jean plaidy “murder in the tower: the story of frances, countess of essex” – cathartic, impulsive, conniving scheming that only an over-hormone’d young woman could do

Frances Howard, who was so conniving that she killed a guy to get the guy she wanted

now i’ve read 10 of 94 plaidy books.

a fast read. gossipy, dramatic, engaging and enjoyable enough. and it’s not trashy like the books plaidy writes under her other names.

this one is about frances howard, a spoiled out-of-control, rich, beautiful, thin girl who has poisoned a guy who is blocking her marriage to the guy she wants who is of course the most handsome guy around and the king’s bff. she impulsively plots and schemes and gossips. its cathartic in a way reading about crazy bee-otches like her cuz she behaves how we can never behave now that we are well-adjusted gown ups. (or at least pretend to be.)

oh shit king james I of england aka james VI of scotland is characterized as being kind of gay! its not stated explicitly but implied heavily. how awesome. he’s also depicted as a relatively normal guy in the way he deals with ppl especially his family and is depicted as very likeable. which is a contrast to all other monarchs i’ve read of so far. i’d like to go back in time and hang out with him.

Robert Carr, the stupid-good-looking who was BFF with the king who Frances just *had* to have

King James I of England and VI of Scotland, nice closeted nerd guy