Description

In the glittering court of Henry VII, danger still hides in the shadows of past rebellions.

Once a boy who challenged a king, Lambert Simnel, the last living pretender to the English throne, has spent years buried in obscurity, pardoned by Henry VII and kept close as the queen's falconer. But when a silver crown turns up in his slice of Twelfth Night cake, he's thrust unwillingly into the spotlight once more as the court's mock-monarch, the "King of the Revels."

Among the revelers is Princess Margaret Tudor, sister to the future Henry VIII, a spirited young royal who sees more in Lambert than his quiet loyalty. She draws him into a scheme to uncover the true character of a man who has caught the eye of her friend, Nan Browne, a recent heiress tied to a mysterious and possibly treasonous legacy.

But when a midnight encounter leaves Lambert drenched in blood, he must confront a terrifying reality: the web of intrigue reaches far deeper than he imagined. Forced to ally with Sir Thomas Lovell, the king's ruthless enforcer, Lambert races to solve a growing mystery that could threaten the peace Henry VII has fought to secure.

Amid courtly games, deadly secrets, and the elegant presence of Queen Elizabeth and Princess Katharine of Aragon, Lambert uncovers a hidden connection between a rare white falcon, a nest of conspirators, and a tragedy that could alter the fate of the Tudor dynasty. Perfect for fans of Tudor-era historical fiction, royal intrigue, and slow-burn suspense, this gripping tale dives into the shadows left by war, the delicate power plays of Henry VII's court, and the haunting legacy of ambition and betrayal, in the tradition of Philippa Gregory, and C. J. Sansom.