[Tudor Crimes 05] • The King's Angels · High Treason in Henry's Court

The King's Angels is the fifth volume of Will Draper's adventures as an agent of Thomas Cromwell, and unfolds with the same blend of intrigue, action and history as the previous four tales.

Henry's Great Matter - His divorce from Queen Katherine - has come to occupy the minds of England's best politicians, and thinkers, to the point where little else is thought of, or discussed. The king must have his freedom, at any price, and the cost is mounting. Sir Thomas More is being forced from office, and even the wily Thomas Cromwell is beginning to feel the pressure. Anne Boleyn grows impatient, and will settle for nothing less than marriage to Henry, and vengeance on all whom she perceives oppose her wishes. Cromwell must tread a wary path, as she swings between threats and cajolery to get her way.

Then comes news of danger from a strange quarter. Eustace Chapuys, the Holy Roman ambassador, comes bearing a warning. Dark forces are gathering, and they mean to destroy England. Cromwell sets his best agent, Will Draper onto the scent, and wonders where the threat will come from. Will the combined might of the empire, and the French, fall on them, or will the attack come from within? Will Draper, Mush, Richard and Tom Wyatt struggle to track down a treacherous preacher, his dangerous Spanish master, and the enemy within, before it is too late.

Amidst the intrigue, Miriam Draper continues to build up her mercantile business, whilst holding her family together. The Jewish girl must struggle in a world dominated by men, and enlarge her empire. Young Gwen wishes nothing more than for her new husband, Mush, to stay at home, and Gregory, Cromwell's thirteen year old son wants to become a man. Whilst Gwen must be disappointed, the young Cromwell takes his chance for adventure, and takes the first steps to manhood.

England is changing, and Will Draper moves through a country that is beginning to throw off the oppresive shackles of Roman religion, and is stretching out for a new found freedom. The printing press has unleashed a thirst for knowledge, and men want the right to read in English, and see the truth for themselves.

Into this chaos comes Anton Fugger, head of the richest banking house in Europe, seeking to take advantage of the times, and ruin the enemy of his faith. It is not enough for him that Henry is forced back into the arms of Rome, he wants England brought to its very knees. His plan is clever, even diabolical, and will, if it succeeds, create untold misery throughout the realm.Thomas Cromwell must change to meet these new threats, and despite all his good intentions he will make choices that change those around him, and threaten their very souls.

Yet another slice of meaty Tudor story telling from Anne Stevens, made vibrant by its present tense telling..She weaves historic fact with clever fiction, and witty dialogue to create an exciting blend that has carved out a successful niche in the genre. The gems of truth, such as the use of oranges in espionage, and the real life cowardly preacher give us a flavour of Tudor life that lingers, and wants us wanting more.

All five volumes of TUDOR CRIMES are available exclusively on AMAZON, and volume six is due out early in the new year.

Her way of taking known facts and infusing them with her own conjectures makes for .... 'A brilliant read' and 'I can't wait for the next one' (REVIEWER COMMENTS)

"Ms Stevens blends the 'common man' approach of England's greatest historical fiction writer, Alfred Duggan, with the majestic sweep of France's Maurice Druon, the inspiration for 'Game of Thrones' ...... " C J Dowsing.