Orion Children’s Books ISBN 9781444010701 £6.99
This is another terrific story in the ‘Spymaster’ series – this time the action takes place in the court of Henry VIII whilst staying at Greenwich Palace. Set in 1532, when tensions with Spain are rising, the action centres around finding out who is leaking information to the Spanish King around the time of Henry’s divorce from Katharine of Aragon. Will this lead to war? Jack Briars the young scribe, and Cat Thimblebee, a seamstress, working secretly for Thomas Cromwell, Henry’s chief minister and spymaster, are all that stands between war and peace. Can they save Henry from the traitor? Of course they can, and a rip-roaring tale it is too, keeping you guessing, and reading, right up to the end. You won’t learn much accurate history about Tudor times, other than that King Henry had a fearful temper, but you will enjoy a great read and, as ever, it all turns out right in the end. Great for UKS2 good readers.
Alf Wilkinson, The Historical Association