Tuesday, June 23, 2026

Shining a bright New Release Book Spotlight on Queen of Shadows, an enthralling tale of love and power in medieval Castile, by Anna Belfrage #HistoricalFiction #WomenInHistory #RecommendedReading



Queen of Shadows


by Anna Belfrage


She should have stayed in the shadows—but Leonor de Guzmán yearned for the sun


Castile in the 1330s is a place of constant turmoil. King Alfonso must contend with the incursions from the Muslim Marinids eager to reclaim Al-Andalus while struggling with repeated rebellions against his firm rule.


When Alfonso needs respite, he finds it in the arms of his Leonor—the most beautiful woman in the realm. But while he may love Leonor over all others, his lawful wife, Maria of Portugal, is tired of being constantly displaced by the fair Leonor.


Leonor loves her man. She gives him healthy sons, a place to be himself. But she is only a mistress, even if Alfonso treats her like a queen. Leonor’s enemies watch and hate.


Flying too close to the sun comes at a high price. How much will Leonor’s love cost her?


Based on the true story of Alfonso XI and his complicated relationships to wife and life-long mistress.


Praise for Queen of Shadows:

"Belfrage demonstrates a keen awareness of how power operates—not only through laws and titles, but through relationships, perceptions, and the fragile balance between influence and legitimacy. Her prose is measured and evocative, allowing the emotional weight of events to unfold naturally without diminishing their impact. The historical setting is rendered with careful attention to detail, creating a world that feels both authentic and immediate."
~ Yarde Book Promotions, 5* Editorial Review





Universal Buy Link


This title is available to read on #KindleUnlimited.




Anna Belfrage



Had Anna been allowed to choose, she’d have become a time-traveller. As this was impossible, she became a financial professional with three absorbing interests: history, romance and writing.

Anna has authored the acclaimed time travelling series The Graham Saga, set in 17th century Scotland and Maryland, as well as two equally acclaimed medieval series; The King’s Greatest Enemy which is set in 14th century England, and The Castilian Saga, which is set against the medieval conquest of Wales. She has also published a time travel romance, The Whirlpools of Time, and its sequel, Times of Turmoil, and is now considering just how to wiggle out of setting the next book in that series in Peter the Great’s Russia, as her characters are demanding...

All of Anna’s books have been awarded the IndieBRAG Medallion, she has several Historical Novel Society Editor’s Choices, and one of her books won the HNS Indie Award in 2015. She is also the proud recipient of various Readers’ Favorite medals as well as having won various Gold, Silver and Bronze Coffee Pot Book Club awards.

A master storyteller

This is what all historical fiction should be like. Superb.

Find out more about Anna, her books and enjoy her eclectic historical blog on her website, www.annabelfrage.com where you will also find her post about Alfonso and Leonor.


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Monday, June 22, 2026

Book of the Week: No Stone Unturned by Pam Lecky #HistoricalFiction #HistoricalMystery #RecommendedReading



No Stone Unturned


The Lucy Lawrence Mysteries, Book #1

by Pam Lecky



Lucy Lawrence stared down at her husband, his once handsome face now a twisted mask of death. She shivered and pulled her shawl tighter around her shoulders. His life had held so many secrets, and now his sins were hers to bear…


England, 1886. In the flickering gaslights of Victorian London, 28-year-old Lucy Lawrence's future hangs in the balance. Her husband's murder has left her reputation in tatters, and the theft of her mother's priceless heirloom pearls has only added to her woes. But when the handsome investigator Phineas Stone enters her life, Lucy finds herself drawn into a web of deceit that leads right back to her marriage and a deadly conspiracy that could undo them all.


Beneath the polished veneer of London's high society, danger is as common as in the city's darkest alleys. As the stakes rise, Lucy discovers that the key to unravelling the mystery may lie in a cryptic note left behind by her late husband… a note that could either secure her innocence or seal her fate at the hands of a ruthless killer.


And unputdownable historical mystery full of twists, red herrings and a dash of romance. No Stone Unturned is the first instalment in the bestselling Lucy Lawrence mystery series.



Praise for No Stone Unturned:


“My, oh my!! What a fantastic book, my goodness I absolutely loved it!! I couldn’t put it down, I was turning the pages at lightning speed… Honestly I don’t think I have the adequate words to fully describe just how blooding brilliant this book is, I feel like I have been waiting my whole life for this book and it is amazing!” 

~ 5* Reader review


“A perfect page turner, with all the classical elements that make for an exquisite historical thrill ride of a mystery.” 

~ 5* Reader review


“Enthralling… commanded my attention from the very first sentence… This is a novel that is deserving to be read over and over again.”

~ 5* Reader review




Universal Buy Link


This title is available to read on #KindleUnlimited.