The Confessions of
Catherine de Medici

The Tudor Secret

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In Gortner's latest riveting historical, the influential Dudley family sends orphan servant Brendan Prescott to serve their cruel son, Lord Robert, at King Edward's court, and the young man is soon caught up in intrigue, suspicion, and shifting loyalties. . . In Gortner's capable hands, Prescott is a believable and enjoyable hero. . .though readers familiar with the Tudor era will know the key players, they may be surprised by their depiction here. Gortner handles action with aplomb, adding a riveting, fast-paced thriller to the crowded genre of Tudor fiction.— Publisher's Weekly

Even Tudor fans who know the main players and historical backdrop will be captivated by Gortner's storytelling and his engaging hero. [Gortner] juxtaposes his naive and loyal hero with the cruel Robert Dudley, enhancing the plot and grabbing reader interest as much as the quick pace and lush historical references. This novel is both entertaining and thoughtful. — ****Romantic Times (reviewed by Kathe Robin)

A brilliantly executed plot and three-dimensional characters . . . this is historical fiction, and very well done at that; very highly recommended.—Historical Novels Review, Editors’ Choice (reviewed by Michael DiSchiavi)
In 1553, England is a dangerous place to be. Into the midst of all this drama rides Brendan Prescott, a 20-year-old orphan . . . Sent to court to serve the duke’s sons, one of his first tasks is to deliver a secret missive to Elizabeth. But Brendan is soon lured by Elizabeth’s protector, William Cecil, into working for Elizabeth instead . . . Amid crosses and double crosses, Brendan realizes he has to choose a side, for the issue of succession to the throne quickly becomes a matter of life and death—and not just for the potential monarch. An exciting, vividly rendered story of intrigue and espionage. — Book List (reviewed by Hilary Hatton)

C.W. Gortner weaves a fast-moving tale of espionage and suspense . . . The dazzling cast of characters includes the father of modern intelligence work, as well as one of England’s greatest statesmen, and at its heart, the brilliant and enigmatic Elizabeth. Never have spy and counterspy been more challenged, villains more duplicitous, and life for those in power--or hoping to be--more dangerous. A haunting look at the velvet peril of Tudor England. — Margaret George, author of The Autobiography of Henry VIII

Q: What was the inspiration for The Tudor Secret and its hero, Brendan Prescott?
The Tudor era is an especially dynamic place to explore, in that within a relatively short span of time so much happened politically and socially. The drama, intrigue and tumult of the Tudors have, for good reason, captured generation after generation of readers; it seems there’s always something new to discover about them. I knew that William Cecil and Francis Walsingham developed one of the most sophisticated intelligence systems in the world on behalf of the embattled queen, who faced enemies both in England and abroad for most of her long reign. But I’d never stopped to consider the details of what being a Tudor spy might entail, or what the seeds of that service might have looked like before Elizabeth assumed her throne. While the Tudors have been covered from nearly every angle, nothing I’d read explored the possibility that Elizabeth may have had her own secret spy, someone devoted to her special interests— and someone who ended up becoming her close friend. Within a few days, I began to draft the outline for this novel, featuring a spy who becomes the secret confidant and protector of Elizabeth, rousing the enmity of her lover, Robert Dudley, even as the spy uncovers a key to his past that threatens the kingdom’s, and Elizabeth’s, future.

Q: Do you adhere to historical fact in your novels or do you take liberties if the story can benefit from the change? To what extent did you stick to facts in writing The Tudor Secret?
While I believe historical novelists should adhere to historical facts whenever possible, even as we spin a tale that is by and large a fictional recreation of past events, history can be complicated and even inconvenient at moments, particularly for the novelist. We often must balance the factual requisites of our story with the obligation to entertain our reader. It’s not an easy feat. Nonfiction writers have the luxury of saying: “This and that happened, but we don’t know why or how” but the fiction writer must make a determination. It should be an informed one, naturally, but still conclusions must be drawn. This is why historical fiction is so interesting and why I think some nonfiction historians are drawn to it themselves: you paint in the empty spaces, the gaps where facts contradict each other or are simply not clear. In The Tudor Secret, I weave three separate threads into the plotline; one thread, involving the events surrounding the demise of Edward VI in July 1553 and the Duke of Northumberland’s plot to raise Jane Grey to the throne, is factual. In the second thread, I deviate from the facts in that I speculate what may have occurred had Elizabeth decided to follow in her sister Mary’s footsteps and visit the court during the days leading to Edward’s death. Historical accounts tell us that the Princess in fact did not go to court; however, it is not outside the realm of possibility that she undertook a secret trip and that is my premise. In the third thread, I create a purely fictional plotline involving Brendan, who is brought to court to serve Robert Dudley and is thrust into the drama surrounding the Princess. While nothing in The Tudor Secret contradicts the facts of what happened in the summer of 1553, I do mix things up by creating a fictional story of might have been transpiring behind the scenes. This is a book about secrets—the secrets we carry; the secrets we use as weapons; the secrets we use to seek truth.

Q: In your research, what was the most interesting/surprising/shocking thing you learned?
I was actually surprised to discover how truly ruthless life at court was. We tend to see it as a glamorous place of gorgeous costumes, minstrels and rumors—and it was. But there was a darker side to it; proximity to the monarch promised riches or ruin, and fortunes rose and fell on a whim. Success was often determined by how far you were willing to go to win, and at court people went very far, indeed. Take for example, Robert Dudley. I’d always seen him as a romantic figure—the long-suffering suitor for a fickle Elizabeth’s hand. After all, she was a survivor, scarred by the past; she cannot have been easy to love. However, as I researched Robert’s youth and his actions in the days I describe in The Tudor Secret, I began to see a less sympathetic edge to him, one of callous disregard, of determination and ambition much like his father. I think he learned the hard way that he had to bend his pride but I also think he’s more complex than popularly imagined. To me, that makes him more fun to write. Likewise, William Cecil emerged as a much tougher character; he wasn't so much the benevolent paternal figure who guided Elizabeth to glory as a manipulative genius. But all this is what makes research and writing so engaging; you begin with an idea that sparks your imagination; plunge into research; and your idea is transformed as if by alchemy into something entirely unforeseen.