April 8, 2013
An appealing heroine makes up for some choppy pacing in Buckley’s well-constructed 11th Tudor mystery (after 2012’s Queen’s Bounty). In 1571, Ursula Blanchard, half-sister to the queen, is planning a quiet country life after the death of her devoted husband of six years, Hugh Stannard. But Sir William Cecil, England’s secretary of state, wants her to undertake a dangerous mission on Elizabeth’s behalf. Ursula is to escort Margaret Emory, who of late has been a surrogate daughter to Ursula (whose grown daughter has left home), to the Netherlands to marry a well-to-do cattle farmer, Antonio van Weede, who’s half Italian and half Flemish. Antonio’s Catholicism recommends him highly to Margaret’s Catholic parents. Cecil wants Ursula to learn whatever she can about conspiracies against Elizabeth during her extended stay in the Low Countries. Ursula, a reluctant servant of the Crown, soon finds herself immersed in political intrigue. Buckley (the pen name of Valerie Anand) once again delivers a tale sure to please fans of Elizabethan historicals.
May 1, 2013
Queen Elizabeth I's half sister continues her career as a most reluctant spy. In the past, Ursula Blanchard has undertaken some dangerous missions (Queen's Bounty, 2012, etc.) at the behest of the queen and her spymaster Sir William Cecil. Now, even before the funeral meats for Ursula's beloved husband, Hugh Stannard, are cold, Cecil urges her to take on another assignment. Ursula's Catholic foster daughter has received a marriage proposal from a Dutch citizen who lives near Brussels, and her parents have begged Ursula to accompany her there. Since Ursula's archenemy Anne Percy, the exiled Countess of Northumberland, lives in Bruges and the Inquisition operates there, she is very unwilling to go. But Cecil is eager for her to investigate a possible plot against the queen by Roberto Ridolfi, a wealthy banker whose wife, Donna, is Ursula's friend. Because Ridolfi is hosting the wedding, it will be a perfect opportunity for Ursula to ferret out the truth. Despite her fears, she and her loyal servants Robert Brockley and his wife, Fran Dale, set forth. No sooner have they arrived at the Ridolfi house that they ascertain that a plot is indeed afoot--but can they get proof? At Ridolfi's home, Ursula meets her first husband, Matthew de la Roche, whom she had thought dead. Although Matthew is a staunch Catholic, he still loves Ursula enough to rescue her after she's kidnapped by Anne Percy. In order to get the proofs she needs, Ursula must venture into the heart of enemy territory, a trip that could lead to a premature and unpleasant death. Buckley seasons another charming episode of historical intrigue with several surprises.
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June 1, 2013
An innocent trip to the Netherlands in 1571 is dangerous indeed, putting recently widowed Ursula in the sights of old enemies. The 11th outing for the irrepressible Tudor spy (after Queen's Bounty).
Copyright 2013 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.
May 15, 2013
Ursula Blanchard, reluctant spy and loyal lady-in-waiting to her half sister, Queen Elizabeth I, returns in an new adventure steeped in personal and political intrigue. This time, the recently widowed Ursula travels to the Continent, escorting her ward to the Netherlands to meet a potential suitor. Of course, the queen's wily spymaster, Sir William Cecil, is quick to get involved, commissioning Ursula to investigate suspicious Florentine banker Roberto Ridolfi, a relative of the would-be groom. As is usually the case, the specter of Elizabeth's rival, Mary, Queen of Scots, hovers in the background, and Ursula's old nemesis, Anne Percy, the exiled Countess of Northumberland, rears her spiteful head. Buckley leaves readers wondering as Ursula's private life takes an unexpected turn that will most likely provide interesting complications in future installments.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2013, American Library Association.)