Boleyn Traitor by Philippa Gregory

 

Boleyn Traitor by Philippa Gregory. William Morrow, an imprint of HarperCollins, 2025. Adult Historical Fiction.

Of course, most of us know about Anne Boleyn, second wife of King Henry VIII. But, in the shadows was her sister-in-law, Jane Boleyn or Lady Rochford, who actually served five queens! Her husband, George, was executed about the time of Anne Boleyn's own death. Jane never had children or remarried. She was at court for most of her life and witness to history.

Gregory is well known for her Tudor fictionalized books and this is among the best. The court is described well. King Henry is a tyrant who will bring to mind some modern political leaders. The queens are presented sometimes in a more modern light, too. For example, Katheryn Howard may have come off far more sympathetically in the Me Too era rather than only as a flighty teenager. A great bibliography is included for those of us fascinated by the Tudors.