New Literature: Queen of Misfortune - A Lady Jane Grey Novel by Peter Carroll

Online, May 10, 2011 (Newswire.com) - "Queen Of Misfortune" is the fictional story of Lady Jane Grey as told by her beloved tutor, John Aylmer.

Little is known of this unfortunate girl who was beheaded for treason in the 16th Century. She was only 16. She is omitted from the list of monarchs but was actually queen for nine days. Following extensive research Peter Carroll attempted to put this to rights in this story filled with love and passion.

It follows John Aylmer's close relationship with Jane as her tutor and later, as she grows up, her lover. It shows how the Duke of Northumberland uses her as a pawn in a devious plan to dupe her into reluctantly accepting the throne against her better judgment, and the torment she suffers in consequence culminating in her early death and that of Guildford Dudley, the husband she was forced to marry. Her strict upbringing and the abuse given by her parents at her home in Bradgate is also cause for concern for John Aylmer and her nurse, Mary Ellen. Starting and ending with the execution in the Tower and the belief she was buried at Bradgate, John Aylmer revives his cherished memories.

For detailed ordering information and an excerpt of the first chapter see http://QueenOfMisfortune.CopperhillMedia.Com.

About the Author
Peter Carroll has written several short stories, poems and many articles on variable subjects for newspapers and Magazines, his favorite subject being history. "Queen of Misfortune" is his first novel, a fiction piece which involved intensive research and took three years to complete. Born in Barnet, England in July 1933 and with a standard education, he was called up into the RAF in 1951 and served five years as a medic. Since then, until his retirement, he has mainly been involved in accounting and running his own business with his son. Like a cat with nine lives he has survived an air crash, a lift fall and a serious aortic aneurysm and thanks his Karma faith for that. He now lives in beautiful Torbay in South Devon, has been married to Daphne for over fifty years, and they have two children and four grandchildren.

Review
by Wilfried F. Voss, Author of The Bleeding Hills
I had the distinct privilege, besides the author and his editor, to be the first to read "Queen of Misfortune," and I have to admit I was not prepared for the deep emotions that came with reading Peter Carroll's novel. Not only is Carroll's excellent writing style absolutely captivating, but he also manages to convey with ease the intense feelings of love, joy, pain, and grief.

As the sub-title ("Life is but a rehearsal for our everlasting love, my dear Lady Jane Grey") indicates, "Queen of Misfortune" is not merely a Lady Jane Grey Novel; it is a story of true and unconditional love with almost Shakespearean dimensions. "Romeo and Juliet" comes to mind.

There is little recorded history of Lady Jane Grey who, against her will, was declared Queen of England for a short nine days. After all, she was executed at the very young age of sixteen as ordered by Queen Mary I, also known as "Bloody Mary." It also appears that records of her life such as pictures and letters were methodically destroyed shortly after her death. All portraits of her, available these days, were painted decades and centuries after her demise.

More is known about her beloved tutor, John Aylmer, who studied at Queen's College in Cambridge and in 1549 became tutor to the 12-year old Lady Jane Grey. She found in him the opposite to her strict and abusive parents. He, some say, fell in love with her. In 1576, long after Jane's death, he was consecrated Bishop of London, and while in that position he made himself notorious through his harsh treatment of Roman Catholics. The question comes to mind whether or not his actions were meant as a revenge for Jane's death. Queen Mary I was Catholic and she offered to spare Jane's life if Jane had converted to Catholicism, which, ultimately, she denied.

I can say with all honesty that "Queen of Misfortune" deserves more than the five stars used in online bookstore rating systems. Reading it was experience I will not forget for a long time to come.