This romantic, historical fiction debut is based around the real visit of Queen Elizabeth I to Kenilworth castle in 1575 that historians believe was the last chance for Robert Dudley, the Earl of Leicester, to persuade her to marry him. The author skillfully wraps an intriguing fictional mystery around this real event and the book is meticulously researched making it an informative as well as entertaining read.
Desire and power collide in the court of Elizabeth I Warwickshire, 1575. Pomp, fanfare and a wealth of lavish festivities await Elizabeth I at Kenilworth Castle. Organised by the Earl of Leicester, he knows this celebration is his last chance to persuade the Queen to marry him. But, a fickle man, he is unable to resist the seductive wiles of Lettice Knollys. Enraged by the couple's growing intimacy, Elizabeth employs a young black singer and court entertainer to keep a watch on them. Brought up by a spy, Lucy's observational skills are sharper than anyone at the castle realises, and she soon uncovers far more than she bargained for: someone at Kenilworth is plotting to kill the queen. Can the knowledge Lucy is gaining prevent the death of the monarch? Or has it put Lucy in mortal danger instead?
While studying Elizabethan and Jacobean playwrights at university, Victoria Lamb had a desire to write a series of novels about Shakespeare's 'Dark Lady'. Now a busy mother of five, she has finally achieved that ambition after much research. Daughter of the prolific novelist Charlotte Lamb, Victoria lives in Warwickshire - also known as Shakespeare Country - only twenty minutes from Kenilworth Castle where The Queen's Secret is set. She is presently working on her new novel featuring Lucy Morgan.
