The Poison Bed

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

Listen to a sample

What to expect

Penguin presents the audiobook edition of The Poison Bed by E C Fremantle, read by Ross Anderson and Perdita Weeks.

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 are imprisoned on suspicion of murder. She is young, captivating and from a notorious family. He is one of the richest and most powerful men in the kingdom.

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.

Who is telling the truth? Who has the most to lose? And who is willing to commit murder?


'A Jacobean GONE GIRL Dark and deeply satisfying, THE POISON BED is a tale of monstrous intrigue and murder' M J Carter

'Deliciously sinister. A toxic blend of glamour, intrigue and ambition' Andrew Taylor

'A thoroughly compelling tale of sexually-charged intrigue and murder. Once started, impossible to put down' Minette Walters

Critics Review

Engaging, vivid and revelling in historical detail, this thriller delves into a notorious murder. The reversal comes in a double blow, the first of which is so cunningly done I found myself pausing, frowning and riffling back through the pages to confirm that I had, indeed, been thoroughly stitched up

Sarah Perry, bestselling author of The Essex Serpent

A twisting psychological thriller based on a real Jacobean murder. Unputdownable

The Times

A gripping historical thriller. Think Gone Girl with bodices. Brilliant

Glamour

A tale of intrigue and ambition, this is a rich and fascinating book

The Guardian

A gripping page-turner that will have you awake long into the night. Ingenious

The Times

An intoxicating blend of intrigue, seduction, witchcraft and murder. The Poison Bed is beautifully told and impossible to put down

Karen Perry

An electrifying, brilliantly executed thriller

Woman & Home

Gripping and fascinating. Fremantle is a master

Santa Montefiore

Who is to blame? And will they get away with it? A rollicking read

Heat

Immaculately detailed and atmospheric, this Jacobean mystery borrows from both the revenge tragedies and contemporary noir thriller to manipulate the reader. It is dark, clever and compulsive

Daily Mail

A novel set in the court of James I that reopens the case of Robert and Frances Carr, aristocrats charged with killing a man who opposed their marriage. With skill and delicacy, Fremantle presents the period as a cabinet of curiosities

New York Times

Exquisite. The reveal is terrifying

Toby Clements

A Jacobean Gone Girl! Dark and deeply satisfying, The Poison Bed is a tale of monstrous intrigue and murder

M J Carter

A riveting tale that kept me reading into the night. Beautifully written and realised

Costa shortlisted Kate Hammer

A thoroughly compelling tale of sexually-charged intrigue and murder. Once started, impossible to put down

Minette Walters

A twisting tale of power, poison and intrigue. Historical fiction with the pull of a psychological thriller

Anna Mazzola

Flawless. A sharp, well-constructed thriller, this is a book that will keep you on your toes

Bookbag

A toxic blend of glamour, intrigue and ambition

The Ashes of London

A seductive historical thriller. The Jacobean world leaps off the page in all its vivid, visceral glory

Kate Riordan

Brilliant. Gripping and sexy and wholly transporting. Highly recommended.

Eve Chase

A riveting tale. I cannot recommend this highly enough

Alison Weir

A great summer read. Fremantle weaves together documented fact with sensitively imagined fiction to create a novel that helps us understand a time and place better

National Public Radio

A creepy and powerfully immersive retelling of one of the greatest scandals of the Jacobean court . . . The Poison Bed is unerringly addictive. Fremantle’s writing has a dynamic quality and an immediacy that draws readers in, whether or not they’re familiar with the material of the story

Marylebone Journal

Praise for

The Girl in the Glass Tower

‘Fascinating and vividly drawn’

The Times 'Book of the Month'

A top-notch literary thriller’

Daily Telegraph

‘Sharp, perceptive and dramatic’

Sunday Express

‘Beautifully written and completely engrossing’

Historia

About xigxag

Enjoy the best audiobooks on xigxag, an innovative, user-friendly audiobook platform that makes it easy to find, purchase, and enjoy your favorite books in audio format. xigxag’s flexible pricing model offers bestselling audiobooks for less – affordable prices and the best audiobook deals with no subscription required.  Give the perfect gift with our audiobook gift cards and in-app audiobook gifting options.

 

xigxag’s commitment to sustainability and ethical practices ensures a guilt-free listening experience from an exceptional digital book platform – an exciting alternative to big tech.  Enjoy audiobooks from the only B Corp certified UK audiobook service and a leader in audiobook innovation.

 

Search effortlessly, read honest audiobook reviews evaluating both the book and the narration, and discover hidden gems.  Download or stream top audiobook titles anytime, anywhere and get the best possible listening experience on the UK’s best independent audiobook app.  Experience the future of audiobooks today.

Subscribe to our newsletter

Sign up to get tailored content recommendations, product updates and info on new releases. Your data is your own: we commit to protect your data and respect your privacy.