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A Murder for Her Majesty: A Historical Novel of Disguise and Secret Identity in Elizabethan England for Children
Horrified at having witnessed her father's murder and fearing that the killers are agents of Queen Elizabeth I, eleven-year-old Alice Tuckfield hides in the Yorkshire cathedral by disguising herself as one of the choirboys.
256 pages, Paperback
First published January 20, 1986
35 people are currently reading
1834 people want to read
About the author
Beth Hilgartner
10 books3 followersBeth Hilgartner has published ten books. In addition to her writing, she is an Episcopal priest (now retired), a musician (recorders and voice), a musical editor (modern performing editions of relatively unknown 17th and 18th century composers), an equestrian (dressage), an accomplished knitter, and an avid gardener. She returns to the publishing scene with The Ivory Mask (which she promises, absolutely, is NOT the first book in a series!), after a prolonged absence during which other priorities bumped writing to the bottom of the To Do list. She lives in Vermont with her husband of 45 years, their two cats (Lewis and Clark) and her elderly dressage horse, Solace.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 269 reviews
October 12, 2020
2020 Review
My original review probably still best expresses how I feel about this book. It isn't just a nostalgia love. This is a genuinely good book: Strong historical fiction, delightful characters, and a genuinely engrossing plot.
I loved it so much that freshman year of high school I used Geoffrey for every lit class assignment. My teacher finally banned me from using this book as reference again. I think she got tired of listening to me gush about him doing the highlander fling. And yes, he does it for one sentence in one scene. But that's the kind of creative thinking I like in a man.
2018 Review
I forgot how much I adore this book. It is seriously so good. I love all the characters and the plot and the history. This is basically the definition of a five star read in my mind.
Original Review
I LOVE this book. I've read it OVER AND OVER AND OVER and I recommend it again and again!
My original review probably still best expresses how I feel about this book. It isn't just a nostalgia love. This is a genuinely good book: Strong historical fiction, delightful characters, and a genuinely engrossing plot.
I loved it so much that freshman year of high school I used Geoffrey for every lit class assignment. My teacher finally banned me from using this book as reference again. I think she got tired of listening to me gush about him doing the highlander fling. And yes, he does it for one sentence in one scene. But that's the kind of creative thinking I like in a man.
2018 Review
I forgot how much I adore this book. It is seriously so good. I love all the characters and the plot and the history. This is basically the definition of a five star read in my mind.
Original Review
I LOVE this book. I've read it OVER AND OVER AND OVER and I recommend it again and again!
February 20, 2011
I usually criticize books, and pick on every single bad thing about them. The characters are weak... The plot was limp, and "horrid"... Or, most terribly, the storytelling was atrocious.
That wasn't the case with this book. And it pleasantly surprised me with no feminist sort of messages. "Girls can be like guys." "Girls are just as good as guys." "Girls aren't weak." "Girls are best." To those of you who know me well enough, you can probably imagine me saying those messages in a mocking tone.
How I really hate those messages! So tiresome, and ultimately ruin a novel for me. And there was plenty of chances to do so in this book. Alice could have always been thinking up all the smart stuff. She could always be the hero. She could have become conceited and gotten a swollen head, and used her status to boss people around. Thank heavens she didn't. But what delighted me was the refreshing balance; she was witty, but not tiresomely. She was brave, but not in the way that makes one roll their eyes. A really wonderful character! I enjoyed her.
Geoffrey kept me laughing. I enjoyed his witticism and his loyalty to his friends. Timothy was kind to Morris when I would have smacked him.
I pleasantly hated "Father" whatsims. The Dame was easy to dislike, but one comes to see the softer heart at the ending. And although the introduction to Lady "Jenny" was brief, I ended up liking her! =) Good job, Hilgartner.
The storytelling was, I'd have to say, really good, because it wasn't too slow so that I felt that it was wearisome, and wasn't too fast so that I couldn't catch what was going on. It was also intriguing and not from a narrative perspective (what some people might call an "I" book, from the perspective of the main character). This was a nice break, because lately I've been reading books that are like that. So I just happened to read this book at the right time.
The funniest thing was that when they first mentioned Master Kenton (is that his name?), I thought, Oh, he's going to adopt Alice in the end. I didn't know anything about him. They hadn't said anything yet. But I just had this thought--and, obviously (spoiler!), this was not true, although I think he would have if he'd been allowed to.
The plot was amazingly fantastic in the sense that it's quite out of this world. I never found out why it was that the men wanted to murder her father anyway, if it wasn't from the queen's orders. Why did they want to murder her? I don't know, but not every scrap of information is required to make a book a good one.
So, reading this review, you'd think that I'd rate it five stars? Yes, why did I rate it four stars? I'm waiting for the perfect book to appear on the bookshelf one day. For now, I'd have to say that this is a clear favorite.
That wasn't the case with this book. And it pleasantly surprised me with no feminist sort of messages. "Girls can be like guys." "Girls are just as good as guys." "Girls aren't weak." "Girls are best." To those of you who know me well enough, you can probably imagine me saying those messages in a mocking tone.
How I really hate those messages! So tiresome, and ultimately ruin a novel for me. And there was plenty of chances to do so in this book. Alice could have always been thinking up all the smart stuff. She could always be the hero. She could have become conceited and gotten a swollen head, and used her status to boss people around. Thank heavens she didn't. But what delighted me was the refreshing balance; she was witty, but not tiresomely. She was brave, but not in the way that makes one roll their eyes. A really wonderful character! I enjoyed her.
Geoffrey kept me laughing. I enjoyed his witticism and his loyalty to his friends. Timothy was kind to Morris when I would have smacked him.
I pleasantly hated "Father" whatsims. The Dame was easy to dislike, but one comes to see the softer heart at the ending. And although the introduction to Lady "Jenny" was brief, I ended up liking her! =) Good job, Hilgartner.
The storytelling was, I'd have to say, really good, because it wasn't too slow so that I felt that it was wearisome, and wasn't too fast so that I couldn't catch what was going on. It was also intriguing and not from a narrative perspective (what some people might call an "I" book, from the perspective of the main character). This was a nice break, because lately I've been reading books that are like that. So I just happened to read this book at the right time.
The funniest thing was that when they first mentioned Master Kenton (is that his name?), I thought, Oh, he's going to adopt Alice in the end. I didn't know anything about him. They hadn't said anything yet. But I just had this thought--and, obviously (spoiler!), this was not true, although I think he would have if he'd been allowed to.
The plot was amazingly fantastic in the sense that it's quite out of this world. I never found out why it was that the men wanted to murder her father anyway, if it wasn't from the queen's orders. Why did they want to murder her? I don't know, but not every scrap of information is required to make a book a good one.
So, reading this review, you'd think that I'd rate it five stars? Yes, why did I rate it four stars? I'm waiting for the perfect book to appear on the bookshelf one day. For now, I'd have to say that this is a clear favorite.
March 24, 2025
4.5 stars! What a treat! The only downside was that I wanted the halcyon hidden period to go on longer. I so loved reading about the choir practices for the York Minster and the boys’ school and all the different personalities of the masters. The whole book is so engagingly written. The characters are so quickly lovable and the comradeship between Alice and Geoffrey, Orlando, Randall, and Nate especially is delightful. Master Kenton is my favorite. I love his type of character. The setting in York and around the cathedral is wonderful too. Beth Hilgartner captures the historical period and the rhythms of liturgical worship in the cathedral beautifully. I desperately want a sequel as the view of Alice’s future at the end is so tantalizing. I’ll definitely be passing this book onto my young friends when they’re a bit older. I think this would be a good read for 12-15 as it does get a bit scary towards the end. It would be a fun readaloud too.
October 11, 2013
What a wonderful book this is! This was my second time reading it, and I found it just as enjoyably, if not more enjoyable, than when I first read it. If you like historical fiction, mixed with a little mystery and suspense, plus some humor, than you must read this book. It had it all.
I will warn you that this book is very hard to put down. I read in less than 24 hours! Partly because I have a habit of finishing books reasonably fast, but still, that's a record for me. It has a great plot, and I LOVE all the characters. I loved Alice's temper. It got her in trouble a lot, but that's what makes characters so fun to read about. And who can't love the fun group of choirboys. Especially Geoffrey who has a reputation for always getting into trouble. And then there's Kenton. at first I didn't really care for him. I saw him as the sour faced old man all the choirboys believed he was. But after the story started to take off I fell in love with the sweet friendship that formed between him and Alice(Pup). Okay, when I said I loved all the characters I didn't mean the villains, but they were great villains, and I was glad to see them outwitted.
I will warn you that this book is very hard to put down. I read in less than 24 hours! Partly because I have a habit of finishing books reasonably fast, but still, that's a record for me. It has a great plot, and I LOVE all the characters. I loved Alice's temper. It got her in trouble a lot, but that's what makes characters so fun to read about. And who can't love the fun group of choirboys. Especially Geoffrey who has a reputation for always getting into trouble. And then there's Kenton. at first I didn't really care for him. I saw him as the sour faced old man all the choirboys believed he was. But after the story started to take off I fell in love with the sweet friendship that formed between him and Alice(Pup). Okay, when I said I loved all the characters I didn't mean the villains, but they were great villains, and I was glad to see them outwitted.
April 12, 2018
This is one of those books I wish I could go back and put in the hands of 10 yo me. A great adventure and mystery for children.
September 22, 2015
Love love love this book. I purchased it a few years ago since it was a childhood favorite, but only recently re-read. It's the kind of story you want to re-read every year as the weather is starting to grow cooler and you just want to curl up in a blanket for a weekend with a good book. I remember seeing this title in the library when I was 9 or 10 and being so afraid of it because it had "murder" in the title! Finally, I made myself read it and learned an important lesson that has changed my experience as a reader: NEVER judge a book by its cover. And in this case, if you're easily frightened like me, don't shy away from a little suspense.
That said, I love everything about this book from the setting in Elizabethan England, to the rascally choir boys, to the fact that it a book about choir singers, to the nickname, "Pup" that the boys give Alice. But most of all, I love the sweet relationship Pup forms with Kenton. I found myself laughing out loud and tearing up throughout the development of their relationship.
You should definitely give this a read — it's sure to become a favorite.
That said, I love everything about this book from the setting in Elizabethan England, to the rascally choir boys, to the fact that it a book about choir singers, to the nickname, "Pup" that the boys give Alice. But most of all, I love the sweet relationship Pup forms with Kenton. I found myself laughing out loud and tearing up throughout the development of their relationship.
You should definitely give this a read — it's sure to become a favorite.
December 29, 2019
This was a very good story. The story was quite different than any other that I have read. I truly enjoyed it and highly recommend it. I plan to look for other books by this author.
January 15, 2017
I was disappointed in what had looked like a promising historical novel for younger readers.
A cathedral choir school in the reign of Queen Elizabeth I as a setting seemed quite interesting and original, but I was not impressed by the depth of the author's research. One example of an obvious gaffe: a character preparing for a Christmas service is looking out copies of 'Ding Dong Merrily On High'-- a set of lyrics not written until the early 20th C, though set to an older tune. A detail easily found in many carol collections, even back when this book was written in the 1980s, prior to the internet era.
An occasional anachronistic error does not spoil an entire novel, but similar details kept nagging at me throughout the book. The book is clearly meant for younger readers, but that's no excuse for people of no particular wealth in Elizabethan England to eat potatoes and drink tea at every opportunity in such a blasé manner. Nor for a wealthier person to have a silver tea service, imported apparently by time machine from a later time.
Even more than such irritating individual details, I felt overall that the characters and style just seemed so very 20th-century American. I don't expect them to sound like Shakespeare, but when they behave largely as if there were no class distinctions to be concerned about, the work is failing in one of the basics of historical fiction. The main character, for instance, a nobleman's 11 year old daughter, after witnessing her father's murder finds herself travelling alone and lost in the streets of York. She is befriended by some of the choristers, who make no remarks about her clothing, which would surely have shown her nobility by its richness, nor do they show much curiosity or concern about her social status. All of the characters speak in the same mostly casual style, with little distinction of class or region.
Here and there I do give a few points for the author throwing in a convincing idiom or two. Also on the plus side, the characters are engaging, and the writing is not bad overall; though an unfortunate tendency to said-bookisms and too many adverbs was perhaps not considered such a flaw at the time when it was published.
It surprises me that this book won some awards and honours in its day. While it's an entertaining enough book for mid-grade readers, my rating of 'okay', only two stars, reflects my wish to dis-recommend it to teachers or librarians who might want to use it to give students a feel for the world and culture of Elizabethan England; it comes off instead feeling pretty much like a 20th century American's transplantation of story and characters into an incompletely imagined idea of the era. If all you want is an entertaining read regarless of miseducation, it is reasonable to upgrade the rating to three stars.
A cathedral choir school in the reign of Queen Elizabeth I as a setting seemed quite interesting and original, but I was not impressed by the depth of the author's research. One example of an obvious gaffe: a character preparing for a Christmas service is looking out copies of 'Ding Dong Merrily On High'-- a set of lyrics not written until the early 20th C, though set to an older tune. A detail easily found in many carol collections, even back when this book was written in the 1980s, prior to the internet era.
An occasional anachronistic error does not spoil an entire novel, but similar details kept nagging at me throughout the book. The book is clearly meant for younger readers, but that's no excuse for people of no particular wealth in Elizabethan England to eat potatoes and drink tea at every opportunity in such a blasé manner. Nor for a wealthier person to have a silver tea service, imported apparently by time machine from a later time.
Even more than such irritating individual details, I felt overall that the characters and style just seemed so very 20th-century American. I don't expect them to sound like Shakespeare, but when they behave largely as if there were no class distinctions to be concerned about, the work is failing in one of the basics of historical fiction. The main character, for instance, a nobleman's 11 year old daughter, after witnessing her father's murder finds herself travelling alone and lost in the streets of York. She is befriended by some of the choristers, who make no remarks about her clothing, which would surely have shown her nobility by its richness, nor do they show much curiosity or concern about her social status. All of the characters speak in the same mostly casual style, with little distinction of class or region.
Here and there I do give a few points for the author throwing in a convincing idiom or two. Also on the plus side, the characters are engaging, and the writing is not bad overall; though an unfortunate tendency to said-bookisms and too many adverbs was perhaps not considered such a flaw at the time when it was published.
It surprises me that this book won some awards and honours in its day. While it's an entertaining enough book for mid-grade readers, my rating of 'okay', only two stars, reflects my wish to dis-recommend it to teachers or librarians who might want to use it to give students a feel for the world and culture of Elizabethan England; it comes off instead feeling pretty much like a 20th century American's transplantation of story and characters into an incompletely imagined idea of the era. If all you want is an entertaining read regarless of miseducation, it is reasonable to upgrade the rating to three stars.
March 7, 2009
A Murder for Her Majesty doesn't waste time getting started. Right in the first chapter, Alice is running away from home, and gets brought in by a group of choirboys, who decide to hide her in their house and even come up with a plan to disguise her as one of them. It's through flashback and background information that we find out how she got there.
Alice had witnessed her father being murdered by two men, who claimed to be working for the Queen of England. Scared for her life, she heads off to London and arrives at a cathedral, only to learn to her horror that the criminals have arrived there as well; in fact, they work there.
Now she's in even more danger, as she's a member of the very choir of that cathedral, with murderers at high positions of power. Luckily for her, not all of them know what she looks like, even when they see her looking them right in the face. But complications arise, bringing with them many close calls, before things really do get bad for Alice.
The story moved faster than I was expecting for a 240-page book. Something that advances the plot and especially the suspense occurs in just about every chapter. In fact, I went from reading about 25 or 50 pages a day, to finishing off the last 140 pages in my last day of reading the book. The suspense and pacing had just ramped up to the point where I just had to keep going. Definitely the sign of a good read!
The characters come alive pretty well, too. Each of the choirboys Alice stays with has their own personality. Most are mischievous, though one really doesn't like the whole situation and tries to out Alice several times (before the boys discover the kind of danger she's really in). Alice herself at first felt like a tabula rasa, but over time, she showed more personality and especially defiance and anger, which tended to get her into trouble. Character flaws work well to heighten the suspense, making the characters not only entertaining individuals, but important plot-drivers as well.
In all, it was a fun book. I've read comments that the time period is a bit anachronistic, but not being well-versed in 16th century (or any century) England, I wouldn't know what was out of place. If you're able to overlook - or not notice - that, what you've got here is a fun, fast-moving suspense story.
Alice had witnessed her father being murdered by two men, who claimed to be working for the Queen of England. Scared for her life, she heads off to London and arrives at a cathedral, only to learn to her horror that the criminals have arrived there as well; in fact, they work there.
Now she's in even more danger, as she's a member of the very choir of that cathedral, with murderers at high positions of power. Luckily for her, not all of them know what she looks like, even when they see her looking them right in the face. But complications arise, bringing with them many close calls, before things really do get bad for Alice.
The story moved faster than I was expecting for a 240-page book. Something that advances the plot and especially the suspense occurs in just about every chapter. In fact, I went from reading about 25 or 50 pages a day, to finishing off the last 140 pages in my last day of reading the book. The suspense and pacing had just ramped up to the point where I just had to keep going. Definitely the sign of a good read!
The characters come alive pretty well, too. Each of the choirboys Alice stays with has their own personality. Most are mischievous, though one really doesn't like the whole situation and tries to out Alice several times (before the boys discover the kind of danger she's really in). Alice herself at first felt like a tabula rasa, but over time, she showed more personality and especially defiance and anger, which tended to get her into trouble. Character flaws work well to heighten the suspense, making the characters not only entertaining individuals, but important plot-drivers as well.
In all, it was a fun book. I've read comments that the time period is a bit anachronistic, but not being well-versed in 16th century (or any century) England, I wouldn't know what was out of place. If you're able to overlook - or not notice - that, what you've got here is a fun, fast-moving suspense story.
December 17, 2022
Such a fun read-aloud I read to my seventh grader. We loved it! Edge of your seat action and cliffhangers, genuine humor, and lots of insight into the inner workings of an Anglican cathedral.
May 9, 2025
Catches our attention with a murder right at the beginning, and continues with likeable characters (including a girl main character who gets to be at the center of the action and do things while being believably scared). There are a lot of scenes in the middle where characters give long explanations of things the audience has already witnessed, but other than that flaw, this is solid middle grade historical fiction.
May 15, 2025
How did you manage to fill up 200+ pages with a little girl dressed as a boy in a choir??? (And a splash of murder and mystery)
August 21, 2020
This book was filled with suspense and mystery. I read it with my 7th grader and he would beg after each chapter to keep reading!
October 27, 2011
I never allow myself to miss out on a good read because a book is labeled for children or young adults. A good story is a good story no matter where it is stashed in the library or bookstore.
In this most excellent story, 11 year old Alice quite accidentally witnessed her father's murder by two of his visitors from a tree on her father's estate. Overhearing the killers talking about what to do about her and something about how Queen Elizabeth 1 would be happy he was dead, she flees with only the cloak she is wearing and struggles to find her way to the Lady Jenny her father told her to go to if she ever needed help and he was not around.
She is hungry and nearly frozen when she makes it to York, England. Lady Jenny's home is still further away and she is desperate. After being accidentally knocked down by a choirboy, he and his friends take her to where they room and board, hide her from the mean woman who runs the house, provide her with a hidden place to sleep and some food. The next day, they cut off her hair and dress her in their own clothes and secretly add her to the boys choir! Her father was musical and she has an amazing voice. When she hears the very men who killed her father talking with the priest at the Cathedral and realizes they mean to find and kill her and are watching out at Lady Jenny's who is away in France, she decides to stay hidden.
The director of the choir boys discovers her during a rehearsal and thinks she is a boy. Her voice so amazes him, that he adds Pup (as she is nicknamed by the boys) to the choir and arranges for her to room and board with the other boys. One boy tries to turn her in but gets whipped and winds up living the choir because his voice changes. She starts classes with the others and becomes friends with one of the masters who has a hot temper and the others are afraid of. He even takes in the stray kitten she finds!
Real trouble begins when the evil priest overhears her bragging to the boys about something her father once said to a bishop It had caused a great scandal and the priest now knows just who she is. When she is kidnapped, it is up to the boys and the master to get others to help them find and save her before it is too late. Do they? Read and see. This is a page turner I finished in one day. I couldn't stop reading! Very highly recommended to everyone who likes a good mystery.
In this most excellent story, 11 year old Alice quite accidentally witnessed her father's murder by two of his visitors from a tree on her father's estate. Overhearing the killers talking about what to do about her and something about how Queen Elizabeth 1 would be happy he was dead, she flees with only the cloak she is wearing and struggles to find her way to the Lady Jenny her father told her to go to if she ever needed help and he was not around.
She is hungry and nearly frozen when she makes it to York, England. Lady Jenny's home is still further away and she is desperate. After being accidentally knocked down by a choirboy, he and his friends take her to where they room and board, hide her from the mean woman who runs the house, provide her with a hidden place to sleep and some food. The next day, they cut off her hair and dress her in their own clothes and secretly add her to the boys choir! Her father was musical and she has an amazing voice. When she hears the very men who killed her father talking with the priest at the Cathedral and realizes they mean to find and kill her and are watching out at Lady Jenny's who is away in France, she decides to stay hidden.
The director of the choir boys discovers her during a rehearsal and thinks she is a boy. Her voice so amazes him, that he adds Pup (as she is nicknamed by the boys) to the choir and arranges for her to room and board with the other boys. One boy tries to turn her in but gets whipped and winds up living the choir because his voice changes. She starts classes with the others and becomes friends with one of the masters who has a hot temper and the others are afraid of. He even takes in the stray kitten she finds!
Real trouble begins when the evil priest overhears her bragging to the boys about something her father once said to a bishop It had caused a great scandal and the priest now knows just who she is. When she is kidnapped, it is up to the boys and the master to get others to help them find and save her before it is too late. Do they? Read and see. This is a page turner I finished in one day. I couldn't stop reading! Very highly recommended to everyone who likes a good mystery.
January 17, 2010
I loved this book. In fact, about 25 pages before the end, I misplaced it in the house and had to turn everything upside down to find it. I really wanted to finish it, even though I knew everything would turn out well for the heroine. I think boys and girls would enjoy this book. There's lots of action. The main character is a girl, but nearly every other character is male. The choir boys are jolly and determined and always up for mischief.
I read this to figure out when my children might be ready for it. The main character witnesses her father's murder. If a child can deal with that fact, the rest of the book will not be at all traumatic. The weather is cold, but there's always a fire nearby. The teachers seem strict and horrible, but when push comes to shove they do the right thing. The villains are obvious and simple.
The historical fiction aspect works pretty well. There's a lot of difficult vocabulary, but it is generally used in a context that helps out. The language is fairly sophisticated for juvenille fiction -- plenty of young adult literature is *much* less sophisticated. Children would not learn much about the historical period, but might enjoy the atmosphere of a cathedral a few hundred years ago. Probably an excellent one to read before a trip to England or France!
To help figure out if a child is ready for the text, I'd say it is more challenging than Magic Treehouse books, Little House on the Prairie books, or Betsy-Tacy books.
I read this to figure out when my children might be ready for it. The main character witnesses her father's murder. If a child can deal with that fact, the rest of the book will not be at all traumatic. The weather is cold, but there's always a fire nearby. The teachers seem strict and horrible, but when push comes to shove they do the right thing. The villains are obvious and simple.
The historical fiction aspect works pretty well. There's a lot of difficult vocabulary, but it is generally used in a context that helps out. The language is fairly sophisticated for juvenille fiction -- plenty of young adult literature is *much* less sophisticated. Children would not learn much about the historical period, but might enjoy the atmosphere of a cathedral a few hundred years ago. Probably an excellent one to read before a trip to England or France!
To help figure out if a child is ready for the text, I'd say it is more challenging than Magic Treehouse books, Little House on the Prairie books, or Betsy-Tacy books.
June 6, 2018
This was a read-aloud for our Sonlight curriculum. The oldest girl (who's curriculum it actually is) was NOT keen on it, since it's about a murder and she doesn't want to read about murders. And the younger ones took one look a the title and cover and decided they weren't going to sit in on this one. (I always give everyone the option with our read-alouds.) Yeah, well, that lasted about thirty seconds, by which time all the kids were hooked and waiting with bated breath to see what happened next. You should have heard the gasps, shrieks, and whining when I finished the end of our assigned chapters and put the book away for the day! lol The kids loved it (even the first grader!) and listened to every chapter all the way to the end. While none of us were particularly thrilled at the way the book ended, we all agreed it was satisfactory. I'm the only one that got the little twist, but that made it extra fun for the kiddos. Honestly, we all loved this book! So why the 4-star rating? Honestly, the history element was weak. Even I noticed it, and I'm not a history buff. It's historical FICTION, so I give it something of a pass, but since we're using it to go along with period studies, it has to lose a star there.
Content Advisory: a few instances of minor cursing (if using as a read-aloud, just skip the words, as I did)
Content Advisory: a few instances of minor cursing (if using as a read-aloud, just skip the words, as I did)
December 28, 2022
Alice Tuckfield is running for her life after witnessing her father’s murder. She finds refuge in the choir school at York Minister, where some of the boys befriend her and disguise her as one of themselves. She enjoys her new life in the choir school, she is a gifted singer and loves studying music, and even wins over some of the more severe teachers. But the men who killed her father are still looking for her, and there may be trouble ahead.
This is a very enjoyable story with some likeable characters and the descriptions of life at the choir school are delightful. The author is a bit shaky on some aspects of Elizabethan life, I don’t think tea drinking had caught on yet then for instance, and perhaps the relationships between the teachers and their pupils are more relaxed than would have been likely at that period. The most major error is probably when someone suggest Alice could go to a convent (they had all been done away with at the Reformation) . But if you overlook these minor points it’s all great fun.
This is a very enjoyable story with some likeable characters and the descriptions of life at the choir school are delightful. The author is a bit shaky on some aspects of Elizabethan life, I don’t think tea drinking had caught on yet then for instance, and perhaps the relationships between the teachers and their pupils are more relaxed than would have been likely at that period. The most major error is probably when someone suggest Alice could go to a convent (they had all been done away with at the Reformation) . But if you overlook these minor points it’s all great fun.
August 20, 2011
I loved this book. It was fun, mysterious, and breath-taking all at the same time.
The driving force of this book was the characters, and they were written marvelously well. I fell in love with Alice and her propensity to tell her superiors off. I grinned at Geoffrey, Orlando, Randall, and Nate, and their mischievous ways; I also admired their desire to help and protect Alice. The descriptions of the professors was amazing and very life-like; I came to love and understand the professors, even if I had started out by hating them.
The plot was intriguing. A murder, and the murderers seem to be following Alice... It wasn't overplayed too much, but revealed little by little, interspersed with the merry doings of the boys. It was just the right touch.
I would encourage anyone to read it. Although it is classified as a juvenile book, it is a very light, fanciful, and engrossing.
The driving force of this book was the characters, and they were written marvelously well. I fell in love with Alice and her propensity to tell her superiors off. I grinned at Geoffrey, Orlando, Randall, and Nate, and their mischievous ways; I also admired their desire to help and protect Alice. The descriptions of the professors was amazing and very life-like; I came to love and understand the professors, even if I had started out by hating them.
The plot was intriguing. A murder, and the murderers seem to be following Alice... It wasn't overplayed too much, but revealed little by little, interspersed with the merry doings of the boys. It was just the right touch.
I would encourage anyone to read it. Although it is classified as a juvenile book, it is a very light, fanciful, and engrossing.
May 27, 2019
I loved this book as a kid and look back at it fondly now, even though I realize it's extremely historically inaccurate for historical fiction. Alice Tuckfield witnesses her father's murder and overhears the killers state that "Her Majesty will be pleased." Fleeing before they can kill her or arrange for her to be imprisoned, she ends up disguising herself as a boy and joining a church choir. Hi-jinks promptly ensue, musical and otherwise, and Alice eventually gets found out, but not before having made some great friends and exposed her father's murderers.
September 17, 2017
Excellent fun! I loved it as a teen. I just remembered this old favorite and have now added it to my Amazon cart. If it was on Kindle, I would have it already. :) Looking forward to the reread. Big fan! I would recommend it to any story lover of any age. It is a heartwarming tale with the added bonus of mystery. Loveable characters make it all the more enjoyable. The music detail I found interesting. This was a gem in my youth: a beautiful escape.
August 14, 2017
I enjoyed this book and read it quickly. The characters are interesting. I got some of the Father WhatsHisNames mixed up, but that didn't seem to matter that much. Good story.
March 20, 2019
[5 stars] Been reading and rereading this one for more than 20 years. Holds up, and a forever favorite.
May 23, 2019
Amazing book! It is one of my favorites!
February 27, 2021
Probably the only book i have read for school that i actually liked. It is a very exciting book filled with twists and turns. I recommend this book for all kinds of readers.
May 18, 2021
Solid and enjoyable historical fiction, nominally written for youth but I think enjoyable for all ages. A Shakespearean gender conceit - a girl disguised as a boy, hiding out in a cathedral choir from the murderers of her father, who want to make her their next victim. There could have been a bit more of a mystery for my taste (when I purchased this book at a used book store, I thought it WAS a murder mystery; it's not).
September 25, 2025
Ohhhh, this book is so funny! I laughed harder in this book than I have with almost any other book (excepting a few). The characters are amazing and highly entertaining (especially Geoffrey 🤣). The story is well-written and engaging. All in all, I definitely recommend it! 🤩
June 8, 2024
Not sure if it’s fueled by childhood nostalgia or because this book is genuinely just that good but I will never stop being obsessed with this book. Always reminds me of the motel.
February 25, 2020
I loved this book as a kid (my first mystery, I think!) so much that I sought it out as an adult. Still fantastic.
September 22, 2025
Read this one to my 8th grader and we both loved it! Great historical fiction that kept us both engaged. Many times he asked for just one more chapter.
February 27, 2019
A Murder for Her Majesty is solid middle-grade historical fiction, just the type that I would have enjoyed when I devoured Ann Rinaldi and the Dear America books.
After witnessing the murder of her father, Alice Tuckerfield flees from London to York, certain that she, too, could be killed for what she has seen. Cold and hungry, Alice runs into a group of choir boys, who take pity on her and smuggle her into their dormitory. Alice pretends to be a boy and joins the choir, which sets the stage for the rest of the plot.
Hilgartner writes simply, but effectively. A Murder for Her Majesty is short yet satisfying, and I think quite appealing to kids. The dialogue was excellent, the choir boys were good fellows, the baddies were just sinister enough, and Alice is deliciously outspoken to the old fogeys.
Most children today likely would be lost in the descriptions of church tradition and liturgy, and especially the descriptions of music. I don't think it would be impossible to parse out the meaning, but it could be off-putting to younger independent readers. Speaking from my own experience, public schools (concerned about preserving a secular education) avoid teaching religious music. Unless you belong to a choir, you probably haven't come across many of the terms. This would best be read with a parent, who can explain (or Google) the architectural descriptions of the cathedral and the musical terms.
After witnessing the murder of her father, Alice Tuckerfield flees from London to York, certain that she, too, could be killed for what she has seen. Cold and hungry, Alice runs into a group of choir boys, who take pity on her and smuggle her into their dormitory. Alice pretends to be a boy and joins the choir, which sets the stage for the rest of the plot.
Hilgartner writes simply, but effectively. A Murder for Her Majesty is short yet satisfying, and I think quite appealing to kids. The dialogue was excellent, the choir boys were good fellows, the baddies were just sinister enough, and Alice is deliciously outspoken to the old fogeys.
Most children today likely would be lost in the descriptions of church tradition and liturgy, and especially the descriptions of music. I don't think it would be impossible to parse out the meaning, but it could be off-putting to younger independent readers. Speaking from my own experience, public schools (concerned about preserving a secular education) avoid teaching religious music. Unless you belong to a choir, you probably haven't come across many of the terms. This would best be read with a parent, who can explain (or Google) the architectural descriptions of the cathedral and the musical terms.
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