The best historical fiction books about the Tudors

Tony Riches Author Of Owen
By Tony Riches

Who am I?

I was born within sight of Pembroke Castle, the birthplace of Henry Tudor, who later became King Henry VII and began the Tudor Dynasty, so I’ve always had an interest in his story. I found several biographies, but no novels which brought the truth of his story to life. The idea for the Tudor Trilogy occurred to me when I realised Henry Tudor could be born in book one, ‘come of age’ in book two, and rule England as king in book three. Since then, I’ve continued to follow the Tudor ‘thread’ all the way from Owen Tudor’s first meeting with Catherine of Valois to the death of Queen Elizabeth I.

I wrote...

Owen

By Tony Riches,

Book cover of Owen

What is my book about?

1422: Owen Tudor, a Welsh servant, falls in love with the Queen of England. The beautiful Catherine of Valois, widow of the warrior king, Henry V, is lonely, and her son, the future King Henry VI, shows signs of family madness. As the country simmers on the brink of civil war, will Owen risk everything to protect her? Discover how they change British history – and establish a dynasty...the Tudors. 

This series of best-selling trilogies follow the stories of the Tudors in a continuous thread from Owen Tudor to the final days of Queen Elizabeth I

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The books I picked & why

Dissolution

By C.J. Sansom,

Book cover of Dissolution

Why did I love this book?

This book inspired me to write about the Tudors in a new way, exploring what it was really like to live in Tudor times. Dissolution is a fascinating detective story, which paints a convincing portrait of one of the most turbulent periods in British history. It is also the first in an award-winning series, which follows the hunch-backed lawyer, Matthew Shardlake, as he solves medieval mysteries with his loyal companions. 

Dissolution

By C.J. Sansom,

Why should I read it?

10 authors picked Dissolution as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Awarded the CWA Diamond Dagger - the highest honor in British crime writing

From the bestselling author of Winter in Madrid and Dominion comes the exciting and elegantly written first novel in the Matthew Shardlake Tudor Mystery series

Dissolution is an utterly riveting portrayal of Tudor England. The year is 1537, and the country is divided between those faithful to the Catholic Church and those loyal to the king and the newly established Church of England. When a royal commissioner is brutally murdered in a monastery on the south coast of England, Thomas Cromwell, Henry VIII's feared vicar general, summons…

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Wolf Hall

By Hilary Mantel,

Book cover of Wolf Hall

Why did I love this book?

Hilary Mantel taught me how to find the ‘voice’ of Tudor characters and how it is possible to put the flesh on the bones and bring real people from medieval history to life. Booker Prize winning Hilary Mantel makes us think again about Henry VIII’s henchman, Thomas Cromwell. We see the world through Thomas’ eyes, and know what he knows, but we also hear him asking questions of himself as he changes the course of history.

Wolf Hall

By Hilary Mantel,

Why should I read it?

18 authors picked Wolf Hall as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Winner of the Man Booker Prize Shortlisted for the the Orange Prize Shortlisted for the Costa Novel Award

`Dizzyingly, dazzlingly good' Daily Mail

'Our most brilliant English writer' Guardian

England, the 1520s. Henry VIII is on the throne, but has no heir. Cardinal Wolsey is his chief advisor, charged with securing the divorce the pope refuses to grant. Into this atmosphere of distrust and need comes Thomas Cromwell, first as Wolsey's clerk, and later his successor.

Cromwell is a wholly original man: the son of a brutal blacksmith, a political genius, a briber, a charmer, a bully, a man with…

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Mistress Cromwell

By Carol McGrath,

Book cover of Mistress Cromwell

Why did I love this book?

This inspired book is told from Elizabeth Cromwell’s point of view. Written in the first person, this touching and evocative account makes impressive use of the known facts of Elizabeth’s life.

In an inspired break from the conventional timeline, we dip into the past for entire chapters. It reminded me of watching a skilled portrait artist at work, with increasing detail over broader brushwork until the result is three-dimensional. 

Mistress Cromwell

By Carol McGrath,

Why should I read it?

2 authors picked Mistress Cromwell as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

"One of my favourite Tudor set books . . . A wonderfully vivid read." Nicola Cornick

Young widow Elizabeth Williams is determined to make a success of the business she inherited from her merchant father. But an independent woman draws the wrong kind of attention, and Elizabeth soon realises she has enemies - enemies who know the dark truth about her dead husband.

Happiness arrives when Elizabeth meets rapidly rising lawyer, Thomas Cromwell. Their marriage begins in mutual love and respect - but it isn't easy being the wife of an ambitious courtier in Henry VIII's London. The city is…

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The Falcon's Flight

By Natalia Richards,

Book cover of The Falcon's Flight

Why did I love this book?

Evocative and atmospheric, the second book in Natalia Richards' series on the life of Anne Boleyn covers her time in France. Often skimmed over by historians, understandably keen to move on to the tragedy of Anne's later life, this immersive, first-person narrative places the reader firmly in Anne's shoes. I particularly enjoyed Natalia's description of the sights (and smells) of medieval Paris, and to find myself at The Field of Cloth of Gold, where King Henry VIII met King François I of France.

The Falcon's Flight

By Natalia Richards,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Falcon's Flight as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Anne Boleyn's life is threatened, intrigue, gossip and treachery abound, and her destiny is finally revealed.

A young Anne Boleyn and her sister are sent to Paris to attend Mary Tudor, the new Queen of France. Unclear where her loyalties should lie, Anne soon makes an enemy of the queen. When the widowed Mary returns to England, Anne stays on in France to serve the new queen, Claude, but Anne's sister's actions put the girls' new court career at risk.

A dangerous love affair follows and Anne finds an unlikely ally in the French king's mistress.

But nothing ever goes…

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The Beaufort Bride

By Judith Arnopp,

Book cover of The Beaufort Bride

Why did I love this book?

The first book in Judith Arnopp’s Beaufort Chronicles tells the story of Margaret Beaufort’s challenging early life. Often portrayed as cold and stringent, we discover a woman who is warm, and endearing, her reserve a front which masks a deeply emotional person of great sensitivity and intelligence. This book made me think again about Margaret Beaufort. Well researched with beautiful period details, and excellent storytelling.

The Beaufort Bride

By Judith Arnopp,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Beaufort Bride as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

As King Henry VI slips into insanity and the realm of England teeters on the brink of civil war, a child is married to the mad king’s brother. Edmund Tudor, Earl of Richmond, takes his child bride into Wales where she discovers a land of strife and strangers. At Caldicot Castle and Lamphey Palace Margaret must put aside childhood, acquire the dignity of a Countess and, despite her tender years, produce Richmond with a son and heir.While Edmund battles to restore the king’s peace, Margaret quietly supports his quest; but it is a quest fraught with danger.As the friction between…

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Interested in Thomas Cromwell, King Henry VIII, and Anne Boleyn?

9,000+ authors have recommended their favorite books and what they love about them. Browse their picks for the best books about Thomas Cromwell, King Henry VIII, and Anne Boleyn.

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