Listen to a sample
The Fourth Queen
- Author
- Nicola Cornick
- Narrator
- Helen Stern
- Publisher
- Boldwood Books
- Publish Date
- 9 May 2026
- Run Time
- 9 hours 10 minutes
- Format
- x-book®
What to expect
Two timelines. One queen. A secret history that refuses to stay buried.
Now: When Jenna arrives at Winterhill House, she’s instantly transported back… to the priory that stood there before, the life she lived before, and the secret she kept in her past life for the fourth queen of a despotic king.
1539: King Henry VIII is intent on destroying the Catholic church, and with the dissolution of the monasteries, beautiful young prioress Marris is about to lose everything. She knows she has to do whatever it takes to keep her sisters safe, even agreeing to marry the wealthy man who has been gifted the priory land.
But when she marries him, she also finds herself catapulted into the court of the king. And her mastery of the German language makes her an ideal companion for his new queen, Anna of Cleves. It’s destined to be a short marriage… But after the divorce, when Anna finds herself in trouble, it will be Marris she turns to.
Will Marris risk her life to help the fourth queen? Because defying the king is the highest treason, and keeping this secret will put everything Marris has fought to keep safe in the gravest danger…
At the heart of the Tudor court, love and loyalty are the most dangerous weapons of all.
Praise for Nicola Cornick:'An engaging, beautifully-crafted romance' Alison Weir
'Wow! I have no other word for this story which has totally blown me away – it is a masterclass in timeslip writing and I loved it!' Christina Courtenay
'A novel to utterly transport you to another time and place' Fern Britton
'I ended this book with tears in my eyes, so invested was I. The history is so alive on the page I could taste and smell it. A really wonderful read.' Jane Dunn
'Nicola Cornick works her mystery writer’s magic' New York Journal of Books
‘I read everything this author writes as I love, love LOVE her books! This is one of the best I’ve read. Some fascinating history (from a neglected period), fabulous characters on a journey of discovery, a hint of spookiness and a whole carriageful of rollicking romance.’ Reader Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
‘Triumph as always from Nicola Cornick. no one creates such relatable characters and intricate plots. I couldn't put this down and highly recommend it.’ Reader Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
‘Nicola Cornick's novels are always a real treat. Her history is always accurate, but her research doesn’t show - instead, you feel as if you're right there in the time period she's writing about… Loved the characters, the two timelines were woven together well, there was plenty of historical colour and lots of dramatic tension. Definite five stars from me.’ Reader Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
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Details
- Author
- Nicola Cornick
- Narrator
- Helen Stern
- Duration
- 9 hours 10 minutes
- Release Date
- 9 May 2026
- ISBN
- 9781785137372
- Format
- x-book®
- Publisher
- Boldwood Books
- Genre
- Historical fiction, Narrative theme: Sense of place, Fiction: special features, Narrative theme: Social issues, Narrative theme: displacement, exile, migration, Narrative theme: Identity / belonging, Fiction: general and literary, Family life fiction
Synopsis
A BRAND-NEW Tudor timeslip novel from BESTSELLING author Nicola Cornick. Based on the true story of Anna of Cleves, perfect for fans of Philippa Gregory and Alison Weir!'What a fascinating story. I enjoyed every moment of it. Intriguing and with a lovely time-slippery twist!' Barbara ErskineTwo timelines. One queen. A secret history that refuses to stay buried.Now: When Jenna arrives at Winterhill House, she’s instantly transported back… to the priory that stood there before, the life she lived before, and the secret she kept in her past life for the fourth queen of a despotic king.1539: King Henry VIII is intent on destroying the Catholic church, and with the dissolution of the monasteries, beautiful young prioress Marris is about to lose everything. She knows she has to do whatever it takes to keep her sisters safe, even agreeing to marry the wealthy man who has been gifted the priory land.But when she marries him, she also finds herself catapulted into the court of the king. And her mastery of the German language makes her an ideal companion for his new queen, Anna of Cleves. It’s destined to be a short marriage… But after the divorce, when Anna finds herself in trouble, it will be Marris she turns to.Will Marris risk her life to help the fourth queen? Because defying the king is the highest treason, and keeping this secret will put everything Marris has fought to keep safe in the gravest danger…At the heart of the Tudor court, love and loyalty are the most dangerous weapons of all.Praise for Nicola Cornick:'An engaging, beautifully-crafted romance' Alison Weir'Wow! I have no other word for this story which has totally blown me away – it is a masterclass in timeslip writing and I loved it!' Christina Courtenay'A novel to utterly transport you to another time and place' Fern Britton'I ended this book with tears in my eyes, so invested was I. The history is so alive on the page I could taste and smell it. A really wonderful read.' Jane Dunn'Nicola Cornick works her mystery writer’s magic' New York Journal of Books‘I read everything this author writes as I love, love LOVE her books! This is one of the best I’ve read. Some fascinating history (from a neglected period), fabulous characters on a journey of discovery, a hint of spookiness and a whole carriageful of rollicking romance.’ Reader Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️‘Triumph as always from Nicola Cornick. no one creates such relatable characters and intricate plots. I couldn't put this down and highly recommend it.’ Reader Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️‘Nicola Cornick's novels are always a real treat. Her history is always accurate, but her research doesn’t show - instead, you feel as if you're right there in the time period she's writing about… Loved the characters, the two timelines were woven together well, there was plenty of historical colour and lots of dramatic tension. Definite five stars from me.’ Reader Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
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