553: A time of danger and deceit. Brendan Prescott, an orphan, is reared in the household of the powerful Dudley family. Brought to court, Prescott finds himself sent on an illicit mission to the king's brilliant but enigmatic sister, Princess Elizabeth. But Brendan is soon compelled to work as a double agent by Elizabeth's protector, William Cecil, who promises in exchange to help him unravel the secret of his own mysterious past.
A dark plot swirls around Elizabeth's quest to unravel the truth about the ominous disappearance of her seriously ill brother, King Edward VI. With only a bold stable boy and an audacious lady-in-waiting at his side, Brendan plunges into a ruthless gambit of half-truths, lies, and murder. Filled with the intrigue and pageantry of Tudor England, The Tudor Secret is the first book in The Elizabeth I Spymaster Chronicles.
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"Gortner handles action with aplomb, adding a riveting, fast-paced thriller to the crowded genre of Tudor fiction." - Publishers Weekly
"An exciting, vividly rendered story of intrigue and espionage." - Booklist
"A brilliantly executed plot and three-dimensional characters ... this is historical fiction, and very well done at that; very highly recommended." - Historical Novels Review, Editors' Choice
"C.W. Gortner weaves a fast-moving tale of espionage and suspense ... The dazzling cast of characters includes the father of modern intelligence work, as well as one of England's greatest statesmen, and at its heart, the brilliant and enigmatic Elizabeth. Never have spy and counterspy been more challenged, villains more duplicitous, and life for those in power--or hoping to be--more dangerous. A haunting look at the velvet peril of Tudor England." - Margaret George, author of The Autobiography of Henry VIII
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Photo: Stephanie Mohan
C. W. Gortner, half-Spanish by birth, holds an M.F.A. in writing, with an emphasis on historical studies, from the New College of California and has taught university courses on women of power in the Renaissance. He was raised in Málaga, Spain, and now lives in California.
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