Characters
KATHERINE PARR
Known for being the wife that 'survived' Katherine Parr has been mis-represented by history in that she is remembered as the dull nursemaid who saw an irascible king through his dotage. She was far from this, and hopefully my fictional representation of her goes someway to show what a dynamic, and politically savvy woman she was. She was the author of two books in a time when the very idea of a woman publishing anything was considered akin to a monkey with a quill and could seriously compromise her virtue. She vehemently supported religious reform at great personal risk, and survived a Catholic plot to bring her down by out witting her powerful adversaries. One of the triumphs of her time as Queen was that she was instrumental in bringing the disparate royal family back together and persuaded Henry to reinstate Mary and Elizabeth Tudor in the succession. But what intrigued me most, as a writer of fiction, about Katherine, was the essential contradiction at her core: that she, an intelligent and shrewd woman, was capable of falling blindly for a man who was far from worthy of her heart. For me it is this flaw that takes her out of the pages of the history books and invests her with humanity, allowing us to identify with her down the centuries.
Further reading, with links:
Katherine the Queen: The Remarkable Life of Katherine Parr by Linda Porter
Catherine Parr: Henry VIII's Last Love by Susan James
Catherine Parr: Wife, widow, mother, survivor, the story of the last queen of Henry VIII by Elizabeth Norton
HENRY VIII
We are all familiar with Henry Tudor, the despotic king who married six times and beheaded two of his young wives, but in Queen's Gambit I wanted to create a more complex portrait of the man, showing him as someone who was at the mercy of his own monstrous temper and was deeply manipulative but was also capable of compassion, and had too, an awareness of his failings. At the time he was married to Katherine Parr Henry had broken with the Pope, which meant that the whole of Catholic Europe was on a mission to destroy him in the name of their faith, and the dangerously polarised factions within his own court reflected this. I wanted to convey the sense that he had grown so used to maintaining his terrifying front in the face of all this, and beset by debilitating and painful illness, that he had lost sight of his humanity.
DOT FOWNTEN
Dot is a character largely of my imagination, though there was a Dorothy Fountain who served as maid to Margaret Neville at Snape and remained with the family serving Katherine Parr when she was Queen. This Dorothy also married a minor courtier named William Savage. I have certainly made Dot lower born than she was likely to have been as I wanted to offer a different perspective on the court – a 'below stairs' view – and was keen to explore the kind of life an ordinary women like Dot might have had in the period and though, in the novel, she is visited by exceptional circumstances and comes to move in an elevated world, her experience of it is different to those born into the nobility. Low born women were not expected to make dynastic marriages and consequently married later than their noble sisters and more often had the opportunity to choose their husbands, or at least have had some kind of prior relationship. Literacy and education was something entirely beyond their reach and in Dot I wanted to imagine a woman with an intellectual curiosity, striving to educate herself against the expectations of her age – as an adjunct to this I touch on the possibilities for social mobility that were beginning to open up (it must be said mostly for men) in the renaissance period.
HUICKE
Dr Robert Huicke, like Dot, is largely a fictional character in QUEEN'S GAMBIT. He was however physician to Henry VIII, becoming Katherine Parr's personal physician on her marriage to the King and later served Edward VI in the same capacity. He also witnessed Katherine's will. It is not documented that he was involved in the relaying of news to Katherine of the warrant for her arrest – it was thought to have one of the royal doctors and it is tempting to imagine it was he, given he primarily served the Queen. There is no evidence of his homosexuality – he was married and his wife sued him for divorce citing cruelty and deception – and indeed no evidence that he was close to Nicholas Udall (though with Udall there is the suggestion he has a penchant for boys). With Huicke's sexuality, in the novel, I wanted to explore the idea of a friendship for Katherine that was not coloured by sexual interest on either part. Their friendship is one of great purity and loyalty and in my mind (sexuality aside) Huicke was the perfect man for Katherine. I find too that many historical fictions ignore the possibility of non-conformist sexual behaviour, probably because it was sufficiently taboo as to go unmentioned in the texts upon which we base our knowledge of the past. So I was keen to try and show the possibility of a world where such things were, though not outwardly acknowledged, simply part of the general scheme. Huicke also offers an opportunity to explore a different kind of relationship – his union with Udall is not ideal at first glance but Huicke does not focus on the usual expectations of fidelity and seems content to accept his lover's infidelities as little more than an inconvenience. I became rather attached to Huicke as I was writing and his role in the novel expanded with each new draft.
Known for being the wife that 'survived' Katherine Parr has been mis-represented by history in that she is remembered as the dull nursemaid who saw an irascible king through his dotage. She was far from this, and hopefully my fictional representation of her goes someway to show what a dynamic, and politically savvy woman she was. She was the author of two books in a time when the very idea of a woman publishing anything was considered akin to a monkey with a quill and could seriously compromise her virtue. She vehemently supported religious reform at great personal risk, and survived a Catholic plot to bring her down by out witting her powerful adversaries. One of the triumphs of her time as Queen was that she was instrumental in bringing the disparate royal family back together and persuaded Henry to reinstate Mary and Elizabeth Tudor in the succession. But what intrigued me most, as a writer of fiction, about Katherine, was the essential contradiction at her core: that she, an intelligent and shrewd woman, was capable of falling blindly for a man who was far from worthy of her heart. For me it is this flaw that takes her out of the pages of the history books and invests her with humanity, allowing us to identify with her down the centuries.
Further reading, with links:
Katherine the Queen: The Remarkable Life of Katherine Parr by Linda Porter
Catherine Parr: Henry VIII's Last Love by Susan James
Catherine Parr: Wife, widow, mother, survivor, the story of the last queen of Henry VIII by Elizabeth Norton
HENRY VIII
We are all familiar with Henry Tudor, the despotic king who married six times and beheaded two of his young wives, but in Queen's Gambit I wanted to create a more complex portrait of the man, showing him as someone who was at the mercy of his own monstrous temper and was deeply manipulative but was also capable of compassion, and had too, an awareness of his failings. At the time he was married to Katherine Parr Henry had broken with the Pope, which meant that the whole of Catholic Europe was on a mission to destroy him in the name of their faith, and the dangerously polarised factions within his own court reflected this. I wanted to convey the sense that he had grown so used to maintaining his terrifying front in the face of all this, and beset by debilitating and painful illness, that he had lost sight of his humanity.
DOT FOWNTEN
Dot is a character largely of my imagination, though there was a Dorothy Fountain who served as maid to Margaret Neville at Snape and remained with the family serving Katherine Parr when she was Queen. This Dorothy also married a minor courtier named William Savage. I have certainly made Dot lower born than she was likely to have been as I wanted to offer a different perspective on the court – a 'below stairs' view – and was keen to explore the kind of life an ordinary women like Dot might have had in the period and though, in the novel, she is visited by exceptional circumstances and comes to move in an elevated world, her experience of it is different to those born into the nobility. Low born women were not expected to make dynastic marriages and consequently married later than their noble sisters and more often had the opportunity to choose their husbands, or at least have had some kind of prior relationship. Literacy and education was something entirely beyond their reach and in Dot I wanted to imagine a woman with an intellectual curiosity, striving to educate herself against the expectations of her age – as an adjunct to this I touch on the possibilities for social mobility that were beginning to open up (it must be said mostly for men) in the renaissance period.
HUICKE
Dr Robert Huicke, like Dot, is largely a fictional character in QUEEN'S GAMBIT. He was however physician to Henry VIII, becoming Katherine Parr's personal physician on her marriage to the King and later served Edward VI in the same capacity. He also witnessed Katherine's will. It is not documented that he was involved in the relaying of news to Katherine of the warrant for her arrest – it was thought to have one of the royal doctors and it is tempting to imagine it was he, given he primarily served the Queen. There is no evidence of his homosexuality – he was married and his wife sued him for divorce citing cruelty and deception – and indeed no evidence that he was close to Nicholas Udall (though with Udall there is the suggestion he has a penchant for boys). With Huicke's sexuality, in the novel, I wanted to explore the idea of a friendship for Katherine that was not coloured by sexual interest on either part. Their friendship is one of great purity and loyalty and in my mind (sexuality aside) Huicke was the perfect man for Katherine. I find too that many historical fictions ignore the possibility of non-conformist sexual behaviour, probably because it was sufficiently taboo as to go unmentioned in the texts upon which we base our knowledge of the past. So I was keen to try and show the possibility of a world where such things were, though not outwardly acknowledged, simply part of the general scheme. Huicke also offers an opportunity to explore a different kind of relationship – his union with Udall is not ideal at first glance but Huicke does not focus on the usual expectations of fidelity and seems content to accept his lover's infidelities as little more than an inconvenience. I became rather attached to Huicke as I was writing and his role in the novel expanded with each new draft.
'The research and historical detail are impeccable.' The Times
'Period drama at its backstabbing best.' Sunday Sport
'A gripping tale of risky political and sexual shenanigans in the court of Elizabeth I' Woman & Home
'Watch the Lady is a glorious novel, rich in Tudor detail and splendour, chilled by Tudor cruelty and jealousy...An enormously exciting historical thriller.' Kate Atherton, For Winter Nights
'Amazingly thrilling.' The Bookbag
'Sharp, perceptive and dramatic' Sunday Express
'Fast-paced, atmospheric and enthralling,' Evening Post
'Wonderfully addictive... atmospheric and exciting.' Bookshelf Butterfly
'fast-paced storytelling with rich period detail' Good Housekeeping
‘If you want an immersive read then this is it.’ Jane Thynne Author of A War of Flowers
'Period drama at its backstabbing best.' Sunday Sport
'A gripping tale of risky political and sexual shenanigans in the court of Elizabeth I' Woman & Home
'Watch the Lady is a glorious novel, rich in Tudor detail and splendour, chilled by Tudor cruelty and jealousy...An enormously exciting historical thriller.' Kate Atherton, For Winter Nights
'Amazingly thrilling.' The Bookbag
'Sharp, perceptive and dramatic' Sunday Express
'Fast-paced, atmospheric and enthralling,' Evening Post
'Wonderfully addictive... atmospheric and exciting.' Bookshelf Butterfly
'fast-paced storytelling with rich period detail' Good Housekeeping
‘If you want an immersive read then this is it.’ Jane Thynne Author of A War of Flowers
A king, his lover and his lover's wife. One is a killer.
In the autumn of 1615 scandal rocks the Jacobean court when a celebrated couple are imprisoned on suspicion of murder. She is young, captivating and from a notorious family. He is one of the richest and most powerful men in the kingdom.
Some believe she is innocent; others think her wicked or insane. He claims no knowledge of the murder. The king suspects them both, though it is his secret at stake.
Who is telling the truth? Who has the most to lose? And who is willing to commit murder?
A CHILLING TALE OF MARRIAGE AND MURDER RIPPED STRAIGHT FROM THE HEADLINES
Praise for The Poison Bed:
'Rich and fascinating' (The Guardian) 'A gripping novel with the pace and plot twists of a psychological thriller. Ingenious.' (Antonia Senior in The Times) ‘An electrifying, brilliantly executed thriller’ (Woman and Home) 'Immaculately detailed and atmospheric, this Jacobean mystery borrows from both revenge tragedies and contemporary noir thriller to manipulate the reader. It is dark, clever and compulsive’ (Elizabeth Buchan in the Daily Mail) 'A Jacobean Gone Girl. Dark and deeply satisfying The Poison Bed is a talk of monstrous intrigue and murder' (MJ Carter) • 'Exquisite. The reveal is terrifying.' (Toby Clements) • Thoroughly compelling. Once started, impossible to put down' (Minette Walters) • Fremantle has taken a fascinating poisoning case, a toxic blend of glamour, intrigue and ambition, and breathed new life into it. I doubt if I shall read a more deliciously sinister historical novel this year (Andrew Taylor) • EC Fremantle has written a riveting tale, giving us a new take on an old mystery, with her unique, accomplished skill. Her characters live, an age is evoked, and the story surges on with vivid pace. I cannot recommend this highly enough (Alison Weir) • Gripping and fascinating. Fremantle is a master (Santa Montefiore) • A seductive historical thriller. The Jacobean world leaps off the page in all its vivid, visceral glory (Kate Riordan) • Brilliant. Gripping and sexy and wholly transporting. Highly recommended. (Eve Chase) • Flawless. A sharp well-constructed thriller. This is a book that will keep you on your toes (The Bookbag) • Historical fiction with the pull of a psychological thriller. (Anna Mazzola) • 'A sparkling, riveting tale, that had me reading into the night. Beautifully written and realised' (Kate Hamer) • 'I love a book that keeps me reading long past my bed-time, and The Poison Bed certainly did that. With its intoxicating blend of intrigue, seduction, witchcraft and murder, all within the Jacobean court, The Poison Bed is beautifully told and impossible to put down. (Karen Perry)
'Rich and fascinating' (The Guardian) 'A gripping novel with the pace and plot twists of a psychological thriller. Ingenious.' (Antonia Senior in The Times) ‘An electrifying, brilliantly executed thriller’ (Woman and Home) 'Immaculately detailed and atmospheric, this Jacobean mystery borrows from both revenge tragedies and contemporary noir thriller to manipulate the reader. It is dark, clever and compulsive’ (Elizabeth Buchan in the Daily Mail) 'A Jacobean Gone Girl. Dark and deeply satisfying The Poison Bed is a talk of monstrous intrigue and murder' (MJ Carter) • 'Exquisite. The reveal is terrifying.' (Toby Clements) • Thoroughly compelling. Once started, impossible to put down' (Minette Walters) • Fremantle has taken a fascinating poisoning case, a toxic blend of glamour, intrigue and ambition, and breathed new life into it. I doubt if I shall read a more deliciously sinister historical novel this year (Andrew Taylor) • EC Fremantle has written a riveting tale, giving us a new take on an old mystery, with her unique, accomplished skill. Her characters live, an age is evoked, and the story surges on with vivid pace. I cannot recommend this highly enough (Alison Weir) • Gripping and fascinating. Fremantle is a master (Santa Montefiore) • A seductive historical thriller. The Jacobean world leaps off the page in all its vivid, visceral glory (Kate Riordan) • Brilliant. Gripping and sexy and wholly transporting. Highly recommended. (Eve Chase) • Flawless. A sharp well-constructed thriller. This is a book that will keep you on your toes (The Bookbag) • Historical fiction with the pull of a psychological thriller. (Anna Mazzola) • 'A sparkling, riveting tale, that had me reading into the night. Beautifully written and realised' (Kate Hamer) • 'I love a book that keeps me reading long past my bed-time, and The Poison Bed certainly did that. With its intoxicating blend of intrigue, seduction, witchcraft and murder, all within the Jacobean court, The Poison Bed is beautifully told and impossible to put down. (Karen Perry)
'A wonderfully inventive reimagining of the most dramatic murder of early Stuart England, but a novel whose power taps into something older and deeper. The interwoven story of the three sisters resonates with myth, as does the darkly ambivalent child who links the two strands of the novel and adds a satisfyingly astringent flavour to its resolution.'
Andrew Taylor, author of The Ashes of London
An intelligent and atmospheric thriller with superbly drawn characters that all but step off the page. EC Fremantle has done it again.
Essie Fox author of The Last Days of Leda Grey
Essie Fox author of The Last Days of Leda Grey
The Honey and the Sting is a gripping page-turner that propels a trio of vivid and engaging young women towards their complex and separate destinies. Elizabeth Fremantle has a real gift for making historical worlds as fresh and immediate as our own, especially a pre-industrial England rooted in the land. Hugely enjoyable.
VB Grey, author of Tell Me How it Ends
VB Grey, author of Tell Me How it Ends
Two Artemisia Gentileschis on show in NOW YOU SEE HER at Tate Britain
SIX LIVES is at the NPG London now
The Times Books of the Year www.thetimes.co.uk/article/the-best-historical-fiction-books-of-2023-r256pfmtn
Author Insight...
Listen to Elizabeth on Woman's Hour, BBC Radio 4, talking about Katherine Parr with Jane Garvey and historian, Gemma Allen.
Elizabeth on SISTERS OF TREASON and why she chose to write about the Grey sisters: Shiny New Books
Elizabeth on Katherine Parr, Elizabeth I and how Emily Dickenson had a part to play inspiring a scene in QUEEN'S GAMBIT on Literary New England Online Radio
'Elizabeth Fremantle: Tea, Toast and Not Losing Your Head' An interview exposing Elizabeth's darkest writing secrets.
Writer's Hub: interview with Elizabeth Fremantle
On Slippery Spaces and Not Being an Historian: Waterstones blog
Elizabeth on SISTERS OF TREASON and why she chose to write about the Grey sisters: Shiny New Books
Elizabeth on Katherine Parr, Elizabeth I and how Emily Dickenson had a part to play inspiring a scene in QUEEN'S GAMBIT on Literary New England Online Radio
'Elizabeth Fremantle: Tea, Toast and Not Losing Your Head' An interview exposing Elizabeth's darkest writing secrets.
Writer's Hub: interview with Elizabeth Fremantle
On Slippery Spaces and Not Being an Historian: Waterstones blog
WATERSTONES SAYS – warning: this book may well take over. your summer. Think Gone Girl meets The Miniaturist.
PRAISE FOR ELIZABETH FREMANTLE
Fremantle has taken a fascinating poisoning case, a toxic blend of glamour, intrigue and ambition, and breathed new life into it. I doubt if I shall read a more deliciously sinister historical novel this year (Andrew Taylor) • Beautifully written... what Hilary Mantel fans should read while they wait for the final part of her trilogy (The Bookseller) • A top-notch literary thriller The Telegraph • A novel of extraordinary power (Books Monthly) • Spellbinding (People Magazine) • A sumptuous epic saturated in the politics of the time (Metro) • Five star historical fiction (Daily Mail) • A major new voice in historical fiction (The Bookseller) • A powerful debut (The Guardian)
Fremantle has taken a fascinating poisoning case, a toxic blend of glamour, intrigue and ambition, and breathed new life into it. I doubt if I shall read a more deliciously sinister historical novel this year (Andrew Taylor) • Beautifully written... what Hilary Mantel fans should read while they wait for the final part of her trilogy (The Bookseller) • A top-notch literary thriller The Telegraph • A novel of extraordinary power (Books Monthly) • Spellbinding (People Magazine) • A sumptuous epic saturated in the politics of the time (Metro) • Five star historical fiction (Daily Mail) • A major new voice in historical fiction (The Bookseller) • A powerful debut (The Guardian)
The descriptive power of the novel transported me straight to the heart of Renaissance Rome with some passages so beautiful I had to read them twice. Fremantle’s Artemisia is passionate, brilliant, absolutely true to herself and is now one of my favourite fictional characters of all time. ELODIE HARPER (bestselling author of The Wolf Den)
I was so glad to see Artemisia's story told, for the dignity, honour and recognition given to her bravery and talent in this novel, and I was swept away in the lush, evocative prose that transported me to a painter's studio in Rome in the 1600s through the eyes of a defiant and determined young woman. JENNIFER SAINT (bestselling author of Ariadne & Elektra)
An exhilarating novel. Through effervescent prose, Elizabeth Fremantle brings the story of artist Artemisia Gentileschi to life. Gripping, captivating, and consistently enlightening, Disobedient firmly places Gentileschi as one of the greatest artists and heroines in history.
KATY HESSEL (bestselling author of The Story of Art Without Men)
KATY HESSEL (bestselling author of The Story of Art Without Men)
Publicity Events FOR THE POISON BED – Summer 2019
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4th July – LONG CRENDON LIBRARY
20 High St, Long Crendon, Aylesbury HP18 9AF 
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