Cat Tilney was sent to the Duchess of Norfolk's home in order to receive an education and proper upbringing. But everything changes when Katherine Howard arrives. A niece of the great Duke of Norfolk, one of the King Henry VIII's most trusted men, Kate transforms the duchess' respectable home into a place of secrets and sordid affairs.

Cat knew Katherine was different when she first arrived at the duchess' household. Not only was she a member of the powerful Howard family, but she had a seductive way of claiming a man with just a glance. Cat watches as Katherine works her charms first on the handsome music teacher, Henry Manox, and then on Francis Dereham, one of her uncle's men. Although Cat secretly longs for Francis, she knows he belonged to Katherine the moment their eyes met.

While the girls engage in dangerous love affairs and flirtations, news of the King's many failed marriages reach Norfolk house. First, Catherine of Aragon is cast aside, which causes great confusion among the girls. Then, Anne Boleyn, Kate's cousin, is found guilty of adultery and executed. The king finds happiness with Jane Seymour, but she dies after producing an heir. The king's marriage to Anne of Cleves changes Kate's destiny after she is called to court to serve the new queen. At court, Kate not only catches the eye of a handsome nobleman, Thomas Culpeper, but she also makes the ultimate match - The King of England.

Kate's childhood friends are amazed that little Katherine Howard could turn the head of the great Tudor king, but they are even more shocked when they learn Kate is to become the next Queen of England. Her new status does little to discourage her flirtatious ways. Before becoming queen, Kate has already claimed Thomas Culpeper as her own, and not even her marriage to the king will stop her from bringing Culpeper into her bed. Kate's new title and new love finally give Cat the opportunity she has been waiting for with Francis Dereham, but when Francis comes under investigation by the King's secretary, Cat knows it's only a matter of time before Kate's dangerous secret comes out, possibly taking everyone down with her.

Told from the perspective of Cat Tilney, Katherine Howard's childhood friend, THE CONFESSION OF KATHERINE HOWARD brings to life Katherine Howard's early years at the Duchess of Norfolk's home. While the novel creates a vivid portrait of young Kate's careless love affairs, the transitioning across time, as Cat tells her story, distracted from Kate's story. Also, although the novel is entitled THE CONFESSION OF KATHERINE HOWARD, a good portion of the book is dedicated to Cat Tilney and her love for Francis Dereham. The novel still provides an intriguing view of Kate's time at Norfolk House, a time period many authors of Tudor fiction usually gloss over.