Jane Feather, All The Queen's Players

All The Queen's Players

Jane Feather

Pocket, Apr 13 2010, $15.00

ISBN: 9781416525547

Forced to watch the execution of Mary, Queen of Scots, Rosamund Walsingham look forward to when she can leave the royal intrigue behind. Rosamund muses on happier times before her royal entanglements. That ended when, through her brother Thomas, she met the writer Christopher Marlowe, who brought her to Queen Elizabeth's attention where her relative secretary of state Sir Francis Walsingham demands her loyalty to him or else.

Her Highness appreciated Rosamund's fine drawings. However, Rosamund understood her role was being an espionage agent ferreting out Catholic intrigue against the Queen. When she met courtier Will Creighton, they fell in love; but that is an emotion an undercover agent cannot afford to embrace.

This is a terrific Elizabethan Era thriller starring a heroine who wants out, but understands the only way out of spying is death. Readers see through Rosamund's eyes and somewhat that of Kit too, the court of Queen Elizabeth. In many ways Marlowe is the fascinating player on the Elizabethan stage as he brings freshness to the mix especially with his gay lover. Historical fiction reader swill welcome Jane feather into the fold as All the Queen's Players understand death is one stroke away.

Harriet Klausner