The Honey and the Sting

Get in the xigxag app
Already purchased

Click to open directly in the xigxag app.

This book is not purchasable in your country. Please select another book. Pre-order Buy Now ${{ price }} Send as a gift
How does xigxag pricing work?

Listen to a sample

What to expect

Brought to you by Penguin.

Three sisters.
Three secrets.
Three ways to fall . . .

Forcibly seduced by George Villiers, Duke of Buckingham and King's favourite, doctor's daughter Hester was cast aside to raise her illegitimate son, Rafe, alone and in secret. She hopes never to see his father again.

Melis's visions cause disquiet and talk. She sees what others can't - and what has yet to be. She'd be denounced as a witch if Hester wasn't so carefully protective.

Young Hope's beauty marks her out, drawing unwelcome attention to the family. Yet she cannot always resist others' advances. And her sisters cannot always be on their guard.

So when the powerful Duke decides to claim his son against Hester's wishes, the sisters find themselves almost friendless and at his mercy. But are their secrets their undoing or their salvation?

Because in the right hands a secret is the deadliest weapon of all . . .

© E C Fremantle2020 (P) Penguin Audio 2020

Critics Review

Fremantle builds the tension with delicious skill in this page-turning thriller. She is excellent on the precariousness of life for history's powerless women
Times
A powerful reimagining of the most dramatic murder of Stuart England. Wonderfully inventive and darkly satisfying, this story of three sisters resonates with myth
bestselling author of The Ashes of London
A lush, thrilling page-turner humming with its own exquisite dark beauty. I loved it!
author of The Glass House
Gripping and page-turning. Propels a trio of vivid women towards their complex destinies, while making their world as fresh and immediate as our own. Hugely enjoyable
author of Tell Me How It Ends
A pacey plot, tension, and occasional flirts with the supernatural make this historical fiction engaging . . . It leaves you wanting more of Melis, who has eerie and often accurate visions of the future
Sunday Post
We follow three sisters in a maze of twists and turns in 1628 England. Grabs your attention
i
Pacey, immersive, and beautifully written. Takes women at the margins of history and makes us care about their stories
bestselling author of Anatomy of a Scandal
One of Britain's foremost writers of historical fiction . . . a masterful Hitchcockian thriller
Aspects of History
A tense, pacey cat-and-mouse game set against a rich historical background
Herald

More from the same

Author

Narrator

About xigxag

Experience the best audiobooks with xigxag, an innovative and user-friendly audiobook platform designed for seamless discovery, purchase, and enjoyment of your favorite titles. Our flexible pricing model offers bestselling audiobooks for less, providing affordable prices and the best audiobook deals without requiring a subscription. Perfect for gifting, xigxag also features convenient audiobook gift cards and in-app audiobook gifting options.

 

Beyond the listening experience, xigxag stands as an exciting alternative to big tech, embodying a strong commitment to sustainability and ethical practices. As the only B Corp certified UK audiobook service, we ensure a guilt-free listening experience from a leader in audiobook innovation.

 

Effortlessly search audiobooks, access honest audiobook reviews that evaluate both the content and narration, and easily discover hidden gems. Whether you prefer to download or stream top audiobook titles, xigxag provides the best possible listening experience anytime, anywhere, on the UK’s best independent audiobook app. Discover the future of audiobooks today.