The King's Curse

July 21, 2014
Gregory adds to her Cousins’ War series (after The White Princess) an illuminating portrait of historical figure Margaret Pole, Countess of Salisbury, whose royal Plantagenet lineage was both a blessing and a curse. Gregory’s carefully researched story line begins in 1499 with Margaret in mourning for her brother Teddy, who was beheaded by King Henry VII because he was a rival for the throne. Margaret has already been “stuffed into obscurity,” married to an ordinary knight with whom she’s had five children. When Prince Arthur, the King’s son and heir, marries Katherine of Aragon, Margaret becomes lady-in-waiting to the Spanish princess. When Arthur dies, Margaret loses her position; not long afterward, she is widowed and struggles financially. Matters temporarily improve for Margaret with the ascension of the new king, Henry VIII, who appoints Margaret governess to his daughter Mary. But the moody and volatile ruler also forces Margaret and her family to jockey for favor at court. Gregory moves confidently through a tangle of intrigue, revenge, and tyranny toward a shocking betrayal that brings Margaret face-to-face with the king’s ire. Agent: Anthony Mason.

August 1, 2014

Taking place after the Tudor victory at Bosworth in 1485, Gregory's dramatic conclusion to the "Cousins' War" (The White Queen; The White Princess) series is narrated by Margaret Pole, a member of the defeated Plantagenet family. To remain in safety, Margaret marries beneath her station to a knight in service to Henry VII. Her cousin Elizabeth finds a way to get Margaret a position in the household of the Spanish Infanta, Katherine of Aragon. Margaret happily serves until Katherine and Arthur, Henry's heir, wed. When a fatal illness strikes Arthur, Katherine's position in the royal hierarchy becomes uncertain. And when her own husband dies, Margaret is forced into seclusion. When Katherine eventually marries Henry VIII after his father's death, she is able to bring Margaret back into her service. But fortune changes quickly yet again for the two friends, and they are challenged by a monarch who has turned against them. VERDICT By employing Margaret as her narrator, Gregory offers a fresh perspective on well-known British history. This gripping and detailed chronicle, with plenty of court intrigue and politics to spice up the action, will be sure to please any historical fiction fan. Highly recommended. [See Prepub Alert, 3/13/14.]--Kristen Stewart, Pearland Lib., Brazoria Cty. Lib. Syst., TX

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