* Book Spotlight *
The Godmother’s Secret
by Elizabeth St.John
If you knew the fate of the Princes in the Tower, would you tell? Or forever keep the secret?
May 1483: The Tower of London. When King Edward IV dies and Lady Elysabeth Scrope delivers her young godson, Edward V, into the Tower of London to prepare for his coronation, she is engulfed in political turmoil. Within months, the prince and his brother have disappeared, Richard III is declared king, and Elysabeth’s sister Margaret Beaufort conspires with her son Henry Tudor to invade England and claim the throne.
Desperate to protect her godson, Elysabeth battles the intrigue, betrayal, and power of the last medieval court, defying her Yorkist husband and her Lancastrian sister under her godmother’s sacred oath to keep Prince Edward safe. Bound by blood and rent by honour, Elysabeth is torn between King Richard and Margaret Beaufort, knowing that if her loyalty is questioned, she is in peril of losing everything—including her life.
Were the princes murdered by their uncle, Richard III? Did Margaret Beaufort mastermind their disappearance to usher in the Tudor dynasty? Or did the young boys vanish for their own safety? Of anyone at the royal court, Elysabeth has the most to lose–and the most to gain–by keeping secret the fate of the Princes in the Tower.
Inspired by England’s most enduring historical mystery, Elizabeth St.John blends her family history with known facts and centuries of speculation to create an intriguing story about what happened to the Princes in the Tower.
Praise for The Godmother's Secret:
"An extremely well-written book with depth and complexity to the main characters. The author says she wanted to write a book about family love and tolerance, and a woman's loyalty and courage. She has done so. This is the best book I've read in ages!"
~ The Ricardian Bulletin, Richard III Society
"The authenticity and historical research displayed within this story is immense and exquisite. Ms. St. John is sure to be a newfound favorite for fans of not only this fractious time in English history, but of all historical fans who adore rich, immersive prose."
~ The Historical Fiction Company 2022 Book of the Year
"A very enjoyable read. The historical veracity is impeccable, and Elysabeth is a likeable, admirable character who faces interesting dilemmas with love and courage."
~ Historical Novel Society
Lost and Found
The Mystery of the Missing Princes in the Tower
Richard III – Murderer or Maligned King?
Few kings have divided opinion like Richard III. To Shakespeare, he was a hunchbacked villain, scheming his way to the crown through murder. To others, he was a capable ruler maligned by Tudor propaganda.
At the heart of his reputation lies the most haunting question in English history: did Richard murder his nephews, the Princes in the Tower?
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| View from the Bloody Tower (c) Elizabeth St.John |
The evidence is as murky as the Thames. We have rumours, chronicles written decades after the fact, and centuries of historians, beginning with Sir Thomas More, who have accused Richard of this crime. Yet no definitive proof. Even the bones found in 1674—claimed to be the princes—have never been conclusively identified.
What if Richard wasn’t guilty at all? What if the truth lay elsewhere, in a secret too dangerous to reveal?
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| Researching Richard (c) Elizabeth St.John |
That’s where fiction can step in. In The Godmother’s Secret, I imagine an alternate fate for the princes, seen through the eyes of a woman tasked with protecting them. And in The King’s Intelligencer, I advance time two centuries to when the bones resurface, and King Charles II must decide whether to reveal—or conceal—the truth.
Why readers love these stories:
• “A masterclass in weaving real history with gripping suspense.”
• “Her characters are flesh-and-blood, torn between duty and love.”
• “History, mystery, and intrigue at its finest.”
Two centuries apart, both stories entwine around the same mystery: what happened to the princes, whose bones were really buried in the Tower—and who stood to gain?
If history has left you unconvinced of Richard III’s guilt, step into my stories where secrets, power, and survival collide.
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🎧Audiobook Extract🎧
Elizabeth St.John
Elizabeth St.John’s critically acclaimed historical fiction novels tell the stories of her ancestors: extraordinary women whose intriguing kinship with England's kings and queens brings an intimately unique perspective to Medieval, Tudor, and Stuart times.
Inspired by family archives and residences from Lydiard Park to the Tower of London, Elizabeth spends much of her time exploring ancestral portraits, diaries, and lost gardens. And encountering the occasional ghost. But that’s another story.
Living between California, England, and the past, Elizabeth is the International Ambassador for The Friends of Lydiard Park, an English charity dedicated to conserving and enhancing this beautiful centuries-old country house and park. As a curator for The Lydiard Archives, she is constantly looking for an undiscovered treasure to inspire her next novel.
Elizabeth's books include her trilogy, The Lydiard Chronicles, set in 17th Century England during the Civil War, and her newest release, The Godmother's Secret, which explores the medieval mystery of the missing Princes in the Tower of London.
Connect with Elizabeth:
Website • Twitter / X • Facebook • Instagram
Thanks for the lovely spotlight on my novel today! Now, if only the biggest mystery in English history had the same light shining on it!
ReplyDeleteOh, I totally agree. That would be amazing. Thanks for a fascinating insight. More tomorrow! x
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