Cor Rotto: A Novel of Catherine Carey

Catherine Carey has been dreaming the same dream for three years, since the bloody execution of her aunt Queen Anne Boleyn. Her only comfort is that she and her family are safe in Calais, away from the intrigues of Henry VIII’s court. But now Catherine has been chosen to serve Henry VIII’s new wife, Queen Anne of Cleves. Just before she sets off for England, she learns the family secret: the true identity of her father, a man she considers a monster. One she will shortly meet.

This compelling novel tells the life story of a woman who survived being close to the crown and became one of Queen Elizabeth I’s closest confidants.

“From its riveting opening image, Cor Rotto draws the reader into a world of unimaginable intrigue and drama: the glittering and brittle Tudor Court. Dillard’s portrayal of Catherine Carey is so genuine and expressive that her trials and tribulations become one’s own. We rejoice with Catherine at her marriage to a good man, endure the births of her many children, and revel in the ultimate success of her career as a lady-in-waiting to Queen Elizabeth I. Dillard’s novel is at once cozy and comforting, traumatic and terrifying, and we become completely immersed in Catherine Carey’s world. An absolute joy of Tudor escapism.” —Sandra Vasoli, author of Pursuing A Masterpiece