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5.0 out of 5 stars
Hurrah, Ursula!, Nov 26 2001
When Queen Elizabeth I ruled, she dealt with her share of nasty rumors; not the least of which was her "friendship" with her Master of Horse Sir Robert (Robin) Dudley. The fact that Dudley had an ailing wife named Amy (who, unbeknowst to them in that day was suffering from breast cancer)added to the gossip. Fiona Buckley has taken this real-life scenario and turned it into a historical mystery work of fiction. It's brilliant!Our fictional narrator, Ursula Blanchard, is recently widowed and raising her young daughter Meg. She refuses to lean on her fanatical relations and instead finds herself a job as lady-in-waiting to the Queen. Her first big assignment by the Queen is to travel to Cumnor Place (the Dudley estate) and care for Dudley's sickly wife Amy. She is also going there to serve as a pawn to quell rumors that Dudley has no murderous designs on Amy, thereby ridding himself of her and leaving an opening to marry Elizabeth and gain the throne. But as Ursula cares for Amy and gains her trust, she learns that Amy indeed has valid reason to fear for her safety. Strange things are afoot at Cumnor Place, and supicious behavior by Dudley's associates give Ursula cause to spy and dig up information. When Amy sends all the servants to Abbingdon Fair, they return to find her dead in a heap at the bottom of the stairs (again, this part of history is absolutley true). The mystery thickens: was she pushed? Was she delirious from her disease and misjudged the stairs? Was she so depressed about the adulterous rumors regarding Dudley and the Queen that she sent the servants out so she could commit suicide? Or did she send the servants away to give her murderers a chance to follow through on their intents? Historically, the case was never resolved, ruled out as a horrible accident. But Ursula is not satisfied with this answer, and takes it upon herself to find out the truth. Fiona Buckley has cleverly woven the fact with well-written fiction, giving us a new heroine we love. In a time when not much value was put on women (other than serving the Queen or bearing children), Ursula is a strong-willed warrior of truth and justice. I couldn't put this book down! Each chapter ended with mysterious questions or thoughts that just begged to be learned in the following chapters. Much of my housework went to seed when I picked up this book! There are 4 more books in the Ursula series, all of which involve other real-life Queen Elizabeth experiences (i.e. the plot to remove Elizabeth and install her cousin, Mary Queen of Scots, to the English throne, etc.). The series is in the order as follows: 1.) "To Shield the Queen", 2.) The Doublet Affair", 3.) "Queen's Ransom", 4.) "To Ruin a Queen", and the newest (available 12/04)5.) "Queen's Ambition".
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