THE QUEEN'S GOVERNESS by Karen Harper, 2010.

I have liked most any of Harper's books that I've read; especially enjoyed her Tudor mystery series. This particular novel is a standalone title, and I was intrigued that she chose the character of Elizabeth I's old governess, Kat Ashley, as the main voice for the story.

Born Katherine Champernowne, Kat grows up in a household in Devon run by her father's second wife. Mourning her dead mother, Kat doesn't get along with her stepmother. By happy circumstance, she's noticed by the visiting royal councilor Thomas Cromwell, who arranges for her to live with and further her education with distant relatives. In return, Cromwell eventually brings her to court and wishes for her to be his "eyes and ears" around Anne Boleyn. The grateful Kat, over time, becomes sympathetic to Queen Anne, is trusted by her, and later by the doomed queen's request is given charge over the young Elizabeth.

Harper creates an interesting story around Kat: how she meets and eventually marries John Ashley, a relative of the Boleyn family; her relations with Tom Seymour, Princess Mary, Cromwell, and Robert Dudley, among others; the terrifying plots, gruesome executions and stays in the Tower; the religious issues of the day; the many intrigues and power plays surrounding the Tudor court. Many of the episodes about Elizabeth and Mary are familiar, but seeing them from Kat Ashley's viewpoint gives a fresh perspective. A smooth narrative, excellent details that don't overwhelm, and a good pace make this a satisfying read about the Tudor era.