The Twylight Tower (Elizabeth I Mysteries, Book 3) - Hardcover

Harper, Karen

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 038533477X ISBN 13: 9780385334778

Publisher: Delacorte Press, 2001

Synopsis

Elizabethan England -- in all its pomp and pageantry, deadly intrigue and scandal -- comes alive in Karen Harper's magnificent new novel, the third work in her acclaimed Elizabeth I mystery series. Now the author of The Poyson Garden and The Tidal Poole brings us another captivating mystery, as young Bess Tudor stands on the threshold of her extraordinary destiny -- as a queen and as a woman.

It is May 1560. Less than two years have passed since the daughter of King Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn ascended the throne. As sinister storm clouds gather overhead, twenty-six-year-old Queen Elizabeth bids Godspeed to William Cecil, her most trusted adviser, on his way to Scotland for crucial negotiations. Handsome, ambitious Lord Robert Dudley is at her side.

Months later, there he remains, his fragile wife, Amy, tucked away in the country, far from Elizabeth's court. But their leisurely midsummer idyll is cut abruptly short when the court's master lutenist plunges to his death from a parapet beneath the queen's window.

The loyal servants of Elizabeth's privy council do not accept the official verdict of accidental death. Their fears are borne out when another tragedy rocks the realm, and points the way to a conspiracy to bring down Elizabeth and seize the throne.

As ill winds of treachery swirl and eddy around the royal court, and suspicion falls on those within Elizabeth's intimate circle of trusted allies and admirers, a vengeful enemy slips from the shadows ... a traitorous usurper who would be sovereign.

With The Twylight Tower, Karen Harper once again brings a legendary era to vivid life, drawing us into an intoxicating world of majesty and mayhem, political intrigue and adventure ... where danger is everywhere ... and where a young queen journeys to greatness in the long shadow of her bloodstained past.

About this title

From the Back Cover:

Praise for Karen Harper's Elizabeth I Mysteries

The Tidal Poole

"Harper's facility with historical figures such as William Cecil, Robert Dudley, and the treacherous Dutchess of Suffolk is extraordinary."
-- Los Angeles Times

"A nice mix of historical and fictional characters, deft twists and a plucky, engaging young heroine enhance this welcome sequel to The Poyson Garden."
-- Publishers Weekly

"Peopled with historical figures and bounding with intrigue and mystery, The Tidal Poole is a triumphant read. Harper does a masterful job re-creating the era and her portrait of the young queen is brilliant. The intricate plot will immediately carry readers away to Elizabethan times."
-- Romantic Times

"Harper delivers high drama and deadly intrigue....[She] masterfully captures the Elizabethan tone in both language and setting and gives life to fascinating historical figures....Elizabethan history has never been this appealing."
-- Newsday
The Poyson Garden

"An entertaining cross between a swashbuckling historical romance and a mystery novel. The heroine is spunky, the courtiers scheme and truckle, capes swirl, daggers flash and horses gallop."
--Portland Oregonian

"Impressively researched . . . the author has her poisons and her historical details down pat."
-- Los Angeles Times
"A walk side by side with one of history's most dynamic characters."
-- Anne Perry, author of Half Moon Street

About the Author:

Karen Harper is the author of two previous Elizabeth I mysteries, The Tidal Poole and The Poyson Garden, as well as a number of contemporary suspense and historical novels. She lives in Columbus, Ohio, and Naples, Florida.

About this edition

• Publisher: Delacorte Press
• Publication date: 2001
• ISBN 10: 038533477X
• ISBN 13: 9780385334778
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 289