In The King’s Messenger, Kearsley takes as her inspiration the untimely death of Henry, the heir to the throne of King James (the son of Mary Queen of Scotts) and Queen Anna. The book takes place in 1613 when young Andrew Logan, a Messenger for the King, is sent to bring Sir David Moray from Scotland to England to stand trial for the alleged poisoning of Henry. Logan is accompanied on the journey by Laurence Westaway, who serves as a scribe—to document any confession Moray may make on the trip—and Phoebe Westaway, who tags along because of her father’s poor health. Phoebe dislikes Logan, which ratchets up the tension on the long, hazardous journey from England to Scotland, but she finds she must rely on him and his “second sight” for survival.
Susanna Kearsley is one of my favorite authors due to her superb scholarship, deft portrayal of characters, and ability to capture verbally the atmosphere and speech patterns of the time period. Told in four points of view (Logan, Phoebe, Queen Ann, and Sir David Mornay), this book deals with honor, truth, and integrity. Her author’s note at the end is worth the price of the book as she explains her research and reaches a logical conclusion to the actual cause of death of Henry. She has the grace to acknowledge that history is not made by kings and queens alone; common folk affect historical events as well, though they remain undocumented.
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The King’s Messenger (Sourcebooks Landmark, March 4, 2025) is available through:
Your local independent bookseller | Amazon | Barnes & Noble
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You can read my review of Kearsley’s Shadowy Horseshere.
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