At age 6, Valarie Anand announced she would grow up to be a writer. She picked up a red crayon, and began her first story on a folded sheet of lined paper. She did become a writer, at first being part of the world of technical writing and editing. In 1989 she began her career as an author. Writing as Fiona Buckley, created the wonderful Ursula Blanchard series beginning with To Shield the Queen (1997). In an author interview from 2008, Buckley describes her series: "It’s essentially a mixture of mystery and Elizabethan espionage and it is more concerned with detection and mystery-solving than with violent adventure."

A web of silk is set in August 1582. Ursula is tasked with observing her new neighbor, Giles Frost. Frost may or may not be an agent for King Philip of Spain. Walsingham worries about the political ramifications if Frost is in fact threat to the crown. Ursula goes to Knoll House under the pretext of teaching embroidery. In fact she is to pass false information to Frost. Plans go awry when a body
is discovered along with a missing dowry. Will Ursula be exposed? And what part does a shattered stained glass window play in the mystery.

Told by a master this satisfying novel will be enjoyed by readers of all ages.

Who broke the stained glass window?, who was the murderer? and who is the traitor? A Elizabethan thriller of the highest standard. A thumping good read

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This is another interesting episode in the life of Ursula Blanchard, Mistress Stannard. As she is enjoying the late summer at Hawkswood, she once again receives a message to come to court to see Walsingham, one of Queen Elizabeth’s spymasters. His summons means another task for the sake of the Crown, something that Ursula always feels obliged to follow through.

This time her task for the Queen’s sake involves becoming closer with a new neighbor suspected of supplying information useful to Philip of Spain. This man, Giles Frost, is also believed to be a Roman Catholic which would increase his sympathy for Queen Mary. It is known that Frost wants a skilled woman to instruct his daughters in advanced embroidery and drawing. Ursula’s skills are well known and Walsingham would like her to take advantage of an anticipated invitation for the sake of her Queen, and half-sister, Elizabeth.

Enough would be happening if this were the only plot, but additionally there is the murder of a young man with ties to Hawkswood and a plot involving the theft of a valuable silver salt cellar and chest. Add to all of this an enlightening segment on 16th century stained glass creation and you have a full novel that carries you on smoothly to its conclusion.

I continue to recommend this series for those interested in historical fiction and mysteries. Someday, I would like to delve into earlier titles in the Ursula Blanchard series to watch her character develop.

A copy of this book was provided by the publisher through NetGalley in return for an honest review.

Fiona Buckley entangles Ursula in A Web of Silk in this Elizabethan intrigue. Ursula, Queen Elizabeth's half sister, is tasked by Sir Francis Walsingham to feed false information to Mr Frost, thought to be a merchant and Spanish agent. In the process she is teaching silk embroidery to Frost's daughters and trying to locate an heirloom for someone. What she doesn't know is that the shadow of her previous case lies ready to entrap her. Good plotting with fast moving story. Enjoy.

This was a complimentary copy courtesy of netgalley - thank you so much

I've not read any of Fiona Buckley's novels before but this was an absolute belter !!! I will certainly be looking our for more and would heartily recommend !!!

I love that Ursula is such a strong female character - such a great read

I got so quickly immersed in the story and the characters - time just flew away - could NOT put down - can't wait to read more from this author

Ursula beware!

August 1852. Once again Ursula Blanchard is thrust into a complex situation. I was caught up in the madness or intrepidness that is Ursula , half sister to Elizabeth I.
It might have been less complex if Ursula had not heard the wild geese.
Things seem to happen at once. Ill fatedness comes in threes!
Brockley's son Philip is found dead with a cross bolt through his chest.
A stained glass Judgement Window in the local church has been willfully smashed. (I found the idea of a Judgement Window, the depiction of Doomsday, fascinating BTW and I must admit to loving stained glass).
A bridal dowry chest has been stolen.
The local vicar, Dr Joynings had been talking to Ursula about the Judgement Window. He disliked it, "there’s too much blood and horror and it sometimes frightens young children …’"
Ursula decides that now is the time to commission a new church window, particularly as she also found the old one dark and sinister.
Ursula meets with Master Julius Stagg from Guildford, a designer and creator of stained glass, another merchant, John Hines who runs an old established business and a newly met at Greenwich, master classmaker from the city, named Tavener, in her search for the ideal craftsman to replace the window.
Meanwhile Francis Walsingham, the Queen's spymaster sends for Ursula with a mission that involves Giles Frost, her sea faring neighbor, whom Walsingham suspects of being in league with the Spanish. Ursula is to subtly spread rumors to Spain via Frost under the cover of teaching his daughters to embroider. (Frost's daughters have a need to learn the required gentle-womanly pursuits and practices).
I always feel that Ursula is trapped by Walsingham and her sister the Queen as surely as a fly on fly paper, "Walsingham sometimes made [her] shiver. [She] sometimes thought of him as a spider, waiting at the centre of a vast web. Waiting to pounce whenever an unwary fly … traitor … fell foul of its sticky threads."
That mission leaves Ursula trapped in the grim and dangerous position of being accused of wrongdoing. A factor that could lead to her death.
Tension as always was near to breaking point and the resolution a relief, with past actions brought to bear on Ursula's current situation.
As always Buckley provides insights into daily life and fears in Tudor times, which are both instructive and intriguing.

A Severn House ARC via NetGalley
Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

This is the second book I have read in the Ursula Blanchard series which is set in the reign of Elizabeth 1. Ursula is a remarkable woman who is said to be the Queen's sister and as such she has a particular entre to the court and the people who frequent it - in particular to Lord Burleigh and Walsingham. Indeed Ursula is sometimes called upon to act as an agent for Elizabeth's spy master. In this tale she is called upon to pass on some incorrect information regarding the English fleet with a view to this being passed to Spain. Along with this she manages to get involved in a plot which would lead to her being accused of theft.

So this is effectively a historical novel with the added spice of a crime mystery. Now, I want to say that this isn't a brilliant plot (and I don't think it is) but the thing is, I was completely involved and wanted to see what would transpire. I find Ursula a bit smug but I quite like the way it is written in the first person and it comes across as a bit gossipy. What I did love was all the information about how stained glass windows were constructed - fascinating.

An easy, light read and for fans of the genre, it must be a winner.

Thank you to the author, publishers and NetGalley for providing an ARC via my Kindle in return for an honest review.

If you've made it to book 17 then there is nothing here you won't like. It has all the mystery and courtly intrigue you've come to expect and takes place in the same full and rich setting that speaks to the authors knowledge of the time.

The time is 1582 with all the intrigue of Elizabethan court life. A time of spies with spymaster Walsingham wanting to send false information to the Spanish. Giles Frost is new to the area an undercover Catholic suspected of leaking information to Spain. Ursula who has worked for Walsingham before is asked to infiltrate the house of Frost and leak false lies to him. The plan starts to fall apart quickly and Ursula’s past will come back to see her step into a lethal trap. The story gives you a good look at Elizabethan times and the changing map of religion and which queen you support can mean your head. The trap Ursula steps into is a little bit of a stretch but the mystery is worth staying with to the end.
I was given an ARC of this book by Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

A Web of Silk
by Fiona Buckley


Severn House

Crème de la Crime

Mystery & Thrillers

Pub Date 01 Jun 2019



I am reviewing a copy of A Web of Silk through Severn House and Netgalley:


This book takes us back in time to August of 1582. The queen’s spymaster Sir Francis Walsingham has ordered Ursula to keep an eye on her new neighbor, Giles Frost, who it is rumored has been spying for King Phillip of Spain. Ursula arrives st the Knoll House on the pretext of teaching his two daughters embroidery. But Ursula’s secret mission is in fact to feed false information to frost to pass on to the Spanish. Walsingham has assured Ursula she would not be in danger but that changes when events take a sinister turn when a body is found in the woods near Ursula’s home, a stained glass window is smashed and a bridal dowry stolen!



What secrets does the Knoll house hold?


I found A Web Of Silk to be an engaging read, a book that I did not want to set down until I finished so I give it five out of five stars!


Happy Reading!

"Web of Silk" earns 5/5 Elizabethan Spies...Engaging Must Read!

Hop into your time machine and set the dials for 1582 England...then get ready for an intriguing page-turner of espionage, theft, and murder! This is my introduction to Ursula Blanchard and her life in Elizabethan England, but I found enough references to background and character connections to keep me in the know most of the time. Ursula is directed by the Queen Elizabeth's spymaster Sir Walsingham to keep a close eye on her new neighbor Giles Frost. It is rumored Frost is spying for the King of Spain, and Ursula is expected to casually feed him false information to trap him in his treason. Intriguing. Entertaining. A very informative experience with historical events and characters weaving through the story. Fiona Buckley's writing style included vivid descriptions, explanations, and dialogue that illustrated well the Elizabethan times, class, and mores of English society. She has penned a delightful first-person narrative from Ursula's perspective, and although the times do not afford her the independence contemporary women enjoy, she is strong, intelligent, and a fascinating character. I am absolutely hooked, and eager to read the previous book!

Oh the machinations of Elizabethean England! I read this as a standalone and was both thoroughly confused and thoroughly entranced at the same time- and that is the measure of a good mystery. Sir Francis Walshingham wants to know what Ursula's neighbor Giles Frost is up to. She cooks up a way to determine whether he's passing information tot he Spanish by teaching his daughters. At the same time, there's a thread (no pun intended) about a stained glass window and a dowry chest. It all comes together in the end in a way that left me looking forward to another in the series. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. For fans of historical mysteries.

A good historical novel, it's the first I read in this series and it won't be the last.
I appreciated the well researched historical background, the fleshed out characters, the style of writing and the plot.
The mystery was interesting and full of twists and turns.
I look forward to reading other books by this author.
Recommended!
Many thanks to Severn House and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.

A found this book enjoyable even though the plot was a little far fetched to me. The characters were interesting and I would like to read more about them.

Usually, I enjoy the Ursula Blanchard series. However, I found this latest book
In the series a bit lacking. The mystery was predictable and drawn out. Ursula was a smart character as well, but she seemed bland. Still, I recommend this for fans of Elizabethan mysteries. Full review to come!

This is book 17th in this series set Elizabethan England and whist it can be read as a standalone reading the previous books will give the reader a better understanding of the characters and their place in Society .


Tasked by Sir Frances Walsingham, the Queen's Spymaster, to keep an eye on her new neighbour Giles Frost she gains entry to his home by offering to teach his daughters embroidery . Frost , with his many trade deals with the Spanish . is suspected of passing on information that would be detrimental to England in a time of war .
Ursula , in the guise of everyday conversations , passes on false information supplied to her by Walsingham , with a view to determining if Frost is really a traitor .
Ursula is also determined to have a new stained glass window made and visits Julius Stagg in his workshop …….. where he deliberately shows her a chest that is part of a dowry . Why does he do this ? Who does the chest belong to ?
This book is almost in two parts - the first the plot within plots regarding Giles Frost , the second is the disappearance of the chest .
Ursula must use all her wits to solve the puzzles and keep herself safe from the dangers that abound .

The Author skills bring to life the sights , sounds of this era ……….. showing how much the Queen and England relied on the skills of her 'spymasters' to foil plots against her reign .

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own

Brilliant plot, excellent main characters that you invest in. I read this book in one sitting and I would highly recommend it.