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A spellbinding thriller set in the Jacobean Court of 1615 surrounding a famed couple imprisoned on suspicion of murder - but was it Lord Robert or Lady Frances who committed the crime?
A marriage. A murder. One of them did it. Which of them will die for it?
In the autumn of 1615, scandal rocks the Jacobean court, when a celebrated couple, Robert and Frances Carr, are imprisoned on suspicion of murder. Frances is young, captivating, and from a notorious family. She has been rescued from an abusive marriage by Robert, and is determined to make a new life for herself. Whatever the price.
Robert is one of the richest and most famous men in the kingdom. He has risen from nothing to become one of the country's most powerful men. But to get to the top, you cannot help making enemies.
Some believe she is innocent; others think her wicked or insane. He claims no knowledge of the murder. The king suspects them both, though it is his secret at stake. Now a man is dead. And someone must pay with their life.
Who is telling the truth? Who has the most to lose? And who is willing to commit murder?
"Starred Review. Fremantle does a masterly job of recreating the feel of the period, along with making the atmosphere of suspicion and plotting palpable. Readers will eagerly await her next historical." - Publishers Weekly
"Rich in historical detail. Bound to please fans of court intrigue." - Booklist
"A riveting tale, giving us a new take on an old mystery, with her unique, accomplished skill. Her characters live, an age is evoked, and the story surges on with vivid pace. I cannot recommend this highly enough." - Alison Weir, New York Times bestselling author
"Deliciously sinister. A toxic blend of glamour, intrigue, and ambition." - Andrew Taylor, author of The Fire Court
"A thoroughly compelling tale of sexually-charged intrigue and murder. Once started, impossible to put down." - Minette Walters
"Gripping and fascinating. Fremantle is a master." - Santa Montefiore, author of The Daughters of Ireland
"A Jacobean Gone Girl - dark and deeply satisfying, The Poison Bed is a tale of monstrous intrigue and murder." - Miranda Carter, author of George, Nicholas, and Wilhelm
This information about The Poison Bed was first featured
in "The BookBrowse Review" - BookBrowse's membership magazine, and in our weekly "Publishing This Week" newsletter. Publication information is for the USA, and (unless stated otherwise) represents the first print edition. The reviews are necessarily limited to those that were available to us ahead of publication. If you are the publisher or author and feel that they do not properly reflect the range of media opinion now available, send us a message with the mainstream reviews that you would like to see added.
Any "Author Information" displayed below reflects the author's biography at the time this particular book was published.
Photo: Paola Pieroni
Elizabeth is the acclaimed author of Sisters of Treason, Queen's Gambit, Watch the Lady, and The Poison Bed. She has a first in English and an MA in creative writing from Birkbeck, University of London. She has contributed to various publications including The Sunday Times, Vogue, Vanity Fair, The Financial Times and the Wall Street Journal. She also reviews fiction for The Sunday Express. She lives in London.
Author Interview
Link to Elizabeth Fremantle's Website
Name Pronunciation
Elizabeth Fremantle: FREE-mantle
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