The acclaimed author of The King’s Witch continues her epic trilogy of Jacobean England as conspiracy haunts the court of King James. In the court of King James, lady-in-waiting Frances Gorges was suspected of witchcraft for her healing skills. But when her lover was executed for his role in the Gunpowder Plot, she fled for her life–and that of her unborn child. Now Frances is compelled to … Now Frances is compelled to return to the dissolute and dangerous court to marry Sir Thomas Tyringham, King James’s master of hounds, who has agreed to assume paternity of her son.
Meanwhile, whispers of conspiracy continue to echo through the royal palace. Against this perilous backdrop, Frances reunites with her former mistress, the Princess Elizabeth, as well as other less friendly members of the court: Prince Henry, the unscrupulous heir to the crown; Lord Cecil, eager to persecute Frances as a witch; and King James himself, ever more paranoid and cruel towards alleged traitors. But she also discovers a surprising new ally: Sir Walter Raleigh, himself a prisoner in the tower of London. As he makes his intentions known, Frances again finds herself caught in a web of secrets, promises, and plots.more
The Devil‘s Slave by Tracy Borman is Historical Fiction with dangerous political intrigue. This book is set in the reign of King James and his infamous court. The Devil’s Slave is the second in the Frances Gorges trilogy and the story begins where The King’s Witch ended after the gunpowder plot to kill King James. The plots include royalty from England and Europe and everyone has their own agenda. Suspense, power struggles, schemes and thrills are constant. The rule of that time period is if you have any power or influence you must watch and be alert every minute. Who is next to be sent to the Tower or put to death? Tracy Borman has written another thrilling book with exciting characters, historical facts and unbelievable secret conspiracies. I loved both The Kings Witch and The Devil‘s Slave and look forward to the third in this outstanding trilogy.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Netgalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. I appreciate the opportunity and thank the author and publisher for allowing me to read, enjoy and review this book.
Let me say this first and foremost. If you are not well versed in England’s history, especially around the time of the Gunpowder Plot of 1605, then, by all means, you’ll need to read “The King’s Witch” first. These are not standalone books but a continuation of events from the previous story. I do wish they would’ve been categorized as a series, making new readers to this author a little more prepared but since I’m not in that inner circle, that’s just a personal opinion. I am, however, fascinated with England’s history and had a vague knowledge but nothing as in-depth as was needed to just pick up in the middle of things. The threading of Frances’ story through the actual historical events and tying her in with actual persons of history gave her story and circumstances a realism that pulled me in and kept me engrossed with the telling. What can I say about the characters and world-building? Tracy Borman is a joint chief curator of England’s Historic Royal Palaces and has also written several non-fiction books about the time. That in itself, led me to believe she knew precisely how to bring me, and her other readers, to the exact location needed with all the characters and their given personality traits. I truly was impressed with this book and will indeed be backtracking to read book one, and I am excited for the next book I see coming.
The Devil’s Slave, the second book in the Frances Gorges Historical Trilogy, is a wonderful continued account of Lady Frances. It is best to read the first book, The King’s Witch, before reading this one because of the details involved. Lady Frances finds herself living at her families estate, Longford, under the care and supervision of her brother Edward. Edward is a cold and distant brother who only thinks of himself. Being pregnant and unwed, Frances is trying to keep her family from being further ridiculed by her actions. The love of her life, Tom Wintour, died a traitors death following the failed Gunpowder Plot of 1605. Sir Thomas Tyringham who was Tom’s closest friend, visits Frances at Longford and proposes marriage, in name only, to save not only her reputation but her life, as well as, the unborn child’s. Slow to agree to the match, Frances slowly makes her way back into court life. After being sought out by Tom’s sister, Dorothy, Frances is once again drawn into treasonous activities, unbeknownst to her husband. Being around the ones that were responsible for catching and having Tom put to death, makes Frances more cautious and aware of the spy’s that are following her every move. Having a son to protect now has put Frances on her guard and she no longer wishes to be part of the “cause”, but with a threat being made on her son’s life and also her husband, Sir Thomas, Frances has little choice. Will Frances be able to put the past behind her for the sake of her young son, or will she be caught and die a traitor’s death also? Will there be a chance for love to grow between Sir Thomas and Frances? This is another exciting read by author Tracy Borman. Written with facts, it is a heart stopping masterpiece. I can’t wait until the third part of this trilogy is released!