The Fatal Fashione (Elizabeth I Mysteries, Book 8)

someone In The Queen's Court Has A Deadly Sense Of Style. . . . in 1566, Elizabeth Tudor Faces Tremendous Opposition From Parliament For Ruling England Without The Help Of A Husband. Instead, She Turns To Her Privy Plot Council For Help, Only To Discover From Her Royal Herbalist That A Woman Has Drowned In A Tub Of Starch. Soon Another Garment Worker Meets The Same Rigid Fate. Elizabeth Becomes Unbending In Her Attempts To Solve The Murders, As Well As Iron Out The Problems Of Her Kingdom. But With Her List Of Suspects Growing—and Firm Evidence Pointing To Those She Trusts The Most—elizabeth Must Hang The Murderer Out To Dry Or Risk Losing Her Reign… Or Her Life. harper Is Tudor England's Answer To V.i. Warshawski. — publishers Weekly [a] Thrilling Blend Of Historical Detail And Intriguing Mystery. [harper's] Queen Elizabeth I Possesses The Fine Detective's Instinct Of Sherlock Holmes. —lisa Gardner, Author Of the Other Daughter historical-mystery Lovers…should Rejoice At [harper's] Latest Installment. — booklist publishers Weekly shortly After Elizabeth I Addresses A Deputation From Parliament To End Once And For All The Issue Of A Royal Marriage In Harper's Entertaining Eighth Historical (after 2005's The Fyre Mirror), The Queen's Herb Mistress Reports The Discovery Of The Body Of Her Majesty's Favorite Starcher-in A Vat Of Starch. (the Fashion For Large, Stiff Ruffs Has Made Starch A Precious Commodity.) When The Daughter Of The Queen's Financial Adviser Is Reported Missing And Later Found In Shock, Elizabeth Goes Undercover Into The Streets Of London To Seek Answers. As The Number Of Murder Victims Grows Along With The List Of Suspects, Elizabeth Has To Wonder If She Herself Will Become The Killer's Next Target. As Ever, Harper Skillfully Interweaves Fact And Fiction, Presenting A Heroine Who Is As Intelligent And Gutsy A Crime Solver As She Was A Real-life Monarch. Readers Will Never Again Look At Pictures Of The Virgin Queen In Her Elaborate Ruffs In Quite The Same Way. (jan.) Copyright 2005 Reed Business Information. The daughter of a disgraced earl, she matched wits with a prince.It is the fourteenth century, the height of the Medieval Age, and at the court of King Edward III of England, chivalry is loudly praised while treachery runs rampant. When the lovely and high-spirited Joan of Kent is sent to this politically charged court, she is woefully unprepared for the underhanded maneuverings of her peers. Determined to increase the breadth of his rule, the king will use any means necessary to gain control of France—including manipulating his own son, Edward, Prince of Wales. Joan plots to become involved with the prince to scandalize the royal family, for she has learned they engineered her father's downfall and death. But what begins as a calculated strategy soon—to Joan's surprise—grows into love. When Joan learns that Edward returns her feelings, she is soon fighting her own, for how can she love the man that ruined her family? And, if she does, what will be the cost?Filled with scandal, court intrigue, and prominent figures of the Medieval Age, The First Princess of Wales has at its center a wonderful love story, which is all the more remarkable because it is true. Karen Harper's compelling, fast-paced novel tells the riveting tale of an innocent girl who marries a prince and gives birth to a king. The daughter of a disgraced earl, she matched wits with a prince. It is the fourteenth century, the height of the Medieval Age, and at the court of King Edward III of England, chivalry is loudly praised while treachery runs rampant. When the lovely and high-spirited Joan of Kent is sent to this politically charged court, she is woefully unprepared for the underhanded maneuverings of her peers. Determined to increase the breadth of his rule, the king will use any means necessary to gain control of Franceincluding manipulating his own son, Edward, Prince of Wales. Joan plots to become involved with the prince to scandalize the royal family, for she has learned they engineered her fathers downfall and death. But what begins as a calculated strategy soonto Joans surprisegrows into love. When Joan learns that Edward returns her feelings, she is soon fighting her own, for how can she love the man that ruined her family? And, if she does, what will be the cost? Filled with scandal, court intrigue, and prominent figures of the Medieval Age, The First Princess of Wales has at its center a wonderful love story, which is all the more remarkable because it is true. Karen Harpers compelling, fast-paced novel tells the riveting tale of an innocent girl who marries a prince and gives birth to a king. In 1566, Elizabeth Tudor faces tremendous opposition from Parliament for ruling England without the help of a husband. Instead, she turns to her Privy Plot Council for help, only to discover from her royal herbalist that a woman has drowned in a tub of starch. Soon another garment worker meets the same rigid fate. Elizabeth becomes unbending in her attempts to solve the murders, as well as iron out the problems of her kingdom. But with her list of suspects growingand firm evidence pointing to those she trusts the mostElizabeth must hang the murderer out to dry or risk losing her reign or her life, in The Fatal Fashione, the eighth book in Karen Harper's Elizabeth I mystery series. Hoping To Redeem Her Family's Disgraced Name, Joan Of Kent Journeys To The Intrigue-filled Court Of King Edward Iii, Where, As Part Of Her Revenge On The Royal Family For Their Betrayal Of Her Father, She Targets Edward, Prince Of Wales, But Her Vengeance Is Undermined By Her Growing Feelings For The Prince. Karen Harper. Originally Published As Sweet Passion's Pain ... In 1984--t.p. Verso. Includes A Reader's Guide. The invention of starch has a profound influence on the fashion styles of Elizabethan England, but the lucrative commodity also leads to the murder of the royal starcher, followed by the killings of two other women "IF THE MEMBERS OF PARLIAMENT ARE HERE, THEY may cool their heels for a while!" Elizabeth Tudor announced the moment William Cecil, her trusted secretary of state, was admitted to her withdrawing room.