Written by Karen Harper

In London but two months, the newly crowned Elizabeth I and her "Privy Plot Council" of four (groom, nurse, actor/fool, herbalist) begin investigating the murder/rape of the promiscuous sister of Isabella Harrington, a longtime friend and supporter of the queen. Mutual enemies slanderously implicate the Harringtons' foster son, whose real father (a Seymour) was beheaded for treason. Fans of Elizabethan historical mysteries will find ample sustenance here: a fiercely independent young queen, a loyal but feisty band of assistants, a plethora of historical characters, and an all-encompassing knowledge of the times.