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The Queen’s Painter

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What to expect

'I am in awe of Wendy Holden' Heather Morris

'As exquisitely-rendered as a Holbein masterpiece, this vivid and compelling novel breathes new life into one of the most dramatic stories in English history' Tracy Borman

In her dazzling new novel, No. 1 Sunday Times bestseller Wendy Holden presents a new take on the Anne Boleyn story. The Queen's Painter traces her stellar rise and tragic fall as seen by Tudor court artist Hans Holbein. Close friend of the ill-fated queen, did he use his genius in a stunning act of revenge?

When the brilliant young Holbein arrives at the Tudor court, Anne Boleyn is among his first patrons. As she rises to the top, Hans rises with her. Courtiers clamour for his portraits of life-like accuracy; pictures which tell the truth about their subjects.

When his beloved Anne is beheaded on false evidence, Hans is heartbroken and enraged. And he's not alone. Poet and diplomat Thomas Wyatt is agonised at his own unwitting part in her tragedy. He and Hans join forces and vow revenge on the person they blame for Anne's downfall: Thomas Cromwell, the king's ruthless chief minister.

But what can a poet and painter do against the most powerful man in England? The answer comes when Henry VIII seeks a fourth wife. Cromwell turns to Holbein and Wyatt, his trusted artist and envoy, to travel across Europe to find and paint a new bride. Cromwell's position depends on a portrait of someone young and beautiful, painted with Hans' trademark truth. Anything less could bring the whole court crashing down.

It's the opportunity they've been waiting for...

Praise for Wendy Holden:

'Traces Diana's journey from shy schoolgirl to blushing bride with verve, wit and a dash of foreboding' Daily Mail

'Touching and distinctive' Rachel Hore

'Riveting, revealing, an absolute must-read' Imogen Edwards-Jones

'Perfect for fans of The Crown' Bella

'Diana is depicted as warm, empathetic and mischievous' Mail on Sunday

'Fascinating' Woman's Weekly

'Fictionalises Diana's life in riveting and tender detail' Platinum

'A compelling read' Prima

'Scurrilous, funny, sharp, shot through with pathos' Saga

'Wendy delves beneath the glamour and public persona. Fascinating' Woman

Critics Review

In The Queen's Painter, Wendy Holden brings a fresh and unusual eye to a tragic story we think we know, but which continues to surprise us. Place, period and people leap to vivid life under her pen. What a classy, colourful and engaging novel.
Rachel Hore
Gripping, rich and completely transporting, Holden's shimmering, terrifying Tudor world, with its wonderful cast of characters, is alive on the page. A dazzling novel of passion, paint and skullduggery, I couldn't put it down
Eve Chase
As exquisitely-rendered as a Holbein masterpiece, this vivid and compelling novel breathes new life into one of the most dramatic stories in English history. A must for Tudor fans everywhere
Tracy Borman

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