To Ruin a Queen

by Fiona Buckley

Book Overview

The fourth novel in the fascinating series featuring Ursula Blanchard, loyal subject of Queen Elizabeth I and sleuth extraordinaire, finds our heroine torn between love and duty as she investigates... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1416573534
• ISBN13: 9781416573531
• Release Date: November 2008
• Publisher: Gallery Books
• Length: 384 Pages
• Weight: 0.76 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.0" x 5.5" x 8.5"

Customer Reviews

Ursula shines again!

When I first became enamored of the entire historical mystery genre almost three years ago, Fiona Buckley's first Ursula Blanchard mystery (To Shield the Queen) was one of the books that helped make me into a hopelessly devoted mystery fan. Since then, I've kept an eye out for, and read, all of the Ursula Blanchard novels; they have been consistently excellent in period detail and in their development of the delightful sleuth, the clever and indomitable Ursula. This latest entry in the series is, like the others, a pleasant and fulfilling mystery. I appreciated Buckley's returning Ursula to England, and the Welsh twist added some interesting new flavor. Once again, Ursula sets out to solve a "cozy" mystery that, upon closer scrutiny, turns out to have potentially thunderous ramifications for Queen and country. The whodunit aspect of the novel is tightly constructed, with some shocking twists and bits of pure cleverness. I was a bit disappointed with the fact that I was able to identify the killer long before the denouement, but that only detracted slightly from the mystery.Most of all, I appreciate Buckley's fine flair for characterization. Ursula and all her facets are unfolding and developing beautifully; she seems more and more of a real person with each successive book. Her husband, Matthew, has deepened significantly beyond the suave courtier he was in the first book; Brockley is also becoming an intriguing character! There are some wonderfully poignant moments to be found in this book, which elevate it far above the conventional mystery.All in all, an enjoyable read, with depth of character compensating for a slightly predictable air.

URSULA IS A WONDERFUL SLEUTH

This is the first novel by Ms. Buckley that I have tried and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Ursula Blanchard is a wonderful heroine as well as investigator.Queen Elizabeth is in need of an undercover sleuth to find out what Philip Motimer is hiding at vetch castle. Mortimer has been heard to say that he will be given back all the family estate that was taken away. Elizabeth needs to know if Mortimer has anything on her to force her to return the estate.She calls on her trusted friend Ursula Blanchard to be her spy. Elizabeth has Ursula's daughter Meg transported to Vetch Castle, which in turn brings Ursula to England from France where she has been staying with her husband Matthew de la Roche, to find her child.Ursula, along with her servants, goes to Vetch castle and discovers treachery, greed, murder and ghosts. Ursula also discovers things about herself that she didn't previously realize, and by her actions I don't believe she is as enamored with her husband as she would have us believe. This was an enjoyable historical mystery that I am sure you will like.

A VERY pleasant surprise!!

Knowing nothing about this series, I picked up this book while trapped in an airport, and got an early Christmas present! I've now finished all four books and I can say that this is a tremendously entertaining series. You can learn the plot of this one from another reviewer, so I'll praise the quality of the writing, the wonderful sense of time and place, and above all, the outstanding storytelling. The characters are real and fascinating, and you like them easily and quickly. This isn't in the masterpiece category of a Jamie Harrison, Robert Crais, or James Lee Burke, but it's excellent, pleasant entertainment, professionally done with good plots and mysteries worth solving. As an added tidbit, the history is scholarly, well-handled, and deftly used. A very enjoyable book and a series that's well worth trying.

Excellent series-fantastic mystery

Ursula Blanchard is living at the Chateau Blanchpierre in France with her husband Matthew de la Roche. She loves her spouse, but misses England. Because he supports Mary of Scotland, Matthew cannot enter England for fear of hanging. After a miscarriage, Ursula becomes melancholy. She sends her two servants home to England to retrieve her daughter Meg. They return to inform their mistress that Meg vanished just when they were ready to depart for the continent.A concerned Ursula travels to England seeking Meg. At her daughter's residence, Queen Elizabeth and Sir Cecil meet her. They demand she go to Vetch Castle near the Welsh border to learn what Sir Phillip Mortimer is planning since he apparently has something on Her Highness. When someone murders Phillip's ward, everyone blames Ursula. Barely escaping the castle, Ursula seeks the evidence that will stop Mortimer from blackmailing the Queen. Ursula wants nothing more than to return to France with Meg. First however, she has to make sure England's queen is safe and the throne secure.Fiona Buckley has written a colorful Elizabethan mystery that describes the culture, beliefs, and practices of the sixteenth century English nobility. TO RUIN A QUEEN is an excellent historical tale that contains a strong plot and powerful characters 5that keep the story line moving at a rapid pace. This novel is so complex and deep, that fans of a complex puzzle will appreciate it.Harriet Klausner