The Cardinal — Alison Weir

In this thrilling novel of friendship and betrayal at the royal court, the New York Times bestselling author of the Six Tudor Queens series explores the rise of Thomas Wolsey, who was Henry VIII's chief advisor -- until the king accused him of treason.

Cardinal Thomas Wolsey enjoyed one of the most meteoric careers in history. His rise from humble beginnings coincided with Henry VIII's ascension to the throne in 1509, when the king appointed him to his privy council.  The two grew to be cherished friends, and by 1515 Wolsey, now a cardinal, had become the controlling figure in all matters of church and state, in spite of the jealous criticisms of the nobles, who resented him for usurping what they saw as their role as the king's natural advisors. These were dangerous enemies to have.

Wolsey operated on an international stage and worked hard to broker universal peace. All was going dazzlingly until Henry fell in love with Anne Boleyn -- the woman whom Wolsey would one day call “the night crow” -- and sought to end his marriage to his first wife, Katherine of Aragon. Swept up in the maelstrom of “the Divorce,” Wolsey, who had successfully striven to give his master everything he wanted, found himself in an impossible situation as he drew the ire of the queen, with his world crumbling around him.

Alison Weir's poignant novel tells the story of Wolsey the man, his incredible rise to power and his tragic fall. She delves beyond the splendour and political machinations of the Tudor court to reveal the secrets of Wolsey's private life, the mistress and children he was devoted to, and the tragedy that overtook them. It is a tale of two women, one who loved him and one who hated him -- and also a tale of two men, king and commoner, the special, deep-rooted bonds that brought them together, and the forces that drove them apart.