About the Book:
Publication Date: October 21, 2014
St. Martin’s Press
Formats: eBook, Paperback
Series: Spymaster Chronicles
Genre: Historical Mystery
Winter, 1558: Elizabeth I has ascended the throne but the first days of her reign are already fraught with turmoil, the kingdom weakened by strife and her ability to rule uncertain.
Summoned from exile abroad at the new queen’s behest, Brendan Prescott arrives in London to face his shattered past. He soon finds himself pitted in deadly rivalry with his life-long foe, Robert Dudley, but when a poison attempt overshadows the queen’s coronation, Elizabeth privately dispatches Brendan on a far more dangerous assignation: to find her favored lady-in-waiting, Lady Parry, who has vanished in Yorkshire.
Upon his arrival at the crumbling sea-side manor that may hold the key to Lady Parry’s disappearance, he encounters a strange, impoverished family beset by grief, as well as mounting evidence that they hide a secret from him. The mystery surrounding Lady Parry deepens as Brendan begins to realize there is far more going on at the manor than meets the eye, but the closer he gets to the heart of the mystery, the more he becomes the quarry of an elusive stranger with a vendetta— one that could expose both his own buried identity and a long-hidden revelation that will bring about Elizabeth’s doom.
From the intrigue-laden passages of Whitehall to a foreboding Catholic manor and the prisons of the Tower, Brendan must risk everything to unravel a vendetta that strikes at the very core of his world, including his loyalty to his queen.
The Tudor Vendetta is the third book in Gortner’s Elizabeth I Spymaster Trilogy.
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Review:
Queen Mary has died and the time has finally come for Elizabeth to take the throne. However, her ascension comes with much turmoil with yet another change in religious views and many subjects who do not believe that Elizabeth is the rightful heir. With her rise, Elizabeth's loyal spy, Brendan Prescott has also been summoned out of exile and back into Elizabeth's service. An early attempt on Elizabeth's life along with the disappearance of Elizabeth's favored lady-in-waiting, Lady Parry, spurs Elizabeth to send Brendan on another life-threatening mission to a secluded estate in Yorkshire. Brendan will have to uncover a secret of the Queen's as she finds the truth about Brendan.
A perfect Tudor intrigue plot with mysteries within mysteries. I loved the view into Elizabeth's first days on the throne and her relationship with Robert Dudley. Brendan is the perfect character to carry out Elizabeth's missions, he is well trained with a secret of his own that will keep him loyal to Elizabeth. There were many plots and conspiracies that were artfully brought together in The Tudor Vendetta that made this a fast-paced, entertaining read. I just had to know what happened to Lady Parry?, who is the hidden boy?, is Brendan's nemesis still alive? When I first picked up this book I didn't know it was part of a trilogy and I hate reading books out of order, but I did not feel lost at all, enough background information was given throughout the story and it did not feel like a huge info-dump. I have already picked up the first two books from the library to see where the story begins!
This book was received for free in return for an honest review.
Publication Date: October 21, 2014
St. Martin’s Press
Formats: eBook, Paperback
Series: Spymaster Chronicles
Genre: Historical Mystery
Winter, 1558: Elizabeth I has ascended the throne but the first days of her reign are already fraught with turmoil, the kingdom weakened by strife and her ability to rule uncertain.
Summoned from exile abroad at the new queen’s behest, Brendan Prescott arrives in London to face his shattered past. He soon finds himself pitted in deadly rivalry with his life-long foe, Robert Dudley, but when a poison attempt overshadows the queen’s coronation, Elizabeth privately dispatches Brendan on a far more dangerous assignation: to find her favored lady-in-waiting, Lady Parry, who has vanished in Yorkshire.
Upon his arrival at the crumbling sea-side manor that may hold the key to Lady Parry’s disappearance, he encounters a strange, impoverished family beset by grief, as well as mounting evidence that they hide a secret from him. The mystery surrounding Lady Parry deepens as Brendan begins to realize there is far more going on at the manor than meets the eye, but the closer he gets to the heart of the mystery, the more he becomes the quarry of an elusive stranger with a vendetta— one that could expose both his own buried identity and a long-hidden revelation that will bring about Elizabeth’s doom.
From the intrigue-laden passages of Whitehall to a foreboding Catholic manor and the prisons of the Tower, Brendan must risk everything to unravel a vendetta that strikes at the very core of his world, including his loyalty to his queen.
The Tudor Vendetta is the third book in Gortner’s Elizabeth I Spymaster Trilogy.
Buy the Book
Amazon
Barnes & Noble
IndieBound
Review:
Queen Mary has died and the time has finally come for Elizabeth to take the throne. However, her ascension comes with much turmoil with yet another change in religious views and many subjects who do not believe that Elizabeth is the rightful heir. With her rise, Elizabeth's loyal spy, Brendan Prescott has also been summoned out of exile and back into Elizabeth's service. An early attempt on Elizabeth's life along with the disappearance of Elizabeth's favored lady-in-waiting, Lady Parry, spurs Elizabeth to send Brendan on another life-threatening mission to a secluded estate in Yorkshire. Brendan will have to uncover a secret of the Queen's as she finds the truth about Brendan.
A perfect Tudor intrigue plot with mysteries within mysteries. I loved the view into Elizabeth's first days on the throne and her relationship with Robert Dudley. Brendan is the perfect character to carry out Elizabeth's missions, he is well trained with a secret of his own that will keep him loyal to Elizabeth. There were many plots and conspiracies that were artfully brought together in The Tudor Vendetta that made this a fast-paced, entertaining read. I just had to know what happened to Lady Parry?, who is the hidden boy?, is Brendan's nemesis still alive? When I first picked up this book I didn't know it was part of a trilogy and I hate reading books out of order, but I did not feel lost at all, enough background information was given throughout the story and it did not feel like a huge info-dump. I have already picked up the first two books from the library to see where the story begins!
This book was received for free in return for an honest review.
About the Author:
C.W. GORTNER holds an MFA in Writing with an emphasis in Renaissance Studies from the New College of California, as well as an AA from the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising in San Francisco.
After an eleven year-long career in fashion, during which he worked as a vintage retail buyer, freelance publicist, and fashion show coordinator, C.W. devoted the next twelve years to the public health sector. In 2012, he became a full-time writer following the international success of his novels.
In his extensive travels to research his books, he has danced a galliard at Hampton Court, learned about organic gardening at Chenoceaux, and spent a chilly night in a ruined Spanish castle. His books have garnered widespread acclaim and been translated into twenty-one languages to date, with over 400,000 copies sold. A sought-after public speaker. C.W. has given keynote addresses at writer conferences inthe US and abroad. He is also a dedicated advocate for animal rights, in particular companion animal rescue to reduce shelter overcrowding.
C.W. recently completed his fourth novel for Ballantine Books, about Lucrezia Borgia; the third novel in his Tudor Spymaster series for St Martin’s Press; and a new novel about the dramatic, glamorous life of Coco Chanel, scheduled for lead title publication by William Morrow, Harper Collins, in the spring of 2015.
Half-Spanish by birth and raised in southern Spain, C.W. now lives in Northern California with his partner and two very spoiled rescue cats.
For more information please visit C.W. Gortner’s website and blog. You can also connect with him on Facebook, Twitter, Goodreads,Pinterest, and YouTube.
C.W. GORTNER holds an MFA in Writing with an emphasis in Renaissance Studies from the New College of California, as well as an AA from the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising in San Francisco.
After an eleven year-long career in fashion, during which he worked as a vintage retail buyer, freelance publicist, and fashion show coordinator, C.W. devoted the next twelve years to the public health sector. In 2012, he became a full-time writer following the international success of his novels.
In his extensive travels to research his books, he has danced a galliard at Hampton Court, learned about organic gardening at Chenoceaux, and spent a chilly night in a ruined Spanish castle. His books have garnered widespread acclaim and been translated into twenty-one languages to date, with over 400,000 copies sold. A sought-after public speaker. C.W. has given keynote addresses at writer conferences inthe US and abroad. He is also a dedicated advocate for animal rights, in particular companion animal rescue to reduce shelter overcrowding.
C.W. recently completed his fourth novel for Ballantine Books, about Lucrezia Borgia; the third novel in his Tudor Spymaster series for St Martin’s Press; and a new novel about the dramatic, glamorous life of Coco Chanel, scheduled for lead title publication by William Morrow, Harper Collins, in the spring of 2015.
Half-Spanish by birth and raised in southern Spain, C.W. now lives in Northern California with his partner and two very spoiled rescue cats.
For more information please visit C.W. Gortner’s website and blog. You can also connect with him on Facebook, Twitter, Goodreads,Pinterest, and YouTube.
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