An immersive and intriguing historical fiction with romance and mystery. It is 1613, and King James sends a royal messenger with a warrant to return to England Sir David who may be framed for Prince Henry's death. The King's Messenger travels with a scribe, the scribe's daughter and a young assistant all adding a different perspective to the mission.

I know little about this time period, but from the author's note it is clear she has done extensive research and learning a piece about the King's Messenger role was fascinating.

This was my first Kearsley book, and it will not be my last. I came for the history and stayed for the intrigue and romance! Well, done!

Beth Eyre and Angus King are excellent narrators, with Scottish and English accents and make it easy to follow the various characters.

Thanks to Sourcebooks Landmark, RB Media/Recorded Books and Netgalley for an audio recording.

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/213570828-the-king-s-messenger

Susanna Kearsley is back doing what she does best—serving up rich historical fiction with a side of slow-burn romance and just a sprinkle of second sight. The King’s Messenger is set in 1613, after the death of Prince Henry, heir to King James I. Rumors swirl the prince was poisoned, and Andrew Logan, one of the King’s Messengers (who’s hiding his own mystical secret), is sent north to arrest Sir David Moray, a close friend of the late prince.

Phoebe Westaway is dragged into the mission to assist her aging father, who’s acting as the trip’s scribe. She’s not a fan of Andrew—at all—but over the course of the dangerous journey from Scotland to London, her frosty attitude thaws.

Kearsley’s research shines. The settings feel lived-in, the language fits the time, and the court intrigue keeps things moving. The multiple POVs—especially Queen Anna’s—add dimension, though at times they slow the pacing. The romance is subtle but satisfying, and the hint of the supernatural gives it an extra spark.

It’s not quite a page-turner, but fans of well-written historical fiction will enjoy the ride. Four stars. Solid stuff.

** Thank you to Sourcebooks, Recorded Books, and author Susanna Kearsley for the advanced copies of the eBook and audiobook. The opinions are my own.

Thank you to NetGalley and RBmedia for providing this audiobook for review. All opinions expressed are honest and my own.

This was an excellent listen. The writing was fantastic with an easy to follow storyline and exceptional character growth. I wanted to continue listening to this story constantly, but life interrupted too much for my liking. I really enjoyed the narrators as well. I love a good audio production with multiple POV, and this one did not disappoint. I love the amount of research that is put into the period piece before writing. You can feel the author's efforts to get historically accurate facts throughout the story. Though this is my first Susanna Kearsley read for me, she has quickly become one I will be looking for with new releases (and likely will read anything she’s published to date).

Susanna Kearsley always does an excellent job of bringing history to life, and with this book, she managed to make a journey interesting and fun to listen to. I have been a fan of her Scottish historical fiction for a while now, and this book did not disappoint. It had history, a bit of suspense, a bit of love, and some humor. Since I am traveling to Scotland later this year, it was especially fun to hear about the places they were traveling through. I also liked how the King's Messenger is related to previous characters I have read about in her books - she always makes it fun when the reader can make these connections. I especially enjoyed listening to the history that she has at the end of the book, where she talks about which characters are real and how she came about writing her characters and their connections to history. Great read - I recommend it! Thanks @netgalley.

Andrew Logan has an important task as one of the King's Messager's. He must travel to bring a man, Sir David, to presumed justice. Along the way, his travel party grows to include his neighbour and his standoffish daughter, and a young lad he takes under his wing. This meticulously researched book has a serious feel, with moments of levity, touches of magic, and the whimsy of unexpected love. A brilliantly written and memorable story. Kearsley seamlessly blends this fictional account into the real life history of a suspicious death of a prince of England and gives a glimpse into royal intrigue and the real life service of the King's Messagers. I was fortunate to meet Susanna Kearsley at my local library during the time I was reading this book. The insight into her planning was fantastic and most of it is shared in the Author's Notes, so no worries that an in person meeting is required.

I found the audio very well done with authentic accents. The tension between Logan and his reluctant love interest Pheobe was palpable and when they discovered feeling it was very sweet and romantic. My only issue, and its one I have experienced before in other dual narrator scenarios, is the speed is not consistent when switching narrators. I had to adjust my speed regularly.

The King's Messenger
by Susanna Kearsley; Narrated by Beth Eyre and Angus King

I enjoyed this audiobook, but I had to listen closely to Angus King's excellent Scottish accent to fully understand and not miss anything important. The story is told from the perspectives of four characters: Andrew, David, Phoebe, and Queen Anna.

In 1613, King James—sixth of Scotland and first of England, son of Mary, Queen of Scots—has unified both countries under one crown. However, the death of his eldest son, Henry, has plunged the nation into mourning, with rumours circulating that the prince was poisoned. Andrew Logan, the King’s Messenger, is tasked with locating and arresting Sir David Murray, once Prince Henry’s trusted courtier, and bringing him to London to stand trial before the dreaded Star Chamber.

I really enjoyed this story on audio. I think I liked it more on audio than I would have if I was physically reading it. I highly recommend listening to the audio version of this.

"The King's Messenger" is a compelling novel with interesting storytelling through a dual POV, and I found the historical setting that teems with political intrigue and mystery a nice change of pace from my recent reads, though really not too many things happen. The slowburn romance between Andrew and Phoebe is quite a treat, and I liked the latter's relationship with her father as well; it's not something seen as often in fiction, especially historical fiction. Even without the author's notes, one can tell that Kearsley did detailed research for the story.

I was intrigued by the premise of this novel, as well as the time period it is set in. Historical fiction is my favorite genre and I had not yet read any set in the 1600's. The characters were compelling and well developed, with my favorite being Hector. The setting was vivid. While at times I had a hard time keeping up with the story, due to my lack of understanding of this time period as well as the thick accents, the context and descriptions helped me to keep track of the fast paced story line. The final hour of the audiobook was incredibly interesting as well, learning all of the research the author put in to craft this story. I would definitely recommend The King's Messenger and will be posting a positive review on my Instagram feed as well.

The King's Messenger is a historical fiction novel following a group of people that go to apprehend a man accused of murdering Prince Henry. I struggled with the pacing/plot, but I loved the characters and the romance between two of the main characters.

Narration performed by Beth Eyre and Angus King was outstanding!

Perfect for fans of slower paced historical fiction novels.

I received an ARC and ALC from SOURCEBOOKS Landmark | Sourcebooks Landmark and RBmedia | Recorded Books via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Overall quick review: This is fine, just didn't suck me in.

After the death of the Prince, King James in 1613 wants to punish whom (if anyone) is responsible. He sends his loyal messenger, Andrew Logan to travel to Scotland, arrest the Prince's courtier and bring him to justice. Traveling along with a scribe and his daughter, who can't stand Andrew, secrets are revealed and Andrew tests his loyalty to the King.

I don't have much to say about this. It's not bad by any means, the historical setting feels real even with the magic. I liked Andrew and Phoebe relationship and how it develops. I think it falls flat with the actual political intrigue and the character of David Murray - I just didn't really care? He was stiff and didn't have much of a character to be interested and invested in. The other characters also just feel like filler, not bad but not really interesting either. The most I get out of this is Andrew and the general setting.

“Grief was a shadow whose shape was familiar.”

I wasn’t sure if my mood was ready for a historical fiction set in 17th Century England/Scotland but it only took me a few pages to be fully immersed into the story being told and I think that is true for all of Susanna’s books. She grabs your attention with setting and memorable characters right off the bat! Andrew Logan is King James Messenger and is sent to arrest David Moray for the murder of the Prince. From there the books takes you on a journey of political intrigue, the gift of sight, romance, and a road trip via horses that made the story feel like there were hero’s and outlaws and a few villians along the way. With alternating POVs as well as a few flashbacks you get a full history of the characters in a surprising low page count. I really enjoyed it and looking forward to chatting with @bookfriendsbookclub at the end of the month!

Susanna Kearsley’s books are a sure bet for well-researched history with a light tough of romance. This one didn’t disappoint

What a fascinating story! THE KING'S MESSENGER is a captivating historical fiction novel that skillfully transports you to 1613 when England and Scotland had only recently been united under King James's crown. Henty, Prince of Wales, is dead, and King James blames Sir David Murray, summoning Andrew Logan to Scotland to arrest David. Accompanying them are the scrivener Lawrence Westaway and his daughter Phoebe. As the real point of the mission is revealed, Logan is unwilling to bring an innocent man into a treacherous betrayal.

I fell in love with Logan and Phoebe. Their journey is one about integrity, truth, and honor. The character development is fantastic, especially Queen Mary of Scotts. The multiple POVs offered a distinctive way to experience the same events through different eyes. The book is a treasure trove of historical knowledge, always offering something new to learn! The book concluded in a perfect way. It is an overall wonderful book!

The audiobook narrators, Beth Eyre and Angus King deserve a special mention for their outstanding performances. Their British and Scottish accents added an authentic touch to the characters, and their ability to convey depth and emotion made me feel as though I was right there with them.

Thank you to NetGalley and RBmedia Recorded Books for providing me with the audio copy of THE KING'S MESSENGER in exchange for an honest review. Susanna Kearsley, I sincerely thank you for crafting such a captivating story! Your storytelling is remarkable, and I am deeply appreciative of the experience. I look forward to reading some of your other books.

I listened to the audiobook version of the King’s Messenger and it was absolutely fantastic! I enjoy historical fiction, but wasn’t sure what to expect about King James’s “messenger” from the early 17th Century. Andrew Logan is the subject messenger and he is part knight of the round table, part bounty hunter, and part scholar with an admirable sense of justice. I really enjoyed getting to know him as he traveled to Scotland to bring Sir David Murray back to England for questioning surrounding the death of the recently deceased Prince Henry. Traveling with Andrew was an elderly scribe (who was tasked with taking notes and the confession of Sir David) and his opinionated daughter Phoebe who at first seemed to loathe Andrew.

The audiobook is from two different perspectives- that of Andrew, which is narrated by Angus King, and that of Phoebe, which is narrated by Beth Eyre. Both were most impressive in bringing the characters to life and showing the right amount of emotion and urgency in all the right places. Simply put, I highly recommend this audiobook!

I really enjoyed listening to this narrator! I also enjoyed this book, it was hard to put down the first time I read it, so as an audiobook, I had similar issues of not wanting to pause it. I really like that although there's the romance, it does not take over the plot by any means. I also really enjoy the historical and political aspects of this book, it really gives the reader a vivid setting that our characters are navigating. She really put in the effort on research for this book, which really added to it's value, and I love it!!

1613 Scotland. Henry, Prince of Wales is dead, and King James is laying blame on Sir David Moray (Murray). The king is sending his messenger, Andrew Logan, north to Edinburgh with the warrant to retrieve Murray. He takes with him a court scrivener, and the scrivener's daughter Phoebe, with whom Andrew has been at odds for years. The courtly political intrigue and the wedge between King James and Queen Anna drive the external forces of the plot, while the slow burn romance between Andrew and Phoebe takes center stage.

I'd only previously read one Susanna Kearsley, and that one had a dual timeline in the modern era and historical, which often removes me from the story. This is set entirely in a historical setting, with some parts taking place when Prince Henry is young, staged as flashbacks from Moray's perspective, but with the primary plot in 1614 and dual POV of Phoebe and Andrew. This structure worked very well for me, keeping me immersed in the reign of James VI and I.

Leaning on primary sources, Kearsley pieces together the lives of the historical figures and brings really lovely detail to her fictional characters. In her author's note at the end of the book, she writes about the choices she makes where there are gaps in history or room for creative license (particularly in the character of King James). This level of detail appeals to me as a reader, and its clear in Kearsley's worldbuilding that the research and history is important to her writing process.

The romance between Phoebe and Andrew is lovely, building slowly over their road trip to Edinburgh and back to London. Because this is historical fiction and not historical romance, we don't get the depth of internal monologuing typical in a romance, but their actions and conversations convince a reader of the bond and respect between them.

The audiobook is dual POV, narrated by Beth Eyre and Angus King, and I found it an engaging listen.

The King's Messenger is a delight, delivering everything one could want from historical fiction: a riveting story, characters the reader comes to love, and oodles of real history. A week ago I knew nothing about a job that's existed for hundreds of years, but having gotten to know Messenger Andrew Logan (and reading the author's notes at the end of the book), I understand the position and feel I've lived vicariously through his struggles to honorably serve a king (King James I) whose own intentions are questionable at best. Ms. Kearsley skillfully intertwines fictional and historical figures and manages in a not-overly-long novel to include love stories between a mother and her son, a father and his daughter, a prince and his teacher/companion, and, of course, between the messenger and the young woman he's loved from afar. This title is a keeper that I'll recommend but not necessarily share!

The Kings Messenger Honest ARC Review:

For fans of Diana Gabaldon and Philippe Gregory, The Kings Messenger is filled with competition, rivalry and court intrigue. The year is 1613. King James, the sixth of Scotland, first of England, son of Mary, Queen of Scots - has unified both countries under one crown. The death of his eldest son, Henry has brought a period of mourning to the kingdom. Many begin to believe the Prince was poisoned.

Andrew Logan, a King’s Messenger, has the ability of sight. Witchcraft accusations lead to many deaths so Andrew must guard his secret. Treacherous behavior, betrayal and an untamed love lead this novel to become a fantastic read!

The Queen is such a strong female character. I adore her!

The world building is descriptive and interesting. If you can imagine traveling through England and Scotland in the year 1613, a beautiful and sometimes unsettling experience is painted for the you.

A reader is taken on a fascinating journey. If you are looking for something to pull you in and carry you far from home, this is a great addition to your TBR!!


Thank you for sharing this ARC with me. I really enjoyed it!

My first historical fiction from Susanna Kearsley, and I've decided that I like her. :)
I read the book and listened to the audio version parallel, and I must admit that the Scottish bits narrated by Angus King really adds to the experience. Not only an entertaining novel but informative too.