The Tudor Secret

The Elizabeth I Spymaster Chronicles, Book 1

By: C. W. Gortner

Narrated by: Steve West

The era of the Tudors was one of danger, intrigue, conspiracy, and, above all, spies.

The summer of 1553 is a time of danger and deceit. Brendan Prescott, an orphan, has been reared in the household of the powerful Dudley family. Brought to court, Prescott finds himself sent on an illicit mission to the king’s brilliant but enigmatic sister, Princess Elizabeth. But Brendan is soon compelled to work as a double agent by Elizabeth’s protector, William Cecil, who promises in exchange to help him unravel the secret of his own mysterious past.

A dark plot swirls around Elizabeth’s quest to discover the truth about the ominous disappearance of her seriously ill brother, King Edward VI. With only a bold stable boy and an audacious lady-in-waiting at his side, Brendan plunges into a ruthless gambit of half-truths, lies, and murder.

Filled with the intrigue and pageantry of Tudor England, The Tudor Secret is the first book in the Elizabeth I Spymaster Chronicles.

©2011 C. W. Gortner (P)2011 Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Critic reviews

"Gortner handles action with aplomb, adding a riveting, fast-paced thriller to the crowded genre of Tudor fiction." ( Publishers Weekly)

"An exciting, vividly rendered story of intrigue and espionage." ( Booklist)

One of the best novels I've listened to

What did you love best about The Tudor Secret?

Grabs you from the beginning with the characters and plot and won't let go until you finish it.

What was one of the most memorable moments of The Tudor Secret?

The impact of the story and performance on the very first page. I had to change my schedule to make sure I could maximize my listening ... from morning to just before I dozed.

What about Steve West’s performance did you like?

Beautiful English accent and all the characters came were individuals and came to life. You weren't "listening" you were in the story. Great pacing and performance.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

The introduction to the future Queen Elizabeth and her complex character.

Any additional comments?

Don't have any more time to waste ... got to start on the second in the series ...now ... bye

The incredible amount of research!

This book is amazing and engaging. It kept me interested from beginning to end. And though there is a romance, it really takes a back seat to the self discovery of the main character reminding us that often the key to who we are doesn’t lay in who we sleep with... not always. The author convincingly writes about the subtle differences between love and attraction to honor and specifically to finding a purpose or cause -a duty -to be of value in one’s life, aside from love of family and self. The author also convincingly writes about the mechanizations of society -particularly court life. This shows us that the board room antics of the corporate present are not so far removed from the Tudor court of long ago. I find this book highly entertaining AND informative. Driving home how important it is that we know our past not through rose colored glasses but through the eyes of people that are like people today- in a journey of self discovery.

I particularly like the Author’s dedication at the end of this book- who was thanked and why they were thanked gives great insight to this reader of the solitary humility it takes to be deemed “a writer.” I would like to thank the writer for being one of my story tellers. It’s not often one gets to stumble upon a story so good and so well written as to be admirable in every way. In truth it shows that someone well rounded in the deeper philosophical insights of life has written this book. I will be looking for this author’s books in the future.

The reader (voice actor) is very convincing and does not lapse into characters’ voices that are overly simplistic, but manages to maintain that subtle balance of differentiating dialogue convincingly with slight alterations of voice. The deep resonance and inflection of the first person narration reminds me very much of the voice of Julian Sands -an actor I admire very much with a voice I find very engaging. Bravo!

Loved the storyline!

Loved the storyline! Great idea that there may have been another Tudor heir. Very believable.

Slow start, good story

It took 2 h to get into the main plot line. Compelling once they get into the Story. Believable characters, interesting fictional supposition
The reader does a great job.

The Tudor Secret, enjoyable story

This historical fiction is an enjoyable story and glimpse at what might have been the intrigue and life struggles especially during Tudor change of power after the death of Henry the VIII. Narration is clear and enjoyable.

Excellent yarn

A great narrator and a really interesting story about life for the royalty in the sixteenth century, a period which amazes me that anyone survived. It could have been true, but of course no one would ever know.

Great Book! But Where's The Second Book Audible?

Where does The Tudor Secret rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

Solid story that ranks in the top 40% of the 100's of books I have listened to.

Have you listened to any of Steve West’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

I have not listened to Steve West before but he did a great job.

Who was the most memorable character of The Tudor Secret and why?

Peregrine of course was the best character.

Any additional comments?

For the folks at Audible, if you offer a great price for "the first book of a series" make sure you have the rest of the books.

Amazing!

Love love loved this story. Kept my workdays entertaining and loved the narrator. I will be seeking out this author.

Was Unsure But Hey...

I really enjoyed this book very much. To me the given details made this story line made me question how much I'd like it. If not written well it could be really bad; have you been there too? It took a chapter or two before it had me intrigued.

Really enjoyed

This was the first time I had listened to the author, really enjoyed the plot. Very interesting and well written.