Short Synopsis
In this historical novel, Suzannah Dunn tells the unforgettable story of Lady Jane Grey's imprisonment in the Tower of London after ruling England for only nine days.

Full Synopsis
Escorting the nine-day queen Lady Jane Grey across the Tower of London from throne room into imprisonment is Elizabeth Tilney, who surprised even herself by volunteering for the job. All Elizabeth knows is that it won't be for long: everyone knows that Jane will go free as soon as the victorious new queen is crowned. Which is a good thing because the two sixteen-year-old girls, cooped up together in a room in the Gentleman Gaoler's house, couldn't be less compatible. Protestant Jane is an icily self-composed idealist, and Catholic Elizabeth is . . . well, anything but. They are united, though, by their disdain for the seventeen-year-old boy to whom Jane has recently been married: petulant, noisily aggrieved Guildford Dudley.

As Jane's captivity extends into the increasingly turbulent last months of 1553, the two girls learn to live with each other, but Elizabeth finds herself drawn into the difficult relationship between the newlyweds. And when events take an unexpected and dangerous direction, her newfound loyalties are put to the test.

"A remarkable writer, a lyricist of ordinary life and ordinary people transfigured by extreme emotions." ---The Daily Telegraph

"[Dunn's] ear for the rhythms of speech is unerring, her feeling for the minutiae of experience acute." ---The London Times

"Fun, engaging prose enhances complex religious themes; a good novel for those already Elizabethan-era savvy." ---Kirkus

"Charlotte Anne Dore provides a smooth and engaging reading." ---Library Journal Audio Review

"[Charlotte Anne Dore's] evocative characterizations reflect her extensive work in live theater and performance." ---Sound Commentary