London, 1558. Queen Mary is dead, and 25-year old Elizabeth ascends the throne. Summoned
to court from exile abroad, Elizabeth's intimate spy, Brendan Prescott, is reunited with
the young queen, as well as his beloved Kate, scheming William Cecil, and arch-rival,
Robert Dudley. A poison attempt on Elizabeth soon overshadows her coronation, but before
Brendan can investigate, Elizabeth summons him in private to dispatch him on a far more
confidential mission: to find her favored lady in waiting, Lady Parry, who has
disappeared during a visit to her family manor in Yorkshire.
Upon his arrival at the desolate sea-side manor where Lady Parry was last seen, he
encounters a strange, impoverished family beset by grief, as well as mounting evidence
that they hide a secret from him. The mystery surrounding Lady Parry deepens as Brendan
begins to realize there is far more going on at the manor than meets the eye, but the
closer he gets to the heart of the mystery in Vaughn Hall, the more he learns that in
his zeal to uncover the truth, he could be precipitating Elizabeth's destruction.
From the intrigue-laden passages of Whitehall to a foreboding Catholic manor and the
deadly underworld of London, Brendan must race against time to unravel a vendetta that
will strike at the very core of his world—a vendetta that could expose a buried
past and betray everything he has fought for, including his loyalty to his queen.
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