Set between 1584 and 2021, The Queen’s Spy follows the stories of Tom, the Queen’s apothecary, whose deafness and inability to talk seems to make him the perfect spy.

In the present, the novel follows Mathilde, a photojournalist and traveller, whose past has made it almost impossible to put down roots.

Their tales are linked by a mysterious painting, uncovered in a medieval hall. But what other secrets are lurking there?

The Queen’s Spy is the follow on to Clare Marchant’s debut novel; The Secrets of Saffron Hall (which is currently on a kindle deal for 99p!) Weaving together the tensions of the Elizabethan Court and a modern family finding their new identity, the Queen’s Spy is the perfect historical summer holiday read. Enjoyable and gripping, with characters you can’t help rooting for, it is clear that Marchant has a talent for really readable historical fiction.

The Queen’s Spy is published on 8th July 2021.

Thank you to @avonbooks, @claremarchant and @netgalley for my eARC, given in exchange for an honest review.

I found this book equally frustrating and emotional! Mathilde arrives in present day England from France having heard she has inherited a house in Norfolk with no sign of Covid whatsoever!! She comes across an old chapel and is fascinated by the magnetism of an ancient triptych found there. We then go back in time to the late fifteen hundreds and meet Tom who can neither hear nor speak. His disability has its uses and he is soon enthralled in plots to remove the Queen. My frustrations grew as Mathilde just wasn’t French! One minute we had a Oui and then whole phrases of English with no French intonation whatsoever. However, I loved the idea of the story and could feel all of Tom’s frustration in trying to make himself understood in 16th century England and of his love for Isabelle, one of Queen Elizabeth’s ladies in waiting. It didn’t quite fulfill its promise though I did have a lump in my throat at the conclusion!

Magnificent! This historical novel was brilliantly written with a wonderful group of characters. The storyline is unique to me as I didn’t know how in depth the plot against Queen Elizabeth I was. I enjoyed the description of the past and present setting. I also really like how the book goes back and forth from past to present , linking the findings from the present to Tom.

The author did an amazing job of describing exactly what things were like in the past, from not having baths to the type of homes and heating. I could easily picture the palace and the homes. I was completely entranced with the entire book and I didn’t want it to end. A sweeping saga that left my heart full.

Thank you so much to Avon Books UK and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this wonderful book.

The story follows two time periods 2021 and 1584. In 2021 Mathilde, a photojournalist who leads a nomadic life finds out that she has inherited a house called Lutton Hall from her father. She also meets her stepsister and niece with whom she struggles to build a relationship having spent all her life alone without any close relation. In 1584, Tom wends his way to England from France and gets hired as the queens' apothecary's assistant. When Queen's spymaster Walsingham discovers his ability to lip read, he hires him for his spy ring.

Another alternating timeline story. It was fascinating to read how the author mirrored the lives of the two protagonists from different periods- Tom and Mathilde. Both of them travelling to England from France in search of their roots and eventually finding home and family there made an interesting read. Both of them travelling to England from France Setting an espionage thriller in Tudor times was an act of genius by the author. A deaf and mute apothecary working as a spy for Queen Elizabeth I was the frosting on the cake. But what ruined it for me was the present timeline. It kept interrupting the flow and stopped me from getting completely invested in Tom's story. It also affected the pace of the story and made me rush through it to get back to the Tudor times. The premise had great potential but falls short.

*Publication date July 8*

Tom Luddon has traveled from France to England. Both deaf and mute, Tom gets by reading lips of others. When he gets a job in the palace of Queen Elizabeth I as an apothecary, he soon finds himself also working for the Queen as a spy. With his lip reading ability he’s able to uncover a plot to kill the Queen and put her cousin Mary in her place, but with danger lurking in every corner will Tom make it?

At the same time Mathilde has just arrived in modern day England, also via France. She’s just found out she inherited a home from the father she thought had died. Soon she begins to be haunted by dreams of a shadow that lurks in the corner. Soon Mathilde and her sister Rachel are discovering secrets everywhere they go. Where are these mysterious dreams coming from and what are they trying to tell Mathilde?

When parallel stories are done right they are fantastic, and this story was done right! It was intriguing and kept me turning the page to know more. Who doesn’t love a little Tudor palace intrigue?

*I was provided an ARC by @netgalley and the publisher @avonbooks for my honest review

This story is told in alternating time frames: in the 1500s a deaf mute becomes the perfect spy, while in present day, a woman discovers that she has a family in England.

The writing style is immaculate in terms of setting up a vivid historical scene and describing the scenery. We follow two protagonists, one in 1580s and one in 2021. The current day one is Mathilde, a photographer, who is reunited with her estranged family after her father's death. We get to see her emotional turmoil on coming to terms with not knowing her father when he was alive, her mother struggling to raise her alone, and struggling to identify with her sister and other family members. The bond with Mathilde and her niece Fleur was very sweet. I didn't like the "romance" between Mathilde and the historian guy, it felt unnecessary and rushed. There's an element of supernatural suspense as Mathilde feels someone is watching her and she sees weird dreams (which are scenes from Tom's life in the 1580s). This was never explained.
As for Tom, the apothecary who is forced to spy for Queen Elizabeth I, I thought his arc had potential but wasn't executed. The book is titled The Queen's Spy, but there are only 3-4 scenes of him actually doing spy work. Most of his story revolves around a romance, which I didn't care for at all (it was like love at first sight and wasn't developed well). It was interesting to see a deaf and mute protagonist, especially in a historical setting.

I really enjoyed this. I do like historical fiction and also time slip/ dual timelines both of which this book is. It’s not quite what I expected but nonetheless it’s a page turning story and one I would recommend. I haven’t read Clare Marchant’s earlier novel, The Secrets of Saffron Hall, but I’ll make it a priority to do so.

I read this ARC for an honest review
All thoughts and opinions are mine


Loved this
Dual timelines which can be confusing but this has been done really well

Loved the way this was written and I got totally lost in it - didn't want it to finish

This is a new author to me and I will be looking out for more from them

Fabulous read

Duel timelines, at times, can be horrid to read when the author doesn't do it well.

Thankfully, Clare Marchant does it fabulously.

In 2021, Mathilde is a photography who travels the world in her converted ambulance, going where the work takes her.. She receives a letter, summoning her to Norfolk, England where she discovers that the father who she thought died many years ago, has in fact, only just died. Oh and that she also has a sister.

In Elizabethan England, Tom is a apothecary assistant in the court. He is deaf and mute but can lip read.
The spy master, Walsingham realises that Tom is the perfect spy and soon puts him to work.

This is so well written from two points of view, I was gripped from page one. I found this well paced, with characters who felt realistic.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for an early review copy.

Absolutely Fabulous

The story is set in dual timeline.

It’s 1584 and England is ruled by Elizabeth I. There’s dangerous planning afoot in court and it appears that Mary Queen of Scots will do everything she can to take her place on the throne.
But there’s something or someone stopping her, that’s Tom, he’s an apothecary assistant and one the Queen trusts, but also, it makes him the perfect silent spy…

Now in 2021

Mathilde, travels all over in her campervan. She’s never had a place where she’s belonged. Which is why she’s a bit shocked to discover, she’s got a family in England through a letter she receives informing her of her inheritance.

When she arrives, the hall that she’s inherited also contains secrets and after she makes a discovery, she’s plagued by dreams, but uncertain of what they mean. Will she uncover the truths in the hidden discovery and find a place, she can call home?

I love. The Secrets of Saffron Hall and this o W didn’t disappoint me either.

Highly recommend it.

I enjoyed this book. I do enjoy stories which link the past and the present and this did that. I felt that some of the things that happen were conveniently easy and for me the love interest outcome was predictable from the moment they met! The Tudor side of the story was fascinating with the issue of deafness and the ways around it.
The story moved along at pace and I really enjoyed it and was involved with the characters, hoping that the modern day family solved the mystery!
Recommended

Truly one of the best books I’ve ever read, and I read a lot!
I was excited to get my hands on this book as I loved the writer’s first book, and this did not disappoint, in fact I think it’s even better.
The Queen’s Spy plucks a character from Marchant’s first novel and develops their story alongside that of one of their descendants.
The story is pacy and exciting with detail that really helps to make you feel as if you are there in Elizabethan times. I read this book quickly as I was keen to see what happened to the characters but at the same time wanted it to last longer as it was such an enjoyable read. The writer is very talented and I really hope to read more of her work.

Mathilde is a travelling photographer, who has no family and lives and moves around from place to place in her converted ambulance. When she receives a letter that brings her to Norfolk, she discovers she does have a family and is soon deeply involved in a mysterious discovery.

Back in Elizabethan times, Tom Lutton is an apothecary at court. He is deaf and mute, and is often overlooked and under estimated. However Elizabeth's spy master, Walsingham, soon realises his worth and puts him to work watching and reporting back on plots against the Queen.

The story cleverly weaves modern day with the Elizabethan era, we see how Mathilde and Tom's lives run parallel through their experiences. I really enjoyed both parts of the story - Tom's was often emotional and the historical descriptions were wonderful; Mathilde's was a lovely "coming home" tale.

A fabulous read, this was my first book by this author but it won't be my last!

Thank you to NetGalley for an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

This book was a slow build for me. I often wanted to abandon the book, but felt obligated to finish because of my promise in downloading the book from NetGalley. Overall, I am glad I gave the book time as I ended up enjoying the story. I was most interested in reading Tom’s point of view and the intrigue of the Elizabethan court rather than Mathilde’s modern story. I realize she is instrumental to the family ties to the property she inherited, but I found Oliver and Fleur to be the more interesting contemporary characters and felt that Mathilde’s character growth was rushed in places and not complete in others.

I admit, too, that I am weary of books that toggle back and forth from a historical point in time to a character in modern day, but I also realize that this has become a popular story-telling choice—it’s just not my favorite.

All in all, I am grateful to have had the chance to read the book.

Normally I try to request books a few months before they release, so that I will have plenty of time to read them. However, when I saw The Queen’s Spy I knew I wanted to read it even though the pub date was very close. I made it a priority and dove in immediately.

The Queen’s Spy is a dual timeline novel that connects generations of family history. The first timeline is set in 2021 and follows Mathilde who inherits an estate from a father she’s thought long dead and gets a family with it to boot. The second story is set in in the late 16th century and focuses on Tom Lutton, a mute and deaf apothecary assistant turned spy for Elizabeth I. Both tales are seemingly completely disconnected from each other, but when the story progresses Mathilde and Tom turn out to have much more in common than expected.

I enjoyed this book a lot. Both stories pulled me in quite well, and I couldn’t wait to find out more. I do wish there would have been a little more mystery concerning the family connection between the two main characters. I feel that the element of guessing can add a lot of extra tension and interest to a story, which was lacking a bit here.

I would recommend this book to anyone who loves reading historical fiction, especially when it’s focused on 16th century English court intrigue, and to lovers of Lucinda Riley’s The Seven Sisters series.

I really enjoyed Clare Marchant's first book, Secrets of Saffron Hall, so was sure I would enjoy this one too. It more than exceeded my expectations and I absolutely loved it, even more than I did her first.
The whole book is fabulously written, she writes so skilfully and the story is so fast-paced that you cannot help but turn the page and I immediately become invested in both sets of characters, one in Elizabethan England and one set in present-day Norfolk. So much so, that I read this in under two days and was disappointed when it came to an end. I would have happily read more and more and more and have found myself smiling as Tom Lutton pops into my head unprompted, since finishing it.
The story of Tom, a deaf-mute apothecary's assistant who is recruited by Walsingham as a spy, was the one I enjoyed the most. The historical details made it truly immersive and I adored the romantic storyline interwoven with the subterfuge and jeopardy of his existence as he worked for the spymaster and helped uncover the famous Babington Plot.
Marchant enriches Tom's story with realistic historical detail that bring the smells and sights and tastes of Elizabethan London to life and repeats the trick as she conjures up the Norfolk setting with beautiful imagery of the magnificent skylines and marshes for the contemporary half of her novel.
I really warmed to Mathilde, the twenty-first century heroine whose nomadic and fragmented life makes it hard for her to accept she may have a home in Norfolk and I loved the parallels between her and Tom's life, the dreams she has that bring her closer to him and the wonderful triptych she discovers that we learn and understand the provenance of as the story unfolds.
As said, I absolutely loved this book. It was perfect historical escapism; I thoroughly enjoyed losing myself in it and cannot wait to read the next book from this author.

Loved the dual time lines in the novel. I'm a suckered for anything Mary, Queen of Scots and this didn't disappoint. I felt like the historical detail was immersive and the I trigger kept me wanting to read. A wonderful voice in historical fiction.

My thanks Clare Marchant, Avon Books and NetGalley for an ARC of THE QUEEN'S SPY.
As soon as I saw this I knew I would want to read it. Loved the premise of Tom Lutton, although deaf which would hamper his chances in those days, has become an apothecary's assistant at the court of Elizabeth I. He is a talented apothecary and his skills come to the notice of the queen who isn't the only one who has spotted an unlikely skill, the fact that Tom can lipread. Walsingham, the queen's spymaster and righthand man uses Tom to read the lips of traitors trying to usurp Queen Elizabeth by planting Mary Queen of Scots in her place. There is a romantic element to this story which I think is probably an unlikely occurrence in those times but it didn't detract from the enjoyment I got from this novel. I love historical fiction and The Queen's Spy didn't disappoint.

I want to thank Avon Books and NetGalley for an ARC of The Queen’s Spy!

I was intrigued by the premise of this book and liked the duel timelines and how the were interwoven even though the happened hundreds of years apart. It was an interesting choice for one of the main characters to be deaf and mute, but there were some questions I had around this decision. The author talked a lot of universal signs for things but sign language really wasn’t developed until the 1700s so I’m not sure many of the characters would understand signing.

One other issue I had with the plot was Mathilde having dreams about Tom’s life. They explained things from a couple of chapters before and it felt repetitive.

I would recommend this story to someone who is familiar with reading historical fiction and who is familiar with jumping to present day and then the past pretty frequently.

In the end, I gave this book 3.5 stars (rounding down to 3).