The King's Mistress

Praise

“A medieval lover’s dream novel…the vibrant backdrop and depth of historical details place Campion in the same league as Sharon Kay Penman and Alison Weir.”–Romantic Times

“A dynamic fictionalization of the life of Alice Salisbury…an empathetic but realistic portrait of a colorful and, if Campion is to be believed, misunderstood woman.”– Publishers Weekly

“In THE KING’S MISTRESS, Alice Perrers at last comes into her own as a keen observer, not a villain, of English history. The High Middle Ages, the role of women, court intrigue, lust and love, all come alive through Alice’s eyes. Yet the panoply of powerful people flaunting their influence and toying with other people’s lives sounds amazingly modern. This is a rich novel to enjoy and ponder.” –Karen Harper, author of The First Princess of Wales
 
“From her beginnings as a merchant’s wife to her life as King Edward III’s powerful mistress, Alice Perrers comes alive in Emma Campion’s richly imagined novel. Beautifully written and utterly absorbing, this is an epic story you won’t want to put down!” –Michelle Moran, author of Cleopatra’s Daughter
 
“From the mercantile riches of early medieval London to the halls of intrigue in Westminster, Emma Campion weaves a sweeping, sumptuous account of a tumultuous era and of an irresistibly fallible woman, whose bold rise to power comes at an extraordinary price.” –C.W. Gortner, author of The Last Queen and The Confessions of Catherine De Medici
 
“A fascinating, extensively researched look at a much maligned woman. Emma Campion does Alice Perrers the same service that Anya Seton did for Katherine Swynford.” –Susan Higginbotham, author of The Stolen Crown
 
“THE KING’S MISTRESS is an extraordinary novel, exquisitely detailed, epic in proportion, and as lush as the fabrics Emma Campion’s Alice Perrers chooses for the queen.” –Kate Emerson, author of Secrets of the Tudor Court: Between Two Queens
 
“Arguably the most notorious ‘wicked woman’ of the fourteenth century, Alice Perrers has been loathed throughout history as a greedy, manipulative harlot.  Emma Campion explores the life of an infamous villainess with skill and understanding, stripping away the layers to reveal the very human, vulnerable woman beneath. Well researched and beautifully written, THE KING’S MISTRESS will give readers much to think about even after they have read the last page.” –Ella March Chase, author of The Virgin Queen’s Daughter