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A priceless jewel. A royal court rife with intrigue. A secret deal, where the price of truth could come too high . . .
The personal artist to King Henry Tudor, Susanna Horenbout is sought by the queen and ladies of the court for her delicate, skilled portraits. But now someone from her past is pulling her into a duplicitous game where the consequence of failure is war. Soon, Susanna and her betrothed, the King’s most dangerous courtier, are unraveling a plot that would shatter Europe. And at the heart of it is a magnificent missing diamond. . . .
With John Parker at her side, Susanna searches for the diamond and those responsible for its theft, their every step dogged by a lethal assassin. Finding the truth means plunging into the heart of the court’s most bitter infighting, surviving the harrowing labyrinth of Fleet Prison—and then coming face-to-face with the most dangerous enemy of all.
AMR0406
Posted December 9, 2012
This was the second book in a series. In a Treacherous Court was the first book. I liked this one even better. I think this is partly because I knew the characters this time and could keep up with everyone's relationship. But, I also just loved the story in this one. Michelle does a fantastic job of storytelling, too. She gives you enough information to know a little more than the characters at times, but not enough to ruin the mystery for you. Just like her last book there are several villains in this story and sometimes it is hard to figure out who to trust and who is changing their mind about their original plans. It definitely pulls you in and keeps you reading.
I probably notice the romance more than anything in the books I read and I just love that John and Susanna together. They love one another so much. John does not hold Susanna back at all because she is a woman. He treats her with an amazing amount of respect and truly understands her. He loves her enough to do anything to protect her but also wants her to be happy and do what she loves. Susanna loves John enough to risk her life for him. She too lets him be who he is with no questions asked. They are always there to support one another. I hope at the end of the story they both got a couple of days worth of sleep as they both deserved it after the adventure they found themselves on in this book!
I found this book very hard to put down. There was one adventure after another and I just had to find out what was going to happen next! I highly recommend this book for anyone that likes historical romance with suspense, mystery and intrigue!
Anonymous
Posted August 16, 2012
I wasn't expecting much from the cover of this book, but it completely proved me wrong. Fascinating and complex characters, a solid plot that catches and keeps your attention without seeming contrived or beyond the abilities of the day, and lots of detail of life at the outskirts of Henry's court all adds up to a completely addictive story. Any fan of the Margaret of Ashbury series who mourns Judith Merkle Riley's passing will be delighted to discover this talented new author and her equally talented and plucky heroine.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.This is a pretty good book and sequel. It takes place not too long after the first book. It looks like Susanna and Parker are now in another mystery. This time investigating the disappearance of a missing jewel. The descriptions and pace was good. The ending and author's note was also interesting.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.erlovesbooks
Posted April 17, 2012
This is a book I'll read more than once. It has so much: suspense, history, mystery, a love story. And two of the greatest leads I've read in a book for a long time. There are more than one villain. Two were real men of power in the king's court. One villain I think is fictional, though he seemed very real, very scary and very interesting. I won't leave any spoilers about the ending, so I'll just say it left me breathless! Though this is the second in a series, anyone reading it first shouldn't have any confusion. But they will immediately want to pick up In a Treacherous Court in order to find out how Parker and Susanna met and got together. I'm already eager to read Diener's next book. I hope it comes out soon.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted May 12, 2012
No text was provided for this review.
Overview
A priceless jewel. A royal court rife with intrigue. A secret deal, where the price of truth could come too high . . .
The personal artist to King Henry Tudor, Susanna Horenbout is sought by the queen and ladies of the court for her delicate, skilled portraits. But now someone from her past is pulling her into a duplicitous game where the consequence of failure is war. Soon, Susanna and her betrothed, the King’s most dangerous courtier, are unraveling a plot that would shatter ...