WILL SOMERS has been jester to Henry VIII for more than 20 years, but more than that he has been Henry’s confidant and witness to intrigue and horror at court.

The king now lies dying but still remains as ruthless as ever due to paranoia about the inheritance of the throne.

His only son is too young and sickly and with powerseeking councillors vying to be protector, the king can trust no one apart from Will. But can he really trust the jester who supports Princess Mary? Will is suddenly dismissed and becomes a prisoner fearing for his life as executions are an almost daily occurrence.

Has Henry really turned his back on him?

When Henry dies rumours are abound and Will’s determination to know the truth sets him on a dangerous course and who can he trust to help him?

In this novel, the author has taken all the known facts about the last days of Henry VIII and written an interesting story of what might have happened to him on his death bed.

While a large portion of the book tells us of the past through the eyes of Will Somers, it is worth staying with for it helps to build up to the mystery surrounding the last days of the king.

This book, at times, is not pleasant reading as the executions are realistically portrayed along with detailed accounts of Henry’s illness and declining body, but they all add up to make a terrifying atmosphere that must be fairly truthful to the days the book is portraying.

There is a real sense of fear and plotting that makes the reader want to discover, along with Will, what happened to the king.

I am sure this prolific writer, who originates from Middlesbrough, has another success with this, his 100th novel