Helene Harrison's Blog, page 3

Book Review – ‘Nothing Proved’ by Janet Wertman

Publisher: Self-Published Period: Tudors Thanks to the author for sending me a copy of this novel for review. This is a really interesting novel, focused on Elizabeth I’s early years from the death of her father, Henry VIII, in 1547 to her own accession in 1558, through the reigns of her brother Edward VI and […]

Book Review – ‘Henry the VIII: The Personal History of a Dynast and His Wives’ by Francis Hackett

Publisher: Liveright Publishing Period: Tudors I didn’t really like Hackett’s work as I felt that it was quite outdated. He adds a lot of description and feelings to the writing, which we don’t actually know about for the period. It comes across in places more as a fictional narrative or story than a work of […]

Guest Post – Adam Pennington on the Plantagenet Poles

Today I’m delighted to welcome Adam Pennington! Adam is a historian, author, podcaster, and tour guide. Adam’s first book Henry VIII and the Plantagenet Poles: The Rise and Fall of a Dynasty was released in 2024, so I took this opportunity to ask him about that book, and the other things he’s working on. Thanks, […]

Guest Post – Tony Riches on Bess Throckmorton and Writing Historical Fiction

Today I’m thrilled to welcome historical novelist, Tony Riches! Tony has written many novels based around the Tudor period and Wars of the Roses, and the latest is the final in his Elizabethan series, Bess: Tudor Gentlewoman, based around the life of Bess Throckmorton. He wrote his Tudor trilogy and Brandon trilogy prior to moving […]

Book Review – ‘Shackled to a Ghost’ by C.F. Kirkham-Sandy

Publisher: Amazon Digital Period: Tudors Thanks to the author for sending me a copy of this novel for review. I was intrigued by this novel when I was offered a copy by the author for review. I’ve never heard of a novel told from the points of view of Thomas More, Desiderius Erasmus, and Margaret […]

Media Review – ‘The Tudors’ Series 1

Starring Jonathan Rhys Meyers, Natalie Dormer, Sam Neill, and Maria Doyle Kennedy There was a lot of love when I suggested the idea on Instagram that, as I was rewatching Showtime’s ‘The Tudors’ perhaps I did a little review of each season. ‘The Tudors’ is a show that seems to be a lot of people’s […]

Book Review – ‘Scotland’s Medieval Queens: From Saint Margaret to Margaret of Denmark’ by Sharon Bennett Connolly

Publisher: Pen and Sword History Period: Medieval Thanks to Sharon Bennett Connolly and Pen and Sword for a copy of this to review. I’ve really enjoyed ‘Heroines of the Tudor World’ by Sharon Bennett Connolly, so I was intrigued by this one as it’s not a period I know much about, or a country I’m […]

Guest Post – Rebecca Batley on the Lord Protector and His Wives

Today I welcome back Rebecca Batley, who I have previously spoken to about her book on Anne Neville, the wife and queen of Richard III. Rebecca’s new book moves forward a few decades and is about Edward VI’s Lord Protector, Edward Seymour, and his wives Catherine Filliol and Anne Stanhope. These personal relationships are fascinating […]

York Minster and York Castle Museum

A Fantastic Day Trip to York I visited York last month with my godson and we visited York Minster and the York Castle Museum. I’d been to York Minster before, but not the York Castle Museum and I couldn’t believe it because it’s a really fascinating museum! We also then walked some of the castle […]

Book Review – ‘Bastard Prince: Henry VIII’s Lost Son’ by Beverley A. Murphy

Publisher: Sutton Publishing Period: Tudors I’ve wanted to read this book for a while, and I’ve seen mixed reviews. To be honest, I wasn’t sure if there was enough information on Henry Fitzroy to write a full biography as he seems to be relatively absent from the primary sources, probably hugely overshadowed by Anne Boleyn […]