Ambition. Sorcery. Treason. How far will one woman dare to go?

1420. Eleanor Cobham arrives at the court of Henry V. Pretty but not highborn, she hopes for little more than to marry well.


England is in a golden age – but beneath the glittering surface, ancient rivalries fester and chaos lurks in the shadows.


And chaos, Eleanor discovers, creates opportunities. Appointed lady-in-waiting to a Countess who commands her own army, she begins to see what a woman can truly become.


She dares to dream of real power. Perhaps even the crown itself. But for that, she must turn to darker arts. And the higher she climbs, the darker the path becomes…



Philippa Gregory tells a breathtaking story of sorcery, ambition and one woman's extraordinary rise.