The Captive Queen of Scots (Mass Market Paperback)

by Jean Plaidy (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
“Burn the murderess!”

So begins Jean Plaidy’s The Captive Queen of Scots, the epic tale of the Scottish Queen Mary Stuart, cousin to Queen Elizabeth of England. After her husband, Lord Darnley, is murdered, suspicion falls on Mary and her lover, the Earl of Bothwell. A Catholic in a land of stern Protestants, Mary finds herself in the middle of a revolt, as her bloodthirsty subjects call for her arrest and execution. In disgrace, she flees her Scottish persecutors for England, where she appeals to Queen Elizabeth for mercy, but to no avail. Throughout Mary’s long years as the Queen’s prisoner, she conceives many bold plans for revenge and escaping to freedom—but the gallows of Fotheringhay Castle loom . . .

Set against royal pageantry, religious strife, and bloody uprising—and filled with conspiracies, passion, heartbreak, and fascinating historical detail—The Captive Queen of Scots is an unforgettable, page-turning tale of the intense rivalry between two powerful women of noble blood. --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

About the Author
JEAN PLAIDY is the pen name of the prolific English author Eleanor Hibbert, also known as Victoria Holt and Philippa Carr. More than 14 million copies of her books have been sold worldwide. --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

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Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 448 pages
• Publisher: Fawcett (April 12, 1977)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0449232875
• ISBN-13: 978-0449232873
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #2,243,405 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars MARY STUART...THE CAPTIVE QUEEN..., June 22, 2002

By	Lawyeraau (Balmoral Castle) - See all my reviews (TOP 50 REVIEWER)    (COMMUNITY FORUM 04)

This is historical fiction at its finest. Masterfully written, the author weaves a spellbinding tapestry of events that chronicles the life of Mary Stuart, the Queen of Scots, while in captivity.

The book details her stay at the castle on the island of Lochleven in Scotland, while at the mercy of her illegitimate half brother and self-proclaimed Regent, the Earl of Moray. It recounts her daring escape from her Scottish captors, as well as her woefully misguided decision to flee to England, rather than to France or Spain.

Instead of the succor that the beautiful, charming, and very Catholic Mary, an anointed Queen, expected to receive from her cousin, the wily and Protestant Elizabeth I of England, Mary found, instead, an uneasy captivity. From the moment of her entry to England, she was in effect a prisoner, commuted from castle to castle with a never ending succession of jailers whose task was to ensure that she did not escape. It was a captivitry that was to span nineteen years.

Filled with the political intrigues and conspiracies that abounded in sixteenth century England and Scotland, the book paints a sympathetic portrait of Mary, a queen that ruled with her heart, rather than with her head. She was a woman who was at a disadvantage in negotiating with her cousin, as Elizabeth, unlike Mary, ruled with her head and not with her heart. Elizabeth was very much aware of the political realities of the time and sensitive to Mary's own claim by blood to the English throne, making Mary someone to be kept in check, rather than helped.

Based upon actual historical figures and events, the author creates three dimensional characters and infuses them with all the pomp and pageantry of the time. It is a stirringly written narrative that fully engages the reader. Those who love historical fiction, as well as those who have an interest in the life of Mary Stuart, the beleaguered Queen of Scots, will most certainly enjoy this book, as will anyone who simply loves a well written and compelling story.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Interesting, but not the best Jean Plaidy book I've read!, August 4, 2007

By	R. Carlson - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: The Captive Queen of Scots: A Novel (Paperback)

I enjoyed this book, particularly because I wanted to learn more about Mary, Queen of Scots and what better person to learn from than Jean Plaidy!? Like most of the Plaidy books, it is history couched in novel form. My only complaint that it seemed a little stiffer than most of her novels, a little more rigid and it didn't flow quite as naturally. Nevertheless, it told the story and told it well. I recommend it!

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars The Continuing Story of Mary Queen of Scots, December 31, 2007

By	A. Arey (Dallas, TX) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: The Captive Queen of Scots: A Novel (Paperback)

This is the continuing story of Mary, Queen of Scots, after her disastrous marriage to Bothwell. The novel opens with Mary the captive of her half-brother, Jamie. She finds that there are still subjects who want to follow her, and they help her escape to England. When she arrives, she finds herself the captive of Elizabeth I, and spends the next 20 years in captivity.

This is an intriguing story about Mary. Although the book drags in many parts, it is still interesting to find out what happened to Mary following her loss of the throne. She continues to fascinate as the counterpoint to the magnificent Elizabeth.