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Historical Mystery Books – Set in Tudor England
PERIOD AUTHOR DESCRIPTION TITLES
Elizabeth I Buckley, Fiona Buckley is one of the most prolific mystery writers of this period. Ursula The Doublet Affair
Blanchard, lady-in-waiting and espionage agent to Queen Elizabeth I, Queen of Ambition
serves as sleuth and helper for Sir William Cecil, Her Majesty’s Secretary To Shield the Queen
of State. Buckley is a master at giving her readers mysterious deaths and The Siren Queen
plots against the crown. Set in some of the most turbulent years of Eng- Queen’s Ransom
lish history, this series sends readers on a journey filled with authentic To Ruin a Queen
period color and absorbing suspense. This historical mystery series that The Fugitive Queen
ranks with the best – and easiest to find. A Pawn for a Queen
http://www.stopyourekillingme.com/Fiona-Buckley.html The Fugitive Queen
The Robsart Mystery
Elizabeth I Chisholm, P.F. P.F. Chisholm (Patricia Finney) has written 4 books in this series. She A Surfeit of Guns
writes during the time of Elizabeth I and sets her plots on the Anglo- A Famine of Horses
Scottish borders. Her sleuth, Sir Robert Carey, is a knight living in Car- A Season of Knives
lisle castle. He has been appointed Deputy Warden of the English West A Plaque of Angels
March under Lord Warden Sir Thomas Scrope, the husband of his sister
Philadelphia. Recurring characters are interesting. 1590s. Chisholm
conjures up a feeling of what the 16th century was really like.
http://www.patricia-finney.co.uk/
Henry VIII Clynes, Michael P.C. Doherty, pseudonym (see Middle Ages), Michael Clynes. Sir Roger The Gallows Murders
Shallot is a rogue and adventurer in the service of Cardinal Woolsey The White Rose Murders
and Henry VIII. Humorous style, Sir Roger, now in his 90’s relates his The Poisoned Chalice
past adventures. Exceptional use of language and real people and places. The Grail Murders
Another swashbuckling series. Highly recommended. A Brood of Vipers
http://www.zyworld.com/Oriflammejournal/Doherty.htm The Relic Murders
Henry VIII Collier, Iris Nicholas Peverell, adviser to King Henry VIII, returns home to find that Day of Wrath
thieves have apparently murdered his steward. This is a mystery debut
for British historian Collier. Lots of action. No sequel at this time.
(Amazon has review.)
Peggy Whitley, April, 2005.
Historical Mystery Books – Set in Tudor England
PERIOD AUTHOR DESCRIPTION TITLES
Mary Queen of Scots Dukthas, Ann Using another pseudonym, P.C. Doherty sets his series in the middle In the Time of the Poisoned Queen
C.L. Grace ages. Under the name of Grace, he writes about a female series charac- A Time for the Death of a King
ter, Katheryn Swinbrook, a female apothecary in 15th century Canter- A Shrine of Murders
bury (right on the cusp of the Middle Ages / Tudor period). Writing Time of Murder at Mayerling
as Dukthas, he has created a time-traveling detective series. The first
and two others take place during the reign of Mary, Queen of Scots.
Confusing psueudonyms, but her books are worth reading.
http://www.classiccrimefiction.com/pc-doherty.htm
Elizabeth I Emerson, Kathy Lynn For the 1560s, Lady Susanna Appleton, Elizabethan gentlewoman, herbal- Face Down Upon an Herbal
ist and sleuth, is a modern woman according to 16th century standards …in the Marrow-Bone Pie
and this series offers a look at marriage and the society of the period. …Among the Winchester Geese
The author is an Elizabethan period specialist. Her The Writer’s Guide to …Below the Banqueting House
…in the Western Sea
Everyday Life in Renaissance England (Reader’s Digest Series,) originally
…Under the Wych Elm
published in 1995, has recently been revised. These are light, enjoyable …Beneath the Eleanor Cross
reads. Good history. Recommended. http://www.kathylynnemerson.com/ …Before the Rebel Hooves
Elizabeth I Finney, Patricia These books regale us with the pomp and circumstance of Elizabeth’s Unicorn’s Blood
court. Glorianna’s Torch retells the Spanish Armada tale. Each book Firedrakes’ Eye
has the same characters, both real and fictitious. Reviewers say, “color- Glorianna’s Torch
ful, bawdy, and cruel.” The second series is Lady Grace, written by C.L. Assassin (Lady Grace)
Grace and ‘discovered’ by Patricia Finney is well loved by readers. Lady Betrayal (Lady Grace)
Grace is the youngest of Queen Elizabeth’s Maids of Honor. The au- Conspiracy (Lady Grace)
thor studied history at Oxford. Finney also writes as P.F. Chisholm.
http://www.patricia-finney.co.uk/
Elizabeth I Harper, Karen Karen Harper’s plots and betrayal and intrigue make these books enjoy- The Fyre Mirror: an Elizabeth
able. They describe all the royal pageantry, with the queen herself as an I Mystery
intelligent sleuth. Blood times during Queen Elizabeth’s early reign. The Queen’s Christmas
Elizabeth and her Privy Court Council investigate plots against the The Queen’s Cure
crown. Robert Dudley at the queen’s side supplies the romance. http:// The Twylight Tower
www.crescentblues.com/5_5issue/int_harper.shtml The Thorne Maze
The Tidal Poole
The Poyson Garden
Peggy Whitley, April, 2005.
Historical Mystery Books – Set in Tudor England
PERIOD AUTHOR DESCRIPTION TITLES
Elizabeth I Marston, Edward Nicolas Bracewell, sleuth, is bookholder (producer) for Lord Westfield’s The Queen’s Head
men acting troupe. Great detail of Elizabethan life and history of the The Merry Devils
early theater. The theater troupe performs parodies of real period works, The Silent Woman
including those by Shakespeare and Marlowe. Fun, swashbuckling style. The Roaring Boy
Ongoing characters are interesting. Marston, one of our favorites has 3 The Mad Courtesan
other series set in different centuries. http://www.edwardmarston.com/
Henry VIII Sansom, C.J. The author has a Ph.D. in history and was a lawyer before he started Dissolution
writing. The two mysteries (so far) are superbly crafted. Henry VIII and Dark Fire
Cromwell are featured. William Shardlake, a hunch-backed 16th century
attorney, takes on dangerous missions for Cromwell, the King’s high
council. The dissolution of the monasteries is the topic of the first book.
Both books are well reviewed. High attention to period detail, excellent
history. Worth reading. Sansom has a PhD in History. http://www.
murderbooks.com/inter4.php
Elizabethan Silbert, Josephine The Intelligencer by Leslie Silbert is similar with grad student Kate Mor- The Intelligencer
gan looking into the death of Christopher Marlow. Renaissance scholar
and former private investigator, Leslie Silbert graduated from Harvard in
1998 with a degree in the History of Science.
http://www.lesliesilbert.com/
Richard III Tey, Josephine Must read. Tey wrote this book in the early 1950s. A backward look at Daughter of Time
the time of Richard II. Inspector Alan Grant, laid up in the hospital in
London, solves the 300 year of mystery of the two princes in the tower.
A mystery classic. http://www.r3.org/fiction/mysteries/tey_butler.html
(About Josephine Tey)
Elizabeth I Tourney, Leonard Matthew Stock, clothier, has been appointed (reluctantly) county consta- The Bartholomew Fair Murders
ble in Essex village of Chelmsford. He and his wife Joan solve murders, The Players’ Boy is Dead
occasionally rubbing elbows with manor lords. Good descriptions of vil- Low Treason
lage life and political intrigue. Stock’s position as constable allows him Familiar Spirits
Old Saxon Blood
to cross societal boundaries. Extremely enjoyable ongoing characters and
Frobisher’s Savage
a realistic look at the middle classes. Time’s Fool
http://www.writing.ucsb.edu/faculty/tourney.htm
Peggy Whitley, April, 2005.
