Critic’s wrote, “This was very simply a wonderful read"
About the book
Alice is in her mid-twenties, a celebrated historian at Oxford reading Egyptian hieroglyphics; Lady Jane is great niece to King Henry VIII and is remembered in English history as the monarch with the shortest reign, just nine days whose life was ended with her execution aged only 17.
450 years separate them but their worlds come together with the chance finding of old manuscripts found during the renovation of an old barn revealing the previously unknown last moments of Lady Jane Grey's life culminating in a startling ending. Critics wrote: Author David Black has created "very simply a wonderful read, I could not put it down.” Well written with an understanding of the life of the Tudor poor that few Historians match. Great twist!”
Critic's Wrote
“I could not put it down.”
“well written with an understanding of the life of the Tudor poor that few Historians match. Great twist!”
Available on Amazon, Audible and i-tunes.
Lady Jane Grey: Queen of England: July 10 - 19, 1553
About Jane; how she became Queen of England
10th July 1553, Lady Jane Grey arrived at the Tower of London to prepare for her coronation, but within a fortnight she was back at the Tower as a prisoner of her Catholic cousin, Mary I who had claimed the throne as rightfully hers.
Jane was queen for just nine days, as part of an unsuccessful bid to prevent the accession of the Catholic Mary Tudor. The great-granddaughter of Henry VII, Jane inherited the crown following her cousin Edward VI premature death from illness
aged only 15 on 6 July 1553.
Initially Mary was reluctant to punish her but Jane proved too much of a threat as the focus of Protestant plotters intent on replacing Mary. However, history reports that only months later Queen Mary, who, by accounts was very fond of her cousin Jane, signed her death warrant. On 12 February 1554 Jane was executed; she was 16 years old.
The renovation of a decrepit old barn reveals the chance finding of various old manuscripts lodged between some wall cavities; they reveal clues to a mystery that goes back to the time of Queen Mary I, Queen Elizabeth I and Lady Jane Grey.
A truly great English novel told from several perspectives reveals Tudor England as a half-made society, moulded by great suffering and courage with a modern day set of events that brings the whole to a life with a sparkle.
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Cleverly fusing fact with fiction, David Black’s ‘Before the Reign Falls - The Lost Words of Lady Jane Grey’ capitalises on the freedom of historical fiction to tell a comprehensive story of the life, reign and death of Lady Jane Grey, one of history’s most enigmatic figures. Wrapped up in the story of a chance finding of manuscripts lodged between an old property’s walls, history comes to compelling life in explosive fashion.
Coming Next: In Search of Lady Jane Grey
Where's Jane ?
David Black goes In Search for Lady Jane Grey.
Over the past 500 years over thirty three monarchs have ruled England. Authenticated portraits, painted from life survive for all but one. The single unrepresented individual is Queen Jane; Lady Jane Grey.
It is remarkable that for someone with Jane’s place in English history that no identifiable or authenticated likeness exists; a member of the royal family of a great dynasty, great niece of arguable the best known of historical royal figures, Henry VIII and Queen of England albeit for nine days. Yet no physical description of Jane exists, her features, hair colour, height survive which makes if difficult to identify or dismiss images purported to be her, of which there are many. It is reported that Jane sat for a portrait on at least one occasion as her Mother’s friend Bess of Hardwick owned a likeness of her which she kept at Hardwick Hall. However, the whereabouts of this picture is now unknown , lost destroyed or misidentified. The fact that Jane’s likeness is not clear the painting may be a familiar one which as simply been dismissed as not being Jane.
The most famous painting believed to be Jane now hangs in the National Portrait Gallery. However, in 1996 historian Susan James made a compelling argument that in fact the painting was of Katherine Parr.
Lady Jane Grey was a central character in one of the most elaborate stories of the Tudor dynasty, so how could this situation have arisen?
Making use of the most elaborate of modern technology I go in search for Lady Jane Grey.
A Queen without a face; Is it odd that no authenticated paintings of her exists?
Announcement: Coming 2024
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Thirteen Days a Queen
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