28 Oct Book Review The King’s Intelligencer Elizabeth St.John #TheKingsIntelligencer #HistoricalFiction #HistoricalMystery #TheLydiardChronicles #BlogTour #TheCoffeePotBookClub @ElizStJohn @cathiedunn

FEATURED AUTHOR: ELIZABETH ST.JOHN

I’m delighted to welcome Elizabeth St.John again as the featured author in The Coffee Pot Book Club Blog Tour, being held between October 21st – November 1st, 2024. She is the author of the Historical Fiction, The King’s Intelligencer: Discovering the Missing Princes in the Tower, published on 15^th October 2024 by Falcon Historical (494 pages).

Below are highlights of The King’s Intelligencer, Elizabeth St.John’s author bio, and my 5-star review of her impeccably researched book. 

Tour Schedule Page: https://thecoffeepotbookclub.blogspot.com/2024/09/blog-tour-kings-intelligencer-by-elizabeth-stjohn.html

HIGHLIGHTS: THE KING’S INTELLIGENCER

The King’s Intelligencer: Discovering the Missing Princes in the Tower
By Elizabeth St.John

Blurb:

 London, 1674: When children’s bones are unexpectedly unearthed in the Tower of London, England’s most haunting mystery—the fate of the missing princes—is reignited.

Franny Apsley, trusted confidante to Charles II’s beloved niece and heir, Lady Mary Stuart, is caught up in the court’s excitement surrounding the find. Yet, as a dark family secret comes to light, Franny realises the truth behind the missing princes is far more complex—and dangerous—than anyone suspects. Recruited by her formidable cousin Nan Wilmot,  Dowager Countess of Rochester, to discover the truth behind the bones, Franny is thrust into the shadowy world of intelligencers. But her quest is complicated by an attraction to the charismatic court artist Nicholas Jameson, a recent arrival from Paris who harbours secrets of his own.

Pursued by Nicholas, Franny searches for evidence hidden in secret family letters and paintings, and uncovers a startling diplomatic plot involving Lady Mary, which causes Franny to question her own judgment, threatens the throne, and sets England on a course for war. With only her courage and the guidance of an enigmatic spy within the royal household, Franny must decide how far she will go to expose the truth—and whether that truth will lead to England’s salvation or her own heartbreak.

In a glittering and debauched society where love is treacherous and loyalty masked, Franny must navigate a world where a woman’s voice is often silenced and confront the ultimate question: What is she willing to risk for the sake of her country, her happiness, and her family’s safety?

 A captivating historical novel of conspiracy, passion, and courage, The King’s Intelligencer is one woman’s quest for a truth that could change the fate of a nation. A companion to the critically acclaimed best-selling novels The Godmother’s Secret and The Lydiard Chronicles, The King’s Intelligencer weaves together beloved characters and actual events to bring a suspenseful mystery to life.

Buy Links:

This title is available to read on #Kindle Unlimited.

Universal Buy Link: https://geni.us/KingsIntelligencer

AUTHOR BIO: ELIZABETH ST.JOHN

Elizabeth St.John’s critically acclaimed historical fiction novels tell the stories of her ancestors: extraordinary women whose intriguing kinship with England’s kings and queens brings an intimately unique perspective to Medieval, Tudor, and Stuart times.

Inspired by family archives and residences from Lydiard Park to the Tower of London, Elizabeth spends much of her time exploring ancestral portraits, diaries, and lost gardens. And encountering the occasional ghost. But that’s another story.

Living between California, England, and the past, Elizabeth is the International Ambassador for The Friends of Lydiard Park, an English charity dedicated to conserving and enhancing this beautiful centuries-old country house and park. As a curator for The Lydiard Archives, she is constantly looking for an undiscovered treasure to inspire her next novel.

Elizabeth’s works include The Lydiard Chronicles, a trilogy set in 17th-century England during the Civil War, and The Godmother’s Secret, which unravels the medieval mystery of the missing princes in the Tower of London. Her latest release, The King’s Intelligencer, follows Franny Apsley’s perilous quest to uncover the truth behind the sudden discovery of the princes’ bones. In Charles II’s court of intrigue and deceit, Franny must decide what she’ll risk—for England’s salvation, her family’s safety, and her own happiness.

Author Links:

Website            Twitter           Facebook        LinkedIn      Instagram

Threads           Bluesky             Book Bub         Amazon Author Page       Goodreads  

BOOK REVIEW: THE KING’S INTELLIGENCER

The fate of King Edward V and his younger brother, Prince Richard, Duke of York, both last seen in 1483, is explored in The King’s Intelligencer by Elizabeth St.John. The story begins almost two centuries later in 1674, when workmen unexpectedly unearth children’s bones in the Tower of London. As a result, the mystery of what happened to the missing princes is reignited.

Franny Apsley, a confidante to Mary Stewart, heir to King Charles’s throne, is drawn into a secret mission by her cousin, Nan Wilmot, to investigate the truth behind the exhumed bones. Franny covertly becomes the king’s intelligencer, a secret spy, to gain access to locations where stored relics and documents might provide clues for solving the mystery. Her quest is complicated by her attraction to the court artist, Nicholas James, and a royal spy with cautionary warnings that a Catholic-driven plot in France could threaten the monarchy.

Author Elizabeth St.John’s impeccable research is demonstrated by her vivid descriptions of historical figures, structures, and landscapes at various locations—from London to the Lydiard residence then to Bolton Castle. The culture and the difficulties that Franny faces as a woman remain true to the period. Despite her limitations, she uses her cunning to mask her mission and to gain access to forbidden royal chambers. She bravely ventures into the glamorous façade of royal palaces and the debauchery of the king’s brothels to deliver messages to co-conspirators. Secret discoveries in castles and cathedrals provide her clues that help connect the past with the present.

The story focuses on a woman’s journey to discover how ancestral lines impact future generations. Franny’s investigation takes place over several months, the pacing often slower as she unveils clues. Although there are some beautifully written passages, I was sometimes distracted by a grammatical error in which there was not a conjunction joining two verbs (e.g., “Franny glanced at Papa, frowned.”). Nonetheless, the overall storyline is intriguing and the unexpected ending is poignant and thought-provoking. The author’s notes gave helpful insight into the historical background of events and characters in the book. 

I recommend The King’s Intelligencer for its suspenseful political intrigue and historical detail during the restoration of the British monarchy following the chaotic and destructive governance of Oliver Cromwell.

Twitter: @cathiedunn
Instagram & Threads: @thecoffeepotbookclub
Bluesky: @cathiedunn.bsky.social