Grace Cavendish

Spring 1569. Narrator Lady Grace 13, youngest lady-in-waiting to Queen Elizabeth I, chooses between three suitors at a glittering ball. But murder descends on the Tudor court. Grace must use her intelligence, stealth, curious nature, and best friends - laundrymaid Ellie, acrobat Masou - to solve the threat to their Queen.

There’s a new arrival—a mysterious and exotic young princess—at Court and Lady Grace can’t believe how many rumours there are about her already. The exiled Banoo Yasmine from Sharakand is a beautiful girl with a pet panther and, everyone believes, magical powers. Yasmine also possesses the renowned Heart of Kings Ruby, a huge stone that she wears around her neck to balls and feasts, that legend sa...

There is much excitement at Court as the famous painter Levina Teerlinc arrives to paint the Queen's portrait. The Maids of Honor are recruited to help entertain the Queen during the sittings, and to pose for the painter while the Queen is busy. They love being in the studio but have to beware as deadly poisons are used in some of the paints! One of Lady Grace's fellow Maids of Honor, Carmina, beg...