The King's Secret Matter
Read The King's Secret Matter Online
Authors: Jean Plaidy
After twelve years of marriage, the once fortuitous union of Henry VIII and Katherine of Aragon has declined into a loveless stalemate. Their only child, Mary, is disregarded as a suitable heir, and Henry's need for a legitimate son to protect the Tudor throne has turned him into a callous and greatly feared ruler.
When the young and intriguing Anne Boleyn arrives from the French court, Henry is easily captivated by her dark beauty and bold spirit.But his desire to possess the wily girl leads to a deadly struggle of power that promises to tear apart the lives of Katharine and Mary, and forever change England's faithâ¦
Praise for Jean Plaidy
âPlaidy excels at blending history with romance and drama'
New York Times
âA vivid impression of life at the Tudor Court'
Daily Telegraph
This eBook is copyright material and must not be copied, reproduced, transferred, distributed, leased, licensed or publicly performed or used in any way except as specifically permitted in writing by the publishers, as allowed under the terms and conditions under which it was purchased or as strictly permitted by applicable copyright law. Any unauthorised distribution or use of this text may be a direct infringement of the author's and publisher's rights and those responsible may be liable in law accordingly.
Version 1.0
Epub ISBN 9781446411599
Published by Arrow Books in 2006
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Copyright © Jean Plaidy, 1962
Initial lettering copyright © Stephen Raw, 2005
The Estate of Eleanor Hibbert has asserted its right to have Jean Plaidy identified as the author of this work.
This book is sold subject to the condition that it shall not, by way of trade or otherwise, be lent, resold, hired out, or otherwise circulated without the publisher's prior consent in any form of binding or cover other than that in which it is published and without a similar condition including this condition being imposed on the subsequent purchaser.
First published in the United Kingdom in 1962 by Robert Hale Ltd
Arrow Books
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A CIP catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library
ISBN 9780099493167 (from Jan 2007)
ISBN 0 09 949316 0
ContentsFurther titles available in Arrow by Jean Plaidy
IV: The Princes at Ludlow Castle
VI: The Queen and the Cardinal in Danger
XII: Poison at the Bishop's Table
XIV: In the Castle of Kimbolton
Praise for Jean Plaidy
âOne of the country's most widely read novelists'
Sunday Times
âIt is hard to better Jean Plaidy . . . both elegant and exciting'
Daily Mirror
âOutstanding'
Vanity Fair
âPlaidy has brought the past to life'
Times Literary Supplement
âOne of our best historical novelists'
News Chronicle
âAn excellent story'
Irish Press
âSpirited . . . Plaidy paints the truth as she sees it'
Birmingham Post
âAn enthralling story of a grim period of history, told with
rare skill'
Aberdeen Press and Journal
âSketched vividly and sympathetically . . . rewarding'
Scotsman
âAmong the foremost of current historical novelists'
Birmingham Mail
âAn accomplished novelist'
Glasgow Evening News
âThere can be no doubt of the author's gift for storytelling'
Illustrated London News
âJean Plaidy has once again brought characters and background
vividly to life'
Everywoman
âWell up to standard . . . fascinating'
Manchester Evening News
âExciting and intelligent'
Truth Magazine
âNo frills and plenty of excitement'
Yorkshire Post
âMeticulous attention to historical detail'
South Wales Argus
âColourful . . . imaginative and exciting'
Northern Daily
Telegraph
âEffective and readable'
Sphere
âA vivid picture of the crude and vigorous London of those
days' Laurence Meynell
Jean Plaidy, one of the pre-eminent authors of historical fiction for most of the twentieth century, is the pen name of the prolific English author Eleanor Hibbert, also known as Victoria Holt. Jean Plaidy's novels had sold more than 14 million copies worldwide by the time of her death in 1993.
Further titles available in Arrow by Jean Plaidy
The Tudors
Uneasy Lies the Head
Katharine, the Virgin
Widow
The Shadow of the
Pomegranate
The King's Secret Matter
Murder Most Royal
St Thomas's Eve
The Sixth Wife
The Thistle and the Rose
Mary Queen of France
Gay Lord Robert
Royal Road to Fotheringay
The Captive Queen of Scots
The Medici Trilogy
Madame Serpent
The Italian Woman
Queen Jezebel
The Plantagenets
The Plantagenet Prelude
The Revolt of the Eaglets
The Heart of the Lion
The Prince of Darkness
The French Revolution
Louis the Well-Beloved
The Road to Compiègne
Flaunting, Extravagant
Queen
The Queen of Diamonds
Chapter I