Blog Tour and Book Review: The Tudor Secret by C.W. Gortner

About the Book:

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, 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 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.

About the Author:

C.W. Gortner is the author of the acclaimed historical novels The Last Queen and The Confessions of Catherine de Medici. He holds an MFA in Writing with an emphasis on Renaissance Studies from the New College of California. In his extensive travels to research his books, he has danced a galliard in a Tudor great hall and experienced life in a Spanish castle. He is also a dedicated advocate for animal rights and environmental issues. Half-Spanish by birth, he divides his time between Northern California and Antigua, Guatemala.

The Tudor Secret is the first book in Gortner’s The Elizabeth I Spymaster Chronicles series.

My Opinion:

Historical fiction readers should thank  Mr. Gortner for choosing to take us along with his  imagination and give us such  tales of what might have been. It takes a strong knowledge of  time, place and history to be able to weave a story that at its core is completely based in fiction but populated by icons.  Yet that is exactly what Mr. Gortner does with this first book in his Elizabeth I Spymaster Chronicles. 

We meet young Brendan Prescott as he is making a journey to London. A foundling, Brendan was brought up in the mighty Dudley household knowing nothing of his origins. Thanks to his caretaker/nurse and unbeknownst to Lady Dudley he is well educated; he can read, write and speak French.

It is a dangerous time for England as young King Edward is very ill. Dudley, Duke of Northumberland is currently in charge and is trying to maintain that control through his sons. Robert, of course loves Elizabeth (and always will) and young Guilford Dudley is being married to Lady Jane Grey.  This is the London in which Brandon arrives. While there he meets William Cecil and is erm, encouraged to spy for Elizabeth.

I don't want to say much more for fear of ruining this most excellent book. Mr. Gortner knows how to write to create an atmosphere of tension and fear. He also makes the characters come alive on the page. Again, as with book this well written I felt like I was watching a movie in my head. A movie I didn't want to end. 

I will note that our hero had the most extraordinary luck. NOTHING could kill him. But what is a good spy tale without an invincible hero, right? There is also a touch of romance - and I am not talking about Elizabeth and Dudley.

This was a truly enjoyable read with an intriguing premise that sets up the rest of the series quite well.  I am very much looking forward to the continuing adventures of this particular spy.

The Tudor Secret is available at Amazon.com

Disclosure:  I received a copy of The Tudor Secret from Pump Up Your Book Promotions. Any opinions expressed are my honest opinions and were not impacted by my receipt of the free book. I received no monetary compensation for this post.