Portrait of an unknown woman

"If you're looking for something romantic and classy, this debut historical romance, in the vein of Girl with a Pearl Earring, is a good choice." Sunday Times As the success of The Tudors series proves, medieval royalty arouses great passion and attracts adoring fans. But in literature, few novelists achieve the level of authenticity and detail of customs and events as Vanora Bennett. With historical acuity and narrative lightness, she creates a dense love story, part thriller, set in the court of Henry VIII. In PORTRAIT OF AN UNKNOWN LADY, Vanora deftly blends romance, politics, and religious turmoil to reinterpret the trajectory of the family of Thomas More, author of the classic Utopia, as they deal with the uncertainties and tribulations of Henry VIII's reign. In tow, she paints a picture of 16th-century Europe. Narrated by More's brilliant adopted daughter, Meg Griggs, the plot centers on two family paintings. Commissioned to create two portraits of the More clan, five years apart, the young German painter Hans Holbein comes to London. The paintings bring hidden meanings to the novel. Secret identities, alliances, infidelities, and many other elements of intrigue are captured by Holbein's deft brushstrokes. So is Megg's heart. But the young man isn't the only one to spark the young woman's interest, as she harbors a long-standing passion for her tutor, the mysterious John Clement. The two marry and have a son, but over time, Clement distances himself. And Holbein's return for the second portrait promises to shake up the family. Meanwhile, the Protestant Reformation sweeps Europe, inciting religious uprisings, much to the horror of Megg's father, a devout Catholic. Featuring characters such as King Henry VIII, Anne Boleyn, Martin Luther, and Erasmus, Meg's journey of self-discovery is intertwined with art, history, danger, and emotion. Vanora successfully dissects the motives of her characters, both fictional and historical, and lays them bare in a moving way. Tudor England comes to life and color in PORTRAIT OF AN UNKNOWN WOMAN, her debut novel.