Queen of the North: sumptuous and evocative historical fiction from the Sunday Times bestselling author

Queen of the North: sumptuous and evocative historical fiction from the Sunday Times bestselling author
Anne O'Brien

From Sunday Times bestseller Anne O’Brien . . .To those around her she was a loyal subject. In her heart she was a traitor.1399: England’s crown is under threat. King Richard II holds onto his power by an ever-weakening thread, with exiled Henry of Lancaster back to reclaim his place on the throne.For Elizabeth Mortimer, there is only one rightful King – her eight-year-old nephew, Edmund. Only he can guarantee her fortunes, and protect her family’s rule over the precious Northern lands bordering Scotland.But many, including Elizabeth’s husband, do not want another child-King. Elizabeth must hide her true ambitions in Court, and go against her husband’s wishes to help build a rebel army.To question her loyalty to the King places Elizabeth in the shadow of the axe.To concede would curdle her Plantagenet blood.This is one woman’s quest to turn history on its head.‘O’Brien is now approaching Philippa Gregory status’ Reader’s Digest‘O’Brien is a terrific storyteller’ Daily Telegraph‘O’Brien cleverly intertwines the personal and political’ The Times

Also by

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VIRGIN WIDOW

DEVIL’S CONSORT

THE KING’S CONCUBINE

THE FORBIDDEN QUEEN

THE SCANDALOUS DUCHESS

THE KING’S SISTER

THE QUEEN’S CHOICE

THE SHADOW QUEEN

Copyright (#ulink_4e91b534-f38d-53dc-bbb2-0f5127264cb9)

An imprint of HarperCollins Publishers Ltd.

1 London Bridge Street

London SE1 9GF

First published in Great Britain by HQ in 2018

Copyright © Anne O’Brien 2018

Anne O’Brien asserts the moral right to be identified as the author of this work.

A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.

This novel is entirely a work of fiction. The names, characters and incidents portrayed in it are the work of the author’s imagination. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events or localities is entirely coincidental.

All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. By payment of the required fees, you have been granted the non-exclusive, non-transferable right to access and read the text of this e-book on-screen. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, downloaded, decompiled, reverse engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of HarperCollins.

Ebook Edition © May 2018 ISBN: 9780008225445

Version: 2018-07-18

Praise for (#ulink_dcb0b87e-3a51-5b1a-babb-3ad29d599ddc)

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‘A cracking historical novel’

Good Housekeeping

‘O’Brien cleverly intertwines the personal and political in this enjoyable, gripping tale’

The Times

‘O’Brien is a terrific storyteller’

Daily Telegraph

‘A gripping story of love, heartache and political intrigue’

Woman & Home

‘There are historical novels and then there are the works of Anne O’Brien – and this is another hit’

The Sun

‘The characters are larger than life…and the author a compulsive storyteller’

Sunday Express

‘This book has everything – royalty, scandal, fascinating historical politics’

Cosmopolitan

‘A gripping historical drama’

Bella

For George, who almost lost his status as the only hero in my life to Harry Hotspur. George retains his supremacy, and always will.

Lady Kate:

In faith, I’ll break thy little finger, Harry,

An if thou wilt not tell me all things true.

Hotspur:

Away,

Away, you trifler! Love! I love thee not,

I care not for thee, Kate: this is no world