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Still loyal to her royal mistress but needing to be with her French husband, Matthew de la Roche, Ursula begins to build a new life for herself at Matthew's chateau. She loves Matthew, although she longs desperately for her little girl, Meg, left behind in England. But when Meg's passage is finally arranged, the child is missing. Where is she, and could her disappearance be part of a plot to tempt Ursula back to her homeland?
Frightened for her child, Ursula follows a trail that leads to the home of the ancient Mortimer family, the mysterious Vetch Castle, a grim, haunted keep on the Welsh border. There she finds castle owner Philip Mortimer, who boasts that he will force Queen Elizabeth to restore the fortunes of his once-great family. There, too, Ursula finds Philip's mother, the aging but still beautiful Lady Thomasine, who is frightened by her son's claims and pleads for Ursula's help in discovering what it is that he knows.
What deadly secrets does this castle hide? What ghostly faces look from the windows of the deserted southwest tower? What has Philip Mortimer discovered? The secrets of Vetch Castle could be dangerous, especially if they concern the Queen -- dangerous to the Mortimers and to Ursula and those she loves, as she soon learns to her peril.
Richly evocative of its rugged English and Welsh setting, precise in its historical detail, and filled with memorable characters, "To Ruin a Queen" will affirm Fiona Buckley's growing reputation as aqueen of historical crime. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
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The journey that took me from the Chateau Blanchepierre, on the banks of the Loire, to Vetch Castle on the Welsh March began, I think, on April 4, 1564, when I snatched up a triple-branched silver candlestick and hurled it the length of the Blanchepierre dinner table at my husband, Matthew de la Roche. Read the first page
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Customer Reviews
A concerned Ursula travels to England seeking Meg. At her daughter's residence, Queen Elizabeth and Sir Cecil meet her. They demand she go to Vetch Castle near the Welsh border to learn what Sir Phillip Mortimer is planning since he apparently has something on Her Highness. When someone murders Phillip's ward, everyone blames Ursula. Barely escaping the castle, Ursula seeks the evidence that will stop Mortimer from blackmailing the Queen. Ursula wants nothing more than to return to France with Meg. First however, she has to make sure England's queen is safe and the throne secure.
Fiona Buckley has written a colorful Elizabethan mystery that describes the culture, beliefs, and practices of the sixteenth century English nobility. TO RUIN A QUEEN is an excellent historical tale that contains a strong plot and powerful characters 5that keep the story line moving at a rapid pace. This novel is so complex and deep, that fans of a complex puzzle will appreciate it.
Harriet Klausner
This latest entry in the series is, like the others, a pleasant and fulfilling mystery. I appreciated Buckley's returning Ursula to England, and the Welsh twist added some interesting new flavor. Once again, Ursula sets out to solve a "cozy" mystery that, upon closer scrutiny, turns out to have potentially thunderous ramifications for Queen and country. The whodunit aspect of the novel is tightly constructed, with some shocking twists and bits of pure cleverness. I was a bit disappointed with the fact that I was able to identify the killer long before the denouement, but that only detracted slightly from the mystery.
Most of all, I appreciate Buckley's fine flair for characterization. Ursula and all her facets are unfolding and developing beautifully; she seems more and more of a real person with each successive book. Her husband, Matthew, has deepened significantly beyond the suave courtier he was in the first book; Brockley is also becoming an intriguing character! There are some wonderfully poignant moments to be found in this book, which elevate it far above the conventional mystery.
All in all, an enjoyable read, with depth of character compensating for a slightly predictable air.
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