Queen Without a Crown

By Fiona Buckley

The ninth gripping murder mystery to feature Ursula Blanchard, special aide to Elizabeth I - November, 1569. Happily married to her third husband, Hugh Stannard, lady-in-waiting Ursula Blanchard is hoping to give up her undercover work for Queen Elizabeth l in order to enjoy domestic bliss. But when Hugh unwittingly endangers possession of his ancestral home, Ursula is forced to take on a seemingly hopeless - but handsomely paid - private assignment, which the Queen spots is the perfect cover for a covert investigation into a group of rebel barons plotting to put Mary, Queen of Scots on the English throne . . .

• Language: English
• Publisher: Severn House Digital
• Release date: May 1, 2012
• ISBN: 9781780101576

Fiona Buckley

Fiona Buckley is the author of eighteen previous Ursula Blanchard mysteries, and a historical saga, Late Harvest. Under her real name, Valerie Anand, she is the author of numerous historical novels, including the much-loved Bridges Over Time series. Brought up in London, she now lives in Surrey.

Reviews for Queen Without a Crown

[john257hopper · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

After a gap of several years, this is the ninth book in the Ursula Blanchard series. The political plot concerns the Northern Rebellion by the Earls of Northumberland and Westmoreland to restore Mary to the throne of Scotland and then to replace Elizabeth as Queen of England. The personal plotline that intermeshes with this and provides human interest involves solving a 23 year old mystery and proving the innocence of a dead man so his son can marry the girl of his choice. The details of this are a bit implausible but it's very readable stuff and it's great to see Ursula and her circle, wonderfully drawn and likeable characters, in a story again when I thought this series had ended. At least two more have been published as well and I look forward to them. 4/5

[readinggeek451 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

An uprising in the north of England has Elizabeth keeping her court close at Windsor, including her half-sister and sometime agent, Ursula Blanchard. Ursula is commissioned by a family friend to discover if his father was really a poisoner. This--and Elizabeth's need for a spy in the north--sends Ursula and her cohorts into danger.Interestingly twisty, and I like Ursula's third husband much better than her second.

[auntie0nanuuq · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

At one time I really enjoyed this series (so maybe it's where I am these past few months)...but I did not get past the second chapter.

Ursula is asked once again to go undercover for Elizabeth I (they look very much alike) to help uncover the plot against the Crown by the Scots Queen. Ursula is also investigating the innocence of Lord Sussex's envoy's deceased father against the false accusation of murder.

I was bored from the outset.