1588. In the height of her power is the legendary Elizabeth Tudor, history's most enigmatic queen. She is the virgin with many suitors; the victor of the Armada who hated war; the jewel-bedecked woman always pinching pennies. Elizabeth's flame-haired cousin, Lettice Knollys, is her bitter rival. In love with Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester, and mother to the Earl of Essex, the mercurial nobleman who challenged Elizabeth's throne, Lettice has been intertwined with Elizabeth since childhood. This is a story of two women of fierce intellect and desire: one trying to protect her country and throne; the other trying to regain power and position for her family. Their rivalry soon involves everyone close to Elizabeth – from the famed courtiers who enriched the crown to the legendary poets and playwrights. And, for Elizabeth, to be married to her people meant she must rule as much with her heart as with her head . . .

.".. impressive detail and a wonderfully evocative setting ..." -"The Boston Globe" " ... in "Elizabeth I" Margaret George, a Wisconsin native and bestselling author, has found a way to refresh Elizabeth's story, breathing new life into this iconic historical figure ..." -(Milwaukee) "Journal Sentinel" "By carefully blending the rich historical detail that is available with her own equally rich imagination, George presents a fascinating portrait of a smart, brave and politically savvy leader who was nevertheless also human and emotional ...George creates such a compelling portrait of the monarch as she immerses us in court life that, when the book ends, it is hard not to feel a sense of loss." -(Fort Worth) "Star-Telegram"

Margaret George is the author of several best-selling novels, including The Autobiography of Henry VIII, Mary Queen of Scotland and the Isles, and Mary, Called Magdalene. She travels widely to research her novels and lives with her husband in Madison, Wisconsin.