The Killing of Richard the Third

by Robert Farrington

Book Overview

Kidnap, murder, slander and a legend unearthed. 1483: King Edward IV dies, leaving two innocent young princes in line to the throne. But when scandal and conspiracy explodes around their claim,... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0684125676
• ISBN13: 9780684125671
• Release Date: January 1971
• Publisher: Scribner Book Company
• Length: 286 Pages
• Weight: 1.40 lbs.

Customer Reviews

A spy story set in the Wars of the Roses

Entertaining if rather anachronistic adventure novel about a clerk who worked as a spy for Richard III. The hero, Henry Morane, a fictional character, is chief clerk to John Kendall, a real historical figure who was Secretary to King Edward IV, and held the same position under Richard Duke of Gloucester when he was first Lord Protector and then King Richard III. Morane becomes involved in spying for the King on the intrigues and plots of treacherous barons such as Sir William Stanley and of the King's tudor rival, Henry. Effectively Morane is a sort of 15th century Yorkist James Bond. The book contains a large amount of historical detail, some true, some speculation, usually described in an entertaining and accessible way. Richard III has been presented by Tudor propaganda as a monster and tyrant, and the murderer of his nephews, the Princes in the Tower. Henry Morane is clearly devoted to him and does not share that view, part of the story being around his attempts to discover and bring to justice the real murderers. This book begins a few weeks before the end of Edward IV's reign and ends at the battle of Bosworth. For any reader who was not already aware that the cause for which Henry Morane was working died with his King at that battle, the title of the book rather gives it away. However, you read with interest to see what will happen to Morane himself. All in all this is an entertaining book, but perhaps not one to be taken too seriously.