I appreciate NetGalley and Simon and Schuster Canada for the opportunity to read and review this book. Historical fiction is my favorite genre. I enjoyed the story, but some of the characters were difficult to keep apart in my head. There was a lot of intrigue going on at this point in time when it seems that everyone wanted a piece of the British crown.

BOOK REVIEW: The Eyes of the Queen by Oliver Clements
Series: An Agents of the Crown Novel | Book 1

⭐️⭐️⭐️

Pages: 303
Genre: Historical Fiction
Sub-Genre: Historical Thriller
Location: England

IF YOU LIKE THIS BOOK THEN TRY…
Book: The Queen's Men by Oliver Clements (An Agents of the Crown Novel | Book 2)
Movie: Elizabeth

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All my reviews can be seen at This Is My Everybody | Simple Living | Denise Wilbanks at www.thisismyeverybody.com

♡ Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC. I voluntarily chose to review it and the opinions contained within are my own.

I started reading this book and found that it was not for me. It didn't seem fair for me to review a book that I didn't finish.

THE EYES OF THE QUEEN is the spy book I never knew I wanted to read. It is just as smart as it is thrilling. I cannot wait for the next book in the series.

Five stars all the way! Finally, historical,fiction in the grand style.! Fast paced, well written, with an outstanding sense of,place and history. And not overstuffed. So much historical fiction gets so overwrought that there becomes very little story or suspense or action. This has it all and I eagerly look forward to the next book in the series. And I hope many more after that !

I appreciate the publisher allowing me to read this book.this is a great read I recommend for any Tudor history reader.

First off, thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for the opportunity to read this book.

This is my favorite time period of history to read and hear different twists and aspects of commonly known stories about the Queens and Kings of the time and all the scandal that they caused during this time. I went into this novel thinking that it would be one of my favorite historical fiction reads of the year, but it fell short for me. A lot of the time it had common theme from todays literature and did not stick to the historical aspects that I find important and immersive. Although the world building and descriptions throughout the novel really allowed me to imagine what the environment looked like during the novel, which can be important when creating a movie in your mind.

I did hear that there were some sex scenes throughout the novel, which I expect when it comes to historical fiction, but I also felt like it was not important to the flow of the novel.

It is Agents of the Crown #1 so I assume that means it may be a series and if so I will plan to read the second one and see what my feelings are after reading another installment.

This book was almost a DNF. When I read the description of The Eyes Of The Queen and what it entailed--Elizabethan era, origins of MI6, palace intrigue between Queen Elizabeth and the captive Mary, Queen of Scots, and John Dee as the main protagonist--I was excited and thrilled when I received a copy. The story started out with a bang in Paris in the late 1500's with the War of Religion when the streets ran red with Protestant blood. Frances Walsingham, spymaster to Queen Elizabeth, has obtained a secret document that will change the world and firmly place the British Empire as its leader. Unfortunately, Walsingham is double-crossed and the document stolen. It's a great opening scene.

Regrettably, the scene in Paris is probably the most exciting part of the whole book as the story devolves into palace politics, a bunch of red herrings and the wholly fabricated strange sexual proclivities of Mary, Queen of Scots. We get it, she's kinky but you made it up to titillate the reader, move on. The meaning behind the secret document is revealed and it is a big deal, and the fact the Spanish might have it is a bad thing, but there were so many other side stories and red herrings that at some point in the book I completely forgot about its existence.

There's a gripping chase through the English countryside into Scotland as Walsingham tracks a young man carrying contraband from the imprisoned Queen Mary. What had me turning the pages, wondering what was in the package, turned out to be a ridiculous wild goose chase and I almost stopped reading. At that point, I'm not sure who was more frustrated, Walsingham, or me.

Another point of annoyance is the story description identified John Dee--mathematician, astronomer, occultist and former advisor to Queen Elizabeth--as the main protagonist but the book focuses mainly on Walsingham. No offense, but Dee is much more interesting. We're introduced to Dee when he sneaks out of his house to avoid the debt collectors pounding on the door, leaving his demented mother to truthfully tell the men she does not know where her son is. The man wears disguises, has premonitions, follows the stars, gets drunk with his debt collectors, reminisces about his time in the Tower of London, saves the Empire, and will always be Queen Elizabeth's number one. The book is even named after the queen's nickname for Dee. He's a very intriguing character that the reader literally can't get enough of.

The very very end of the book finally gets to the part about the formation of MI6 and supposedly sets up the premise of the next book, The Queen's Men. That also sounds intriguing but I'm not sure I will read it.


(My thanks to Netgalley for a copy of The Eyes Of The Queen in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.)

DNF @19%
2020; Atria/Leopoldo & Co.

When I first received the audiobook from the library, I didn't get very far into it, before it was due back. I was able to get it again and and this time I was able to make it to 19%. I found the story slow and no matter how hard I paid attention, I just didn't know what was happening.

***I received a complimentary copy of this ebook from the publisher through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.***

Princess Fuzzypants here: There are books that take a while to grab. And then there are books that have you by the throat from the first page onwards. This one is the latter. It sounded interesting with Queen Elizabeth, Dr. John Dee and Francis Walsingham in a cloak and dagger adventure to thwart Mary Queen of Scots and her supporters from supplanting the Queen and returning England to Catholicism.,

It is the story of the creation of the Secret Service by the original spymaster Walsingham but before that can happen the reader is taken on a wild ride from the bloody streets of Paris to the warrens of Edinburgh to the prison in Sheffield back to London. As with most spy stories, one of the biggest challenges of the characters is whom to trust. Deception and duplicity are the nature of the beast and friend may be foe and those in power may have their own agendas.

It is a rollicking tale with Dee are the foil who becomes the hero through his intelligence and his abilities. He is a hero for any age. I particularly liked the twist at the end when the Queen approves the new organization and she adds Dee’s name to the list of agents. It was a fun end to an exciting book. If you are a fan of historical fiction that hovers around the fringes of known events, you will love this book.

Five purrs and two paws up.

Thank you for the opportunity to read and review this book!
This is a solidly written and researched murder mystery set in Elizabethan times. That's it. That's really all I have to say about it. There was nothing really new or exciting about it, but it really wasn't dull either. Just a good, solid book. If you enjoy Elizabethan mysteries, this is one you'd enjoy reading.

I love the Elizabethan Era and will happily read nearly anything set in the era. This book falls somewhere in the middle of my all-time rankings - not the best, but totally worth the time to read. Clements does a particularly good job of painting a picture of the setting, London in 1572. You get a great sense of place and are immediately introduced to a wide cast of characters. If you enjoy a mystery and you don't mind political intrigue, then you'll be happy with this book.

The book is billed as a "movie-like thriller", and I actually feel that it would translate very well to screen. It moves quickly and covers a lot of ground. A few other reviewers have mentioned their issue with the depiction of Queen Mary, but it actually didn't pull me out of the story much; overall, the characterization is strong.

This was an interesting historical read. However I did get bogged down in spots and it was hard to become engaged again.
Many thanks to Atria Books and to NetGalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

The Eyes of the Queen intrigued me, as a fan of the Tudors, and I was particularly interested in how Sir Francis Walsingham’s spy ring, which I knew a little bit about, served as a predecessor to the modern MI6 in the UK today.

On the positive side, it’s absolutely gritty and atmospheric, capturing the dark and treacherous nature of the later Elizabethan age, with Elizabeth fearing attack from Spain and Mary, the former Queen of Scots being imprisoned, yet being still a threat as the most likely heir to the throne and one who the Catholics already view as the rightful Queen, with Elizabeth being the usurper. It was fascinating to see the trust Elizabeth put in Walsingham and John Dee in these times to take on these conflicts covertly.

Other aspects, however, was a bit of a mixed bag for me. I did more or less enjoy how some of the major characters were written, especially the charismatic John Dee. However, I object to the sexualized nature of Queen Mary’s portrayal, with nymphomania and sex toys and whatnot, as it just seems like a pathetic way to blacken the name of woman who was considered “the enemy,” when her mere blood connection and documented rash actions should have been enough.

It also felt more thrilling because the period itself had a lot of darkness and danger to it, not because the plot itself was particularly suspenseful. And when a lot of the historical record makes a lot of it a foregone conclusion, that doesn’t help. I did enjoy seeing the founding of Her Majesty’s Secret Service, however.

This series is a good idea, but I don’t know if it reached its full potential as a truly gripping spy thriller. I did love most of the historical bits, and I think fellow Tudor/Elizabethan aficionados will also enjoy this.

Author # Oliver Clements has a new historical, spy,thriller out just in time!! #'The Eyes of the Queen' is the first in the #'Agents of the Queen' series. And it's about the original MI6 agent who protects England and Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth l.
Thank you,
#Netgalley, # Oliver Clements, and #Atria Publishing for the advanced copy

This was such a great read!

Historical fiction meets thriller meets the makings of the future James Bond, all had me devouring this book in a matter of days!

Dr James Dee has a surprising relationship with Queen Elizabeth, one not many people understand, including Francis Walsingham, her head of security detail. Dee is a curious man, having many skills in the sciences, astronomy, astrology and spiritualism, and it makes him invaluable to the Queen's aid. While Walsingham is defending Queen Elizabeth's life against the uprising of Catholicism and Queen Mary of the Scots trying to take over the throne, he ends up requiring the unique skills that Dee can bring to the table.

I really enjoyed this book for a number of reasons. The historical side of it was really well done - the uprising of the Catholics and their revolt against the Christian monarchy was richly detailed and very horrifying; the characters were really enjoyable, as were the different relationships between them; Queen Mary was a wonderful villain to root against the whole time, and her tricks of communicating outside her prison cells to her accomplices was very creative; and finally the ending came together in a way that was enjoyable but not too neat - we're still left with some questions, some ill-feelings and the sense that there is more to come from this story!

Overall, very well done. If you're a fan of sixteenth century historical fiction, I would definitely check this one out!

4.5

1572 Spy master Walsingham is in Paris, while the massacre of St. Bartholomew is occurring. But he must retrieve an important document. Later, events result in sending Dr John Dee into France. Meanwhile Walsingham believes he must deal with the threat from Mary, Queen of the Scots.
An entertaining well-written historical thriller with some interesting characters.
A good start to a new series even though the story was written in the present tense, not something I particularly like.
An ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

“The Eyes of the Queen” is the first book in the “An Agent of the Crown” series by Oliver Clements, which the author used to busily lay the groundwork for his new spy series. The historical fiction series revolves around the original MI6 agents.

Clements’ book lurches with a wobbly start as readers are quickly thrust into the thick of a spy plot when the cunning Walsingham and a colleague rush into violence to recover a document. The first 50 pages or so of the historical fiction spy novel will leave readers’ heads spinning as they are quickly introduced to a menagerie of characters without a moment to register their involvement in the actual story. Once Clements introduces John Dee to the reader, the story gains a more balanced pace as the author leaves bread crumbs about Dee’s ties to Queen Elizabeth I.

The story itself, which revolves around Walsingham’s efforts to derail a Spanish invasion and protect the queen from the treachery of an assassin’s bullet, rapidly moves through France, England and Scotland as the characters puzzle out their foe’s plot.

Given that this book is intended to be the first in a series readers can forgive the hasty and at times cluttered pages, however readers might find it helpful to make notes about the characters as there are quite a number of characters that make a brief appearance only to play a larger role later on in the novel.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher, Simon & Schuster for this Advanced Reader Copy and the opportunity to review “The Eyes of the Queen.” All opinions are my own.

I began this with good intentions, enjoying the story as it unfolded. Decided to ignore the premise on the first pages “… a man who will become the original M16 agent.” That sounded a little too “new.” Okay, whatever. I’ll just go on. The book “stars” John Dee, who as history says was the court astronomer and advisor to Queen Elizabeth I. Oliver Clements, our author would have him in love with the Queen, and as a “intelligencer” (spy) for Francis Walsingham.

The story starts in France with the Huguenot massacre. Stolen plans are involved, a link to the fabled “Northwest Passage.” But what it all boils down to is intrigue and treachery surrounding Mary, Queen of Scots. And boy, what that lady gets up to in the course of the book, they didn’t teach us in our history books, let me tell you. Be advised that there’s some erotic content here that’s, uh, interesting, that even puts a blush on Sir Francis’s face.

So, our John follows a dream. He does that a lot, and finds out things. There’s a lot of treachery and double-crossing going on, of course. And in the end, we learn that assassins are out to kill Elizabeth, but with John’s help, that doesn’t happen, of course. He’s quite the inventive guy.

I wanted to enjoy this book. It was interesting, if a little too modern in its themes and “feel.” I was okay with that. Until I got to the very last page, and realized that what I was reading was a pitch for a screenplay. Too twee for my taste, with an (I hope) intended funny ending that just felt like I was reading something written for our current century, not an Elizabethan one. Felt totally unnecessary, to me. I won’t be reading another of Dr. Dee’s “adventures,” if there is one.

The Eyes of the Queen by Oliver Clements is an excellent historical fiction murder/mystery that kept me enthralled from beginning to end. It is the first book in a new series: Agents of the Crown. I am so excited to see that this is the beginning, of hopefully, a long and successful mystery series, as I truly, truly enjoyed every page of this gem.

This book takes place over the course of about 2 months in 1572. This is a tale of espionage, mystery, intrigue, deception, cryptics, double-handed deeds, twists, turns, and just a pure joy to decipher.

The reader is taken back to Tudor England and also unstable France. Both countries are areas of instability and hotbed activity with Protestants and Catholics jockeying for position. We are under the ruling of Queen Elizabeth and follow along with multiple plots of espionage, treason, and plans of assassination towards a multitude of historic figures, including the Queen herself.

I love how nothing is as it initially seems to be, there are plenty of shady characters, cryptic messages and intents, inraveling plots and plans occur in complexity and in layers. I love how the author placed us into the thought processes of a multitude of characters, and how he incorporated many true to life historical figures as part of his realistic and fascinating plot. We get to jump into the minds of not just Queen Elizabeth, but Queen Mary of Scots, Dr. John Dee, Francis Walsingham, amongst others.

This was the perfect book for anyone that enjoys political intrigue, murder/mystery plot, historical fiction, and a great, engaging plot.

5/5 stars. A must read.


Thank you Atria/Leopoldo Co Publishing for this ARC and in return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion.

I am posting this review to my NetGalley account immediately, however will post the detailed review above to my GR, Bookbub, Instagram, Amazon, and B&N accounts upon publication per Publisher request. See all links below.

Thank you again.