The King's Messenger

I am so sad that this book is over. I wish it never ended.

Andrew Logan, the Messenger, is ordered to find the person who is believed to have poisoned Prince Henry and bring him before the King to be executed. Phoebe and her father join him on this dangerous mission that can only bring delays and trouble to his investigation.

As expected, I was engrossed in the story and enjoyed the journey through the 1600s with Andrew, Phoebe and the other companions. After the unexpected death of a prince, his parents seek justice. Andrew served his king and was loyal to him, but meeting someone who was close to the prince and being unfairly blamed for his death made Andrew question everything.

This book was written with passion and love. 💚The show more characters in this story were cleverly created. They all have their own special characteristics that made the reader excited to read each chapter told from their perspective.

Another amazing book by one of my favorite authors. The well researched historical details and settings made this a fantastic read.💚

An intriguing, exciting and adventurous historical novel with an unexpected romance and a beautiful ending. show less

I'm not a huge fan of Susanna Kearsley. The Winter Sea was OK, so I decided to give this one a try. I was drawn by the time period and the setting: England under the reign of James I, shortly after the untimely death of Henry, Prince of Wales. There is speculation that Henry's drawn-out illness and death was actually a poisoning. The prince had openly quarreled with his father and warned him of the bad influence of his favorite, Robert Carr. Some speculated that Carr--who was later arrested for poisoning a friend who opposed his marriage to the divorced Frances Howard--may have been responsible for Henry's death, perhaps even with the king's approval.

The story begins when Andrew Logan, one of the King's Messengers, is sent to Scotland show more to arrest Sir David Moray, the Prince's closest companion, and bring him back to London for trial. He's suspected of having poisoned Henry. Logan has been ordered to take with him Laurence Westaway, a scribe who is given the task of writing down everything that Moray says on the journey back. Since Westaway is not in the best health, his daughter Phoebe joins them. Since she is afraid of horses and doesn't ride, she has to ride on Logan's horse. This is even more touchy, since the two of them have a longstanding dislike of one another.

So, rather than tell you what happens (part of which you can probably guess from what I wrote above), let me say that this was a slow read. The plot is mostly riding, riding, riding and trying to avoid Moray's kinsmen, and, once Moray is captured, he tells lots of stories that make him a sympathetic character. At least there are a few surprises near the end. The blurb makes a lot of Logan's gift (or curse) of Second Sight, but it really doesn't play that big a part in the novel. The novel shifts points of view, among Logan, Phoebe, and Queen Anna, which are often shifts in time as well.

If you are a fan of this novelist, go for it. I will say that she took a fairly intriguing shift in the historical facts, which is fine with me, and she explains her rationale in the Afterword. show less

Susanna Kearsley has delivered a spectacular piece of historical fiction yet again! It's a quest impelled by duty which changes one's soul over time.

The story is set in England and Scotland of 1613. The two lands have been joined under James VI of Scotland/James I of England, son of Mary Queen of Scots. James' son, Henry, Prince of Wales, had recently died under mysterious circumstances and the perceived murderer is to be brought to trial. The king calls upon his messenger, Andrew Logan, and his aged scrivener, Laurence Westaway, to head up to Scotland to fetch and deliver to court for trial Sir David Moray, the former first gentleman of the (Prince's) bedchamber. Westaway's daughter, Phoebe, insinuates herself on the journey to aid her show more father. Once Sir David is captured, the long journey back to London commences and a great adventure begins.

Ms. Kearlsey has beautifully captured the nuances of 17th century England/Scotland through her effective use of period language where able and through the rich descriptions of attire, lodgings and locations. Her writing is solid and rich. The deep research is apparent and Herculean in scope. The mise en scène is spectacular and at times cinematic. The many protagonists of the story are well fleshed out and heartfully delivered. The concept of "Second Sight" is judiciously incorporated and draws well on the beliefs of the time. If historical fiction full of honor, duty, adventure and heart is your jam, then this could well be a book for you.

I am grateful to Sourcebooks Landmark for having provided a complimentary copy of this book through NetGalley. Their generosity, however, has not influenced this review - the words of which are mine alone.

Publisher: ‎Sourcebooks Landmark
Publication date: ‎March 4, 2025
Number of Pages: ‎381
ISBN: 978-1464233593 show less

Andrew Logan, a king's messenger, has been tasked with traveling to Scotland to escort a high-ranking courtier under suspicion of murder back to England. Traveling along with him are an elderly scribe and the scribe's daughter, Phoebe, with whom Andrew has long had a icy, antagonistic relationship. Having nabbed their quarry as expected, their return journey becomes one of evasion when they realize they are being followed and, moreover, the party members begin to doubt the ethics of their task as they learn more about their bound captive.

I've long enjoyed Kearsley's writing, and this was an enjoyable read, though doesn't hold a candle to my favorites, The Winter Sea and The Rose Garden. While there is some suspense and necessary show more conflict, overall the drama remains somewhat low-stakes. Kearsley excels at atmospheric dialog and description, and this book is no exception. Recommended for fans of historical fiction.

I received this ARC via NetGalley. show less

Susanna Kearsley once again expertly creates historical fiction made more riveting by couching the story in an intriguing romance.

This time she takes us to 1613 London and the court of King James I of England. Rumors have been spreading about the cause of the untimely death the previous winter of the King’s son and heir, Henry, shortly before he turned 19. Henry had been the focus of great hope and expectation, which meant he had incurred enemies just by existing. His mother, Queen Anne, wanted to find out which of his enemies might have taken her son away from her.

She pressed her husband to investigate, and wanted in particular to ask questions of Sir David Moray, former Gentleman of the Robes to Prince Henry. Per her wishes the King show more employed one of his messengers, the (fictional) Scottish-born Andrew Logan, only 26, but already known for bravery in carrying out the King’s wishes. Andrew was to find and arrest David Moray, and return him to London where he could be examined on what he knew about the prince possibly having been poisoned. The King also assigned a scrivener, Laurence Westaway, to accompany Andrew.

Andrew was aided by having the Second Sight. As he explained:

“This gift - or curse - of Second Sight . . . gave unbidden glimpses of the things that were to come. My mother, a Macdougall from the Western Isles, had warned me I should hide it well, for while the Sight was commonplace among her people, elsewhere it was nothing but a danger to possess, viewed as the Devil’s work and witchcraft.”

He knew therefore, that Westaway might not make it back home, and to that end agreed that Westaway’s daughter Phoebe, 24, could join them on the trip.

Picking up Sir David Murray in Scotland was relatively easy. But bringing him back to London to stand trial turned out to be a journey full of peril and revelations that would change everyone’s lives.

Evaluation: The author clearly has done a great deal of research in recreating 17th Century Scotland and England, not only with respect to the history and politics of the time, but regarding the language, dress, housing, manners and conduct of the period. Fans of Diana Gabaldon will rejoice in revisiting those times with such a skillful narrator and teacher, and with an enchanting romance in the story to boot. show less

A wonderful novel that artfully blends fact and fiction and features a vulnerable young heroine you’ll love. The book is set in the royal court of King James VI/I, the enigmatic monarch recently portrayed in the miniseries Mary & George, so the historic context immediately drew me in. Although I have read many novels about King James’ mother, Mary, Queen of Scots, I knew little about her son’s reign. In the first pages the reader learns that England has suffered an unspeakable tragedy, the loss of a popular crown prince. Rumors are flying about the cause of his death. Kearsley weaves that history into an engrossing tale that blends a royal road trip with a touching enemies-to-lovers subplot. Her deep research really shines in the show more novel’s male main character, Andrew Logan, who is a King’s Messenger caught in the crosswinds of deadly palace intrigue. There are some light speculative elements, but this is a very human story written by an author who walked the paths traveled by her characters. I’m anxious to read more of Kearsley’s many books. In the US, it’s available for preorder. Thanks to the @sourcebooks team and @netgalley for providing me this e-book for review. #historicalfiction #bookstagram show less

This was my first book by Susanna Kearsley, and it definitely won’t be my last. I love her writing style—deliberate and calming, beautiful without being overly flowery. The history is quietly lived by the characters, not pounded into the reader’s brain. The romance is sweet and slow. I can’t wait to read her again.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.