A King, three Queens, a handful of nobles and a host of former courtiers…
In the Tower of London, the dead outnumber the living, with the likes of Tudor Queens Anne Boleyn and Katherine Howard rubbing shoulders with one man who has made his way back from his place of death at Bosworth Field to discover the truth about the disappearance of his famous nephews.
Amidst the chaos of daily life, with … of daily life, with political and personal tensions running high, Richard III takes control, as each ghostly resident looks for their own peace in the former palace – where privacy was always a limited luxury.
With so many characters haunting the Tower of London, will they all find the calm they crave? But foremost – will the young Plantagenet Princes join them?
more
Kindred Spirits Tower of London is the first in Jennifer Wilson’s series of ghost stories set in famously haunted places populated with an eerie cast of long-dead characters. The ghosts mingle with tourists visiting the Tower of London and ensure those visitors have a spine tingling experience. But the modern day visitors are just scene setting and playthings for the dead kings, queens and nobles – many of whom were violently executed at the Tower.
There’s a huge cast of Plantagenet and Tudor characters, most prominent being Richard III and Anne Boleyn. But Cromwell is there and Katherine Howard and Margaret Pole and many members of the extended Boleyn and Seymour clans. I was glad I’d read Hilary Mantel’s Wolf Hall and Bring Up the Bodies because that meant I knew who many of the minor characters were, such as Mark Smeaton, the court musician, and others caught up in the trumped up conspiracy to betray Anne Boleyn that led to her execution. If you haven’t read Mantel, don’t worry there is a comprehensive Who’s Who at the end of the book. Tip: read this first.
The plot revolves around Richard’s mission to rehabilitate his reputation and find the princes in the Tower to prove he didn’t murder them and Anne Boleyn supports him in this. There are other side plots – partings and greetings and reconciliations.
An entertaining read delivered with a light touch by the author..
I love Kindred Spirits: Tower of London by Jennifer C. Wilson.
The book opens with Anne Boleyn (1501-1536) and Richard III (1452-1485) bickering like veteran comedians. “You’re late,” she says. He answers, “You’re dead.” What an excellent opening for a novel. They didn’t walk the earth together, but fortunately, they have found each other in the hereafter.
Just imagine, long deceased kings and queens forced to watch as history is explained to tourists and groups of school children as they tour the Tower of London. “Almost five centuries of constant company could be too much for anyone.” What’s a ghost to do with all their idle time? You’ll find the answer in this book. It is tons of fun to read about the light-hearted pranks the ghosts pull on unsuspecting visitors.
Please, do yourself a favor. Google “Tower of London” and skim the Wikipedia page before reading Kindred Spirits: Tower of London. Glance at images of this fantastic World Heritage Site. This palace slash prison should be on everyone’s travel wishlist. As soon as it is safe, hurry over to London. The ghosts are bored and they need people to mess with. Before you visit, shave your head bald or put your hair up in a bun, and don’t wear a scarf. Just sayin’.
I googled the historical figures as I read the first two chapters, only to find that research was done for me at the end of the book. Early on, I almost got stuck trying to differentiate the similarly named characters. It turns out, it is not that complicated if you focus mainly on Anne and Richard.
Richard III searches endlessly for the ghosts of two young teens, the so-called Princes in the Tower. Their disappearance remains a mystery, but history suggests that Richard III killed the boys to strengthen his claim for the throne. These ghosts must be found so that Richard can redeem himself and improve his reputation. I can’t tell you how this works out because it would spoil all the fun.
So (in this book) here’s the skinny on ghosts: Ghosts cry; tears aren’t limited to the living. They care about their looks. “Being dead was one thing, but that was not an excuse not to take care in your appearance.” They have a sense of humor. They care about the accuracy of the stories told about them. They do enjoy haunting the living. They can “rip each other to shreds.” They can pick up objects, but they can’t carry objects with them when they walk through walls. They do randomly move things around just for entertainment purposes, so remember that next time you are looking for your wallet or your keys. Ghosts don’t just eavesdrop on the living, they like to listen to each other as well. Ghosts can choose where they spend their time as spirits. Ghosts sleep. Ghosts bleed. Ghosts dance. I’ll bet I’ll make a better dancer as a ghost when my feet don’t need to touch the floor. They are jealous when the living eat in front of them, but they do enjoy sniffing our food. I hate it when characters in novels run their fingers through their hair, but I was most entertained when the ghost of King Richard III did it. Even spirits want something. Not all souls want to walk into the bright white light.
In the final analysis, it is comforting to read, “Whatever somebody has done in life, they deserve a peaceful welcome into death.” This book is a delightful, ghostly romp. I am adding the rest of the series to my TBR list.