Wonderfully vivid account of the intrigues of the Stuart court. A book full of fascinating detail which was thoroughly researched with feeling like an history lesson.
After the big hole left by The Mirror and the Light this book was very welcome.
Many thanks to Netgalley for a preview.

Beautifully written, an enticing tale of female friendship and love set in the court of King James I. A Net For Small Fishes really is historical fiction at it's best. The characters were all real people and the research that must have gone in to creating this fact based novel must have been extensive.

I loved Anne, her drive to better her situation for her family, her loyalty to Frankie who felt like a sister to her, her love for the men in her life and her enduring courage all endeared her to me. Frances Howard, was an equally compelling character, beautiful and young but more headstrong and a lot less considered, although her position afforded her certain protections, trouble found her easily. Lucy Jago paints a vivid picture, both of high court life and life in the poor districts of London as its residents scrape by by any means necessary.

I think we've established I cry at books, quite a bit it turns out & this certainly got to me. It has left me with an overwhelming desire to find out more about Anne, Frankie & what happened after the Overbury affair.

Anne and Frankie's relationship is wonderful.

Throughly grounded in the setting without it overwhelming. I've read reviews of Net for Small Fishes that dislike the writing style; I wholeheartedly disagree. I think it's written in an accessible, believable voice.

I love the middle-aged/older protagonist, rather than having characters trapped at the magical age of eighteen. Complex, but not so difficult to follow.
Frankie and Anne's relationship is the beating heart of this novel. Momentous events like the death of Anne's husband are told with less vigour than Frankie's turmoil; perhaps this is in order to bring Anne's obsession with Frankie to life, but at times she felt dismissive of her own troubles by comparison.

Overall, thoroughly enjoyable. Would recommend to fans of Jessie Burton, Hilary Mantel, or anyone who enjoyed watching 'The Favourite,'/'The Great.' Perhaps at a stretch even Bridgerton. Would also suggest to fans of Samantha Shannon's Priory of the Orange Tree, for a real-world female take on the Elizabethan/Stuart era.

Thank you to NetGalley for this digital arc in exchange for an honest review.

Stir together a beautiful spirited aristocratic young woman married to a cruel husband, a talented entrepreneurial middle lass woman and a devastatingly beautiful King’s favourite and hey presto you have the makings of a rollicking good tale. A Net for Small Fishes does just this and proceeds to tell a story of high romance and the price paid for daring to be different. Based on a real scandal that rocked the court of Kings James I, I was gripped by this tale of love and lust.

I enjoy historical fiction and this book was no exception. Based on the true story of Frances Howard, a great beauty born into ine of the most powerful families in the court of James I but trapped in a loveless and abusive marriage and Anne Turner, a commoner married to a doctor but known to the royal court due to her patent on a shade of yellow made fashionable by the courtiers to James I. Jacobean history is not as well known to me as the Tudors but I've since researched the era thanks to this book. This is a treat for any fan of historical fiction. I highly recommend it.

Lucy Jago is an award winning writer and her book The Northern Lights (Hamish Hamilton) published in 2001 won the National Biography Prize. Now Lucy Jago returns A Net for Small Fishes (Bloomsbury) with a sumptuous 17th century novel based on the true story of the scandal at the heart of the Jacobean court. This is a fabulous read that lovers of historical fiction will really enjoy.

This is the time of the reign of King James I and what Lucy Jago brings into the novel is a fabulous blend of both fact and fiction as tells the story of the two main characters the Countess Frances Howard and Mrs Anne Turner. Both women could not be different for Frances she was in an arranged marriage at age of just 13 to the 13 -year-old Robert Devereux who was the 3rd Earl of Essex and she was abused by her husband. Frances is beautiful but locked in a marriage leaving her desperately unhappy and fearful on the other hand Anne Turner really has nothing but it is her husband who is a respected doctor.

The marriage is doomed to failure but the friendship of the two women becomes strong and Anne with an eye for fashion begins to style Frances that gains her attention and of Robert Carr.
But life within the royal court is paved with danger, you are in the Kings favour one day and you can fall the next and so it is when news reaches the King that Sir Thomas Overbury who was imprisoned in the Tower of London died but not of natural causes but was actually poisoned. But by who and why? It just so happened that Overbury was a close friend and advisor to Robert Carr. After the death of Overbury, the marriage between Frances Howard and Robert Devereux was annulled and that just months later Frances and Robert Carr were married.

Now the two women at the centre of this story are now in a precarious position to put it mildly as any woman who dared to stand up and challenge would be destroyed. So much detail is contained within the storyline which makes for a great and riveting read. I have always enjoyed reading historical fiction but Lucy Jago has manged to weave a story and bring the characters to life that will captivate any reader and I for one read this in two sittings and I was so immersed in the story of the two women. Highly Recommended.

A Net for Small Fishes is published on 4th February.

#ANetForSmallFishes
#NetGalley

352 Pages.

There is a great deal of detail in Lucy Jago's story of the intrigues of the court of King James I & VI. The narrative is mainly told from the viewpoint of a (relative) commoner, Anne, who is the wife of a doctor. The differences between the "haves" and the "have nots" in the early 17th century were stark and are clearly highlighted in this book. The extravagances of the court are sickening when measured against the struggles of the general population. It's no wonder that Cromwell managed to seize power some years later.

Thanks to Net Galley and the publishers for the opportunity to review this book.

Immersive and vivid, this drew me so far into the tumultuous world of Jacobean England and its injustices, especially its ‘small fishes’, that my emotions swung between joy at the sheer beauty of the rich and lavish court that Lucy Jago captures, foreboding of what I knew was coming, and indignation at society’s treatment of women, especially those of Anne Turner’s standing. It gives voice to real life characters that are so often silenced, and left me with admiration of Anne’s wit, loyalty and stoicism in the face of so many challenges. Simply one of the best historical novels I’ve read.

It took a long time to read this novel, but it was worth the trouble. A good read and it gives a new perspective on the tale of Frankie, the Countess, and Anne Turner, both well known historical figures. Thank you to netgalley and the publishers for letting me have an advance copy of this book. I enjoyed it.

It’s been a long time since I’ve read a historical novel so I was really looking forward to this one and I thoroughly enjoyed it. This is fiction based on a true story and it piqued my interest enough to read further about it once I’d finished. I’m glad I did this afterwards as it would have ruined the story for me otherwise. I felt it did have a slow start and it took me a while to work out who was who as there were a lot of characters but I stuck with it and the ending even brought a tear to my eye. Frances and Anne were strong women of their time trying to make small changes to make life better. Thank you to NetGalley and Bloomsbury Publishing for letting me read and review this book.

Based on a true story, 'A Net for Small Fishes' is a meticulously researched and thoughtfully imagined account of the friendship between Frances Howard, Countess of Somerset, and Anne Turner, and the circumstances that led to a shocking murder in the Jacobean Court.

In their connection to the murder of Sir Thomas Overbury, history paints these two women as scheming, murderous criminals, but Lucy Jago creates two colourful and nuanced characters—real women forced to navigate their world within the confines of their sex.

When we meet them, the narrator Anne Turner is a doctor’s wife of no rank, but she has patented a type of yellow starch for collars and cuffs and is in demand as a fashion consultant in Court. Anne advises Frances Howard how to dress in order to gain the attention of her husband, and in doing so empowers the younger woman, and despite the difference in rank and age, they become friends.

At the time English women in general were perceived as becoming too masculine and self-sufficient. Frances Howard’s desire to be liberated from her abusive and impotent husband marks her out as an unnaturally independent woman, while Anne’s aspirations to rise above her station lead to her being vilified as: ‘a whore, a bawd, a sorcerer, a witch, a papist, a felon and a murderer’. The title, 'A Net for Small Fishes', refers to fact that those of lower rank, like Anne Turner, often took the fall for those of higher rank like her friend, Frances. But while society pits them against each other, their friendship is the heart of this book. They are definitely not paragons—Anne Turner’s ambition makes her proud and mercenary, while Frances Howard’s privilege makes her selfish and thoughtless—but the strength of their attachment is genuine.

'A Net for Small Fishes' is fascinating account of a Jacobean scandal as well as a poignant portrayal of female friendship. Brilliantly done.

Take a trip back in time to the early seventeenth century when women had no role other than to provide sons and heirs. To where two women form an unlikely friendship which will last their lifetimes Frances Howard and Anne Turner. Frankie from the powerful Howard family and Anne the wife of a physician. You will lose yourself in the sights, the smells, the intrigue and the power of that time. This is beautifully written, incredibly atmospheric and I relished every page! It is a story that is based on true happenings and the author brings it all to life, the figures almost walking out of the pages. A book that has you searching your history books as soon as you sadly reach the last page purely because you want to know more! I will be looking out for more from this author. As a P.S I also loved that the author felt it best to change the name of Mistress Turner’s lover from Mainwaring to Waring rather than having Arthur Mainwaring and Frankie Howard on the same page!

Two women from very differing backgrounds become friends, sticking together through the best and worst of times. Set in the time of James I, Anne Turner is a mother of 6, the wife of a doctor and a woman with a mind of her own. Frances Howard, from a famous and wealthy family, is married to a youth she detests, and who blames her family for his fathers death. This tells how wealth and favour at that time were won and lost on a kings fancy. The intricacies of the Jacobean court are so well written and described, as is London of that period. So atmospheric, it brings all the characters to life. Women’s roles at that time are hard for us to believe in this day and age, being treated as property of their husbands or fathers. Anne’s story is really well told, showing her courage and belief in their friendship. She is the stronger, more mature character, while Francis is naive, childlike, blinkered by only wanting her own way but strong in her relationship with Anne. Well researched and told, this is a really good read, bringing history to life. Highly recommended.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book.

I'm always put off books with a long list of characters at the beginning, particularly when reading on a kindle as it is difficult to go backwards and forwards. This coupled with a slow start made me think this would be a book I didn't finish. However, Frankie and Anne won me over, and I enjoyed this well written, fact based, glimpse into Jacobean life.
Thank you to netgalley and Bloomsbury publishing for an advance copy of this book

A historical novel just how I like them! Loosely based on the life of Frances Howard/Carr, it has an impeccably researched background and flows beautifully. Written from the viewpoint of Frances’s unlikely friend, Anne, vastly inferior in rank by marrying low, being shunned by her family and deserted by her lover, this is a vivid portrait of early 17th century Britain. Fawning for favours, jostling for a superior court position, intrigues, bribery, murder, charlatanerie, allegiance, the overall importance of rank, mixed with gossip, debauchery and abject poverty.

A Net for Small Fishes is a finely wrought historical novel: a story of friendship, power-play and palace intrigue.

Jago uses the recurring motif of silkworms weaving silk as a metaphor for noble life, and it's difficult to think of an analogy more appropriate for the narrative itself. This is historical fiction at its best: rich and sumptuous, but you never lose sight of the rot beneath the surface.

While it's overlong in places and the self-justification is overdone, I did enjoy the astute depictions of relationships - after all, this is a story built on love and loathing. It is also brilliant to see such a realistic depiction of women in Stuart society, how womanhood was in many ways a net in itself.

Smart and compelling, A Net For Small Fishes is one to look out for this year.

An astonishing work flowing over with heart and historical fact in equal measure. It’s now on the lists of all of my friends and family, who I know will love it as much as I did.

The powerful friendship between Mrs Anne Turner and Lady Frances Howard has been the subject of much historical interest especially as it resulted in a deeply controversial murder trial in 1615. Their seven year association which begins because of the vagaries of circumstance is very much based on a true story.

During the early part of the seventeenth century the Jacobean court of James I was a hot bed of political and personal rivalries and for Frances Howard and Anne Turner life is about to get very complicated. When Anne and Frances Howard first meet at court, Frances is unhappily married to Robert Deveraux, 3rd Earl of Essex. That the Earl and Countess loathe each other is evident in the despicable way that Deveraux misuses and abuses his young wife. Anne Turner, wife of an eminent court doctor, becomes something of a confidante, and companion, to the young Countess of Essex, and is privy to her whims and darkest desires.

Th story gets off to something of a slow start as we get to know the subtle nuances of the plot which the author brings to life with a strong sense of historical authenticity and a fine eye for all those little details which bring the teeming city of Jacobean London to life in all its tempestuous glory. Intrigue, gossip, and scandal are all deeply ingrained in court life and it’s soon obvious that the court of James I is not a comfortable place to dwell. As the plot thickens, so the overall pace of the story starts to pick up and gain momentum.

Well researched, with the strong authentic voices of Frances Howard and Anne Turner firmly in place, A Net for Small Fishes brings to vivid life the details of the ‘Overbury Scandal’ which highlighted all that was rotten in the first Jacobean court.

I always enjoy a historic novel, and I have read quite a few good ones over the last couple of years. This was an era not particularly well known to me however. It is good to read something different though, and #ANetforSmallFishes was incredibly informative and engaging.
Based on a true story I found the characterizations and story telling intriguing and really well done. I didn't want to put it down once i got my head around the characters and what was happening. The authors research of the real events is evident, but the writing is accessible and engaging. The main characters are particularly well portrayed and I had no trouble envisaging their lives.
Thank you to the author, her publishers and to @NetGalley for the opportunity to read this clever and interesting historical novel. I recommend it.
(And blimey - how lucky I am not to have been born a woman in Jacobean times. Even an affluent one.)

A Net for Small Fishes, Lucy Jago

Review from Jeannie Zelos book reviews

Genre: General Fiction (Adult), Historical Fiction, Literary Fiction

This book is based on a well known scandal – well known to many but nit to me, so I came in cold, not knowing the characters or events. I loved this read, took me back in time, I felt I was there with the people, and it conveyed the struggled females had so well. When I'm reading a historical novel I want to feel its real, for it to stay true to the time, and this one was perfect. Clearly very well researched, not just in the events but in the ways of how people lived in that time.

I didn't particularly like either of the female leads and yet – they did what they needed to do, according to the times they lived in. Life was hard for many, for those without money there was no support, nothing to stop them and their families starving.
For those with money power reigned, until someone more wealthy or with closer ties to the Throne came along. Those on and close to the Throne, and so many others claiming wealth actually lived in a morass of debt, spending money they had no intention of paying, always knowing that because of their position those they owed either couldn't or wouldn't press for payment. It was almost a way of life, even the King lived life like that.

Anne appeared to want advancement for security for her children. Who can say that's wrong? Even if the way she went about it didn't really feel right. I felt that she was almost in a trap of having taken one step, she was forced into the next, there being no way to go backwards, or even stay static.
Not only did she have to worry about money and position but there was the issue of being female. Thinking of the time was that females were born sinful and have to live perfect lives to redeem that sin. Any excuse to blame them for anything is taken, and here poor Anne gets the full gamut of sin thrown at her, blamed for the most ridiculous of things.
Frances, very beautiful, born to a wealthy and powerful family, but as was the way, females were pawns in life, used by their families for advancement. She was married at a young age to the most horrific of men. Abused horribly yet still determined to have a family she and Anne, who has become a good friend by now, seek some dubious methods to make it work. Of course it doesn't, and it leads them down some paths that cause issues later.
Truth wasn't really a factor when being judged, and Anne was made a scapegoat for the sins of others IMO. She did do things that weren't right, but times were different, and she was probably scared of what would happen t her family.
Frances, when it became clear she wasn't going to have a marriage and children, fell in love with someone who was dangerous for her and Anne, a man reputed to be the kings, lover, but who had many dangerous, powerful enemies. I kept thinking about them both, what would I do in that position. The answer: I don't know, who could, it was a very different time.

Stars: Five, a gem of a novel, perfectly capturing the flavour of the time and the difficulties women faced in a male dominated world.

Arc via Netgalley and publishers