This would be a fantastic starting point for those not as familiar with the Tudor dynasty as I am, or these events in particular. Even so, I found it to be an enjoyable read about some of my favorite mysteries from the time period. It's obvious that Dr. Venning knows the period well and the research is thorough. He covers the following people and the mystery surrounding them:

- the Pretenders, Simnel Lambert and Perkin Warbeck
- the fall of Anne Boleyn
- the death of Amy Robsart
- the death of Lord Darnley
- Mary's possible involvement in plots against Elizabeth

While discussing each of these, there is obvious overlap as the era moves from its beginning with Henry VII to its conclusion under Elizabeth I. There is plenty of additional information that provides a background for those unfamiliar with the key places and figures of the time.

First we have the Pretenders. The drastic differences in their treatment perhaps shows Henry VII's view of them as legitimate threats - not because either really was either of the Princes in the Tower, but because enough people at least believed or were intrigued by Warbeck. Given the fact that Warwick was already locked in the Tower, no one had any reason to believe Simnel's claims. It didn't help that Warbeck was still trying to claim he was the lost Plantagenet heir as he was locked in the Tower. And there could be no other end for him than execution. Henry needed to stabilize his country quickly and that was the only way for him to do it. Warbeck had been given too many chances. Warwick's execution is much harder for me to stomach however, as he was in no way a threat. He'd been a prisoner for over half his life and had little knowledge of the outside world.

I've got little to say about Anne Boleyn that I haven't already in past reviews. She is my least favorite queen, I can't stand her. She is not a feminist icon and had no inkling of what that would even mean, to be. She was gleeful in her torment of Mary and had no problem replacing the rightful queen despite very much not belonging on the throne. I don't think there is much of a mystery here though, as anyone with even miniscule knowledge of Henry VIII's mindset and behavior can attest. The charges against her were all clearly made up in order for Henry to get rid of her and I don't think anyone would argue otherwise. Despite my disdain for Anne, Henry is the real villain. After all, he requested the executioner before Anne was even found guilty, given travel distance. Once Anne fell from favor, she stood no chance. She's absolutely a victim of the regime, none of the charges were true (you'd think Cromwell would have at least made the fabricated evidence look realistic; for the majority of the locations she was said to be in when conducting the affairs, she was either pregnant or in another location, verified by court documentation of travel itineraries), but I still have little sympathy beyond this for her.

The death of Amy Robsart is perhaps the most intriguing to me. Robsart was the wife of Robert Dudley, Elizabeth's most favorite of all her favorites. Dudley was all too happy to abandon his wife for his queen. The day Robsart died she had sent all the servants away to the fair and was supposedly alone in the house. When everyone returned, she was dead at the bottom of the stairs. Dudley's enemies immediately accused him of murder and if there had ever been plans for him to divorce his wife and marry Elizabeth, it could never happen. However, it is highly unlikely Elizabeth would've ever married Dudley, no matter the circumstances. She truly was her father's daughter in every literal and figurative sense. I personally don't think she was ever 'scared' of marriage as has been suggested. I think she was a Tudor who knew the power of good PR and remained married to her country because that is what she wanted most. As for Robsart, there are plenty of theories, but again we will never know the truth. Some say she committed suicide because she was so destraught over her husband and the queen. I personally think there are far easier ways to committ suicide than by flinging oneself down the stairs and hoping for the best. Others have suggested she was ill (cancer or otherwise), and in her weakened condition she fell. Still others say Dudley hired someone, or killed her himself. This is one I would truly love an answer too. Amy Robsart deserves that much, considering her life and death were overshadowed by Elizabeth.

Mary, Queen of Scots, remains one of the most tragic figures in Stewart/Stuart and Tudor history. As a child she was sent to France, out of reach of Henry VIII. She was raised in a French court hostile to England and treated as a queen from a young age, long before actually becoming queen in 1559. She was a pawn that the French used to taunt the English. After her first husband's death, she had no choice but to return to Scotland, and it was all downhill from there. Mary had no true allies, though she did not know this. Her half brother, the Earl of Moray, played at supporting her, but this was all for show. Mary was truly alone, even after marrying Darnley. Personally I think Bothwell was as ruthless as Moray. I don't know that Mary knew of the plot to kill Darnley, but I would imagine she had to have some inkling that something was going on. As for Bothwell and that disastrous marriage, I don't believe she entered into it willingly. Perhaps she had once been enamored by Bothwell, but seeing his true face after Darnley's murder, I don't know that she would have chosen him.

As for Mary's participation in plots against Elizabeth once she was in captivity...honestly, what did she have to lose by that point? She'd been held for so long without cause. Elizabeth had no right in imprison a fellow monarch. This event alone is one that makes me absolutely abhor Elizabeth because she was such a baby about it. She talked so much of the grief and turmoil she felt in signing Mary's death warrant, but PLEASE save your fake tears and at least OWN IT. Cecil had been begging to execute Mary for YEARS. She knew that before the ink was even dry, after she had just barely finished signing it, that it would be delivered straight to him. Ugh.

One thing I absolutely hated about this book was that the author called Empress Matilda arrogant and a usurper. Um, excuse me, but her father Henry I named her as his heir. And yes, it was unlikely she could have followed him without a fight, and a fight is certainly what Stephen got. But Stephen was the usurper, NOT Maltilda.

Whatever your opinion of these events, I think you will find great value in this text. Even if you already know quite a bit, having a refresher is nice. I love returning to books about the Tudors, no matter how many I have read. It's like greeting old friends, just that some of them might want to execute you for treason.

Recommended.

The Tudors and their period are very well written about so it was nice to read some new facts. The author has certainly carried out extensive research as it clearly shows. I found it fascinating and certainly recommend to anyone who is interested in this period

An interesting if somewhat dry telling of some of the best known ‘mysteries’ of the Tudor Period. But to be honest, mystery is a bit of a stretch. Because we already have most of the information to tell us what happened. We just can’t ever really know for certain.

That all said if you have an interest in this period, this is a great book to whet your appetite. If you’ve already read a lot about this period, you won’t learn much new, but you may find some new perspectives.

Dr. Timothy Venning's Royal Mysteries of the Tudor Period is a fascinating book! I voluntarily read and reviewed a complimentary copy of this well written, well researched, informative book about royal mysteries during the Tudor Period. If you love history, this book is for you!

This was interesting and factual. I'm curious to know what percentage of this was opinionated though

I really enjoy the story of the Tudors, but admit most books and movies have been fiction that I’ve read/watched. This book covers some of the mysteries from the Tudor period. If you are well versed in the history of the Tudors, this might not be the book for you since you probably know most of this, and if you don’t like non-fiction you will probably find this a bit dry. I’m somewhere in the middle, so learning things I didn’t know, or wasn’t fully sure of, like was Mary, Queen of Scots, a willful participant in her husband’s murder or to overthrow Elizabeth I? It wasn’t as easy for me to get through as I thought it would, but it was one of the best non-fiction and history books I’ve read in a long time.

I want to thank NetGalley and Pen & Sword History publishers for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I am very interested in anything about the Tudor era. It was a time filled with scandal, intrigue, and drama. This book focuses on a few different familiar events from the time period and does an excellent job giving an insightful summary of each. Everything is clearly well researched.

There were some parts that felt a little repetitive and dry, but overall, this was an enjoyable account of these royal mysteries. In particular, I liked the parts pertaining to Elizabethan England, and the pictures at the end were a fantastic addition.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are my own.

A fantastic book ram packed with age old mysteries from many different eras.

Many well known historic characters feature and some not well known at all!

An interesting and intriguing read.

Well written and easy to follow.

Highly recommend.

Every time I picked up "Royal Mysteries of the Tudor Period", I was whisked back in time, and learned something new about the Tudor Era.

The Tudor Era is one of my favorite time period to read and learn about, and as soon as I saw this book, I knew I needed to read it!

I can only imagine the amount of research Dr. Timothy Venning must have done for this non-fiction read. The book is detailed and descriptive, and he delves into his subject matter in an extremely thorough way.

Many mysteries are present throughout this non-fiction read, mostly connected with events surrounding: Henry VII, Lambert Simnel, Perkin Warbeck, Anne Boleyn, Elizabeth I, Robert Dudley, Amy Robsart, Mary, Queen of Scots, and Henry Stuart.

I found so much of the information in this book absolutely gripping, and I look forward to doing more research on my own time as well.

If you enjoy anything relating to The Tudors, I highly recommend this book!

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Pen & Sword History for the ARC of this non-fiction read! All opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Royal Mysteries of the Tudor Period was a fascinating look at some of histories greatest mysteries, My favorite being the possible murder of Amy Robsart, Tudor history has always been a fascination for me. So i was pleased to read this book in tghe genre. Highly recommend for amateur detectives and Tudor history buffs.

Thanks to Netgalley, the publisher Pen & Sword and the author for the chance to read and review thsi book.

The book describes five mysteries of the Tudor times. One of them is a murder of Queen of Scot's husband. The author mentions also Anne Boleyn, Amy Robsart and Elizabeth I. The book is well-researched but chapters are difficult to read. Overall it was enjoyable read.

I think this would be a great read for someone who knows more about the Tudors than I do. I do find them fascinating, and there are some good chapters in this one, but it was a little dry. It has made me want to read more about them, but perhaps some popular rather than more academic history books. I will hold into this in the hope of returning to it when I have a better understanding of the subject.

*Many thanks to Netgalley and Pen and Sword for a review copy in exchange for an honest opinion.*

I was so surprised this book wasn’t longer than it was the head so many interesting chapters but I thought they could’ve had more but maybe I am thinking outside of the tutor. They had the murder scandal that queen Mary was involved then they talked about the marriage between queen Elizabeth and so deadly all the treason king Henry claimed it so much more this is really a True Crime book for the most part and so True Crime fans should definitely read this book it seems every book I get from pin and sword press is the winner and OMG this one definitely was I want to thank pendant sword in NetGalley for my free arc copy I am blind so please forgive any mistakes.

Royal Mysteries of the Tudor Period consists of five fairly lengthy chapters. Fans of the Tudor period will be interested in the rich histories discussed here. I felt that the chapters could have been further broken down into smaller segments. So for that point I have deducted one star off my rating. We look at who were the other claimants/ pretenders for the throne claimed by Henry VII. was Anne Boleyn a villain or a victim? Whether the unfortunate death of Robert Dudley’s wife scuppered plans for a marriage with Elizabeth 1. We continue with the murder of Lord Darnley and the downfall of Mary Queen of Scots and conclude with whether or not she was intent on murdering Elizabeth. There is enough material here to keep Tudor fans enthralled and entertained. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC.

A look at four main mysteries from the Tudor period of English history (I say four main as there are offshoots from these which are also examined) including: who were the two pretenders to the throne in the time of Henry VII, was Anne Boleyn actually guilty as charged, who killed Amy Robsart (Leicester's first wife) or was it an accident, & was Mary, Queen of Scots complicit in the murder of her husband, Henry Darnley, & was she involved in a plot to overthrow Elizabeth I?

These are events which I have come across before whilst reading both fiction & nonfiction books about the Tudors, & it was interesting to see them all tackled together. The author has obviously completed a great deal of research as there were lots of additional & background snippets of information. It became a little dry to read at times, but I especially enjoyed the sections dealing with Elizabethan England. If you are well versed in Tudor history then these cases may not be a surprise, but overall I rather enjoyed it. 3.5 stars (rounded up)

My thanks to NetGalley & publishers, Pen & Sword History, for the opportunity to read an ARC.

3.5 rounded up.

Since I was most likely five or six years old, I have been fascinated by the Tudor family and the history surrounding them. My parents encouraged me to read and learn about history as much as I could, I could always be found in my bedroom watching Horrible Histories or binging all the latest Tudor books I had saved up my pocket money to buy.

What first attracted me to Royal Mysteries of the Tudor Period by Dr Timothy Venning was the idea that there is so much about the Tudor period that we do not know and hidden information just waiting to be discovered. The novel follows four mysteries including prominent historical figures such as Henry VII and Thomas Perkin, Anne Boleyn and Thomas Cromwell as well as Elizabeth I and Mary, Queen of Scots. Dr Timothy Venning is an accomplished historian who has published numerous works on different areas and subjects in history. From the very first page, it is clear how much time, effort and dedication has been put into researching these subjects and bringing them to life on the page.

Out of the four ‘mysteries’ explored within the book, I must say that the only one that really could be specified as a ‘mystery’ was the first one regarding Henry VII and the pretenders who came after his throne, Perkin Warbeck and Lambet Simnel. Despite being the founder of the Tudor dynasty, not a lot of information about Henry VII is as well known to history lovers as his son Henry VIII and his six daughters-in-law. The other three are, I would say, more well known and quite common knowledge to history lovers in comparison to the first but the novel still brought some new information to light about these historical figures.

Throughout this book, I did find that, quite often, the same information was being repeated more than it needed to be which did sometimes make it hard to read but the easy, fast-pace writing style (almost like a magazine or journal) made it an enjoyable read and I would definitely recommend this to anyone wanting to improve their knowledge of the Tudor period!

The Tudor era overflowed with intrigues, scandals, and murder that make it a riveting tapestry of historical drama. This book takes a new look at familiar events, challenging what historians really know. For instance:
- Who were Lambert Simnel and Perkin Warbeck, the pretenders to Henry VII's throne, and who supported them?
- After a meteoric rise, what lead to the downfall and death of Queen Anne Boleyn?
- Were Elizabeth and her suitor Robert Dudley involved in the death of his wife?
- Did Mary Queen of Scots support the plot to murder her husband, Lord Darnley?

This account seeks to break through the political spin to find the true story. There are no easy answers here, but the book does raise important questions.

Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC I received. This is my honest and voluntary review.

Very comprehensive and well researched but unfortunately rather dry which results in a book not easy to read. Maybe more of a reference book than a single read?
My thanks to NetGalley and Pen & Sword for this ARC in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.

I'm sure that this book is very well researched and factually correct, but I find the way that the author writes very difficult to follow. It didn't interest me enough to finish it.

There is so much to consider in this detailed book of Tudor mysteries. It was a scary time of pretenders, creative legal processes, fabricated evidence,
and church influences. This book draws you in with trumped up charges and plots leaving even more room for speculation.
An engrossing read.