The Mysterious Death of Katherine Parr is a book that offers a refreshing look at Henry VIII's widow, though it doesn’t always deliver on the promises its title suggests. While I appreciated the in-depth exploration of Katherine Parr’s life and legacy, the focus on the cause of her death felt somewhat peripheral when it came to on-page discussion and I found myself wishing for a bit more clarity on the key events surrounding her sudden demise, though I guess that is why there might be mystery, so little details and communication exist about it. I felt that I really wanted the book to have dug deeper into more evidence to make a strong case for one theory or another, e.g. poison or plague, but again, that is the the reason why there is a mystery, so the title, rather than suggesting a mystery to be solved, rather tries to put forward the idea that Katherine's death was mysterious - that we should not just accept the status quo, and that is what the author posits - that there may be more to her death than the accepted explanation of childbirth/puerperal fever, and the book justifies the theory that there is more to it, rather than trying to answer the mystery itself.
The author clearly has a deep passion for the subject, and it shows in the way she immerses the reader in Katherine's life and the circumstances around her burial. The sections about her tomb and the subsequent investigations into her burial were some of the most interesting, and new-to-me parts of the book for me. It was an eye-opening look into how history can be rewritten or obscured, or even that certain motivations influence what pieces of history are researched or uncovered in the first place. (I often think about this when it comes to the English Civil War - why is it taught so little in UK education, why are there so few tv shows/films about it? - Who stands to gain if the public in general do not learn or focus on the English revolution but sees plenty of glamorous, romantic, or mystery shows involving the monarchy?)
However, while Woolerton’s passion and research is evident, the book does suffer from being a bit repetitive in places, I would have liked to see more focus on uncovering the truth behind Katherine's mysterious death, rather than cycling through similar arguments about the same relationships.
The theory Woolerton presents about Katherine’s marriage to Thomas Seymour was the most interesting and thought-provoking to me, there are several assumptions about female attitudes to their partners in Tudor times, based on letters expressing sentiments which, when read with a modern sensibility might have a completely different lens to when we compare letters with others from the same period, and consider the motives behind them. While the author doesn’t provide concrete answers, I found her take on why Katherine might have married him—despite Seymour's questionable behavior—thought-provoking and a good starting point for further reflection on the complexity of her relationships, to claim 'she must have been infatuated' as justification for an otherwise out-of-character move, does seem to be an outdated and dismissive theory, and one that has previously gone unchallenged in every other history of Katherine that I have read, and I think this really does warrant further interrogation.
Overall, I’d say this book is worth reading for anyone who has an interest in the Tudor period and the women who lived through it. It may not fully deliver on its perceived promise of unraveling the mystery of Katherine Parr’s death, but it does offer some fresh perspectives on her life and legacy. The book’s pacing could have been tighter, and some of the repetition removed, that said, I’d recommend it as supplementary reading for Tudor fans who want to dive into the life of a fascinating, often overlooked historical figure.

Every time I picked up "The Mysterious Death of Katherine Parr", I was whisked back in time, and learned something new about Katherine Parr, her life and times, and the mystery surrounding her death and after.

June Woolerton brilliantly brings history to life, and this deeply researched non-fiction read explores different possibilities and theories surrounding Katherine Parr's death. It was so intriguing to see the way the author weaved the different historical aspects of the time, from personal and political, to everything in between, and I plan to do more research in my own time as well.

Katherine Parr was a woman far ahead of her time in many ways. At times difficult to read due to what occurred historically, this biography is a thorough exploration into her tragic death, and the devastating treatment of her remains later. Though there are some questions that may never be able to be answered, this book explores various possible thoughts using different resources.

I highly recommend this book if you love learning about The Tudor Era!

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Pen & Sword History for the e-ARC of this incredible book! All opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Loved this. I really enjoyed everything about this. I loved the story completely. Very interesting and informative. It will stay with me for a long time. I appreciate that the author has very strong voice - one I really enjoy.

Loved this book! Loved the plot and it kept me hooked highly recommended. Was a quick read for me and hoping to read more from this author.

A compelling history of one of the less talked about wives of Henry VIII, especially her seldom talked-about death. I would say the title is a little misleading, as the book spends probably less than half talking about her death and burial and subsequent rediscovery, and more of her later life as queen. It is all fascinating still, and an interesting lens to view Katherine's life. The author does circle the same few points very often, emphasizing her relationship with her stepchildren and how strange it was they didn't react to her death, etc, without giving any real answers to some of them. The answers Woolerton gives to some other questions surrounding her death and burial are interesting, however. Still, it's one of those things I'd have to read more on to agree with her assertion that Parr died of the plague (not a very popular thought, apparently). I recommend it to any fan of the Tudor Queens as some supplementary reading!

Thank you to netgalley and Pen & Sword History for the Advanced Reader Copy.

Netgalley/Pen and Sword very kindly sent a copy of The Mysterious Death of Katherine Parr by June Woolerton, which so far has been a delight to read. I think that given how Tudor-heavy the UK history curriculum is, it was inevitable that I should spend my adult years seeking any book that I can find on the women Henry VIII married (also, I wonder how much the musical SIX is to blame?). Therefore, it is really refreshing to a see a book not only dedicated solely to Katherine Parr, but discussing angles I have not previously read about. I had long-understood that she had died quickly of puerperal fever, however this book discusses evidence that indicates she (healthily!) lived for several days following childbirth, only to suddenly announce that she believed she was going to die and that someone close to her would be responsible. It is genuinely heart wrenching to analyse this evidence, and to realise just how many people stood to gain from the demise of such an intelligent, forward-thinking woman. Recommend.

Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher, and the author for allowing me the chance to read this arc. I think the author has a habit of repeating information, and it made it not so fun to read.

Tudor history is a well-trod road, however this new viewpoint on Katherine Parr's life, queenship and death is certainly an interesting read. My only comment is that I wish the flow was revisited to avoid repetition. However because this was an ARC, there is a high possibility this was already addressed. Will check out other books by this author.

Thank you to NetGalley and Pen & Sword for this ARC!

I really don’t care for this book. They never really get into what the mystery is, and even that limited discussion is pretty much one chapter.. I did learn a few more details about Parr’s writings which I enjoyed learning but really not a book I would recommend t

Really interesting look at the life, death, funeral, and discovery of Parr’s tomb. Author gives a brief overview of Parr’s life and just how influential she was as Queen!

Author also gives evidence of what we do know about Parr and the typical practices of this time period. I loved the theories and how the author would talk about the possibilities surrounding Parr’s death and funeral arrangements, but then point to other sources/past events to show how unlikely it would be! For example she discussed the funeral being such a rushed and less than royal affair for a queen, and Parr followed the new religion (Protestantism) which would explain why the funeral was so different as it was a first for a royal funeral to not follow the old, Catholic ways. However, it didn’t explain why she was buried in a small private chapel and not buried in London or a royal chapel, given how much embalming she had done and how uncommon it was for royals to be buried in the same place where they died!

I was just fascinated by the whole thing! The theories, getting to know more about the practices of the time period, learning more about Katherine Parr. It made my little Tudor obsessed heart happy 🫶

The one “negative” I’d have is that some of the information can get repetitive. The author goes over some previously discussed info in multiple chapters so it could become tedious at times, but other times it was nice to have the reminder in a new context.

Highly recommend for anyone interested in the Tudor’s or 16th century historical period! Given the amount of information, some reviewers had said it was dense which I disagree, but it maybe isn’t for casual readers and only interesting for history nerds

Rating is 4.5 stars but rounded down to 4

A twice widow before catching the eye of the infamous Henry VIII, Katherine Parr sacrificed her happiness and a marriage based in love, to marry the king as she believed it to be God's will. Upon the death of Henry VIII, Katherine finally got the marriage she longed for with Thomas Seymour, brother to Jane Seymour but sadly passed away shortly after giving birth to her only biological child.

The discussion around the topic of Parr's death is fascinating to me. It has long been said that Katherine died of puerperal fever after giving birth to her daughter Mary. However, the author proposes another theory that really leaves the reader thinking - was her death one of convenience for her enemies at court and power hungry husband? The book offers evidence that Katherine did not contract childbed fever and was in fact seemingly healthy days after the birth until she suddenly felt as if she was going to die.

It is probably impossible to discover what really happened to Parr, due to how much time has passed since her death. It was heartbreaking to read about how illtreated her tomb and body was over the years as well.

This was a highly informative read and the author did a wonderful job coming across nonbiased and letting the reader make their own conclusions about the evidence provided. Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for providing an e-Arc

I love history especially the history of the Tudor dynasty. I was so happy to find a biography of Katherine Parr. There is so little written about her. She is almost forgotten. Reading about the discovery of her tomb was fascinating. Katherine was indeed a strong woman and was apparently trusted by her husband Henry VIII though they did have moments when I am sure Katherine thought she would go the way of Anne Boleyn and Katherine Howard.
Anyone who is fascinated by English history should read this book. I thoroughly enjoyed it and highly recommend it.

In this biography of Henry VIII’s sixth wife Katherine Parr, June Woolerton explores Katherine Parr’s death and speculates on what may have caused it. Delving deeper into her history and the general medical histories of women in sixteenth century England, Woolerton seeks to explore what caused the sudden death of a healthy woman. Was it foul play? Were there other forces at stake? Or was it merely bad luck and childbed fever which afflicted so many of Katherine Parr’s contemporaries (including wife number three Jane Seymour)? In this historical biography, Woolerton focuses on Katherine Parr’s death and the historical, political, and social events at play at the end of her life that may have had some relation to her sudden death. Woolerton’s use of historical documents, scientific and medical knowledge, and incredibly detailed prose builds this book’s theories and historical context so that readers of all backgrounds can understand and enjoy this interesting take on the individual biography. Woolerton’s interpretation and recounting of Katherine Parr’s life and the pertinent historical events is particularly digestible and concise, and she does not lose the focus on Katherine Parr’s death (as the historical context successfully operates in the background of this fantastically unique biography).

This book was dense and disturbing, but also fascinating and mysterious. There is lots of information about Katherine Parr's life, but so little about her death and the subsequent discovery of her body. This book was the first one I've seen which dives into what was done to her after her death.

Like is the case for so many people, especially women, she didn't find peace after her death. The detail describing the mistreatment of her remains was awful yet realistic, and backed up by sources to confirm it. It really made me think deeper about Katherine Parr and her life.

The reason I didn't give this book a higher rating was because of the readability. I've found with historical non fiction to expect dense writing (there is simply so much information to compact into a single book). However, it was this which made me struggle to read it, despite my interest in the topic.

Nevertheless, if you are familiar with these sorts of texts, I'd highly recommend it! Also, cross-checking it helps to make it easier to read and can be compared with theories described in the book.

I do have a fascination with the Tudors and the life of Katherine Parr is one of the more interesting out of all Henry VIII’s wives. Most people focus in on the King’s Great Matter, which is what advisors called his apparent mental and spiritual battle around his marriage to Katherine of Aragon. More likely he wanted to dispense with a wife who would no longer give him heirs and move on to his proposed mistress Anne Boleyn. The Great Matter was simply an excuse for divorce and if only Katherine had gone quietly. As it was it didn’t take long for Anne to be out of favour too, but sadly Katherine was too ill to enjoy her replacement’s fall from grace. A few years later, Anne of Cleves would go quietly and in doing so received great favour from Henry and Anne Boleyn’s childhood home of Hever Castle. She was the most shrewd of the wives. It is and Katherine Parr that most see as escaping Henry’s barbarous habits of killing off his wives, but Katherine’s life after Henry was far from rosy. I always feel desperately sorry for this woman who loved a man from a very young age, but could never have him because of being married off to various old and infirm men who she nursed till their deaths. Katherine’s entire life is often reduced to these marriages, especially the last two; King Henry who she couldn’t refuse and finally, after Henry’s death, the love match she had always wanted with Thomas Seymour. There are various strange aspects to this last marriage but the men she married are not really the sum of this intelligent and witty woman.

Courtiers saw Katherine’s marriage to Thomas Seymour as proof that the Queen had intelligence but absolutely no common sense, full of passion for a younger man who was certainly not worthy of her. In this book the author intends to uncover more about this interesting woman, by looking at the circumstances of her death and her burial place. The author clearly has a passion for his subject and has written the book like a book on true crime. This makes it compelling and meant I read it in a day when I was unwell in bed. However, there were areas where whole paragraphs could have been scrapped because they were mainly repeating information already explored elsewhere. However, the opening chapter was well written and placed perfectly to grab the reader and lead them into the mystery by looking at several odd events in the last twenty months of her life. I had always assumed that she’d married Seymour so soon after Henry’s death because she didn’t want to wait and be proposed to by someone else she couldn’t refuse. It is often mooted that she wanted to finally have some fun after dealing with an ailing Henry and the terrible ulcer that he received in a much earlier jousting match. The ulcer never healed fully and.was often weeping and painful. It is likely that sepsis from this infected leg eventually killed him. However, the author questions these long accepted facts as well as the assumption that her death was due to childbed fever. From my own reading I was aware of some of the information the author presents here. For example, before Henry’s death Katherine was the wife who managed to reunite him with his children. Most sources mention the close relationship she had with Elizabeth, possibly because Elizabeth left court to live with her stepmother in Gloucester after her father’s death. She also wrote regularly to Mary and Edward, convincing the King to invite his children to court and have them around him in his final years. Edward was of course the son of Henry and his third wife Jane Seymour, making Thomas Seymour the King’s uncle as soon as Edward took the throne. This made Thomas powerful, but it was also suggested he wouldn’t want a dowager Queen still of marriageable age interfering with his protectorship of Edward. What better way to take control than to become her husband?

Another rumour I’ve read in several history books and novels is that Thomas Seymour had his eyes on a much greater prize. Eventually, Edward’s reign would pass on to one of his sisters - an event that might come sooner than most expected since the young king was known to be frail. The Protestant Seymour’s would not want the Catholic Mary taking the throne, so if Thomas could get into the orbit of Elizabeth and start to influence her - no better than grooming - he could go from the King’s Uncle to the Queen’s Consort. I’ve read that Katherine Parr had a difficult pregnancy, with bed rest being recommended for many months. This left Thomas Seymour unoccupied and unsatisfied. He struck up a rapport with the Princess who was only a teenager. Elizabeth’s nurse Kat Ashley observed that he might pop into the princess’s bed chamber and was found ticking her when she was still in her night clothes. Kat made sure she didn’t leave Elizabeth alone for too long, but it is possible that the damage was done. Some sources suggest an absence for the princess not long after Katherine’s confinement. Could the teenage Elizabeth have been pregnant? 

It’s only recently while watching a programme on Henry’s queens that I found out about that Katherine’s body had laid in a near perfect state for centuries.it was fascinating part of the book that detailed an elaborate process of embalming and being interred In a lead lined sheets before being placed in her coffin. All this was carried out with unseemly haste only 24 hours after her death from puerperal fever. She was buried only yards from her home of Sudeley Castle in the chapel. Over the years the chapel fell into disrepair and was removed, leaving no marker for her grave - a strange state of affairs for a woman who had been Queen. Her resting place forgotten, it was centuries later when Katherine was disinterred and so well preserved that her body was still perfect. At this point the grave was opened and keepsakes taken from her body. The grave was subject further vandalism and investigation in a terribly undignified succession of events, including being left in the open. It took several decades and more indignities before a rector decided to disinter the Queen one last time and bury her where no one could get to the body again. Finally Katherine was at peace. However, for me the most pressing question about those final years of Katherine’s life is what happened to her daughter Mary, still a newborn baby when she died. The author goes some way towards answering this mystery and shedding new light on Katherine’s final days. I thoroughly enjoyed the new light the author shed on why the Queen might have married Seymour, only months after Henry’s death. I found this new perspective speculative with little evidence to back it up, but it was still an interesting and valid theory.

I found some of the book a little disjointed as well as repetitive. The author jumped around from parts of Katherine’s life which was fine if you knew some of her story. However, if you didn’t the it might be harder to keep up. The author uses repetition and reminders about facts already established in other parts of the book, but for those who’ve read a lot of Tudor history or just have a good memory the reminders were a bit wearing and unnecessary. I do think that as a whole the book provides a thorough and well researched biographical introduction to Katherine. It’s also interesting enough to spark some thoughts for any lover of Tudor history. It also poses important questions to consider about the final 20 months of her life and some I’d never considered. Such as why she left court and moved to Gloucestershire far away from her allies and courtly circle? Was the description of her marriage to Seymour as a love match really justified? What was the full medical cause of death? Why was her burial so quick with a state funeral not even considered? I thought the author explored these questions well, as well as her relationship with Edward and Mary, her other stepchildren who she wrote to regularly. It’s also interesting to read about her Protestant beliefs and how they led to her being the first woman and Queen to publish a book on her faith. So, I found this book mostly well researched, it also found insight into her death although the whereabouts of her daughter still remains a mystery. It is thought that she was entrusted to a noble woman and died in infancy. Some of the arguments the author puts forward on these (and other) points. I had never read any of the letters sent to her by her stepchildren and didn't know about her warm relationship with Mary and Edward in particular (the relationship with Elizabeth is more widely written about) Also her Protestant beliefs were more clearly explained as was her power at the court before her royal marriage. It left me with a healthy respect for Katherine that I hadn’t had before and despite some repetition I learned some new facts about her life. She was certainly much more than the nursemaid Queen we are led to believe.

Interesting book about the last wife of Henry VIII, Katherine Parr. Overall it was a good read, but it was overshadowed by the tedious round about ways of presenting the same facts over and over: married four times, died of childbirth or something else, devoted to the Reformation, why did she go to Sudderley, etc. The chapters go back in forth in time, they are not in chronological order.

In June 1548,Catherine, moved to Sudeley Castle in Gloucestershire.It was there that Catherine would spend the last few months of her pregnancy and the last summer of her life.Catherine gave birth to her only biological child,Mary Seymour,on 30 August 1548.Catherine died on 5 September 1548, at Sudeley Castle, from what is thought to have been "childbed fever".Catherine's funeral was held on 7 September 1548.It was the first Protestant funeral held in English.She was buried in St.Mary's Chapel on the grounds of Sudeley Castle.There were theories that Katherine's last husband,Thomas Seymour,1st Baron Seymour of Sudeley poisoned her since he was power hungry and had made inappropriate advances towards the future Elizabeth I,who was Katherine's stepdaughter.She was also buried very quickly after her demise and her stepchildren weren't mentioned in her will.Her legacy was forgotten until way later on.
During the English Civil War, Sudeley Castle was used as a base by King Charles I,and with sieges taking place in 1643 and 1649,along with numerous change of hands,Catherine's grave was probably disturbed and her monument destroyed.The castle was then abandoned with her royal grave being lost. Catherine's presence at the castle was first rediscovered by the antiquarian Rev. Huggett when researching at the College of Arms,passing his findings onto George Pitt, 1st Baron Rivers,the castle's owner in 1768.Joseph Lucas,a member of the local gentry who dwelled in the outer court of the castle, renting it from Baron Rivers,was aware of Huggett's work and searched for the lost grave, discovering it among the ruins of the chapel in 1782. The coffin was reopened in 1783, 1784, 1786; and in 1792, when local vandals broke into the coffin and threw the corpse in a rubbish heap, leading to Mr. Lucas reinterring the body in a hidden,walled grave.The last time the coffin was opened was in 1817 when the local rector decided to move it to the crypt under the chapel.It was found the body had been reduced to a skeleton.The coffin was last moved in 1861 to its final location in the fully restored chapel,under a canopied neo-Gothic tomb.

An extremely well researched look at Katharine Parr, Lady, Queen and wife to four. . The book answers many questions and also arouses many others. A very readable and informative. book.

Thank you net galley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book for an honest review.

This is the true story of Katherine Parr Henry 8th last wife. This is a well researched book perfect for young and older readers. The author delves deep into the life of Katherine Parr both before and after her marriage to the king. It is obvious Katherine lead a very full life and died in childbirth leaving her daughter Mary without her mother. There is discussion in the book about why and how she died so soon after childbirth and her marriage to Seymour who was later executed for treason..
The book is full of interesting facts and it was obvious that Henry’s children held their step mother in high esteem plus Henry trusted this last wife with his kingdom while he fought his last battle in France. It appeared that although Katherine was to be treated as queen after Henry’s death it was soon apparent that she was almost forgotten in the whole scheme of royalty at the time and even her burial was far from royal.
Read this book which is full of facts and enjoy the mystery of Katherine Parr’s last years .

Nonfiction can be very hot or miss for me. Keeping this in mind, this particular book is one of those books that you can't help but like, whether or not you are acquainted with the subject matter. The writing is smooth and not pretentious plus the research done is evident in every line written. Highly recommended.