The King’s Intelligencer
Discovering the Missing Princes in the Tower
Elizabeth St. John
Publication Date: 15th October, 2024
Publisher: Falcon Historical
Pages: 494
Genre: Historical Fiction
Blurb:
London, 1674: When children’s bones are unexpectedly unearthed in the Tower of London, England’s most haunting mystery—the fate of the missing princes—is reignited.
Franny Apsley, trusted confidante to Charles II’s beloved niece and heir, Lady Mary Stuart, is caught up in the court’s excitement surrounding the find. Yet, as a dark family secret comes to light, Franny realises the truth behind the missing princes is far more complex—and dangerous—than anyone suspects. Recruited by her formidable cousin Nan Wilmot, Dowager Countess of Rochester, to discover the truth behind the bones, Franny is thrust into the shadowy world of intelligencers. But her quest is complicated by an attraction to the charismatic court artist Nicholas Jameson, a recent arrival from Paris who harbours secrets of his own.
Pursued by Nicholas, Franny searches for evidence hidden in secret family letters and paintings, and uncovers a startling diplomatic plot involving Lady Mary, which causes Franny to question her own judgment, threatens the throne, and sets England on a course for war. With only her courage and the guidance of an enigmatic spy within the royal household, Franny must decide how far she will go to expose the truth—and whether that truth will lead to England’s salvation or her own heartbreak.
In a glittering and debauched society where love is treacherous and loyalty masked, Franny must navigate a world where a woman’s voice is often silenced and confront the ultimate question: What is she willing to risk for the sake of her country, her happiness, and her family’s safety?
A captivating historical novel of conspiracy, passion, and courage, The King’s Intelligencer is one woman's quest for a truth that could change the fate of a nation. A companion to the critically acclaimed best-selling novels The Godmother’s Secret and The Lydiard Chronicles, The King’s Intelligencer weaves together beloved characters and actual events to bring a suspenseful mystery to life.
Buy Links:
This title is available to read on #Kindle Unlimited.
Universal Buy Link: https://geni.us/KingsIntelligencer
Author Bio:
Elizabeth St.John’s critically acclaimed historical fiction novels tell the stories of her ancestors: extraordinary women whose intriguing kinship with England's kings and queens brings an intimately unique perspective to Medieval, Tudor, and Stuart times.
Inspired by family archives and residences from Lydiard Park to the Tower of London, Elizabeth spends much of her time exploring ancestral portraits, diaries, and lost gardens. And encountering the occasional ghost. But that’s another story.
Living between California, England, and the past, Elizabeth is the International Ambassador for The Friends of Lydiard Park, an English charity dedicated to conserving and enhancing this beautiful centuries-old country house and park. As a curator for The Lydiard Archives, she is constantly looking for an undiscovered treasure to inspire her next novel.
Elizabeth's works include The Lydiard Chronicles, a trilogy set in 17th-century England during the Civil War, and The Godmother's Secret, which unravels the medieval mystery of the missing princes in the Tower of London. Her latest release, The King’s Intelligencer, follows Franny Apsley's perilous quest to uncover the truth behind the sudden discovery of the princes' bones. In Charles II's court of intrigue and deceit, Franny must decide what she’ll risk—for England’s salvation, her family's safety, and her own happiness.
Author Links:
Website: https://www.elizabethjstjohn.com/
Twitter: https://x.com/ElizStJohn
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/elizabethjstjohn/
Amazon Author Page: https://geni.us/AmazonElizabethStJohn
Goodreads: https://geni.us/GoodreadsElizStJohn
Book Excerpt:
Chapter 1
London, 1674
Footsteps rattled across Westminster Abbey’s chessboard floor, tip-tapping a reveille rude enough to wake the dead. Franny Apsley frowned. She welcomed an entertaining disruption from escorting her royal mistress around the dismal graves, but they had yet to visit the tomb that really mattered. The one that served Franny’s purpose, if not her desire.
The excursion was the girl’s idea, of course, because Lady Mary Stuart, King Charles’s precious twelve-year-old niece, relished visiting macabre monuments of her ancestors. Later, Mary would no doubt scream for her favourite lady as the dead rode night mares across her swagged four-poster, keeping Franny awake and yawning at her side, and proving once again her opinion that a place in the royal household was more duty than honour. The least she could salvage from today’s expedition was another rung up the ladder of ambition.
Gibstone, the court’s drawing master, scuttled towards them, his anvil-jawed face mulberry-flushed, stubby legs pumping. He flashed a satisfied glance at Franny; he was her co-conspirator in entertaining Mary.
“Do you carry news, Mr. Gibstone?” The interruption was timely, but not at the expense of Franny’s story. In its telling, she required the presence of a significant tomb to capture Mary’s vivid imagination. “Can it wait? We must go to the Lady Chapel.”
“What is it?” cried Lady Mary, eager, apparently, for a diversion. “Oh, what has happened, Mr. Gibstone?”
“Bones! Bones! The Tower”—panted the dwarf, wedging a thumb under his elaborate cravat—“I’ve been at the demolition at the Tower of London. Kit Wren is examining ancient bones found by the stairs at the White Keep. Children’s bones. Two sets. Two children. In the Tower.”
A distant story nagged just beyond Franny’s recollection. “Bones? Whose bones?”
“Could it be the murdered princes?” Mr. Gibstone rolled his eyes in excitement. “Come now! Come and see for yourself.”
Courtiers circled, enticed by the whiff of distraction from Lady Mary’s obsession. She may enjoy predicting her own future by communing with her royal ancestors in the abbey, but the Tower of London? Children’s bones? Evidence of a royal murder?
Infinitely more interesting.
Beyond Mr. Gibstone’s bobbing head, behind the familiar clutch of cousins, friends, and foes, a stranger stood tall, his green-eyed gaze piercing the abbey’s gloom. He watched Franny, not the news-bearing dwarf. She had not seen this man before.
Franny blinked, looked away, met the unforgiving stares of the painted plaster saints in their niches. “Jesu,” she breathed and crossed herself. “The murdered princes? Jesu save their souls.”
Mary clapped with delight. “Bones! Another adventure.” Her voice squeaked excitement. “Franny, we must go this very minute!”
Not until she had finished her business in the abbey. “We have one more tomb to visit.” Franny bent to Mr. Gibstone, gathered her thoughts. “Arrange for the coach to meet us in the sanctuary courtyard. We will be there shortly.”
Mr. Gibstone wavered, torn between Franny’s instructions, Mary’s excitement, and his opportunity to win favour. “They think it might be the missing princes,” he offered again hopefully, “in the Tower.”
The Tower. The princes. Franny inhaled deeply. She hadn’t been to the Tower since she was nine years old. And never thought she’d have reason to return.
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Thanks so much for inviting me to share an excerpt from The King's Intelligencer - it was great to write about the pivotal moment the bones were discovered in the Tower!
Thanks so much for hosting Elizabeth St.John today, with an enticing excerpt from her intriguing new novel, The King's Intelligencer.
Take care,
Cathie xo The Coffee Pot Book Club