Court of Conspiracy

The Tudor Enigma #1

by April Taylor

Book one of The Tudor Enigma

England is the prize. The death of a young king is the price.

King Henry IX, son of Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn, holds the very balance of European power in his Protestant hands. His numerous Catholic enemies have cast greedy eyes upon his crown and will stop at nothing to usurp the throne.

An unassuming apothecary in the Outer Green of Hampton Court Palace is the Queen's last hope. Luke Ballard treats the poor with balms and salves but is careful to protect his greater gifts. For Luke is also an elemancer, one of the blessed few able to harness elemental powers for good. His quiet life ends when Queen Anne commands him to hunt down the traitors, a mission he cannot refuse.

Beset on all sides, Luke mobilizes his arsenal of magic and ingenuity to conquer the enemy. But as the stakes are raised in the uneven battle of good vs. evil, he knows this is only the first skirmish of a lifelong war. The welfare of the Tudors—and England—depends on him alone.

102,000 words

Genres: Fantasy, Historical Fiction, Magic, Historical Mystery

100 pages, Kindle Edition

First published May 26, 2014

About the author

Crime Writer

Author of the Georgia Pattison Mysteries.

Standalones

Coming in 2023, the first in the Luke Ballard Tudor Mysteries. "Danger of Destiny", which will be followed by three re-edited and re-issued books formerly known as "The Tudor Enigma".

Reviews

[Stuart Aken · Rating 5 out of 5]

April Taylor’s Court of Conspiracy is the first in her series, The Tudor Enigma. This fascinating alternative history fantasy is crime novel set in a Tudor England where Henry VIII’s son by Ann Boleyn, Henry IX, is on the throne. Much of the action takes place in and around Hampton Court Palace. It’s clear that the location is very well known by the author, who makes the place live with her subtle descriptive passages intertwined in the action.

Her hero, Luke Ballard, is an apothecary; a mix between a doctor and a chemist in times when such separate professions didn’t exist. He’s also an elemancer; a person able to harness elemental powers for good. The opposite number of such a magic practitioner is the sunderer, who uses the same powers for evil. So, we have all the intrigue, prejudice, ignorance and jealous fear of an age when religious allegiance ruled, mingled with magical powers for good and evil. It makes for a powerful and intriguing mix.

April Taylor has a facility for selecting just the right tone and syntax to reflect the times she’s depicting, using unusual language in context so that it’s easily understood. The dialogue is of its time, but no barrier to comprehension, so the story flows easily and without pause. The reader is submerged in this imagined world, which feels historically authentic.

It’s a story that examines good and evil, but in the context of the underlying threat of religious conflict between established Catholicism and the newly founded protestant dogma. This is a world where torture is routine and justice is a concept based more on power than right. The King’s word is God’s word and you’d better make sure you don’t get on the wrong side of those with in authority.

In this atmosphere of fear and mistrust, where political intrigue is a daily reality, Luke is engaged by the Queen to discover who is plotting to kill the King. This is a task steeped in danger, fraught with difficulty, and hindered by the need to keep on the right side of authority: a wrong move can easily get a person into the Tower and put to the test of iron and flame.

All of April Taylor’s characters are real people who come alive on the page. These are players with flaws to counterbalance their gifts, heroes and heroines who make mistakes. Proper human beings the reader can so easily empathise with. And the villains are deliciously evil, their motivations fully developed.

The mystery of the threat to the throne is revealed slowly through the actions, skills, mistakes and deductions of Luke and his various helpers. The author skilfully displays the underlying mistaken prejudices against women of the times, showing her heroines through the eyes of the distrusting young Ballard with his preconceptions borne of religious, political and personal bias.

The denouement is a real page-turner, as the action gains pace with the discoveries piling up evidence and increasing the danger to all concerned. The resultant ending is at once both satisfying and enigmatic, leaving the reader wanting more from this series, hungry to know what is in store for the reluctant hero and his helpers of both genders.

This is a book that will be enjoyed by readers who appreciate fantasy, historical mystery, romance and crime novels. You’ll find all of these elements in this tale that manages to successfully blend the genres. I thoroughly recommend it and look forward to the next in the series.

[Terry Tyler · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wasn't sure if I was going to like this or not - a mix of Tudor history and fantasy/magic? I was pleased to find that it was excellent, and I read it in two days!

The author clearly knows her subjects very well indeed, which always makes such a difference. The history itself is detailed and accurate, and I very much liked the accounts of the day to day domestic life of the period. I'm fascinated by the thought of possible alternative lives, and the idea of what might have happened had Henry VIII believed his wife Anne Boleyn over the accusations of her enemies is an intriguing one. Of course all events have a butterfly's wing effect, and Ms Taylor imagined the fates of other members of the Tudor court very cleverly. The politics of the day are very well described, too; how quickly, in those dangerous and turbulent times, one could fall from favour...

I am not usually one for magic/fantasy novels, but this element of the story was most convincing; it made me think of a more grown up and serious Hogwarts! I wonder how much of it was just the author's imagination and how much was taken from the beliefs and practices of the time; I imagine it's a combination of the two. I particularly liked the parts about numerology and the breaking of codes; oddly enough I was only watching a TV programme last night about the use of codes in secret communications during Elizabethan times, and Ms Taylor has all this spot on. To sum up, the fusing of history with fantasy is very successful, and I shall definitely be reading the next book in the series before too long. I think it would appeal to anyone interested in the Tudor period, and to those who enjoy reading believable fantasy.

[Jo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Court of Conspiracy is a mix of history, alternate history, magic and mystery. Set in the court of Henry IX, son of Henry VII and Ann Boleyn the main character is Luke Ballard, a man who has the ability to do magic. He is outside the court and Ann chooses him to help stop whoever is trying to kill Henry. The story requires a lot of world building, and character development to move the plot. This is the first in a series and the stage is set for more of Luke and the other characters that support him. Taylor presents a fairly accurate picture of the dangers living in or near the English court as well as a great picture of Hampton Court the setting for the story.

[Penny Grubb · Rating 5 out of 5]

April Taylor’s Tudor Enigma series are historical fantasy. In this world, Henry VIII’s son by Anne Boleyn survived birth and grew to adulthood. There was no 3rd (4th, 5th or 6th) marriage for Henry VIII, and on his death Henry IX became king.

The book follows the fortunes of of a number of characters as political scheming against the new king unfolds. Key amongst them is Luke Ballard, an apothecary and elemancer. Myth and magic are woven into this alternative history, but it is set within an authentic Tudor setting.

Henry IX must marry and produce an heir. His sister and half-sister, Elizabeth and Mary, might yet snatch history away from him. Anne Boleyn, now dowager queen, is very much in evidence working to protect her son from people, politics and religion.

The twists and turns mirror the complex world of Hampton Court Palace where the story unfolds; royal quarters, twisting corridors, hidden rooms, secret entrances. Luke must navigate the contrast of life within the walls and outside as he strives to do his duty, to use his skills for good, and to keep a step ahead of those who only want to use him as a tool to achieve their own ends. If he could only be sure whose intentions were pure and whose were purely evil, his path through life would be a whole lot easier.

A pacy narrative based on an intriguing premise and set against a meticulously researched historical background.

[Marlene · Rating 4 out of 5]

Originally published at Reading Reality

Are the Tudors a thing now? I’m only asking because this is the second series to use the conceit that Anne Boleyn did not miscarry her son, and that Henry IX is now on the throne. (For the other take, see Laura Andersen’s The Boleyn King, which I absolutely have to read).

In Court of Conspiracy, we have a 17-year-old Henry IX on the throne of England, with his very much living mother Anne Boleyn as one of his advisers. (If she had provided Henry VIII with a son, her head probably would have stayed on, instead of making her part of the old rhyme, “divorced, beheaded, died, divorced, beheaded, survived”)

The other difference between true history and April Taylor’s fascinating alternate version is that this particular alternative has magic. Or rather, there are people who practice elemental magic, both for good and for evil.

Historically, this was a time when people still burned witches, so anyone capable of practicing magic has to keep their talents hidden. Even Dowager Queen Anne Boleyn.

But just as occurred in our history, there are forces swirling around the throne who want to bring the young king down in order to gain or regain power, for themselves and for their particular religious beliefs.

Henry is Protestant, his older sister Mary is a staunch Catholic, and the younger Elizabeth follows the same teachings as her brother. There are plots and counter-plots boiling in every direction.

And into this mess the Queen coerces a young apothecary with elemental magic to investigate the plots against the King. She is all too afraid that the center of the plot is close to the Royal Household.

Luke Ballard is rightfully afraid that this investigation, not to mention merely meddling in the Royal Household, is going to get him killed. He’s very nearly right, on multiple occasions. There are too many people invested in murdering the King, and quite a few more simply greedy of their place and unwilling to let a relatively lowborn man move in their circles.

As his investigation continues, Luke discovers both allies and enemies in unlikely places; and that he is capable of much greater magic than his relative laziness has ever led him to contemplate.

He also uncovers an evil force that has been plotting against him for longer than he was aware, and that is willing to cut down his friends and companions in order to forward its evil intentions.

Escape Rating B+: I’ll say this up front, the Tudor period is one of my absolute favorites. In my teens, I read absolutely oodles of both historical fiction and history about this period. (Jean Plaidy of the many pseudonyms wrote awesome historical fiction in her day) So I was all for anything set in this time.

And this is the Tudors with magic! I’m all in.

Luke is a great point-of-view character. He’s young enough that he’s still making mistakes, but old enough to be an independent actor. And because he’s mostly on the outside of the Royal Court looking in, the author is able to give the reader lots of explanations.

Also, he’s just a likable human being who is stuck with a huge task.

The period details feel real, and well grounded in the history. It’s easy to get swept along the story, because you can almost smell the herbs as you follow Luke in his investigation and his daily tasks. The terrible realities of life as a small-time merchant, and how much the lower classes lived (and died) by the whim of the upper is not glossed over. In fact, it’s crucial to the plot.

It helps that the magic is mostly small and practical, not big and showy. It’s a matter of brain and will, but not so much firepower. Which makes this alternate 16th century easier to accept. It is possible that people had talent and concealed it.

This is also a good vs. evil story, for certain select values of good. (Evil is definitely evil). The evil powers want to upset the natural balance, and create chaos, by killing the King. This doesn’t mean that the King, the Queen or any of those currently in power are good by our definition, but they are the natural order.

While I’m glad that there was no romance between Luke and either of the women in the story, I’m not sure about the way that possible romance was used to introduce the all-too-obvious villain. The character of Luke’s would-be apprentice was too easily influenced.

Still, I enjoyed this conspiracy/investigation/magical history a lot. It reminded me of Candace Robb’s The Apothecary Rose and Jeri Westerson’s Crispin Guest Veil of Liesseries, both favorites.

[Linda Acaster · Rating 5 out of 5]

A gripping and fascinating read of an extension to a turbulent period of Tudor history (Alternate Historical Mystery).

The depth of April Taylor’s research is in no doubt – even the plants the apothecary Luke Ballard collects and mixes were used as remedies for the ailments and conditions described – but it is all highly accessible to a reader with little knowledge of the period. The royal apartments, the maze of corridors, halls and chambers of Hampton Court Palace, its myriad minions necessary to keep the great building functioning, ordinary life in the Outer Green and in the villages close by, are seamlessly brought to life in their tiers of opulence to need through the eyes and actions of the characters.

In real life Henry, son of Henry VIII, might not have survived to inherit his father’s crown, but in ‘Court of Conspiracy’ the young king has also inherited his father’s problems regarding a lack of heir. Negotiations for a necessary marriage are proving troublesome, and next-in-line siblings, Mary and Elizabeth, circle both him and each other while Catholic kingdoms overseas conspire to ensure his realm returns to the Pope’s fold. It is the Queen Dowager Anne Boleyn who rises above all, using her trusted confidante Gwenette Paige to move between worlds in protection of her son, for Anne has secrets of her own.

Magic might have been accepted in an age when it existed as an arm of mathematics and astronomy, but its practitioners were highly suspect. Luke Ballard knows this better than most. A mere journeyman of Elemancy, he uses his skills to enhance his medications and bring peace to the turbulent of spirit by what we would recognise as hypnosis. He soon finds himself as beset as the new king – by women, by advisors, by duty – and like the new king, he’s not sure who to trust or whose pawn he is. Can he, in fact, trust himself?

A rollicking ride through the late Tudor heartland showing vistas of rich and poor, political intrigue and human fallibility. From this first excursion ‘The Tudor Enigma’ will likely prove an entertaining and informative series.

[eyes.2c · Rating 5 out of 5]

excellent alternate Tudor mystery!

An alternate Tudor universe where Anne Boleyn is very much alive and the Queen Mother. Henry VIII has died and their son Henry IX is King. Anne holds at bay those who would attempt to rule via the young monarch. Now though the very life of the young king has been threatened three times. Anne must 'plot her strategy and make England, and the King, safe.'
Luke Ballard is chosen to ensure that. Although a lowly apothecary, Luke is so much more. An elemancer, a user of magic he channels the power of one of the four elements (water, fire, wind or earth). Luke's element that he uses to perform his magic is fire, Elemancers work their magic 'through the Grace of God for the good of all.' They are helped by their faithful familiars, a breed of dogs called Greysprings.
It seems dark magic is at work, a sunderer, the opposite of elemancers, is at large and the net they have cast endangers those dear to Luke. Sunderers 'foment strife and imperil those who get in their way.' The worst of them are the malus nocte, elemagus turned sunderers. Some also have their familiars, umbrans, dark dogs who assist in evil deeds.
Courtly and political intrigue are rife and magical perfidy stalks the King. Luke, at Anne's bequest is thrown into the heart of this dire situation. Those close to him come under attack and he must call on all his strength of will to win through.
Luke is supported by a loyal group of friends including Anne Boleyn's lady in waiting Gwenette Paige, his mentor the elemagus Dufay,
History, crime and magic lay the ground for this most satisfying and different read.

A NetGalley ARC

[Nicole Luiken · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've had an interest in the Tudors ever since reading The Six Wives of Henry VIII in junior high, so when I found out someone had written an alternate history in which Anne Boleyn outlived her husband and had a son I jumped on it. The main character is Luke, an apothecary charged by the queen to uncover a conspiracy to kill young Henry IX. Luke is also, secretly, an elemancer and there's a strong thread of magic running through the novel. The history was well-done and the magic interesting (especially the spirit dogs).
Quibble: I found Luke a bit misogynistic (although his attitude improves over the course of the novel)