1471. Edward IV is King of England, with the Lancaster fraction vanquished. But Margaret Beaufort, mother of Henry Tudor, and the Lancasterian hope continues to plot. But as one by one her loyal men are killed, she with Reginald Bray and Christopher Urswicke believe that there is a traitor in their midst.
Overall I enjoyed the story, which could have been improved with less description of the various surroundings, and repetition of retelling of events which slowed the pace of the story.
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Of Kings and Royal ambitions!

Doherty continues his brilliant fictional treatise centered around Margaret of Beaufort, Henry Tudor's mother, and her deceptively focused fight to keep her son safe and bring him to the English throne. Standing with her are her redoubtable and loyal clerks Christopher Urswicke and Reginald Bray
The House of York is divided against itself, Edward is king. His Recorder, Sir Thomas Urswicke, Christopher's father, is cunning and vicious in his plans to bring Margaret and the Tudors to heel. Needless to say father and son are estranged, although it appears Thomas still hopes for Christopher's loyalty.
Trusted welshmen, part of the Red Dragon Battle Group are being hounded to death. Even claiming the church's sanctuary sees them mysteriously slain.
Margaret and her loyal supporters must come up with a plan to thwart the Recorder's intentions. And as plans take root, they come to an inescapable truth. There is a traitor working in their midst. The Recorder intends the sanctuary men to be escorted to the coast and exiled. Of course, much can happen on that long march. Margaret elects to accompany them.
Truly some of the descriptions Doherty gives of the conditions on the streets, of the merry making on the occasion of a public hanging, of conditions in jails, and in the dank alleyways are akin to descending into Dante's Inferno at the very worst and a Bruegel painting at the very best. These illuminating word pictures are not far from that!
Doherty's research is as always superb, his writing flawlessly incorporating facts into the narrative. I was taken by his comments about this period in his Author's Note.
"I have always believed that during the period 1471 to 1485 some dark nemesis stalked the House of York. I suspect this nemesis was the innocent-looking yet very shrewd Margaret Beaufort, Countess of Richmond. Margaret was a truly brilliant strategist and a ‘master of politic’: a woman assisted by her two clerks, Reginald Bray and Christopher Urswicke, who themselves matched their mistress’s talents." I must say I found the accompanying reflection about Christopher Urswicke telling.
Master storyteller Doherty does indeed pen a fabulously twisty historical novel.

A Severn House ARC via NetGalley ( )