Bloody Queen Mary has ascended the throne of England, following the thwarted Wyatt Rebellion that attempted to stop her marrying Prince Philip of Spain. She is determined to convert the country back to Catholicism by burning Protestants at the stake. Honor Thornleigh and her husband, Richard, have been pardoned by the queen for their involvement in the rebellion, and they return to England, but they are not content to sit back and do nothing: Richard works in Parliament to overturn anti-Protestant bills, and Honor uses her contacts to spy, while their son, Adam, robs the exchequer, all in the name of their queen the future Queen Elizabeth. Honor and Richard and their associates plot to remove Mary from the throne, but Honor finds that the price to do so may be too high. The third in a series about the Thornleighs, Kyle's novel is an exciting, detailed historical tale of the intrigue and political maneuvering in the Tudor court.--Hatton, Hilary Copyright 2010 Booklist