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Elizabethan Mysteries #4
Murder at Whitehall
The acclaimed author of Murder in the Queen’s Garden returns to Tudor England with amateur sleuth Kate Haywood embroiled in court intrigue and a devastating scandal.
1559. The Twelve Days of Christmas at Whitehall Palace will be celebrated as a grand affair. But there are those who wish to usher in the New Year by ending Queen Elizabeth’s reign....
Despite evenings of banquets and dancing, the European delegates attending Her Majesty’s holiday festivities are less interested in peace on earth than they are in fostering mistrust. Kate, the queen’s personal musician, hopes she can keep the royal guests entertained.
But then Queen Elizabeth receives a most unwanted gift—an anonymous letter that threatens to reveal untoward advances from her beloved Queen Catherine’s last husband, Thomas Seymour. Tasked with finding the extortionist, Kate has barely begun investigating when one of Spain’s visiting lords is found murdered. With two mysteries to unravel and an unsettling number of suspects to consider, Kate finds herself caught between an unscrupulous blackmailer and a cold-blooded killer....
1559. The Twelve Days of Christmas at Whitehall Palace will be celebrated as a grand affair. But there are those who wish to usher in the New Year by ending Queen Elizabeth’s reign....
Despite evenings of banquets and dancing, the European delegates attending Her Majesty’s holiday festivities are less interested in peace on earth than they are in fostering mistrust. Kate, the queen’s personal musician, hopes she can keep the royal guests entertained.
But then Queen Elizabeth receives a most unwanted gift—an anonymous letter that threatens to reveal untoward advances from her beloved Queen Catherine’s last husband, Thomas Seymour. Tasked with finding the extortionist, Kate has barely begun investigating when one of Spain’s visiting lords is found murdered. With two mysteries to unravel and an unsettling number of suspects to consider, Kate finds herself caught between an unscrupulous blackmailer and a cold-blooded killer....
290 pages, Mass Market Paperback
Published December 1, 2015
19 people are currently reading
273 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 42 reviews
August 16, 2024
Such fun traveling back in time in this book! Great characters, an interesting mystery, and an overall amazing series! Can't wait for the next one!
January 6, 2023
Perhaps my biggest mistake with picking up this book was disregarding the series order because honestly I could not understand the dynamics of Kate and Queen Elizabeth's relationship until much later in the book and that was simply unappealing.
I have way too many thoughts about this and not in a situation rn where I can type out everything I liked and disliked about this book but one major concern was going into this with preconceived notions of getting exactly what I read in other Tudor period novels. This was so completely different to those that apart from author telling us the time period this is set in, I honestly did not feel it to be any different to let's say the regency era novels.
There were some inconsistencies imo and I do not think the author did justice to the Tudor period in this one. It was reduced to just another court drama.
3 stars.
I have way too many thoughts about this and not in a situation rn where I can type out everything I liked and disliked about this book but one major concern was going into this with preconceived notions of getting exactly what I read in other Tudor period novels. This was so completely different to those that apart from author telling us the time period this is set in, I honestly did not feel it to be any different to let's say the regency era novels.
There were some inconsistencies imo and I do not think the author did justice to the Tudor period in this one. It was reduced to just another court drama.
3 stars.
December 6, 2018
Fans of historical mysteries and stories set in Elizabethan times should enjoy this fourth installment in the series. I haven't read the prior books but didn't feel like I was missing any significant backstory. The story was a tad plodding at times in that it seems to cover the same ground a couple of times. How
December 20, 2015
Check out my other reviews, discussions and link ups at Fantasy of the Silver Dragon.
I received this book for free from Obsidian in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
I haven't read any of the other books in this series. But I also didn't have to have read them to understand what was happening in this book.
There were a lot of historical facts and tidbits sprinkled through this book. I loved that about it, you could tell the author did a lot of research before writing the book. And I liked the way Queen Elizabeth was portrayed. The rest of the characters were easy to connect with, especially Kate.
There were a few smaller mystery threads woven around and through the major one. I guessed part of one of them before the end, but not all of them. I really liked reading about Kate and her life as the Queen's personal musician. The intrigues and ciphers she learned, as well as her friendships and a small dash of romance.
The story sucked me in from the first pages, and I could see all the scenes and outfits vividly in my mind. There were no slow or boring bits, and everything I read made me curious about the other books in the series. If you like historical mysteries, or even just stories that involve Queen Elizabeth, you should read this book.
This review was originally posted on Fantasy of the Silver Dragon
I received this book for free from Obsidian in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
I haven't read any of the other books in this series. But I also didn't have to have read them to understand what was happening in this book.
There were a lot of historical facts and tidbits sprinkled through this book. I loved that about it, you could tell the author did a lot of research before writing the book. And I liked the way Queen Elizabeth was portrayed. The rest of the characters were easy to connect with, especially Kate.
There were a few smaller mystery threads woven around and through the major one. I guessed part of one of them before the end, but not all of them. I really liked reading about Kate and her life as the Queen's personal musician. The intrigues and ciphers she learned, as well as her friendships and a small dash of romance.
The story sucked me in from the first pages, and I could see all the scenes and outfits vividly in my mind. There were no slow or boring bits, and everything I read made me curious about the other books in the series. If you like historical mysteries, or even just stories that involve Queen Elizabeth, you should read this book.
This review was originally posted on Fantasy of the Silver Dragon
December 24, 2015
--3.5 Stars--
Copyright Night Owl Reviews
Murder at Whitehall is the first book I have read by Amanda Carmack. It is a mystery set in 1500's England around Christmastime. I am completely fascinated with the Tudor era and, whether historical or fictional, it is a subject I enjoy reading about. The author skillfully depicts the traditions and everyday life of those times, which is one of my favorite things about this story.
To see my full review, please follow the link below:
https://www.nightowlreviews.com/v5/Re...
Copyright Night Owl Reviews
Murder at Whitehall is the first book I have read by Amanda Carmack. It is a mystery set in 1500's England around Christmastime. I am completely fascinated with the Tudor era and, whether historical or fictional, it is a subject I enjoy reading about. The author skillfully depicts the traditions and everyday life of those times, which is one of my favorite things about this story.
To see my full review, please follow the link below:
https://www.nightowlreviews.com/v5/Re...
November 20, 2016
Kate still cannot decide between Anthony and Rob despite the fact that Anthony has moved on and Rob is trying to make a lukewarm move. A Spanish ambassador is killed fast forward..... I actually thought there would be some action when Kate and Catherine were kidnapped and on their way to Spain. Instead of them being rescued in Spain or setting the next book up there the author rushes the last two chapters with a weird gun/sword fight that ends with them back at the palace watching a play.
November 20, 2016
I read this series for the historical aspects and some of the characters. The villain came out of left field. I did suspect the identity of the strange woman hiding in the inn, though. What happened to the artisan Kate was trying to locate?
April 9, 2019
Christmas 1559: Queen Elizabeth's Court... Secrets going back to 1546, Queen Dowager Catherine Parr's death & the birth of her daughter are at the center of the intrigue.
Lady Catherine Grey (surviving sister of Queen Jane Grey) wants to marry Lord Hertford, however, Elizabeth demands her Ladies remain single. There are factions that would set Lady Catherine on the throne for which she has no interest.
There is a young woman hiding at the local Inn who bears an uncanny resemblance to Elizabeth.
Kate is given a piece of musical code in the hand of Dowager Queen Catherine Parr by her father to translate.... Someone is searching Kate's papers & music for something....
Señor Feria of Spain has been replaced by Bishop de Quadra, who has brought two young cousins with him acting as his secretaries...
Queen Elizabeth finds a threatening drawing in her bed and later a poppet (doll) w/ an intricately made crown hanging from a tree with another threatening note.
When on of the Spanish cousins is found dead w/ his throat slashed, it first seems like suicide... until Kate points out that his dagger is in the wrong hand!
There was quite a bit of intrigue and references to Catherine Parr & the time of Elizabeth being her ward.
Once again, Kate Haywood, is pressed into service beyond her duties as the Queen's personal musician by Elizabeth.
I did figure out the guilty person early on. I liked the story and found it held my interest.
Lady Catherine Grey (surviving sister of Queen Jane Grey) wants to marry Lord Hertford, however, Elizabeth demands her Ladies remain single. There are factions that would set Lady Catherine on the throne for which she has no interest.
There is a young woman hiding at the local Inn who bears an uncanny resemblance to Elizabeth.
Kate is given a piece of musical code in the hand of Dowager Queen Catherine Parr by her father to translate.... Someone is searching Kate's papers & music for something....
Señor Feria of Spain has been replaced by Bishop de Quadra, who has brought two young cousins with him acting as his secretaries...
Queen Elizabeth finds a threatening drawing in her bed and later a poppet (doll) w/ an intricately made crown hanging from a tree with another threatening note.
When on of the Spanish cousins is found dead w/ his throat slashed, it first seems like suicide... until Kate points out that his dagger is in the wrong hand!
There was quite a bit of intrigue and references to Catherine Parr & the time of Elizabeth being her ward.
Once again, Kate Haywood, is pressed into service beyond her duties as the Queen's personal musician by Elizabeth.
I did figure out the guilty person early on. I liked the story and found it held my interest.
August 13, 2020
3.5/6
Note: This is the first book in the series I’ve read so make of that what you will.
The plot was slow. The book was already halfway over before a person was killed!! It was short, so I suppose it couldn’t include more details, but...
where the plot moved slowly, the in-book day’s moved quickly! So much of the days were cut out. Kate’s supposed to be the queen’s musician and a spy/information-gatherer. And yet I didn’t see much evidence that she would be good at the latter. The murder wrapped up pretty quickly, and the plot was resolved within a few pages. But for all the murder and treason, we don’t see any repercussions against the ambassadors!
I will not be tracking down the rest Of the series (though a new one hasn’t been published in 4+ years?) and this one had enough “what happened last time” that I wouldn’t need to read the previous books. Most likely will NOT reread.
Note: This is the first book in the series I’ve read so make of that what you will.
The plot was slow. The book was already halfway over before a person was killed!! It was short, so I suppose it couldn’t include more details, but...
where the plot moved slowly, the in-book day’s moved quickly! So much of the days were cut out. Kate’s supposed to be the queen’s musician and a spy/information-gatherer. And yet I didn’t see much evidence that she would be good at the latter. The murder wrapped up pretty quickly, and the plot was resolved within a few pages. But for all the murder and treason, we don’t see any repercussions against the ambassadors!
I will not be tracking down the rest Of the series (though a new one hasn’t been published in 4+ years?) and this one had enough “what happened last time” that I wouldn’t need to read the previous books. Most likely will NOT reread.
November 17, 2017
While the events of this book are quite soapy at times, it mostly works. I enjoyed the undercurrent of intrigue that simmers below the surface, as all concerned look desperately to Elizabeth to marry and produce an heir. Kate, meanwhile, continues to be an engaging protagonist (although a reminder of her age - nineteen! and this is four books in! - was a bit startling; she certainly doesn't seem that young). The murder in this book comes some way into the story, which I think works.
The ending twist was telegraphed and not entirely credible, but since I'd like it to be true, I give it a pass. :)
Like its earlier fellows, this installment in Carmack's series is a pleasant light read. I'd certainly recommend it.
The ending twist was telegraphed and not entirely credible, but since I'd like it to be true, I give it a pass. :)
Like its earlier fellows, this installment in Carmack's series is a pleasant light read. I'd certainly recommend it.
September 19, 2018
Again, a great era for historical fiction. Great descriptions of clothing, castles towns and intrigue. But I sound the ending too abrupt. Things just seemed to stop without resolving sone issues that deserved to be addressed.
Yes, this is a series but this wasn't written in the manner of a cliff hanger it was more like the author just had to make her deadline. Needed a more fulfilling ending. Especially some appreciation from the Queen and what happens to Catherine Grey.
Yes, this is a series but this wasn't written in the manner of a cliff hanger it was more like the author just had to make her deadline. Needed a more fulfilling ending. Especially some appreciation from the Queen and what happens to Catherine Grey.
December 27, 2018
This book was a disappointment. Ms. Carmack has inventive plots, interesting characters and a good eye for setting. Unfortunately, typos and mistakes on nearly every other page make the reading disjointed and difficult. A little more carefulness and time would have fixed many of these problems. Characters who claim another character said something when they didn't and other inconsistencies detracted from an otherwise entertaining story.
March 17, 2022
It was a history lesson. The mystery was almost nonexistent, and although I am a complete Anglophile, I knew the history. I did appreciate the detail worked in by the author's thoughts on Queen Elizabeth's personality.
September 18, 2023
I couldn’t get into the book at first. I almost gave up a few times but was determined to read it. Finally in the middle of the book the murder happened. And with everyone wondering why it happened and who did it, the plot line was so good, I couldn’t put the book down.
December 14, 2017
enjoyable read.
September 18, 2017
Love this series!
Read
August 28, 2019Didn't read Posted wrong book
January 4, 2021
Just not for me...sorry to say. I got about 50 pages in but just couldn't get into the story.
February 2, 2021
Murder at Whitehall
Excellent book 4 in this series. Never expected the twists and turns of this one. On to the next book
Excellent book 4 in this series. Never expected the twists and turns of this one. On to the next book
February 2, 2021
Excellent book 4 in this series. Never expected the twists and turns of this one. On to the next book
Read
January 31, 2024it was soo good I loved the book
December 8, 2025
The first 160 pages are for setup, introduction of characters, and dialog
December 24, 2015
http://openbooksociety.com/article/mu...
Murder at Whitehall
An Elizabethan Mystery #4
By Amanda Carmack
ISBN#9780451475695
Amandacarmack.com
Brought to you by OBS Reviewer Daniele
Synopsis:
1559. The Twelve Days of Christmas at Whitehall Palace will be celebrated as a grand affair. But there are those who wish to usher in the New Year by ending Queen Elizabeth’s reign….
Despite evenings of banquets and dancing, the European delegates attending Her Majesty’s holiday festivities are less interested in peace on earth than they are in fostering mistrust. Kate, the queen’s personal musician, hopes she can keep the royal guests entertained.
But then Queen Elizabeth receives a most unwanted gift—an anonymous letter that threatens to reveal untoward advances from her beloved Queen Catherine’s last husband, Thomas Seymour. Tasked with finding the extortionist, Kate has barely begun investigating when one of Spain’s visiting lords is found murdered. With two mysteries to unravel and an unsettling number of suspects to consider, Kate finds herself caught between an unscrupulous blackmailer and a cold-blooded killer….(Goodreads)
Review:
Set against the twelve days of Christmas in 1559, Murder at Whitehall, the fourth book in its series, is a suspenseful look into Elizabethan life from court musician Kate Halloway’s perspective. Full of period detail and Yuletide festivities, it is an entertaining tale with plenty of intrigue to please most any reader.
Everyone seems to be feeling a bit nostalgic in Queen Elizabeth’s court this holiday season, and the queen wants to make it the most festive Yule she has had since she was a child with her step-mother Queen Catherine Parr. The court is full of visiting courtiers – rival French and Spanish ambassadors and rebels from Scotland. Elizabeth beckons Kate, already busy as the queen’s personal musician, to not only plan the nightly festivities but to look into the actions of the queen’s cousin, Lady Catherine Grey. Many people expect Lady Catherine to be named the heir to the throne, but she seems to be a little too friendly with the visiting ambassadors from Spain. But can her odd behavior simply be blamed on love? Kate receives a gift of her own when her father and the other former court musicians arrive for the celebrations, and her potential love interest, actor Rob Cartman, comes to lend his performance troupe for the queen’s pleasure. Unfortunately, someone is out to ruin the queen’s holiday by leaving a threatening drawing and an effigy. When one of the visiting secretaries from Spain is found in the herb garden murdered (or is it suicide?), Kate knows she must step up her efforts to find out what is going on so that no harm comes to Elizabeth.
Even though Murder at Whitehall is the fourth book in the Elizabethan Mystery series, I think it can be easily read as a standalone. I have not read the prior books and had no problems keeping up, however I do think there are several references to earlier books that are spoilers, so beware. I read a great deal of historical fiction and mysteries, but I am no expert on the Elizabethan age or the Tudors. Other than my initial struggle to keep all of the characters straight (there are many Catherines, Janes, and Marys), I found the mix of fictional and historical characters and the grand descriptions of fashion and customs of the day fascinating. I particularly enjoyed the subplot of Kate’s discovery of secret code hidden in the music. Kate is an appealing character. As a musician, I can easily relate to her, but I also admire her intelligence, good sense, and loyalty to Elizabeth. I like Rob and Kate’s father Matthew as well and really felt their obvious affection they for Kate. However, I think Lady Catherine is a silly, silly woman only interested in what she wants without regard for the consequences and ramifications of her actions and decisions.
The mystery itself is slow to get moving. The death does not occur until 160+ pages into the story. I appreciate all of the lead up and background information, but without knowing who the victim is, I noticed that I did not always pay particular attention to tidbits that would later prove to be important. That said, I did guess whodunit and the identity of the mystery woman at the inn very early into the tale. This ultimately did not deter from my enjoyment since the scheming and number of characters involved provided plenty of twisty elements to the plot. On a side note, there did seem to be noticeable editing and consistency errors that I found distracting, such as referring to the victim by the wrong name for several pages and someone’s eyes described as pale gray in one paragraph only to be defined as bright blue in the next paragraph.
Overall, Murder at Whitehall is a pleasant read with a fun and interesting look back at how Christmas was celebrated in the sixteenth century. I recommend it to readers who enjoy a rather complex mystery and historical setting and characters.
Murder at Whitehall
An Elizabethan Mystery #4
By Amanda Carmack
ISBN#9780451475695
Amandacarmack.com
Brought to you by OBS Reviewer Daniele
Synopsis:
1559. The Twelve Days of Christmas at Whitehall Palace will be celebrated as a grand affair. But there are those who wish to usher in the New Year by ending Queen Elizabeth’s reign….
Despite evenings of banquets and dancing, the European delegates attending Her Majesty’s holiday festivities are less interested in peace on earth than they are in fostering mistrust. Kate, the queen’s personal musician, hopes she can keep the royal guests entertained.
But then Queen Elizabeth receives a most unwanted gift—an anonymous letter that threatens to reveal untoward advances from her beloved Queen Catherine’s last husband, Thomas Seymour. Tasked with finding the extortionist, Kate has barely begun investigating when one of Spain’s visiting lords is found murdered. With two mysteries to unravel and an unsettling number of suspects to consider, Kate finds herself caught between an unscrupulous blackmailer and a cold-blooded killer….(Goodreads)
Review:
Set against the twelve days of Christmas in 1559, Murder at Whitehall, the fourth book in its series, is a suspenseful look into Elizabethan life from court musician Kate Halloway’s perspective. Full of period detail and Yuletide festivities, it is an entertaining tale with plenty of intrigue to please most any reader.
Everyone seems to be feeling a bit nostalgic in Queen Elizabeth’s court this holiday season, and the queen wants to make it the most festive Yule she has had since she was a child with her step-mother Queen Catherine Parr. The court is full of visiting courtiers – rival French and Spanish ambassadors and rebels from Scotland. Elizabeth beckons Kate, already busy as the queen’s personal musician, to not only plan the nightly festivities but to look into the actions of the queen’s cousin, Lady Catherine Grey. Many people expect Lady Catherine to be named the heir to the throne, but she seems to be a little too friendly with the visiting ambassadors from Spain. But can her odd behavior simply be blamed on love? Kate receives a gift of her own when her father and the other former court musicians arrive for the celebrations, and her potential love interest, actor Rob Cartman, comes to lend his performance troupe for the queen’s pleasure. Unfortunately, someone is out to ruin the queen’s holiday by leaving a threatening drawing and an effigy. When one of the visiting secretaries from Spain is found in the herb garden murdered (or is it suicide?), Kate knows she must step up her efforts to find out what is going on so that no harm comes to Elizabeth.
Even though Murder at Whitehall is the fourth book in the Elizabethan Mystery series, I think it can be easily read as a standalone. I have not read the prior books and had no problems keeping up, however I do think there are several references to earlier books that are spoilers, so beware. I read a great deal of historical fiction and mysteries, but I am no expert on the Elizabethan age or the Tudors. Other than my initial struggle to keep all of the characters straight (there are many Catherines, Janes, and Marys), I found the mix of fictional and historical characters and the grand descriptions of fashion and customs of the day fascinating. I particularly enjoyed the subplot of Kate’s discovery of secret code hidden in the music. Kate is an appealing character. As a musician, I can easily relate to her, but I also admire her intelligence, good sense, and loyalty to Elizabeth. I like Rob and Kate’s father Matthew as well and really felt their obvious affection they for Kate. However, I think Lady Catherine is a silly, silly woman only interested in what she wants without regard for the consequences and ramifications of her actions and decisions.
The mystery itself is slow to get moving. The death does not occur until 160+ pages into the story. I appreciate all of the lead up and background information, but without knowing who the victim is, I noticed that I did not always pay particular attention to tidbits that would later prove to be important. That said, I did guess whodunit and the identity of the mystery woman at the inn very early into the tale. This ultimately did not deter from my enjoyment since the scheming and number of characters involved provided plenty of twisty elements to the plot. On a side note, there did seem to be noticeable editing and consistency errors that I found distracting, such as referring to the victim by the wrong name for several pages and someone’s eyes described as pale gray in one paragraph only to be defined as bright blue in the next paragraph.
Overall, Murder at Whitehall is a pleasant read with a fun and interesting look back at how Christmas was celebrated in the sixteenth century. I recommend it to readers who enjoy a rather complex mystery and historical setting and characters.
May 16, 2016
Murder at Whitehall was a fast and enjoyable read and I recommend it to people who like a good mystery in a historical setting. It is Christmas at Whitehall and Queen Elizabeth the 1st is wanting to re-create the Christmases of her childhood, the ones spent with her siblings and her stepmother Queen Catherine Parr. It was the first time she spent as part of a family. The court is filled with dignitaries and visitors for the holiday season like the Spanish Ambassador. The Queen has not yet chosen a husband to provide England with an heir yet. You get a real sense of the hustle and bustle of the palace and the behind the scenes activity that goes on so that the Queen may provide her quests with excellent entertainment during their stay.
Our heroine Kate Haywood is the queens musician, something of lute prodigy and part time detective. The Queen asks her to keep an eye on one of her Lady's (Lady Catherine Grey) who seems to be paying a lot of attention to the Spanish Ambassadors friends. This is not actually an unusual request in the court of Elizabeth the first. Everybody was watching everybody it seems. Kate obliges and while what seems at first to be a romantic dalliance turns out to be a plot which could have dire consequences for the Queen.
The Author Amanda Carmack gives us good characters amidst the period splendor. The Elizabethan era had a surprising wealth of strong women to choose from back to Ann Boleyn, Lady Jane Grey, Catherine Parr, Catherine of Aragon to name a few.
Our heroine Kate Haywood is the queens musician, something of lute prodigy and part time detective. The Queen asks her to keep an eye on one of her Lady's (Lady Catherine Grey) who seems to be paying a lot of attention to the Spanish Ambassadors friends. This is not actually an unusual request in the court of Elizabeth the first. Everybody was watching everybody it seems. Kate obliges and while what seems at first to be a romantic dalliance turns out to be a plot which could have dire consequences for the Queen.
The Author Amanda Carmack gives us good characters amidst the period splendor. The Elizabethan era had a surprising wealth of strong women to choose from back to Ann Boleyn, Lady Jane Grey, Catherine Parr, Catherine of Aragon to name a few.
March 11, 2016
Let me start off with what I really loved about this book. The author was amazing with period details. I really was swept back into the past and for anyone mostly just wanting to go on a historical journey this book was pretty amazing. I loved how the writer mixed historical and fictional characters. This book was very well done as a historical novel.
I liked Kate. The fact that she was the queen’s musician made her interesting especially since her father had also been involved with music for the royal family. Her own history plus the romantic subplot made her an interesting detective to follow.
The main reason I couldn’t give this book a better rating is that it is extremely slow to start. There are some mysterious happenings from the beginning of the book but the blackmail and murder happen more than halfway through. By the time I got to them I had really been wondering if I was reading a mystery novel at all.
I am a big fan of both historical fiction and mysteries so I was excited to try this book but I ended up feeling like it wasn’t very well balanced. The mystery reader in me was pretty disappointed though the historical fiction part of it was very well done.
I liked Kate. The fact that she was the queen’s musician made her interesting especially since her father had also been involved with music for the royal family. Her own history plus the romantic subplot made her an interesting detective to follow.
The main reason I couldn’t give this book a better rating is that it is extremely slow to start. There are some mysterious happenings from the beginning of the book but the blackmail and murder happen more than halfway through. By the time I got to them I had really been wondering if I was reading a mystery novel at all.
I am a big fan of both historical fiction and mysteries so I was excited to try this book but I ended up feeling like it wasn’t very well balanced. The mystery reader in me was pretty disappointed though the historical fiction part of it was very well done.
December 6, 2015
It is Christmas and Elizabeth wants to recreate the wonderful times she had as a child when Catherine Parr was queen. To really celebrate she invites many old court musicians from the old days to come including Kate's father. Rob Cartman is borrowed to help as Lord of Misrule. But all is not well as the nasty rumors of Elizabeth and Thomas Seymour are being drug up to taunt Elizabeth. Silly Catherine Gray is flirting with the Spanish to get her wish to marry so Kate is set to watch her. A Spanish courtier ends up dead and Kate wonders whether all these happenings are related. For series reasons, but no purpose in book itself, her lawyer friend makes a couple of cameos. Otherwise it was nice story all the players have a purpose and Kate is in her element with music codes for much of her work with Cecil
November 17, 2015
"Murder at Whitehall" is a historical suspense set at Christmas time in 1559 in England. It's the fourth book in a series, but you don't need to read the previous books to understand this story. However, it did spoil events from the previous books.
The historical details brought the time period vividly alive in my imagination. The main characters were likable and reacted realistically to events. The suspense came from the physical danger to Kate and other main characters.
There were several mysterious things that needed to be resolved, including a murder. There were some clues as to what was going on. The whole plot was only uncovered, though, when whodunit confessed to it all.
There was no sex. There was a minor amount of swearing. Overall, I'd recommend this intriguing historical novel.
I received this book as a review copy from the publisher.
The historical details brought the time period vividly alive in my imagination. The main characters were likable and reacted realistically to events. The suspense came from the physical danger to Kate and other main characters.
There were several mysterious things that needed to be resolved, including a murder. There were some clues as to what was going on. The whole plot was only uncovered, though, when whodunit confessed to it all.
There was no sex. There was a minor amount of swearing. Overall, I'd recommend this intriguing historical novel.
I received this book as a review copy from the publisher.
December 1, 2016
Since I don't normally write reviews unless I have something specific to say, here's the break down of how I rate my books...
1 star... This book was bad, so bad I may have given up and skipped to the end. I will avoid this author like the plague in the future.
2 stars... This book was not very good, and I won't be reading any more from the author.
3 stars... This book was ok, but I won't go out of my way to read more, But if I find another book by the author for under a dollar I'd pick it up.
4 stars... I really enjoyed this book and will definitely be on the look out to pick up more from the series/author.
5 stars... I loved this book! It has earned a permanent home in my collection and I'll be picking up the rest of the series and other books from the author ASAP.
August 22, 2016
Another enjoyable book in this series. Elizabeth's court is at Whitehall for Christmas, and she asks Kate to plan a masque to entertain the visiting, rival delegations. In addition, Elizabeth requests Kate to keep an eye on Lady Catherine Grey, who some think should be named Elizabeth's heir. Kate is thrilled when her father and several of his old friends, who all served Queen Catherine Parr, come to Whitehall for the festivities. But then one of the Spanish secretaries is murdered, and Kate is once again embroiled in trying to solve the mystery.
August 23, 2018
I read this book out of sequence, so at the time the year that the book was set in didn't bother me. I just finished "Murder in the Queens Garden" which is set in August 1559. Violet wasn't married at this point.
This book is set in the Christmas season of 1559 and Violet is married. It seems that she has already had one baby and is about to have a second in a few months. Interesting timing that in less than 4 months she was married, had one baby and is expecting a second.
I like the series so I will still read the last book.
This book is set in the Christmas season of 1559 and Violet is married. It seems that she has already had one baby and is about to have a second in a few months. Interesting timing that in less than 4 months she was married, had one baby and is expecting a second.
I like the series so I will still read the last book.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 42 reviews