Taming of the Queen

By the #1 andlt;Iandgt;New York Timesandlt;/Iandgt; bestselling author behind the Starz original series andlt;Iandgt;The White Queen,andlt;/Iandgt; a riveting new Tudor tale featuring King Henry VIIIand#8217;s sixth and final wife Kateryn Parr, the first English queen to publish under her own name.andlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;When King Henry VIII asks Kateryn Parr to be his sixth wife and Queen of England, mere months after the death of her second husband, the twice-widowed Kateryn is hesitant. All of England has watched five queens each accept Henryand#8217;s hand in marriage to savage results, and thereand#8217;s no indication that Kateryn will meet a better end than any of them. Even more troubling, Kateryn is in love with Sir Thomas Seymour, brother of the late Queen Jane Seymour and loyal soldier to the king. To deny the kingand#8217;s proposal would mean death for Kateryn and for the man she loves. With little choice and a great sense of trepidation, Kateryn dutifully accepts.andlt;BRandgt; andlt;BRandgt;Surrounded by the opulence of Hampton Court Palace, safe from the plague ravishing Londonand#8217;s cobbled streets, the new queenand#8217;s fears are slowly allayed. The aging king finds her favorable, and is pleased by her attempts to bring together the royal heirs, Prince Edward, Princess Mary, and Princess Elizabeth. Henry even indulges Katerynand#8217;s scholarly attempts, allowing her to invite leading scholars to lecture her about religion and the bible within her chambers. All Kateryn has to do is navigate the intricacies of court etiquette, be profuse in her loyalty to the king, and avoid Thomas Seymour at all costs.andlt;BRandgt; andlt;BRandgt;None of this is enough to keep the queen safe. When Kateryn translates the bible from the Latin to English, members of the kingand#8217;s court sense a threat in her fascination with religion, particularly during the countryand#8217;s turbulent religious climate. A plot is formed to frame Kateryn as a heretic, a fickle wife, and worseand#8212;a disloyal citizen before the king. As the conspiracy against her mounts, Kateryn finds herself trapped in a palace with few allies and many enemies, pressed to retain the favor of a volatile court and convince a dying king to spare her lifeand#8230;

andlt;bandgt;Praise for andlt;iandgt;The King's Curseandlt;/iandgt;:andlt;BRandgt; andlt;BRandgt; andlt;/bandgt;and#8220;Infuses vitality into an oft-forgotten player in the aftermath of the War of the Rosesand#8212;Margaret Poole, heiress to the defeated Plantagenet clan.and#8221;and#8212;andlt;iandgt;Closerandlt;/iandgt;

“Margarets story is shocking, deeply moving and offers an alternative view on a much-told tale. Gregory is on form here; her depiction of Henry VIIIs transformation from indulged golden boy to sinister tyrant is perfectly pitched and seems more horrific still when we are made intimate witnesses to the devastation of Margarets family. . . . I defy anyone to remain dry-eyed as the story reaches its tragic denouement.”—The Sunday Express (UK)

“[A] gripping and detailed chronicle, with plenty of court intrigue and politics to spice up the action . . . . Highly recommended.” —Library Journal (starred review)

and#8220;Nobody does dynastic history like Gregory.and#8221;and#8212;andlt;Iandgt;Booklistandlt;/Iandgt;

"Gregory manages to keep us in suspense as to what will befall her characters....Under [her] spell, we keep hoping history won't repeat itself.and#8221;and#8212;andlt;Iandgt;Kirkus Reviewsandlt;/Iandgt;

"An illuminating portrait. . . Gregory moves confidently through a tangle of intrigue, revenge, and tyranny toward a shocking betrayal."and#8212;andlt;Iandgt;Publishers Weeklyandlt;/Iandgt;

andlt;bandgt;Praise for andlt;iandgt;The White Princessandlt;/iandgt;:andlt;/bandgt;andlt;BRandgt; "Bring on the blood, sex and tears! . . . You name it, it's all here."and#8212;andlt;Iandgt;USA Todayandlt;BRandgt; andlt;BRandgt; andlt;/Iandgt;"Loyalties are torn, paranoia festers and you can almost hear the bray of royal trumpets as the period springs to life. Itand#8217;s a bloody irresistible read."and#8212;andlt;Iandgt;Peopleandlt;/Iandgt;

andlt;Bandgt;Praise for andlt;Iandgt;The White Princessandlt;/Iandgt;:andlt;/Bandgt;andlt;BRandgt;"Bring on the blood, sex and tears! . . . You name it, it's all here."and#8212;andlt;Iandgt;USA Todayandlt;/Iandgt;

and#8220;This rich tapestry brings to vivid life the court of Henry and Elizabeth. Meticulously drawn characters with a seamless blending of historical fact and fiction combine in a page-turning epic of a story. Tudor-fiction fans can never get enough, and they will snap this one up.and#8221;and#8212;andlt;Iandgt;Library Journalandlt;/Iandgt; (starred review)

"andlt;Iandgt;The White Princessandlt;/Iandgt; features one of the more intriguing theories about the possible fate of the princes."and#8212;andlt;Iandgt;The Washington Postandlt;/Iandgt;

andlt;Bandgt;Praise for Philippa Gregory:andlt;/Bandgt;andlt;BRandgt;and#8220;The queen of royal fiction.and#8221;andlt;Iandgt;and#8212;USA Todayandlt;/Iandgt;

“Gregory does her usual excellent job of ratcheting up the intrigue and suspense as another intelligent and strong-willed heroine fights for her life and her legacy.”—Booklist

and#8220;Whoand#8217;s ever heard of Kateryn Parr? Henry VIIIand#8217;s sixth wife was smart, independentand#8212;and managed to outlive him. In historical-fiction-queen Gregoryand#8217;s latest, sheand#8217;s unforgettable.and#8221;and#8212;andlt;iandgt;People Magazineandlt;/iandgt;

“Full of vivid details and fraught with the constant tension of a court run by a madman, this novel will appeal most to historical fiction readers and those who enjoyed Wolf Hall. . . . Gregory beautifully builds the suspense.”—Library Journal (starred review)

"A fascinating history lesson, disguised as a novel, about a wily woman who survives lethal Tudor plots and outlasts a deadly king.” People ( - " - Book of the Week - " - )

“Whos ever heard of Kateryn Parr? Henry VIIIs sixth wife was smart, independent—and managed to outlive him. In historical-fiction-queen Gregorys latest, shes unforgettable.”—People Magazine

"This novel beautifully exemplifies [Kateryn Parrs] accomplishments while portraying an honest and emotional woman learning to survive in a dangerous royal court.” Historical Novels Review

“Gregory manages to make history lively, fascinating and real, even as she puts her own twist on what readers believe they know. The impeccable research shows in every page, while her wonderfully realistic dialogue and remarkable characters come to life. Gregory is a historian with heart and wit who makes history accessible.” RT Book Review (top pick)

"This wives tale takes on a new life under Gregorys whimsical pen.” New York Post

“Absorbing. . . Gregory's portrait of the complex, aging king and his sensual, scholarly bride will satisfy Tudor enthusiasts.” Publishers Weekly

By the #1 New York Times bestselling author behind the Starz original series The White Queen, a riveting new Tudor tale featuring King Henry VIIIs sixth wife Kateryn Parr, the first English queen to publish under her own name.

Why would a woman marry a serial killer?

Because she cannot refuse…

Kateryn Parr, a thirty-year-old widow in a secret affair with a new lover, has no choice when a man old enough to be her father who has buried four wives—King Henry VIII—commands her to marry him.

Kateryn has no doubt about the danger she faces: the previous queen lasted sixteen months, the one before barely half a year. But Henry adores his new bride and Kateryns trust in him grows as she unites the royal family, creates a radical study circle at the heart of the court, and rules the kingdom as Regent.

But is this enough to keep her safe? A leader of religious reform and the first woman to publish in English, Kateryn stands out as an independent woman with a mind of her own. But she cannot save the Protestants, under threat for their faith, and Henrys dangerous gaze turns on her. The traditional churchmen and rivals for power accuse her of heresy—the punishment is death by fire and the kings name is on the warrant…

From an author who has described all of Henrys queens comes a deeply intimate portrayal of the last: a woman who longed for passion, power, and education at the court of a medieval killer.

Philippa Gregory is the author of several bestselling novels, including The Other Boleyn Girl, and is a recognized authority on women’s history. Her Cousins’ War novels are the basis for the critically acclaimed Starz miniseries The White Queen. She graduated from the University of Sussex and received a PhD from the University of Edinburgh, where she is a Regent. She holds an honorary degree from Teesside University, and is a fellow of the Universities of Sussex and Cardiff. She welcomes visitors to her website, PhilippaGregory.com.