The Spymaster's Daughter - by Jeane Westin (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

In the court of Elizabeth I, the daughter of the queen's powerful spymaster becomes a secret agent, and plays a dangerous role in saving her country from its ruthless enemies.

In Tudor England, traitors are everywhere and the queen's spymaster, Sir Francis Walsingham, is assembling the greatest intelligence-gathering network in the world. Walsingham's only daughter, Lady Frances Sidney, is smart, courageous, and unhappy in love. She longs for the excitement of decoding encrypted messages and setting traps for those working for rival Mary, Queen of Scots. But Frances's father refuses her any opportunity to contribute to the desperate effort of keeping England safe.

Then Elizabeth, impressed with Frances's fiery spirit, calls her to court as a lady-in-waiting, and Frances seizes the chance to prove herself. Soon, she wins the trust of her father's de-coders and begins her secret work, thrilled with the freedom to test her talents. But her peril is compounded as her beauty and wit also attract the romantic attention of two men, one the reckless Earl of Essex and the other her own brilliant but low-born servant, Robert Pauley. And when Frances uncovers the most dire plot of all, she will risk her father's condemnation, her heart's longing, and her very life to safeguard her queen.

Review Quotes

Praise for the novels of Jeane Westin

"A compelling, unforgettable historical novel."--Karen Harper, author of Mistress of Mourning

"Highly recommended."--Historical Novels Review (Editor's Choice)

"Vivid characters and compelling dialogue illuminate the Elizabethan court where danger lurks in the shadows, love can be treason, and every step could be the last."--Sandra Worth, author of The King's Daughter

"Jeane Westin writes powerful scenes that not only pack an emotional wallop but also transport modern readers directly into the minds and hearts of members of the queen's inner circle."--Kate Emerson, author of Secrets of the Tudor Court: The Pleasure Palace

About the Author

Jeane Westin began her writing life as a freelance jounalist, then wrote a number of nonfiction books, and finally came to her first and true love, historical novels. She published two novels in the late 1980s, and after a long hiatus is once again indulging her passion for history. She lives with her husband, Gene, near their daughter, Cara, and has been rehabilitating a two-story Tudor cottage complete with dovecote for more than a decade.