The third Simon & Elizabeth Mystery takes place in Elizabeth's darkest time. Mary I is on the throne, and Elizabeth will quite possibly be put to death for plotting treason. Mary is one of my least favorite people from that time, though I understand how she came to be as she was.
I feel compelled to say here that I dislike the practice of some authors of turning the people of the Tudor Age into what they were not. Some authors go too far to sell books, making a soap opera out of the lives of their characters. I sat on a panel once with the great Margaret George, a meticulous researcher, and the advice she gave then would be my advice too: Don't defame the dead. Sadly, there is no punishment for those who impugn the character of long-deceased characters like Anne Boleyn. In fact there is often significant financial reward, since readers who have no idea how slanted the books are, or maybe they don't care. They just keep buying the next one.
Sorry, didn't mean to preach.
When I write historical material, I consult multiple sources and consider their possible prejudices. We know that history is often written by the survivors, so we must accept their words with caution. Yes, Elizabeth's mother, Anne Boleyn, was charged with sleeping with her own brother at her trial. What possible motive could Henry's officers have had for claiming that? Do we see anything similar today? Does our government ever lie to get what they want? Hmm.
Sorry. Off topic again. What I meant to say is that I tried to be fair to everyone in this book. Mary did fear being tossed out, with good cause. Elizabeth tried to stay out of her way because she kind of wanted her head to remain above her shoulders.
The Lady Flirts with Death: Elizabeth's sister Mary is now queen and busily trying to make the nation Catholic again. She locks Elizabeth in the Tower of London, where Simon finds her and does his best to help her and Robert Dudley, also a prisoner. Simon's concern for his old friend causes him to ignore what's going on at home, where his wife has taken in a pregnant woman, which will put all their lives in danger. This book is available here for $2.99.