Karen S. (BoysMom) - My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Engaging main character thrust headlong into the political machinations of Elizabeth I's court.
To Shield the Queen is the first book in author Fiona Buckley's (pen name of Valeria Anand) long-running historical mystery series featuring Ursula Blanchard, a widowed mother of one and a lady in service to Queen Elizabeth I. Set in 1560, early in Elizabeth's long reign, Ursula is summoned to court after the death of her husband, Gerald (a love match), to serve as a lady-in-waiting to the young queen. The court is awash with rumors of Elizabeth's relationship with her Master of Horse, Sir Robin Dudley, a married man with a critically ill wife whom he keeps sequestered in the country. When speculation escalates, hinting that Dudley may be trying to hurry his wife's imminent death along so he can pursue a marriage with the queen, he and Elizabeth send Ursula to attend the ailing Amy Dudley and safeguard her from any such evil assistance and hopefully quell the rumors. However, on her arrival at the country estate, Ursula finds there may actually be some truth behind the rumors. Still, it's unclear to her whether Sir Robin is aware of what may be underway on his behalf, but she's suspicious.
This first book in the series is a riveting tale once all the heavy lifting of establishing the time, place, and characters is complete. It feels like it had to have been a massive task, with so much known or speculated regarding the intrigue during Elizabeth's reign, all the historical figures involved, and the intersection of factual and fictional storylines. Halfway through the book, I was still wondering when the mystery would start, but it definitely does, and the action never lets up from that point on.Ursula is a likable character, and her personal story is a tragic one, beginning with her illegitimate origins, a cruel childhood at the hands of self-righteous relatives, a runaway marriage, and the sudden death of her beloved young husband. But she is a survivor, strong and determined not to be a victim ever again. An astute observer of human nature, Queen Elizabeth recognizes Ursula's potential value and her deep loyalty to the crown and puts her to good use.
A romantic relationship evolves with Matthew de la Roche, a newcomer to the court, who aggressively presses his suit with the young widow, even following her, uninvited, to Amy Dudley's bedside several days' ride into the country. While it felt like their feelings for each other were a bit rushed, their courtship really extended over a couple of months. I'm anxious to see how this all plays out, considering what occurs between the two as the story unfolds. The descriptions of the settings and life in 1560 are vivid and really put me in the story. A number of secondary storylines develop along the way and are left unresolved, but they are mentioned in the resolution as the basis for Ursula's next moves in future books in the series.I recommend TO SHIELD THE QUEEN to readers of historical cozy mysteries.
