The theme of this long and powerful novel is murder - and not only themurder of one of the most fascinating personalities in English history, AnneBoleyn, but of many more of the vital and famous people who lived in thedangerous days when a carelessly spoken word, or his nearness to the throne,was sufficient to send a man to the block.

Against a violent background, the story of ill-fated Anne Boleyn is toldwith remarkable insight and is interwoven with that of the other murderedQueen, Catherine Howard. Anne is seen as the humble daughter of a ruthlessfather, cheated of her lover, so that out of her proud nature grows thatambition which destroyed her, leading her to exchange the powerful role ofKing's mistress for the dangerous one of King's wife. While she movesforward to tragedy, the little Catherine Howard is seen growing up, amidcircumstances which may shock and horrify but which cannot fail to arousedeep interest and pity.

And through the book strides the magnificent, dominating figure of HenryVIII - sanctimonious, hypocritical, shrewd, cunning and ruthless, sometimessentimental but always amorous.The theme of this long and powerful novel ismurder - and not only the murder of one of the most fascinatingpersonalities in English history, Anne Boleyn, but of many more of the vitaland famous people who lived in the dangerous days when a carelessly spokenword, or his nearness to the throne, was sufficient to send a man to theblock.

Against a violent background, the story of ill-fated Anne Boleyn is toldwith remarkable insight and is interwoven with that of the other murderedQueen, Catherine Howard. Anne is seen as the humble daughter of a ruthlessfather, cheated of her lover, so that out of her proud nature grows thatambition which destroyed her, leading her to exchange the powerful role ofKing's mistress for the dangerous one of King's wife. While she movesforward to tragedy, the little Catherine Howard is seen growing up, amidcircumstances which may shock and horrify but which cannot fail to arousedeep interest and pity.And through the book strides the magnificent, dominating figure of HenryVIII - sanctimonious, hypocritical, shrewd, cunning and ruthless, sometimessentimental but always amorous.