The King’s Mother

Four mothers fight for their sons as the Wars of the Roses rage

Preview

Failed to add items

Sorry, we are unable to add the item because your shopping cart is already at capacity.

Add to basket failed.

Please try again later

Add to wishlist failed.

Please try again later

Remove from wishlist failed.

Please try again later

Adding to library failed

Please try again

Follow podcast failed

Unfollow podcast failed

Get 30 days of Premium Plus free

£8.99/month after 30-day free trial. Cancel monthly.

Try for £0.00

More purchase options

Buy Now for £12.99

About this listen

Brought to you by Penguin.

FROM THE CRITICALLY ACCLAIMED AUTHOR OF CECILY

1461. Through blood and battle Edward has gained England’s throne – king by right and conquest – eighteen years old and unstoppable. Cecily has piloted his rise to power and stands at his shoulder now, first to claim the title King’s Mother.

But to win a throne is not to keep it and war is come again. As brother betrays brother, and trusted cousins turn treacherous, other mothers rise up to fight for other sons. Cecily must focus her will to defeat every challenge. Wherever they come from. Whatever the cost.

For there can be only one King, and only one King’s Mother.

From the Wars of the Roses to the dawn of the Tudor age, this is a story of mothers and sons; of maternal ferocity and female ambition - of all they can build and all they can destroy.

'Elegant and propulsive . . . I had to fight myself to put it down' A.K. Blakemore
'History at its most powerful: intimate and personal, visceral and devastating' Jennifer Saint
'Family dynamics at their most fierce - timeless and brilliant!' Kate Sawyer

©2024 Annie Garthwaite (P)2024 Penguin Audio

Annie GarthwaiteAmber AndersonPenguin Audio

Biographical Fiction

Genre Fiction

Historical Fiction

Medieval

Political

War & Military

Women's Fiction

Royalty

England

War

Tudor

Biographical Fiction Genre Fiction Historical Fiction Medieval Political War & Military Women's Fiction Royalty England War Tudor

Critic reviews

Elegant and propulsive . . . I had to fight myself to put it down (A.K. Blakemore, author of THE GLUTTON)

Bold, unique and gripping (Ferdia Lennon, author of GLORIOUS EXPLOITS)

History at its most powerful: intimate and personal, visceral and devastating (Jennifer Saint, author of HERA)

Family dynamics at their most fierce - timeless and brilliant! (Kate Sawyer, author of THIS FAMILY)

Intense and personal, with stakes as great as kingdoms and a mother’s love (Conn Iggulden, author of NERO)

It is impossible not to root for Cecily: fierce mother and ambitious power player (Constanza Casati, author of BABYLONIA)

Utterly gripping, beautifully judged and deeply feminist (Elizabeth Buchan, author of TWO WOMEN IN ROME)

Breathes life into these women, wives, daughters and mothers. It is rare that historical fiction is so immersive and transporting. (Liz Fremantle, author of QUEEN'S GAMBIT)

Utterly compelling storytelling in crisp prose that is by turns witty, lyrical, moving and brutal. (Victoria Mackenzie, author of FOR THY GREAT PAIN HAVE MERCY ON MY LITTLE PAIN)

A totally propulsive read, which plunges us into the 15th century and shifts our understanding of the roles mothers in history have played. (Harriet Constable, author of THE INSTRUMENTALIST)

Most relevant

Fantastic sequel to Cecily: writing is succinct and stylish and effortlessly encompasses incredible amounts of complex history while creating believable and compelling characters.
Cecily is exquisitely complicated, not always nice, but my heart went out to her.
Perfectly paced, building tension and twists that still managed to have me biting my nails even though I knew what was coming.
Narration was also spot on.