Royal Witch

Ambition. Sorcery. Treason. How far will one woman dare to go? 1420. Eleanor Cobham arrives at the court of Henry V. Pretty but not highborn, she hopes for little more than to marry well. England is in a golden age – but beneath the glittering surface, ancient rivalries fester and chaos lurks in the shadows. And chaos, Eleanor discovers, creates opportunities. Appointed lady-in-waiting to a Countess who commands her own army, she begins to see what a woman can truly become. She dares to dream of real power. Perhaps even the crown itself. But for that, she must turn to darker arts. And the higher she climbs, the darker the path becomes… Philippa Gregory tells a breathtaking story of sorcery, ambition and one woman's extraordinary rise. 'An extraordinary story of an ambitious woman’s rise and fall … a rewarding and complex novel’ The Times 'Gregory makes brilliant use of what historical material there is, recreating Eleanor’s treasonous queenly quest as a tale of ill wishing, courtly machinations and secretive rituals' Daily Mail 'With rich historical detail, Gregory masterfully weaves together courtly intrigue with Eleanor’s fierce pursuit to shape her destiny in a world determined to deny it' Booklist 'A detailed portrait of the bold life of a woman overlooked by historians' Kirkus Reviews 'Vividly bringing to life four overlooked historical women, this is a scandalous mix of courtly ambition, midwifery and witchcraft' Woman&Home Reviews Acclaim for Philippa Gregory: 'Gregory’s great skill lies in her eye for telling period detail, and in her vivid recreation of a court in which sex and politics are intertwined and deadly' The Times 'As perilous as it is thrilling’ Mail on Sunday ‘Beautifully written, meticulously researched … utterly compelling and unputdownable’ SANTA MONTEFIORE A stunning tour de force: compelling, thrilling, mesmerising, completely engrossing’ BARBARA ERSKINE ‘A masterful examination of how power becomes tyranny … I was gripped from beginning to end’ REETA CHAKRABARTI ‘An enthralling historical thriller and a mirror on contemporary politics … rich and compelling’ C J COOKE ‘A propulsive, emotional, thrill ride through the Tudor court’ LUCY CLARKE