The King's Witch

A Novel

De: Tracy Borman

Narrado por: Esther Wane

In March of 1603, as she helps to nurse the dying Queen Elizabeth of England, Frances Gorges dreams of her parents’ country estate, where she has learned to use flowers and herbs to become a much-loved healer. She is happy to stay at home when King James of Scotland succeeds to the throne. His court may be shockingly decadent, but his intolerant Puritanism sees witchcraft in many of the old customs - punishable by death.

But when her ambitious uncle forcibly brings Frances to the royal palace, she is a ready target for the twisted scheming of the Privy Seal, Lord Cecil. As a dark campaign to destroy both King and Parliament gathers pace, culminating in the Gunpowder Plot of 1605, Frances is surrounded by danger, finding happiness only with the King’s precocious young daughter, and with Tom Wintour, the one courtier she feels she can trust. But is he all that he seems?

Acclaimed as a brilliant historian, Tracy Borman proves with this thrilling debut novel that she is also a born storyteller.

©2018 Tracy Borman. First published in Great Britain in 2018 by Hodder & Stoughton, an Hachette UK company. Recorded by arrangement with Grove Atlantic, Inc. (P)2018 Audible, Inc.

Wonderful

The story and historical accounts are compelling. The narrator does a great job of identifying each character separately. Highly recommend if English history is of interest.

Engaging Story of the Aftermath of Elizabeth I’s Death

Very well written and detailed. Ms. Borman wove her story deftly within the historical facts of the time. Excellent!

Historical Novel Authors Should Do Their Research

I took a chance on this, based on reviews. I could not finish it. The protagonist, Lady Francis, is supposed to be an expert in healing herbs, making tinctures, salves, etc, The author clearly did not know the difference between a tincture and a simple concoction of herbs and water. I make tinctures and salves--it isn't rocket science, but this author didn't know much about her protagonists' supposed area of expertise.

Then Lady Francis winds up at the court of James I, living without a maid in Whitehall Palace. It would literally not have been possible to live as an aristocratic woman in those times without a maid. For one thing, the court clothes were so elaborate that it required at least one additional person to get another person dressed. The wearer was often literally sewn into a dress, or laced into a dress in a way that the wearer could never have managed on her own. Then there is the issue of the elaborate hairstyles and their enmeshment into fashionable headgear. The notion that Lady Francis would have been able to manage all this and still not look like an expensively dressed madwoman is highly unlikely.

I was pretty sure from the beginning what the plot was going to be--Francis is a healer, James I is the author of "Daemonology," a treatise against witchcraft. I can see it coming a mile away. Too bad--I was really hoping to enjoy this book, based on the reviews. The narration was good.

the narrator did a wonderful job. great sorry!!

wonderful book!!!! would recommend it to anyone who enjoys history! ❤️ story excited to start the next in the series!

Narrator Noises

I enjoyed the story but the narration was a bit lacking. In particular I could hear the narrator's weird mouth noises (lip smacks, nasally breathing, throat noises) at pauses and it was a bit unnerving.