By Literary Hub | Created at 2026-08-04 10:30:48 | Updated at 2026-08-04 18:42:27
9 hours ago
Featuring Writing by C.J. Sansom, Hilary Mantel, Stephen Alford and More
It’s been a joy imagining the world of Anne Boleyn and her family for my new novel, The House of Boleyn. I loved immersing myself in their beautiful home, Hever Castle—the place where they retreated to plot their next move, celebrate their triumphs and protect themselves from the snakepit of Henry VIII’s court. For a self-confessed Tudor addict, it was a dream come true. I can’t get enough of this famous dynasty that occupied the throne for 118 glorious, turbulent, blood-soaked years, changing the course of English history forever. I’ve been fascinated by them since my school days, and my obsession has been stoked over the years by some truly wonderful books—both fiction and non-fiction. Here are some of my top favorites.
*
The Complete Works of William Shakespeare
It was a hot Saturday in August and I was in Stratford-upon-Avon with my family. We had just looked around the childhood home of Anne Hathaway, Shakespeare’s wife. In the gift shop, my eyes alighted on a large book on the shelves: The Complete Works of William Shakespeare. I was sixteen and an avid reader of anything to do with the Tudors. We didn’t have much money growing up, which is what made it all the more special when my dad bought it for me. He inscribed it with the place and date. It still has pride of place on my bookshelves.
Dissolution by C.J. Sansom
The first installment in the Shardlake historical detective series immerses the reader into the turbulence of 1530s England, when Henry VIII’s Reformation is at its height. We are introduced to one of the most compelling protagonists in historical fiction: Matthew Shardlake, a hunchbacked lawyer who risks his life to solve a brutal murder at a remote monastery. What sets these novels apart are the brilliant characterization and impeccably researched historical details. A must-read for fans of Tudor fiction.
Bring up the Bodies by Hilary Mantel
The second installment in the Booker Prize-winning Wolf Hall trilogy, this exceptional book follows the downfall of Anne Boleyn through the calculating eyes of her nemesis, Thomas Cromwell. It’s a rare skill to be able to tell a well-known story like this with such tension and immediacy that the reader forgets they know how it ends and follows every step of it with the ill-fated queen and the man who was tasked with destroying her.
The Watchers: A Secret History of the Reign of Elizabeth I by Stephen Alford
This book grips you from the first page, transporting the reader to a vividly imagined scenario in which Elizabeth I is assassinated by a Catholic fanatic. Of course, in reality, the self-styled Virgin Queen died peacefully in her bed after reigning for longer than any of her Tudor predecessors. But, as Stephen Alford so skillfully illustrates in this fascinating account of the murky, high-stakes world of Elizabethan espionage, it could so easily have turned out differently. Her brilliant spymaster Sir Francis Walsingham worked tirelessly for seventeen years to foil the numerous plots against his royal mistress. With spies, codebreakers and double agents a-plenty, this reads more like a political thriller than a history book.
The May Bride by Suzannah Dunn
Beautifully, evocatively written, this novel is set at Wolf Hall, Jane Seymour’s family home made famous by Hilary Mantel’s trilogy. The novel highlights Jane’s fascination with her brother Edward’s captivating new wife, Catherine Filliol, tracing their relationship through a shocking scandal that reshapes the family’s fortunes. So often, Jane is dismissed as the meek and mild third wife of Henry VIII, whose only distinction was giving him a son. This novel gives her a compelling back story and makes the reader think there was more to her than met the eye.
Henry VIII: The King and His Court by Alison Weir
There have been numerous biographies of Henry VIII, but this is the only one to set him in the context of his court—which is exactly how he was seen by the majority of his contemporaries. Alison Weir’s research is as illuminating as it is extensive. Her book is stuffed to the gills with fascinating details and vivid descriptions of court life—from the gargantuan quantities of food prepared in the royal kitchens to the array of entertainments and pastimes on offer. Dominating it all is Henry himself. When viewed in his natural habitat, he emerges as altogether more nuanced, complex and human than the much-married caricature.
How to Be a Tudor: A Dawn-To-Dusk Guide to Tudor Life by Ruth Goodman
It’s all very well studying the Tudors, but what was it like to live as one? Ruth Goodman provides the answer in this fascinating exploration of daily life in the time of Henry VIII, Elizabeth I and their ilk. By focusing on the intimate details of household management—from cooking on an open fire to the intricacies of washing without modern plumbing—she provides a vivid, often humorous perspective on the experiences of ordinary people. Goodman has lived and breathed Tudor life for decades so writes from experience. The result is a highly engaging read that makes you appreciate modern creature comforts.
______________________________
The House of Boleyn by Tracy Borman is available from Atlantic Monthly Press, an imprint of Grove Atlantic.
