Mary Queen of Scots is most often mentioned in books as a side story to Elizabeth I so it is really interesting to read a book that has Mary as the central character. She had such a turbulent life and in hindsight made poor choices, but this is still the story of a young woman trying to stand her ground and fight for her rights in a period that was dominated by men. Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for allowing me to read Captive Queen.

A fantastic retelling of the story of Mary, Queen of Scots, using recently deciphered letters by and to her to fill out more details of her time in captivity. There is a huge amount of research by the author and it’s fleshed out with short introductions of fiction to each chapter imagining how life may have felt for her, which bring her to life more fully. It’s a fascinating read for anybody interested in her life and lays out clearly what can seem like a very complicated period of history. An excellent addition to the subject.

Another look at Mary, Queen of Scots. This is focused mainly on the letters she and her secretaries wrote while captive in England. It describes the ways letters were sent and delivered, the ways they were intercepted and used as evidence against her, plus the enciphering techniques employed to try and keep them secure. The book elaborates on the events that surrounded these letters to give them context and provide a deeper understanding. It was an interesting perspective on a well known story.