Currently Reading: Queen's Bounty by Fiona Buckley

I have mentioned here one or two times that I am a sucker for a series, and I will stick around for the long term to continue a series. I do, however, much prefer to read a series in order.

The Ursula Blanchard mysteries is kind of an example of a long term commitment.  I read the first instalment of the series back in May 2005 (preblogging days) and then proceeded to read all 8 books in the series over the next ten months. Apparently I used to read a series a lot quicker back then! I did a spotlight post on the series a few years ago now which you can read here.

After that there was no word of a new book in the series, even though it clearly wasn't finished. I wanted to find out what happened next in the life of Ursula, her daughter Meg, her servants. Would she be drawn back into the intrigues that were so prevalent in the court of Elizabeth I. Would William Cecil find just one more job for Ursula to perform for Queen and country, or would she be allowed to live a quiet life in the country with her family and friends?

I was very surprised earlier this year when I found out that there was finally going to be a new instalment in the series after a gap of more than 7 years! And even better, my library had a copy on order. I requested it straight away and then had to wait.

Now that I have started reading it, there is no way that it feels as though there had been a gap of years between reading the last book and this one, until there started to be references to made to events that clearly happened in the last book, and I couldn't remember them. Undeterred I kept reading until something prompted me to have a look at Goodreads and there was reference to another book.

It turns out that I missed the news that there was a new book out late last year or early this year and so not only has there been a significant gap in reading the books but now I am reading the books out of order! The strange thing is, my library hasn't bought Queen Without a Crown (9th book in the series) but has bought this book which is the 10th book in the series.

Oh well, guess I can't do much about it now that I am more than a 100 pages into the book, but I would have much preferred to have realised this before I go to this point!

Spotlight on Fiona Buckley

I'm late! I'm late! Before I had even written the post for the letter A as part of the Crime Fiction Alphabet being hosted by Kerrie from Mysteries in Paradise, I knew what I was going to write about for the letter B. You would think that that would make it more likely that I would actually get around to posting it on time wouldn't you? Unfortunately not, but I thought I would still write the post for my own entertainment anyway. It will probably end up being cross posted at Historical Tapestry at some point as well!

Now I have to try to think about what I can possible post about for the letter C!



For a long time now, a look at the historical fiction shelves will reveal that one of the most popular eras in historical fiction is the Tudor period, particularly the life and times of Henry VIII and his daughter Elizabeth I. This fascination is understandable - scandalous love lives, religious upheaval and dramatic events in world history all are factors in the fascination that readers have with these times.

Those factors are part of what makes the Ursula Blanchard series of novels by Fiona Buckley an entertaining read.

Full name Ursula Faldene Blanchard de la Roche Stannard, our introduction to Ursula is when she is a young widow who has recently arrived in the court of Elizabeth I. She needs to provide for her young daughter, Meg, as well as her servants. It isn't long before William Cecil has Ursula working for him in a variety of roles, placing her both in danger, but also in situations where she can show her resourcefulness and resolve.

There is definitely some similarity in tone and broad themes to Karen Harper's Elizabeth I mysteries series, but one of the key differences is that Ursula is not restricted to the court as Elizabeth I, as sleuth, needs to be for the most part. Being able to travel around means that Ursula is able to investigate events such as the death of Robert Dudley's wife (The Robsart Mystery) and various Catholic (The Doublet Affair) and aristocratic plots (To Ruin a Queen). Along the way, Ursula interacts with Catherine, Queen of France (The Queen's Ransom), Mary, Queen of Scots (A Pawn for a Queen and The Fugitive Queen) and also finds time to live her own life as well including dealing with deaths, marriages and raising a young girl to womanhood.

Like many other historical mysteries series, there are times when Ursula is too modern, and there are some things that happen that I didn't really like, but the positives outweigh those criticisms.

At this point in time, there doesn't appear to be any new Ursula Blanchard books due to be published, which is disappointing. Fiona Buckley is however the pen name for Valerie Anand who writes historical fiction/fantasy, and she has at least one long running series that I will try at some point.

I did find that this series started slowly, but the books did improve and the last few were very entertaining. I started reading this series before I started blogging so I don't have reviews for all of them, but I have provided the links where possible. The series in order is:

1. The Robsart Mystery (also published as To Shield the Queen)
2. The Doublet Affair
3. Queen's Ransom
4. To Ruin A Queen
5. Queen of Ambition
6. A Pawn for a Queen
7. The Fugitive Queen
8. The Siren Queen

The Siren Queen by Fiona Buckley

The Siren Queen is the eighth book in the Ursula Blanchard series of mysteries and I have to say that these books just get better and better. I have been reading this series for a while and now I am all caught up with the books that have been released at this time.

Ursula's daughter from her first marriage is about to turn 14 and, as they did at that time, thoughts turn to betrothals and marriage. It has been suggested that there is a young man who works for the Duke of Norfolk called Edmund Dean who would be a good match for young Meg, and so the whole Stannard family goes to London to meet Mr Dean. Ursula takes an instant dislike to Edmund but Meg is smitten, and he is very persistent in his devotion to her which concerns Ursula and her husband greatly.

However, whilst staying at the Duke of Norfolk's home, two young men are killed and Ursula becomes involved in the investigation, placing both herself and her family and entourage in a potentially dangerous situation. Are their deaths connected to plots to remove Elizabeth from the throne? They are certainly connected to Mary, Queen of Scots on several levels, even involving some of Elizabeth's favourites, including Robert, Earl of Leicester.

There are moments of good humour in this book. For example, the old woman that Ursula rescued from charges of witchcraft in Wales a few books ago attracts a beau - an elderly gentleman who creates very risque topiary shapes, when he isn't looking in at the serving girls that is. Unfortunately, Gladys' propensity for cursing people sees her get into more trouble in this book, particularly after she rejects her suitors offer of marriage.

If there was anything that bothers me at all about this book, it is the authors insistence at dropping just one or two sentences into the narrative to say that this first person account is actually being told looking back over many years. It really doesn't need to be there. There was also a couple of brief mentions about the nearness that Ursula had come to an inappropriate relationship with her servant Brockley that I didn't feel actually needed to be here. These are however maybe three or four sentences throughout the whole book, and therefore don't really impede my enjoyment of them.

With royal plots, accusations of witchcraft, and a huge twist in this book regarding Ursula's past this was a very entertaining read, and the foundations have been laid for some very interesting developments in the life of Ursula Stannard (formerly known as Ursula Blanchard, and Ursula de la Roche). I guess I will just have to wait for the next book to come out though.

The series in order is:

1. The Robsart Mystery (also published as To Shield the Queen)
2. The Doublet Affair
3. Queen's Ransom
4. To Ruin A Queen
5. Queen of Ambition
6. A Pawn for a Queen
7. The Fugitive Queen
8. The Siren Queen

Rating 4.5/5

The Fugitive Queen by Fiona Buckley

It is 1568 and Ursula Stannard (nee Blanchard) has been away from the court of Queen Elizabeth I for nearly 3 years, living a quiet country life with her third husband Hugh. She has also gained a ward, Penelope Mason, whose family we met in earlier books. Ursula's quiet country life is interrupted when she is summoned to court to reprimand Penelope as it appears that she has developed an unfortunate attachment to an unsuitable man (not for the first time).

In order to both remove Penelope from a potentially embarrassing situation, and to provide her with a better dowry in order to help her make a good match, a parcel of land in Yorkshire is given to Penelope, and it is suggested to Ursula that it would be a good idea for her take the new property owner to her property to inspect it. It is of course not coincidental that Bolton Castle is within a day's ride, and that Elizabeth has a private message that she wishes to have delivered to Mary, Queen of Scots who is "a guest" there under the watchful eye of Sir Francis Knollys. William Cecil also wishes for Ursula to see whether she can find out anything more about the death of Henry Darnley, Mary's husband who died in rather suspicious circumstances.

So, Ursula heads for the wild north of England, with a party that includes several of William Cecil's men, for protection, her loyal servants Brockley and Dale, her daughter Meg, and the far from happy Pen. Before too long, there has been a kidnap attempt on Meg, one of the soldiers is dead, and then when they finally arrive at Tyesdale to find the property has not been well maintained and there is some suspicion that the steward has been stealing.

As usual, wherever Ursula goes there are plots to be discovered and investigated, and this book is no different. It appears that there is a plot to help Mary escape from her captivity, and Ursula is drawn into it further than she would like.

This is the seventh book in the Ursula Blanchard mysteries, and I would have to say that it was one of the most enjoyable. With Pen, we meet a young girl who falls in love very easily which causes numerous problems throughout the book, and yet this is nicely balanced against the mysteries of who could have been responsible for kidnapping Meg, and killing the soldier, as well as who is implicated in the plot to aid Mary's escape.

There is only one more book in this series to go before I have caught up with the author, and will have to start waiting for new books to come out. I hope there is a new one soon! You can read previous posts about this series here.

Rating 4/5

A Pawn for a Queen by Fiona Buckley

If Queen of Ambition was all about Ursula fighting her attraction to her manservant Brockley, then A Pawn for a Queen should have been subtitled We Need to Get Ursula Married Off Again and Quickly. Whilst there is still some references to the closeness between Brockley and Ursula, fortunately it was not as common as it was in the last book.

With Ursula a recent widow, the prologue is about her getting ready to get married to an unnamed man. When the book begins properly, it is to find Ursula being asked to go off to Scotland to follow after her cousin Edward Faldene who it seems has been involved in gathering supporter's names and promises of support for Queen Mary Stuart should she ever gain the throne in England. This is of course treasonous to Queen Elizabeth I, and Ursula needs to find Edward and stop him before he gets caught and faces traitor's punishment. Only problem is that Ursula does not have the Queen's approval to undertake this journey or the investigation.

So begins a cross country chase, taking Ursula from her home through to the wild Scottish lands, and into Edinburgh. Unfortunately, Ursula catches up with her cousin, only to find him dead in his bed, having been murdered. Ursula being Ursula, she must investigate, and soon finds herself involved in life at the court of Mary Stuart.

At various points in the adventure, several of the main characters tell Ursula that she should be getting married, as do several of the minor characters. Luckily for her, she manages to attract willing men whereever she goes. Unluckily, one of them is Sir Brian Dormbois, who is a very engaging villain in more ways than one. Buckley gave the book a very interesting twist, with Ursula behaving in a very unusual way for a 16th century lady, but it all works out in the end.

There is also a big twist in the end of this book regarding Ursula's parentage. Whilst I understand why the author chose this twist, it seems to me to have been a rather obvious thing to have done. Once again though the ground work has definitely been laid very nicely for future books in the series.

Overall, this was a very entertaining read in a series that I enjoy.

Rating 4/5

Queen of Ambition (An Ursula Blanchard Mystery at Queen Elizabeth I's Court) by Fiona Buckley

It is the summer of 1564 and Queen Elizabeth I and her court are on progress through the land. In a couple of weeks time they will be staying at Cambridge and there is much excitement. There is also a suspicion of danger as a group of young students have requested permission to perform a playlet for the Queen which would involve the kidnapping of a woman and Robert Dudley being his chivalrous self and rescuing the woman by performing a mock sword fight with one of the students. Sir William Cecil is concerned that there will be drawn swords in such close proximity to the Queen and so sends Ursula Blanchard to inveszigate to ensure that the Queen is not in danger.

Jester's pie shop seems to be the meeting place and central focus of the students involved and so Ursula is sent to work in the shop for the bullyish owner Roland Jester. Jester's daughter Ambrosia also works there with a couple of other employees. Ursula manages to make arrangements to meet with one of the young men, Thomas Shawe, who has some concerns about the playlet, but before he can meet her, Thomas dies in what looks like an unfortunate accident. However it turns out that Thomas and Ambrosia were involved and her father would not allow them to marry. The fact that Thomas had agreed to meet her, but is now dead was a bit too much of a coincidence for Ursula and she sets about investigating his death.

Whilst I do enjoy reading this series, it is in no way a perfect experience. The books are written in first person and sometimes the way she chooses to reveal information to the reader is a bit irritating. Ursula tells us that she has found something out, but it is not revealed for a few more pages.

A couple of other things in this book that I didn't really like were the insistence of the author to labour home the fact that Ursula feels some kind of attraction to her manservant Roger Brockley despite the fact that she is his boss and that they are both married - Roger to Ursula's maidservant Fran Dale, and Ursula to Matthew de la Roche. Ursula is waiting for the all clear from Matthew so that she can rejoin him in France as there has been an outbreak of the plague where he lives, and she does not wish to expose her daughter or herself to the plague. The way that Matthew is dealt with at the end of this book seems like a very good way to deal with the problem of how to have a respectable married woman travel all over the countryside to spy for the Queen without arising suspicion, but seems a little drastic for my liking. The disintegrating relationship with Rob Henderson also left a bit of a sour taste in my mouth. Rob has been Ursula's ally several times during the series, and Ursula's daughter Meg lived with Rob and his wife while Ursula was at court, so for their friendship to change in the way it did seemed a little heartless to me.

The plot in this one is pretty complicated, including a very laborious code breaking exercise, but the twist in the plot is very well done, and added immeasurably to the reading experience for me. The books are full of historical detail, and are pretty well written as well, so it is off to the library for me some time this week to get the next book in the series, A Pawn for a Queen.

Rating 4 out of 5