Chapter 1 St. Nicholas Monastery, Nyonoksa, Russia August 24, 1553 by P.K. Adams and C.P. Lesley So close to the Arctic, dawn flushed the skies with pink despite the early hour. A blessed silence descended as the monks finished yet another round of prayers, chanted in Slavonic to the accompaniment of bells, and returned to... Continue Reading →
The Tower of London – Fortress, Royal Residence, Prison
In late September, I spent four days visiting London. It is impossible to even scratch the surface of all the historical sites that can be found in Britain's capital, so I had to choose. After a brief visit to St. Paul's Cathedral and (the outside of) Westminster Abbey, I decided to spend the entire day... Continue Reading →
Charles Brandon’s Marriage to Katherine Willoughby
Guest Post by Tony Riches Charles Brandon, Tudor knight and best friend of King Henry VIII, is best known for secretly marrying Mary Tudor, the king’s sister – without Henry’s permission! Less well known is his last marriage, to Lady Katherine Willoughby. I’ve just completed two years of work researching and writing my latest book,... Continue Reading →
The Locksmith’s Daughter by Karen Brooks
Among the slew of Tudor-era historical fiction novels The Locksmith's Daughter stands out with an interesting premise: its protagonist is a female whose primary identity is not that of someone's wife or mistress. On the contrary, Mallory Bright has a trade - of sorts. She can pick any lock. This being the 16th century, Mallory... Continue Reading →
Silent Water, A Jagiellon Mystery #1
Prologue Bari, Kingdom of Naples March 1560 The nightmares did not start until my old age, when sleep becomes elusive for some, while for others it is burdened with images from their past they would rather not remember. The stone cellar, dank and malodorous; the glint of a blade; the killer’s cold eyes; the victim’s... Continue Reading →
Bringing a Historical Series about the Lesser Known Tudors to Life
Guest post by Tony Riches It all began with my research for a novel about the life of Henry Tudor, who like me was born in the Welsh town of Pembroke. I collected more than enough material for a substantial book – and discovered there were no novels about his amazing story. I think this... Continue Reading →